Football vs. Soccer vs. King Leonidas

October 5, 2011

Take the most intense scene you can imagine. Okay, we’ll go with the movie “300”, because as I’m sure you are aware, Spartan soldiers are forever epically intense, hence why they are still making movies about them and their glory. Now, take away any protective equipment they might have (and yes, I’m aware they preferred to block weapons and attacks with their abdominal muscles over shields, but again, just for argument’s sake). Then divide them into groups of 22 (with 14 spectators), take two of those groups, and put their top 18 on an oval-shaped field that’s 1.5 times longer and three times wider than an American football field. Finally, give one of them a leather ball and tell him his team has a limited amount of time to kick it through some goal posts as many times as they can and anything goes. It will be brutal, painful, and war-like in all aspects. That, my friends, is Australian Rules Football.

Remember when I said the other 14 warriors could be spectators? That wasn’t just coincidence or the results of a poorly planned math equation. This is a sport where the fans might as well be playing on the field for all of their intensity and moxie. Take the mandated endurance of a soccer game, add in the full impact of an American football game, subtract the shoulder pads, and add the dribbling of basketball and you have a sport of most epic proportions (if you’re a die hard baseball fan and you feel that this sport is incomplete, they tend to fall on the ground and slide a lot, in addition to jumping to catch balls, so if you must, you can add baseball in the list of sports it encompasses and dominates) And that’s not even the most praiseworthy or glorious part. Positions stand, for the most part, as markers for where you start off. Everyone runs the same, kicks just as hard, and is required to dribble a triangle-shaped ball at one point or another.

So now that you understand just how much of a warrior you must actually be to play this game, I’ll further sever your ties to reality and continue to make you doubt what “humanly possible” actually means. Essentially, you have to kick the ball through two gigantic metal goalposts for six points, or between one large one and one smaller on the sides for one point. You run for your life carrying the ball, but after 15 meters (about 50 feet) you’re forced to bounce it on the ground and catch it in order to continue running. And in case you were wondering, no, the other team does not stop their assault and wait for you to figure out how to bounce that triangle shaped ball without having it go sideways. You have to dribble while running full speed. Or, as an alternative, you can pass it to a teammate. But, you can’t pass it like an American football. You have to punch it upwards into the hands of your teammate. So picture serving a volleyball underhand at top-speed, but you use an uppercut instead of your wrist, and try to get that to your teammate.  Or, (yes, there’s another alternative) you can just punt the ball with the strength of a Spartan warrior down the field and hope your teammate catches it. If they do catch such a pass, they are then rewarded by the defenders backing off and staring in awe at their great display of athleticism as they wait for the catcher to resume play by either kicking or running the ball. Also, to catch, it is not only permitted, but also encouraged that you leap into the air and use the opposing team as a springboard to launch yourself up and catch the ball. I’ve placed a link at the end to show just what I mean.

A bunch of international students, including myself, got to go visit a team and learn the rules first-hand. We met some of the players, watched an incredibly inspiring movie, and learned just how incapable and unimpressive our athleticism was in comparison. That’s why my favorite team is now the North Melbourne Kangaroos.

Here’s that link. (Hall of fame catch and I was lucky enough to see it live!… It doesn’t matter that I was rooting for the other team.)

1 Comment | Fall 2011, Mike in Australia | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by mikeinaustralia

So Much to Do, So Much to See.

October 3, 2011

Induction for international students at the University of Ulster (a.k.a. UU) is not unlike freshman orientation at UR. We had a very detailed itinerary with several meetings and speakers. Some parts were — how shall I say this? — less exciting than others. It definitely included information that I needed to hear, but my favorite day, by far, came on Friday– the day of registration and the city tour.

I had my enrollment form filled out and all ready to go by early Friday morning. I’m pretty sure my school here is fairly new to the whole online registration thing. I had a paper form filled out by hand, but then they led students into a computer lab where we basically input the contents of our form into the computer system. It was good for me, though… I was out of there in no time.

Some American friends and I decided to walk to the city center early to look around before the tour started. It is so liberating to attend a school that is embedded in a city. It takes about 20 or 30 minutes for me to walk to the middle of the Derry. Sure, UR is on the edge of Richmond, but it is pretty isolated. It is a great experience to go to a different type of uni (as the Irish students abbreviate). It is also a very different type of city. Derry doesn’t really have the glassy and steel office buildings and skyscrapers that litter Richmond’s downtown. Most buildings are made from stone or brick. Especially in the city center, buildings are hundreds of years old.

One similarity the two cities share is a winding river running through. However, for us, the James acts as a fun place to hang out with friends during the summer. The Foyle River here in Derry acts much more like a dividing line, but the people here are trying hard to change this aspect of the city. Before I can explain the geographic significance of this river I need to give a brief history of the country:

Northern Ireland has a sad history which is probably all that many Americans know about the place. Locals refer to these times as “the troubles”. They were a time of unrest and disparagement between Catholics and Protestants about the status of Northern Ireland as part of the UK or the Republic of Ireland. The Good Friday Peace Agreement of 1998 started to put an end to the bad times and the country has been recovering ever since. Derry has actually been chosen as the first UK City of Culture for the year 2013 (which makes the inhabitants extremely proud). I may have to make the journey back then to take part in the festivities.

So, back to the Foyle. The city center is located on the western banks of the river. This part of the city is called the “city-side”. The opposite side is referred to as the “water-side”. Traditionally, Catholics live on the city-side and Protestants live on the water-side. There is however a tiny bubble of protestants who live on the city-side. They show their pride here with murals and by painting the curbs red, white, and blue. Here are some pictures of that community:

Let’s return to the tour, where I actually learned all of this information. So, my friends and I were exploring the city before we were to meet up with our international group. We decided to enter The Guildhall, which is basically the city hall where the council meets. This building was amazingly beautiful. As an art person, I could really appreciate it. The floors, ceilings, walls, and even windows were beautifully made. The windows were stained glass dating back to the 1910s. When we met up with our school group here, we actually were able to sit in the same room the council meets and hear the Mayor of Derry speak. Here are some photos of this building and the mayor:


Our tour guide, Garvin, showed us around the old city walls and energetically told us the stories of the city. The walls surrounded the original city of Derry for protection. They are quite wide and tall and the public is allowed to walk on top of them around the city.

Some cafes and churches are actually located on the walls. They are about 1 mile in circumference. The views from the walls are spectacular. Derry is located in somewhat of a valley, so you can see surrounding churches, neighborhoods, mountains, and the Foyle River. I can actually see the Foyle River from campus. The views here are unlike anything I have seen. Although the tour was optional, I am so happy that I came along. I know so much more about this beautiful city. Here are some pictures from my adventure around the walls:

My main advice to anyone wishing to or planning to study abroad is to take advantage of any opportunity that is offered you. If the school planned a city tour, take it. If there is a seemingly boring residence meeting followed by dinner, go. Attend as many events as possible. Meet as many new people as possible. Immerse yourself in the culture. Become part of the culture.

Fun Fact #3: Derry, Northern Ireland is home to the oldest department store in the world, called Austin’s. Yes, it is older than Macy’s in New York and Harrod’s in London. It recently celebrated its 180th birthday.

Fun Fact #4: To be called a “Professor” in Ireland is much, much more impressive than to be labeled a “Doctor”. It’s a little tough keeping this cultural difference straight.

2 Comments | Fall 2011, Julia in Northern Ireland | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Quite Well

Mai Chai Bouey Kem Me: Don’t Use Chemical Fertilizer

September 28, 2011

The food/agriculture unit homestay has come to an end.  These last six days were filled with excitement and unbelievable experiences.  I cannot share everything from this past week, but I’ll go over the highlights.

First stop, Roi Et province.  We stayed in a village that was in transition from non-organic to organic farming, so almost every family had pigs to make their organic fertilizer.  We got a tour of some farms, and they really tried to make it interactive.  So, I got to plant a banana tree!

Before heading to Yasothon province, the location of our last homestay of the unit, we stopped in Masaharaka to observe our future families protesting the use of chemicals in farming.  The speakers brought some to tears as they spoke of the horrors that have come as adverse effects, and the passion of these people to protect their livelihood was an unbelievable thing to watch.  Wearing green, just as the organic market they participate in is the Green Market, the street was flooded with signs and images of pesticides.  This peaceful demonstration showed more than just what chemicals can do—it showed the importance of community.  These individuals came together for a cause, and their community was shown through both the market and the signs floating down the street.

I loved my family at this homestay.  Paw and I were surprisingly able to communicate a lot,  so I got to learn about both his and Meh’s farming practices and lives.  Both have lived in the village their entire lives, and have been farming organically for 12 years now.  We took the tractor out to the farm and came back with a bounty of delicious treats.  A green papaya for Som Tom, a local dish, long beans, peanuts, sugar cane, okra, and my favorite—passion fruit.  I got to learn about the different type of rice that he grows, and then that day we stayed up late and helped prepare for the market.  Weighing peppers, sorting veggies, carrying coconuts, and watching as Meh prepared the banana snacks—coconut and rice wrapped in banana leaf.  We woke early (4:00) to meet our parents at the market, and helped sell their rice and treats. (My time at local farmer’s markets paid off, because I would not allow for bargaining).

Our week came to an end after our last exchange with a local government official who was very passionate about hating TNCs.  This past week was a great first unit trip—personal connections were formed and we got a real insight into the issues.  These next 10 days in Khon Kaen will be rough, because I can’t wait to get back into the villages.

(Oh! I almost forgot… if you put a green mango into a box for a few days, it ripens perfectly!  It’s a very useful skill when mangos are not in season.)

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, Julie in Thailand | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by julieinthailand

A Rough Start.

September 26, 2011

Traveling to Derry was quite an adventure, to say the least. Physically getting myself from within the United States past the borders of the UK and finally to my flat in Derry took much longer than was originally expected. The trip from my driveway to the doorway of my apartment took a “wee bit” under 24 hours. I won’t bore you with the extraneous details, but here’s a short recap of my trip:

I arrived at Richmond International Airport with plenty of time to make my first flight out to Newark. See my photo below of New York from the air!  There, it took about 45 minutes to find an open gate before we were allowed to exit the plane. So, once I was finally able to get off the plane, I basically sprinted to my next gate, only to find that the flight had been delayed and passengers were not yet boarding.

And then I arrived in London. Here is where all the fun begins. See, Heathrow Airport is separated into different “terminals” which are essentially mini-airports connected only by a 10 minute bus ride. I had 2 hours to get from one terminal to another to catch my final flight to Belfast. Little did I know, transferring terminals requires you to go through customs and security. I made it through and to the ticket counter (to receive my last boarding “card”) with 30 minutes to get to the gate. However, according the the airline rep, my bags hadn’t made it to the airplane yet. I was on time, but my bags were not. Apparently, if your luggage hasn’t made it to the plane, you can’t be checked in. So, I needed to catch the next flight out. Which, conveniently, happened to be 4 hours later.  Here’s a picture of London from the air – also pretty impressive!

I finally made it to Belfast (the capital city of Northern Ireland). But, guess what… my 2 bags weren’t with me. How, I must ask, was I checked into the next flight if my bags weren’t on it? This whole story is very contradictory. The baggage claim lady at the Belfast Airport finally told me that because I switched airlines at London (from Continental to Aer Lingus), I should have grabbed my bags at Continental’s luggage carousel and then transport them to the next airline. Who knew?!

Finally, I met a University of Ulster representative at the airport who arranged for some other international students and myself to catch the 2 hour bus ride to Derry. Although exhausted, slightly homesick, and minus 2 bags, I was definitely excited to step into my new room.

Okay, that explanation of my travels was not very brief, but such a lengthy journey deserves a full paragraph or two. I arrived on Monday night. It is now Wednesday afternoon and my bags have been delivered. Other than my baggage debacle, transitioning into this new culture has been quite smooth. I haven’t been to the center of town yet, but I’ve gone to some shops and have taken a few taxis. So far, the Irish people have been extremely nice and helpful. My first week here is all about orientation and getting prepared to register for classes (which will not be as difficult as I originally thought!). Next week all of the Irish students will return to campus, and classes start. There are definitely more adventures to come and I am ready.

Fun Fact #2: Irish people refer to ATM machines as “cash points” or “holes in the wall”. They also call plastic page protectors “poly pockets”.

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, Julia in Northern Ireland | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Quite Well

Laying The Bricks for Photography

September 19, 2011

Nic Dunlop, a photographer, came and taught a photography workshop—so I thought it only fitting that I show what I came up with.  Our instructions were to take an establishment shot, a profile shot, a detail shot, an action shot, and then a fifth of any of those.  We had to tell a story, and no children and no monks were allowed.

So I headed off through the streets and decided, despite the heat and blaring sun, to venture down a street I had not been down yet.  I first found myself in a neighborhood, then at a resort, and finally I came upon a bustling street with lots of excitement and potential subjects.  All the pictures were to be of the same subject, so I wanted something new (and boy, did I find it).

I came upon this brick building in construction and thought, “why not?”  There was a young guy working the brick pulley, and seeing as I had never seen this orange contraption before, it fit.  He spoke a little English, and I speak a little (very little) Thai, so we were kind of able to communicate.  He had decided I was going to come back later when he got off  and hang out with him and his friend…I knew I had to come back to get more pictures in the afternoon, so I did as the Thais do, and smiled.

I took a few good shots, and got my establishing shot, but needed more for sure. Only problem was, I wandered to get there—needless to say I got lost coming back.  I was uncertain if I could find it again.  I did though, and it was worth the walk.

My friend from earlier in the day was gone, so I wandered around the construction site.  I then saw this woman on the stairs, asked if I could take her picture, and afterward, she directed me upstairs.  I scaled the edge of the building (for like 2 feet) and spoke with three women, in broken Thai and English.  One may have told me she wants an American boyfriend…but I am pretty sure she had kids… I don’t know.  Language barriers.

It was an amazing experience, and although conversation may not have been perfect, I think I was able to capture my experience through the photos.

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, Julie in Thailand | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by julieinthailand

Navigli, discos, and the lovely Como

September 19, 2011

Now for the amazing stuff that I referenced in my last post… the fun stuff, haha. My first few nights brought me down to an area of Milan known as the Navigli. To give you a setting to imagine, the Navigli lies along 2 long canals that are perpendicular to one another, forming an L of water in the middle of the very busy city. So this nice canal and the surrounding areas have a diversity like no other, as they create a street fair with things for sale during the day, but then transform into a local hangout and boardwalk-esque area at night for people of all ages to come and enjoy. The bars set out tents with tables and chairs next to the canal, so on a nice early autumn night, the Navigli are filled with Italians and foreigners alike all coming for the atmosphere, beautiful views, and most of all, for appertivo.

All Americans, listen up… we need appertivo back in the states right away. For around 6 or 7 euros (roughly 10 dollars) you receive a free drink of any kind from the bar, plus access to an all-you-can-eat buffet (and since I’m in Italy, clearly the food is awesome). So at any bar in all of Milan from the hours of 6pm to 10pm, you can sit, relax, and have a drink, eating as much or as little as you desire, for as long as you wish. Then afterwards, especially in the Navigli, you can get a gelato (I like Nociiola or Baccio, but they are all insanely good, even the fruit ones like Pina Colada or Wild Cherry) and walk around enjoying a nice night.

After getting more acquainted with the school and my fellow peers, I went to a couple of get-togethers for exchange students hosted by the University at various night clubs known here as discos (but no Saturday Night Fever). The parties were a great way to meet people in a less formal atmosphere and let me get to know some of my new friends on a more personal level. This is where I had my conversation with my friend from Barcelona that I mentioned in my previous post. The parties regularly go from 11pm til almost 4am, but I was home in bed or on a Skype date by 2am on most of those nights.

Finally, to cap off my week of stress and transition, came my journey to one of the most peaceful and relaxing places in all of Italy and probably the entire world: Lake Como. It is no wonder international celebrities like George Clooney and Richard Branson gladly drop 40 million for villas near the amazing lake. Just stepping off the train, you are greeted with views of a lifetime, surrounded by mountains all covered with houses extending as far as the eye can see. After a nice walk through a quaint and– dare I say without sounding too girly– cute city, you reach the crème de la crème, a lake that extends throughout these mountains, touching the Alps and covering the area with beauty. Just walking around the lake is a full and relaxing day for almost anyone, with the stunning views that, believe me, pictures cannot do justice.

But in order to truly make our trip momentous, my friends and I decided to be a little more adventurous. After climbing a hidden path we found halfway up the mountain, we noticed a small recreational beach for locals down by the lake. Very curious, as well as hot and sweaty, we decided it was most definitely worth exploring. So after speaking Italian to get our way in, we changed into bathing suits and made a dash for the lake. Our thirst for adventure and our heat exhaustion persuaded us to overlook the signs warning against swimming in the beautiful but polluted lake, with my friend justifying our decision by saying:

“I see fish in there. If they can survive it, so can we.”

In retrospect, that was not the wisest advice to take, but was advice that proved to be valuable nonetheless. After jumping into the perfectly refreshing water, we swam out to a nearby dock, climbed onto it, and saw Como from a view that normally only fish can see. In awe of my surroundings and this perfectly serene moment, I succumbed to the beauty of the world and became content with simply being a spectator of the world around me.

With open eyes and an open mind, this adventure, while only the first of many, will certainly be hard to top.

I can’t wait to go back there with my loving family and amazing girlfriend on November 12th… I’m counting the days.

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, John in Italy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by johninitaly

A Week That Felt Like Class, Including Saturday and Sunday

September 14, 2011
Our week of background lectures comes to a close today, and in our “alternative education model,” it won’t be returning. To talk about all of them would both bore you and possibly imprison me in Thailand, seeing as each of them were four hours long. I will draw attention to some of the highlights, though.  The “Thai History and Politics” lecture was so intriguing.  This country has such an interesting past and present—it is truly captivating.  The first lecture we had, on Human Rights, was given by the most amazing woman I have met here.  I should set the scene…
When we have exchanges or lectures, we are told to dress in “polite” attire.  This means skirts past the knees and covered shoulders for girls, or our nifty– yes, nifty— school uniforms.  Our lecturer, the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Commission on Human Rights, walked in wearing jeans and a jean jacket that faded into lace at the bottom.  And let me tell you, not one of us doubted her for a second. She spoke with such confidence and passion for the subject, and to put it bluntly — she was a total boss.  I learned after the lecture that she was once at a big party with Henry Kissinger and happened to be next to him on the buffet line.  So naturally, she took that as her opportunity to tell him everything she thought he had done wrong.  I could not stop writing as she spoke to us, and her wisdom on Human Rights was profound, to say the least.
The second half of the week was spent on our “mock-unit”, which was on HIV/AIDS.  We had an exchange (a question & answer forum) with TNP+, which is a network for people in Thailand living with HIV/AIDS.  After the question & answer period and an activity that demonstrated the spread of the virus using water cups and food dye, we got to visit a home of a person living with HIV/AIDS.  What an experience.  I must say that in a country where the culture seems to avoid the topic of sex, it is amazing how open both the organization heads and the individuals were with us.  In small groups at the home visits, we were free to ask any questions, and I was overwhelmed with knowledge.  The juxtaposition between Montclair, New Jersey (my hometown) and the community I visited were so drastically different. Here, the “norm” is to be ostracized, whereas at home, neighbors seem to do anything they can to help.  The man I spoke with knows that the disease cannot be transmitted through objects, but still insists on having separate soap, and cups, and plates from his family to ensure his two daughters’ and wife’s protection.  The struggle to fight the silence surrounding sex is obviously a struggle for education in Thailand, and it makes the Condom Caravan at school in Richmond seem like a godsend of information.
In other news, there is a family of geckos living in my room.  I’m not too concerned, because as a friend put it when I was initially freaked out, “They are more afraid of me than I am of eating shellfish.”
And how do you turn a mango yellow? …more on that to come.
Thai village

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, Julie in Thailand | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by julieinthailand

Initial International Interpretations…. Italy

September 14, 2011

So, the past week and a half has been very… interesting, exciting, scary, overwhelming, mind-blowing, awing, amazing, and overwhelming… did I already say that? Ha, which is part of why I am a little behind on my posting. Sorry, people. As transitions go, this is certainly no walk in the park. New country, new language, new people, on top of missing home country, home language, and home people has not been easy. I won’t lie to you, loyal readers — I have had some tough days. But I must say that as far as first weeks go in a new country, especially while fighting through my homesickness and broken heart, in retrospect, it has been pretty amazing.

I figured I would talk mostly about cultural things and differences in this post and save some more of the fun stuff for later (but don’t worry, there is still plenty of fun to go around). So, my biggest window into sharing cultures and gaining a more worldly perspective so far has been through my Italian Intensive Language Course offered here by Bocconi, 5 hours a day Monday through Friday until academic classes start, then night and weekend classes for another week after that. Now, as you can imagine, 5 hour classes starting at 9:30 in the morning that are spoken in a language few members of the class can speak at higher than an elementary level can be a little boring…. to put it nicely. But as people have been known to bond together through agonizing experiences, my class has become somewhat close-knit over our past 10 days together. This melting pot of world travelers studying at the University includes an equal mix of Brazilian, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Canadian, and American students, all being taught by an Italian teacher. While we all come from different places and walks of life, we have found things in common that have created the beginning of some beautiful friendships. I have been pleasantly surprised (especially given all of the American stereotypes I am trying to kill off) that our different cultures don’t separate us, but instead bring us together with an attitude of curiosity and open mindedness. Spending time in and out of class, going during our break time to get lunch together, and hanging out in the park on a nice weekday night has really been meaningful to me. Sharing customs, jokes, games (I played my first game of European soccer on Tuesday and it was sick; 1 goal and 1 assist)… We have been able to learn a lot about each other and where we come from.

Besides learning about everyone else and where they are from, I have also learned a lot about myself and where I am from. The first week I was here, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine from Barcelona about Milan and studying abroad, and in the course of the conversation, I asked:

“What do you hope to get out of being here? What are your goals?”

Needless to say, his answer shocked and made an impression on me, or I wouldn’t be writing about it now. He said: “That is a very American question, John,” in a cool Spanish accent that I’m slightly jealous of.  “Americans are so goal oriented, always looking for the outcome… I don’t necessarily mean that as a bad thing, ” he continued. “Americans are very driven and motivated, so they accomplish a lot, but sometimes they forget to stop and look around.”

So I thought about my response… and I thought, and then when I thought I knew what to say, I thought a little bit more… and I finally said, “You’re right.”

I was impressed by his insight in evaluating my culture, and I was taken aback by the true realization that Americans frequently miss what is most important in life. Europeans value things much differently than Americans in terms of success. In terms of time and efficiency, they are polar opposites;  just being in Italy for a week has driven a control freak like me to insanity because of the inefficiency, constant strikes, and seemingly pointless bureaucracy. But I must say, in many ways, they are happier people. They are more welcoming, less competitive and cutthroat, and often very relaxed. Whereas Americans get annoyed by foreigners who don’t know English, Italians welcome foreigners and are always eager to explain and help them learn. I hope while I am here, I can continue to develop myself in a way that allows me to hold both my goals for success and my values of a happy and enjoyable life on an even plane. I will not be disloyal to my beloved America, but I will also not be naïve enough to believe we always know best. Everything about this is a learning experience, and the first thing I am learning about is my own perspective on life.

Words of wisdom: like flavors of gelato, we are all made from different things, but we are all very good in our own way.

1 Comment | Fall 2011, John in Italy | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by johninitaly

Plans, plans, plans.

September 14, 2011

I am about a week and a half away from the big day now. Everything is starting to be squared away. All the loose ends are being tied up. I could probably muster up a couple more cliches about preparedness, but I think those will do. In short, we are almost there, people.

This trip has been basically my sole topic of conversation over the last 4 or 5 months and in that time, I have made a number of plans… in my head. Knowing me, by writing them down, I will greatly increase the probability of me actually following through with them. There are so many wonderful things to do in Europe; I just want to make sure I don’t miss out on anything. On my iPod, I have created a list entitled “Places to Visit in Europe”. The list includes Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, and Paris. Paris may be a long shot for me, but hey, I can dream. Mostly, I plan to stay within the UK and Ireland (Northern Ireland is part of the UK). I want to avoid overextending myself by trying to see too much. I also really would like to get to know the city I will be living in – Londonderry. It is the oldest city in N. Ireland, so it is obviously highly concentrated with history.

While exploring this country, I want to visit a castle. Yes, a castle — authentic stone edifices that are paramount to so many fairy-tales. These great pieces of architecture just don’t exist in America. Which is probably part of the reason they are so appealing to me. Our whole country is significantly younger than these buildings. I will be living every little girl’s dream. And, from what I’ve read, there is no shortage of castles in Northern Ireland. Going along with this magical theme… one of the reasons I would like to visit Scotland, is to see Lake Loch Ness.  Spotting ol’ Nessy would make that trip worthwhile.

I hope that part of my adventures includes understanding the people of Northern Ireland. I know that many times, when students study overseas, they tend to be drawn to other international students (because they are living in similar circumstances). Sure, I would love to meet other people who are attempting to operate in a foreign environment, but I don’t want to spend time with them exclusively. I need to make it a goal of mine to have Irish friends as well. There is no better way to learn about a culture than to than to be educated by a friend who lives it. Which is essentially what I am doing with this blog — educating you about what studying abroad is like. Which is why I have decided to add a “fun fact” to the end of each blog, because, to my knowledge, American college kids don’t know much about Northern Ireland (no offense). So, here goes…

Fun Fact #1: The singer-songwriter/musician Van Morrison (wrote the song Brown Eyed Girl), actor Liam Neeson (of Schindler’s List and Taken), as well as this summer’s winner of The Glee Project Damian McGinty were all born and raised in Northern Ireland.

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, Julia in Northern Ireland | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Quite Well

Friday Night Surprise

September 7, 2011

This past Friday, I had one of those experiences that you never really expect to have when you go abroad to another country. I really hadn’t heard anything about it, and looking back, I wonder if things would have gone differently if I had. But either way, I walked right into it without ever seeing it coming.

One Friday, I came home to my house after a long day of classes. And at that point, as usual, I could only think about food. So, I crept upstairs to get a sneak peek at dinner before I sat down to solidify the plans I had made with some friends that night. When I walked in, my jaw dropped. What I saw in that kitchen, I had never seen the likes before. I knew that this would change everything, change the rules of laws I’d never questioned. And my plans, my plans would lie there in their impermanence, never to be solidified. Now, you’re probably really curious as to what’s going on. And the really clever ones probably think they even have it figured out. But let me assure you, there is no type of preparation for what I’m about to share.

So like I was saying, my jaw dropped. But that’s slightly inaccurate. My jaw dropped last. My nose registered everything first. I was hit with a wave of different aromas all at once. Sweet, spicy, tangy, bitter, good, great, amazing; I had no idea my nose could register so many different scents. Then my eyes noticed it. There, before me, was a feast. There were cheeses: chive, sweet chili, blue, white cheddar, others. There were crackers: salted. Smoked salmon lay sliced into thin strips in its preparation to lie perfectly on a cracker. There was garlic bread, Dim Sim (a Chinese inspired meat dumpling style food very popular in Australia) and capers. And these were just the appetizers. I could go on and on about the food, and needless to say, I quite enjoyed it. But that was just one of many surprises.

Today would be the day I remembered as my host mom’s birthday party. Later that night, the house was flooded with guests I had never seen before (about eight) and conversations about life, culture and “glory days” that I could not have prepared for. Yet surprisingly, I found I didn’t really have to. I really enjoyed it.  They seemed to be as interested in my life as I was in theirs. I mean, granted, they were lawyers and computer specialists. They were painters and musicians. They had jobs and careers. And yet, they found some interest in my college-level decision making ability and indecisiveness in life plans. Maybe there was something reassuring, some type of preserved innocence in being undecided about the future. We traded college stories and experiences as they encouraged me to take my time in deciding my future. We finished with a grand finale: a music piece played by Brian, a family friend and talented musician, joined not only by one of his friends, but also my housemate and friend from Richmond, Shohsei, who had been dying to play guitar and was finally able to find one to play in Australia. Our host family knew he played guitar, but was shocked to see how incredible he actually was. And as everyone sang happy birthday and applauded, I realized how glad I was that I stayed in that night.

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2011, Mike in Australia | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by mikeinaustralia

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »