Barbados, Week 2: Where the Wild Things Are

January 30, 2012

It’s the start of a new week, and I finally feel like I’ve got my head on straight.  Survival mode has seamlessly transitioned into “vacation” mode, as the first week of classes at the University of the West Indies consists of only one class meeting, in which the professor may or may not show up, merely handing out the syllabus and discussing it if he or she does indeed come.  The days have blended together, as my biggest daily decision is whether to head down the hill to Batt’s Rock Beach with the morning crew, the afternoon crew, or both.  There’s been days when I’ve rolled out of bed and thought to myself, “there has to be something I have to do… I can’t have this open of a schedule”, but, in reality, the only absolute necessities of the day are picking out some delicious food to eat at the cafeteria and tracking down the lecture halls for my 6:00 or 7:00 pm classes.  After the hectic hustle and bustle of the first few days — sorting out school payments, navigating the transportation systems, and getting my class schedule straightened out — things are definitely feeling more natural.

As soon as I had become comfortable with life on UWI campus, though, the urge to keep exploring was buzzing around my head.  This was probably one of the last weekends of the semester of abundant free time before my nose would be stuck in the books, I realized, and thus it was prime for checking out some of the more remote destinations on this island of 166 square miles.  Although Barbados is not necessarily known for its abundant wildlife, there were rumors that a place called the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, in the northern parish of St. Peter, had a number of different species within their confines.  Oh, and not all of them were in cages!  Our group crammed ourselves onto the local bus headed north toward Speightstown, passing the ritzy tourist-trap Holetown on the way.

The Wildlife Reserve is located in the middle of picturesque rolling sugarcane fields, but once inside the “zoo,” visitors follow winding stone pathways that are nicely shaded by hundreds of tall trees.  Immediately, the cameras were out, and before we walked more than a dozen yards into the park, many of us were excitedly snapping countless pictures of the large tortoises meandering through.  Little did we know that Bajan deers (formally known as red brocket deer), peacocks, pythons (caged, of course), parrots, and the famous green monkeys awaited our eager eyes.  A Bajan zoo-keeper distributed peanuts to those who wanted to feed the monkeys, and it was a challenge to keep a straight face as the mischievous-looking monkeys hopped up next to you, uncurled your hands with their miniature fingers, and proceeded to eat all the food in your hands in mere seconds.  Reactions ranged from one girl shaking in nervous energy to another proclaiming she could “die happy” after having had such a close encounter with the green monkeys.

The next nature adventure our group undertook was one that I, myself, had searched out and organized.  Before I arrived in Barbados, I knew two things:  One, I wanted to see as much of the island as possible; and two, I wanted to do so on a budget where I could still eat during the last month of school.  The Barbados National Trust hikes are the love-child of such ideals, as they are free hikes guided by the Barbados National Hikes every Sunday at either 6:00 am, 3:30 pm, or 5:30 pm.  This Sunday’s hike took place in Foul Bay, a complete geographic unknown to me before that afternoon, and I discovered it was all the way on the other side of the island.  I called a taxi, gave him all the logistics for the 3:30 pm hike, and estimated that about 10-15 students would be going on the hike.  Sunday afternoon, nearly 30 students came out to our meeting spot to take the taxi!

Foul Bay turned out to be quite an amazing scene.  We drove down a steep hill, parked among a thick enclave of trees, and marched out onto the beach, lined with palm trees and sandwiched between huge stone cliffs.  Our tour guide was a wizened, older Bajan man named George, who not only gave us some historical background about the area we covered, but also launched into some serious philosophical musings about the future of renewable energy, the dangers of money, and World War III.  At one point in the 6- mile, three hour hike, he took me aside and told me that “you, young man, are going to be the leader of your group.  There is a lot of you, and we need to make sure everyone makes it back”.  I took away a strange satisfaction that George would make me second in command without any previous knowledge of my abilities, but I agreed to keep an eye of our pack of 29 and make sure no one fell behind.  Our hike took us through the beachside forest, up a stone staircase to the top of the sea cliffs, and winding through the grass fields that skirted the coast.  On the way back, we took a number of back roads that would through villages of both large and small, colorful Bajan abodes, often waving to the onlooking locals as we passed.

We tramped back into the beach parking lot well after sundown, and it’s safe to say we were all tired and hungry to the bone.  As we were clambering aboard the taxis that would return us to campus, George stopped me and said “I made a good choice in choosing you as your group leader.  You did a good job, and I look forward to seeing you on more of the hikes!”  Again, I wasn’t aware of anything I did to deserve such high praise from our tour guide, but I guess someone with so much life experience was able to see in myself something that I’ve never truly noticed.  Whatever it was, I will try to cultivate it further in my time here at the University of the West Indies, knowing that it’d make George proud.

The stunning view of the east coast from Farley National Park.

A green monkey catching a ride on a tortoise at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve.

Foul Bay beach is sandwiched between rocky cliffs.

George appointed me group leader of the exchange students.

Leave a Comment » | Ryan in Barbados, Spring 2012 | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by ryaninbarbados

Elephants, Waterfalls, and Bamboo Rafts

January 27, 2012

I just got back from an incredible weekend in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which is a ten hour bus ride north of Bangkok.  Chiang Mai is close to the Burmese border in Northern Thailand.  I was there with my roommate, Addie, as well as two other exchange students.  Thanks to the fantastic recommendations of another Spider (thank you, Dora!), we packed a lot into a three-day weekend.

We took the night bus to and from Chiang Mai, meaning we had three full days there — Saturday through Monday.  Because we had such a short time, we wanted to make sure we made the most of our stay.  Through the hostel that we were recommended, Libra Guesthouse, we were able to book a 2-day, 1-night “trek,” which ended up being incredible.  Our trek started off Saturday morning with a stop at Mork-Fa Waterfall, in Doi Suthep Pui National Park. The water was freezing, but the sight was incredible, and in the end, very refreshing.  After the waterfall, we stopped for some delicious lunch (vegetable fried rice with fresh pineapple). and then we headed to yet another national park, which was home to hot springs.  When I say hot, I mean hot — upwards of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius.  It was at this point that we begun our “walk through the jungle,” as it was advertised on Libra’s website.  Well, let me tell you, this was not just a casual stroll. This was, in fact, a 5-hour hike through the jungle.  The walk provided us with incredible views of the mountains, and in the end, it was fantastic, but certainly not what we were anticipating.

On our hike, we came across a few “hill tribes.”  Hill tribes are essentially groups of people — most of the time not recognized as Thai citizens — who, over the past few centuries, have migrated from China and Tibet, settling in the border between Northern Thailand, Laos, and Burma (Myanmar).  It was wonderful to be able to see a different part of Thailand, and to learn a little bit about the hill tribes, especially because most of our guides on the trek are members of those hill tribes.  So after five hours of trekking, crossing many unstable bridges made of bamboo, and finishing every last drop of our precious bottled water, we finally made it to our campsite for the night.  We bundled up quickly, because unlike Bangkok, where the temperature never drops below 85 degrees F (30 Celsius), it was freezing.  We had a delicious freshly made dinner by our guides (fresh fruit with homemade chicken and potato curry), and spent the evening sitting around the campfire, hearing hilarious and inappropriate stories from our guides, as well as learning an elephant song that none of us could quite understand. I must also mention that we were joined by eight crazy Russians on this trek. They did not speak a word of English, but somehow thought that speaking Russian very loudly to us would help us understand what they were saying.  After they had a few drinks that evening, it certainly made for an interesting campfire.

After a freezing cold night with only a thin, damp mat separating us from the bamboo floor, we woke up on Day 2 of the trek, and before we knew it, there were elephants in the river! We could not believe our eyes – our guides were on top of them, washing them, and the elephants casually strolled out of the river towards us, at which point we were able to feed them and touch them.  We were then mounted on the elephants – at first sitting on a contraption they had tied to the elephant, but wanting the real jungle experience, I opted to slide down and ride on the elephant’s back.  We spent about an hour just wading through the jungle and the river on the elephants.  A truly incredible experience.  Instead of hiking back down the mountain to get back to our starting point, we opted for a more relaxing variety of transport, taking a bamboo raft that our guides made for a two hour trip down the river.  Definitely a fun way to end the two day trek!

For the last day of our trip, once we were back at the hostel in Chiang Mai, we were able to see the many sights of the beautiful city.  These included the Sunday night market, the Night Bazaar, and many Buddhist temples, including the most famous temple in Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep.  Doi Suthep is situated in the mountains above the city — about a 30 minute drive away.  It has incredible views of the city, and like many of the other temples we have visited, the beauty of the temple was breathtaking.

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend! And I have to say, for anyone who is wondering… the weekend was unbelievably cheap.  For the entire weekend, door-to-door, bus, taxi, food, water, trekking, hostel, everything; the weekend came to a grand total of $140 USD.  Not bad, right? Still on a high from this weekend, Addie and I are certainly excited to plan our next adventure…we have our sights set on Cambodia next!

Leave a Comment » | Samantha in Thailand, Spring 2012 | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by samanthainthailand

Barbados: In the Land of Fish and Cricket

January 23, 2012

As I bounced around in the back of a jam-packed ZR (pronounced Zed-R), which is more or less an industrial mini-bus, with loud Bajan music blasting through the air, the stark contrasts of Bajan versus American life were definitely in the forefront of my mind.  Minutes earlier, 20 exchange students managed to cram into the mini-bus on our way to Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, with an older Bajan women and her son, unfazed by the apparent invasion of everyone’s personal space.  When you’re forced to nearly sit on a relative stranger’s lap, becoming comfortable around the other exchange students has been comparatively easy.  All things considered, however, the ZRs are a great way to travel, as they’ll take you anywhere on their respective routes for a mere US $1.00.  I joked to the only other American male exchange student, Glen, that I should start one of these ZRs in America, but he shook his head, responding, “they would never let this many people in a vehicle this size in the states… too much of a safety hazard”.

Transportation, though, was just one of the many great unknowns I faced as I stepped out of the taxi and onto campus at the University of West Indies.  It became clear to me that my first few days in Barbados would consist of a less severe state of survival mode.  After I moved into my on-campus single room, my goals for the afternoon broke down to 1) find an ATM to get money 2) find food 3) find my way back to campus.  Part of the studying abroad experience, I suppose, is not always figuring out things the easy way, as I ended up walking for two hours in the rain in my search for a local restaurant; I ended up getting bread, chips, and Sprite from a local mini-mart, which sufficed for my first night’s dinner on the island.  Being the American that I am, I assumed there would be at least five different types of restaurants on every corner, especially near a University campus.  Evidently, Bajans are much more self-sufficient and opt for the cooking at home option rather than spend their hard-earned money out on the town.

My fortune changed the next morning, however, as I discovered at our foreign exchange orientation that the typical exchange student here at UWI was Canadian, female, and very friendly.  Facebook was able to quickly unify everybody in our coordination of daily plans, and after a day of touring campus and doing the mandatory meet-and-greet, we decided to head down to the famous Friday night Oistins Fish Fry for our first cultural experience.  The fish fry is exactly what it sounds like: a ton of small food vendors and restaurants all lined up in between the beach and the road with local bands or DJs providing some background music.  It was packed full of tourists fresh off the cruise ship, so we all settled down with some food and drinks and continued to figure out who’s who, where they live, and other basics.  I hadn’t met so many new people at one time since freshmen year at Richmond, so it took all my brain power to keep names and faces together.

The first truly cultural event I went to, as the beach does not count (in my opinion), was the Caribbean Cricket Championship at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.  If you want to get a good perspective on how important cricket is to Bajans, just know that the entire UWI campus is literally centered around the “Oval”, which is baseball’s equivalent of a diamond.  A US$10 ticket got us great seats for not only the 3rd place match between Barbados and the Windward Islands, but the championship match between Trinidad and Jamaica.  The group who went consisted of 19 girls from Canada, the United States, and Finland — oh, and me.  Being in a fraternity back at Richmond, and thus hanging out with a lot of guys most of the time, this was definitely a different scene.  While I grappled with figuring out the rules of cricket as the game progressed, the girls were busy discussing future baby names and how they wanted their dream weddings to go.  I cracked up laughing as the conversation turned to which cricket player they thought was the cutest.  Unfortunately, Barbados had a terrible day and only scored 101 runs after 10 batters — a very poor showing, I eventually discerned — and they lost to the Windward Islands in the 3rd place game.  I actually really enjoyed watching the game and the reactions of the crowd, who were a lot of fun — there was a ragtag band of percussionists who played from time to time, and we ended up doing the wave numerous times.  After nearly five hours of cricket, however, I was pretty saturated and ready to head back to campus, where I fell asleep streaming the Giants vs. 49ers playoff game on my computer.  I guess after a weekend of pure exploration and discovering new people and places, an NFL playoff game was too familiar an entertainment to keep me awake.

The rowdy Bajan crowd cheers on the national cricket team.

Swinging from the rope swing at the Boatyard Beach Club.

Batt’s Rock Bay Beach — just a five minute walk from campus.

Leave a Comment » | Ryan in Barbados, Spring 2012 | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by ryaninbarbados

It’s the final countdown

January 23, 2012

Hi everyone!  Welcome to my blog.  My name is Whitney, and I’m a junior at the University of Richmond, majoring in International Studies with a concentration in World Politics and Diplomacy.  I’m so glad you’ve decided to follow my adventure to Europe –University College Maastricht (UCM) in Maastricht, the Netherlands, to be exact.  You may be wondering, “Why the Netherlands?” When looking at all of the options UR has to offer– and there are a lot– Maastricht seemed like a good fit.  It’s located in Europe, so I will have the opportunity to travel.  I also knew that I wanted to be able to take unique classes that would count towards my major.  Since I’ve traveled outside of the country before (to Central/South America and Spain), I knew I wanted to go somewhere that I had not already been.  Also, Maastricht seems like a quaint place to be.  In short, UCM and Maastricht seems like a good place for me.  As the title of this posts suggests, it is indeed the final countdown.  The title was inspired by the song entitled The Final Countdown by the band Europe.  My journey begins exactly one week from today.

While the majority of my fellow classmates started their semester two weeks ago, I’ve been making several “to-do” lists and attempting to pack enough of my life to last me four months.  You may be wondering what is on some of my lists.  Passport? Check. Insulated waterproof jacket for rainy days? Check.  Camera?  Definitely a check (there will definitely be pictures in future posts).  Residence permit? Half of a check (I’ve completed half of the necessary paperwork, but the remaining information has to be filled out in person after my arrival in The Netherlands).  Exchange my money to Euros (the currency used in the majority of Europe)? No.  That and laundry are at the top of my “to-do” list for Monday.  Overall, packing has proven to be slightly more difficult than expected.  I didn’t realize how much stuff I use on a daily basis.  Fortunately, I received a very good tip: “Pack half as much stuff as you think you may need and twice as much money”.  I’ll definitely keep that in mind as I finish packing.

As I mentioned earlier, I have one week left to prepare for my study abroad experience.  I’m excited and nervous at the same time.  I think I’m extremely anxious to live, learn, and experience a new culture.  I hope you all will continue to follow my posts.  The next time you hear from me, I’ll be in The Netherlands!

6 Comments | Spring 2012, Whitney in The Netherlands | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by whitneyinthenetherlands

My Final Blog: Finito

January 23, 2012

Sitting in a large, bright classroom, with a hundred students spread out evenly from front to back, and a lone professor standing at the front reading a magazine, I crossed my T’s and dotted my I’s and realized… I just finished my test.

I have taken many tests during my time as a college student, and this one was certainly no more profound than any other, but there was still something special about this one: it was my last test in Italy. I took a minute to shake my cramped hand and collect my thoughts after dedicating two hours of my life to Entrepreneurial Strategies of Small and Medium Enterprises.  I finally stood up, and a smile of relaxation came over my face, as I walked up to the front of the room feeling like a proud warrior coming home from battle. Two weeks of studying every day (to make up for a semester of general slacking) had taken its toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally, but now I had no further responsibilities. I was free as a bird, but surprisingly, I wasn’t in an extreme rush to celebrate. The normal drive to celebrate and jump for joy was replaced by the reality that, after a couple of short days to say goodbye, I would be going home.

As I left the classroom and walked into the main lobby of this once-daunting school building that now seemed like a second home, I stood alone, and I thought back to the first time I had walked in 4 months ago. I channeled that nervous, excited, curious kid and thought about how much I had changed in the past semester. With trips to some of the most incredible places in the world, building relationships with people with diverse backgrounds from around the world, and by experiencing life in another country, I realized I had grown as a person. It happened quite gradually, but now I felt more powerful and knowledgeable. I was no longer isolated and green, but was instead affected by the experience of traveling the world and living in another country. I knew things about places I had never even heard of before, and that knowledge made me feel strong and valuable. I gained insight into world issues, and was able to connect to those around me in a way that I had never done before. I learned that the world is truly full of diverse cultures which all should be appreciated and respected.

While I learned so much about the world around me, I had also learned a lot about myself.

As I returned home and was suddenly dropped back into my old life, I realized that I was coming back into it on my own terms. Seeing life in another place, from another perspective, forced me to think about my own life and what was really important to me. I did a lot of maturing on that trip, and I realized that there were things I was doing in my old life I wanted to change, and some things that I realized I wanted to fight to keep.  Seeing first hand that the world was not Medford, New Jersey, Richmond, Virginia, or even solely the United States of America made me view the world, and my life in that world, in a new light.

My transition back into American life is nearly complete now, and has been strong and successful. I have been able to re-strengthen past relationships with friends and loved ones and am happy with where I am in my life. I feel rejuvenated and want to be even more active in affecting the world around me. As a friend, as a son, as a student, as a boyfriend, as a brother, as a grandson, as a player, and as a leader — I want to do it all better.

Around campus, answering the question, “Hey man, how was abroad?” leads to my usual answer of, “It was amazing, dude — such a great time,” but what I really want to say is, “It changed my life. It gave me incredible memories and experiences I could never have dreamed of having, and allowed me to feel like part of a bigger world.”

So while I will always have my memories of seeing London, Dublin, Venice, Rome, Florence, Budapest, Amsterdam, Munich, Cinque Terre, and Lake Como, and meeting people from Spain, Germany, France, Australia, Portugal, Brazil, England, Italy, America, and Canada in my program, the final thing that I will take from this experience is learning more about myself and about my life.

Ever since I was a freshman in high school I dreamed of studying abroad in college, as I believed that it would be an amazing experience that I would remember for the rest of my life… and I was right. I am quite glad I got to live out this dream, which allowed me to truly grow, and get a better understanding and appreciation for the world around me.

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

Christmas time in Milan

January 20, 2012

Christmas, to me, is a very traditional time of year. While, in many cases, I like to shake it up, try new things, and have new experiences, Christmas is one thing I always like to keep the same. For me, Christmas creates the magic of the season, and I always try to keep to my traditions, which highlight my holiday. These traditions include: not listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but then listening to it every day, slowly building myself up to a Christmas frenzy that culminates in Christmas Eve midnight mass; watching A Muppet Christmas Carol with my family; and waking up to Christmas at my house.

However, knowing Bocconi’s final exam policy for international students would keep me from home until late on December 23rd, I knew I had to take action to get me into the Christmas spirit before then.

Now, I already mentioned how traditional I am about Christmas, but I have to say, my attitude of being open to new experiences helped propel me to success yet again. The City of Milan took on a great atmosphere, with Christmas lights, ornaments, and garland decorating streets throughout the city. Decorations were out, people were in great spirits, and despite being distracted by an intense amount of studying, this helped to make my last weeks in Milan quite enjoyable.

The enjoyment started with the Milan Christmas Market, which opens annually from the 13th – 19th of December. This market was incredible. With tents completely surrounding the large Castello Sforzesco (a castle) and leading up to the beautiful Parco Sempione (a park), it was in a perfect central location of the city. Flooded with people everyday, it was a mad house, with people purchasing antiques, CDs, wood carvings, paintings… anything you could think of, besides mainstream consumer products. The best thing for me had to be all of the food and snack carts. For the traditional eater, there were Italian pastries (including incredible cannoli, fried donuts, and my favorite, Nutella crepes), delicious panzerotti, sausage sandwiches, and even a cart with 100 different types of jelly beans. Braver participants could even try a fried, hollowed-out coconut, or a grilled and sugared corn-on-the-cob-on-a-stick. The weather was certainly cold, but the crowds of people, amazing food, and festive music kept you more than distracted. (I even got my grandparents a real Italian newspaper there from 1929!)

The next of my fond Christmas memories came during a final night out with all of my friends from Richmond. With 15 of us studying in Milan, we had all had a great opportunity to bond and decided to celebrate our strengthened friendships and shared memories with one last goodbye dinner. A classic Italian dinner, complete with meat, pasta, and red wine, was excellent and led to a casual stroll around downtown Milan in order to digest. We walked to the Duomo, which was home to a beautiful and enormous Christmas tree for the holiday season. It was quite a sight to see, and helped all of us forget about the stresses of finals for a little bit and be launched quickly into the Christmas spirit. After being in awe at the tree’s beauty, taking some pictures, and even participating in some impromptu American caroling, we all felt much more comfortable about spending our holiday season away from home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctq3V1pT9z8&feature=related

My third, and final, lovely Christmas memory from my abroad experience came in the form of a final goodbye party with all of my international friends. Over the course of the semester, I made many friends from around the world through my intensive Italian class, through living in an international dorm, and by coaching my intramural soccer team. With friends from France, Spain, Switzerland, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, and, of course, Italy, I was able to meet people I never would have otherwise met and was able to see parts of the world in a new light. My international friends and I decided to have a goodbye party complete with a Christmas gift exchange, or Polyanna. We all bought gifts for a specific person with a 15 euro limit (we are still broke college kids) and many people cooked dishes from their home countries, so we had a wonderful Christmas feast and gift exchange. While it was hard saying goodbye to these people, knowing I might never see them again, we went out on a high note with a really nice night, and the promise to keep in touch.

Overall, this was far from my normal Christmas, but in some ways, it was more meaningful. When I returned home, I was reminded of the importance of family and friendship, which is what Christmas is truly about, and I truly wanted nothing for Christmas besides being around the people I love and care about. Christmas time in Milan is lovely, and being together with my loved ones for the first time in 4 months for Christmas proved to be a magical occasion. Once again, Milan gave me one final great experience.

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

Reflection.

January 16, 2012

My return to the U.S. was more exhausting than anything else. The full day of travel helped to ease my anxiousness about letting my life change so completely once again. By this time, I had realized that everything back home did not pause simply because I left. I was not just returning to the life I had left behind three months ago, unchanged. My whole world in Richmond continued moving and evolving, just as I had been doing in Derry. It was traveling down one path, while I was following a completely different one. My task now was to make these two paths reconnect somehow.

On the seven hour flight home, I attempted to compartmentalize my feelings. I decided that, during the first half of my flight, I was allowed to mourn my departure from Derry. The second half, however, was dedicated to yearning to see my family again. I could think of nothing better than just sitting on the couch watching television with my dad and mom. I wanted to play with my dogs and drive around in my car with the windows down and music blasting. I saw so many amazing things while I traveled, but coming back home would be just as beautiful.

The cliche saying “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” never made so much sense to me. It applies to coming back home to Richmond as well as leaving my home in Derry. I made a revelation during my time abroad about the meaning of life. Humans have been trying to decipher this universal mystery since we could think and analyze. I decided that at least part of it must involve creating as many homes in the world as you possibly can. The world exists for people to explore and discover and adapt to. Derry will now always be a place where I can be comfortable and feel at home. It has a meaning for me that only a select few would actually be able to understand. If my conclusion about life is true, I, myself, am not doing so bad. I was born and lived in Kenosha, Wisconsin until I was eleven years old — home number one. I then moved to Richmond, where I have been living for almost ten years — home number two. Living in Derry for those three months created my home number three. I can only hope that I continue this trend in years to come.

The worst part about my travels back to America was not the sadness of leaving Derry, or the anticipation to be in my house again, but the feeling of being in a limbo between the two places. While choosing the cheapest flights with the best times, I signed myself up for a 7 hour layover in the Newark airport. You can imagine my frustration when contemplating the fact that my layover was indeed longer than my flight from Belfast. This was the time that seemed like an agonizing purgatory. I no longer could call Derry my place of residence, but I was not home, either. I was a nomad, wanting to find the next place to set up shop, but every obstacle was in my way.

Sitting in those uncomfortable airport seats, I watched people come and go. Some sat down longer than others, but none as long as me. I tried to read a book, but could not concentrate. Music wasn’t satisfying either. All I could do was sit and think and wait. The hours dwindled down until there were only around 30 people sitting around one last gate when boarding started. My exhaustion overcame me before our tiny plane even took off. I awoke just as we were landing in Richmond. I pulled together all of the energy that I could muster to trudge to my baggage claim carousel. I stood in a daze as luggage slipped by me when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was my mother. With a surprised exclamation of “Ma!”, I gave her a hug, and I was home. It felt like I was finally sitting down to relax after the longest and most tiring, yet satisfying, day of my life.

This experience has changed me completely. I would not be the person I am today had I not studied abroad. It made me hungry to delve into more cultures and explore more places. It made traveling less of an impossible unknown and more of a feasible necessity. I conquered one city. There is no telling what I am capable of doing now. As for me, I’m just excited to find out.

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

Home is behind, the world ahead…

January 16, 2012

Hello there!  I’m Rebekah, and I am a junior geography major at the University of Richmond. I’m from Syria, Virginia, a small town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  I love hiking, learning languages, archaeology, and Biblical history.  This semester, I will be studying at the University of Haifa in Haifa, Israel.  I was drawn to Israel because of its rich cultural, religious, and political significance in the world today.  Founded in 1948, the State of Israel is home to a wide variety of Jewish people with heritages from all over the world, as well as Muslims, Christians, and other religious sects, creating complex dynamics of culture and national consciousness.

A few weeks ago, I called the Israeli Embassy to ask about something on the student visa application that was confusing me.  The questions were in Hebrew, with English translations, and they were ordered like this:

Category of residence permit:                             Dates of previous stays in Israel:

I said to the receptionist who answered the phone, “I’m confused by this question.  Which ‘category of residence permit’ would a student visa fall under?”  to which she replied, after a moment’s pause, “See the question to the right, ‘dates of previous stays in Israel’? It is asking what category of residence permit you had during any previous stay in Israel.”

Oh, right.  I knew that.  Read the questions from right to left, just like the Hebrew language is read from right to left.  I have a feeling this won’t be the only time this confuses my Indo-European brain.

A popular travel saying goes, “when you pack, lay out all your clothes and all your money.  Then take half the clothes and twice the money”.  I keep reminding myself of that as I try to cram four months’ worth of clothes — for weather ranging from chilly and rainy to hot and dry, and for occasions ranging from dining at nice restaurants to backpacking in the Galilee — into one suitcase.

On Monday, the 23rd, I begin a Hebrew Ulpan, an intensive language program that will meet for five hours of class (with an expected three hours of homework) five days a week for the first three weeks of my time in Haifa.  Even though the intensity is a little intimidating, I am really excited at the prospect of completely immersing myself in a language, with no other classes to distract me.

My younger brother observed the other day, “Life is like a grapefruit.  It’s up to you how much you get out of it.”  I thought that was quite wise, and have adopted it as my motto for this trip.  I know I could take a passive approach to my time abroad, clinging as close as possible to what is familiar and comfortable, or I could actively immerse myself in the language and culture, seeking to gain as many experiences and life lessons as I possibly can in a few short months.  I want to squeeze this grapefruit for all it is worth.

Am I nervous? Maybe a little.  This won’t be my first solo international travel, but it will be the first without a familiar face to greet me at the other end.  But I am much more excited than nervous.  I’m excited about the people, the language, and the beautiful land with all the incredible spiritual significance it holds.

Leave a Comment » | Rebekah in Israel, Spring 2012 | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rebekahinisrael

Barbados State of Mind

January 16, 2012

Hello everybody!  Welcome to my study abroad blog.  My name is Ryan, and I will be keeping you updated about my education and extracurricular experiences in the great country of Barbados.  Before I delve into why and how I chose such a location, let me give you a brief introduction of who I am: I am a junior at the University of Richmond, and I’m majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.  I’ve done a little bit of everything at UR: I was on the crew team for one semester, ran the Entrepreneurship Club for awhile, and recently helped to bring back the Theta Chi fraternity on campus.  I had a part-time job working at ETC (the school’s convenience store) as well, and my hobbies on campus include hitting the gym and spending far too much time in D-Hall.  I hail from the best state in the country, New Jersey, and live in the best part of it:  the Jersey Shore.

When I told people I was studying abroad in Barbados, I usually received one of two responses: “Well, someone’s gotta do it” and “I hate you!”.  Both confirmed that I had made a good choice.  Upon researching my study abroad options as a business major, I had originally narrowed down my choices to Thailand and Australia.  But something inside me somehow knew I wanted to study where most people vacation, so when I stumbled upon the University of the West Indies in Barbados, I quickly shifted that location to top priority.  At first, my only focus was on the fact that it was a tropical paradise, but upon learning about the country, I discovered it is much culturally and geographically richer than that.

Yes, Barbados has some of the top beaches in the world, with a climate that most people would kill for, but it’s also a fascinating example of a Caribbean nation which emerged and developed virtually free of imperial conflict.  Originally inhabited by the Arawak and Carib indigeneous peoples, it was later claimed for the British crown, which maintained control of the country until Barbados’s independence in 1966.  Benefitting from a peaceful past and economic contributions from the British empire and Jewish immigrants, Barbados has become a model for stability and prosperity in the West Indies.  It has a 98% literacy rate, and boasts flourishing tourism, finance, and sugarcane industries.

The University of the West Indies has three campuses, located in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados.  The Cave Hill campus in Barbados was established in 1963, and the University as a whole has produced many of the region’s recent prime ministers and industry leaders.  I managed to secure a single room on campus, which was a big surprise, considering they only house around a couple hundred students.  I’ll be taking Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Caribbean Politics, The Atlantic World: 1600-1800, and International Tourism as my one business class.

To be honest, I still can’t believe that I’ll be on a plane to Barbados in four days and staying for four months.  I’ve read Globetrotter’s travel guide on Barbados front to back, but I don’t think I’ll really be able to wrap my head around what it’s like down there until I experience it for myself.  But in the meantime, I think I’ll go pack my swimsuit and some flip flops.

– Ryan

1 Comment | Ryan in Barbados, Spring 2012 | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by ryaninbarbados

Learning a lot in Thailand

January 16, 2012

I have been here for almost two weeks now, and since my last entry, a lot has happened: school orientation, moving into my apartment, opening a bank account, my first week of classes, exploring the city, joining a gym, conquering the Bangkok bus system, using the river boat taxis, navigating Thai malls, grocery shopping, dealing with the warning of a terrorist attack in Bangkok, and my first adventure in Chinatown with some Richmond Spiders.  I have included some pictures taken around the city to give you an idea of the setting.  All of these firsts have included learning many interesting nuances of Thai culture:

1.  The importance of politeness:  as I mentioned in my last blog post, Thais as a whole are some of the most kind and friendly people that I have ever met.  They are always smiling, always willing to help, and completely accommodating and understanding of the fact that I am a foreigner in this city.  Most of the time, Thais are not out to rip you off in order to make an extra baht or two.  That being said, many natives have warned us that it is essential to reciprocate this kindness.  Once you get angry or hostile with a Thai, the smile stays but suddenly their helpful, genuinely kind demeanor goes out the window.

2.  Eating street food is much cheaper than cooking at home: counterintuitive, right?  In the US, cooking meals at home is emphasized everywhere – partly because it is healthier, but also because it is cheaper than going out to eat.  Here, however, on average, eating a big meal on the street costs about a dollar or two.  Buying fruits and vegetables on the street is easy and cheap, but buying fruits and vegetables in the supermarket is extremely expensive.  I am not complaining, though; fresh mango and pineapple at every hour of the day, with stir fry, rice, Pad Thai, and spring rolls on every corner…  Thailand is truly food heaven.

3.  Some strict cultural customs are NOT negotiable: a) Never say anything bad about the King and the royal family, because it is against the law and very offensive.  The current King is a beloved man here in Thailand, because he is truly someone concerned with his people and has done an incredible amount for Thailand in his sixty-some years of rule.  He is also the longest reigning monarch in the world. b) Never put your feet up anywhere — for example, on a seat in the bus, in the movie theater, or on your desk.  Showing a Thai the bottom of your feet is one of the rudest offenses, and is taken very seriously. Apparently a picture of President Obama with his feet up on his desk in the oval office caused quite an uproar here. C) Twice a day, when Thailand’s national anthem (of sorts) is blasted on the loudspeakers around the city, everyone — including foreigners — must stop and pay respect until it is finished.  Not doing this is considered incredibly rude.

4.  Buddhism has a big influence on Thai culture: By some estimates, Thailand is 95% Buddhist, which is made very evident by the thousands of temples and shrines blanketing the city.  As I mentioned before, I have been overwhelmed by the politeness and genuine kindness of Thai people, and I learned recently that much of this has to do with Buddhism.  There are five precepts of Buddhism, which guide people to live a happy and enlightened life. This will, in turn, help them to reach the afterlife.  These precepts include refraining from stealing, killing, lying, and engaging in adultery.  These rules, and the hope of accumulating enough karma to reach the afterlife, are taken very seriously, which I believe is a large reason why Thais seem so incredibly kind.

Leave a Comment » | Samantha in Thailand, Spring 2012 | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by samanthainthailand

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »