Yup, this is all real!! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

March 29, 2013

Monday in my Swiss Politics seminar, I gave a presentation with a group for the first time since I have been here in Switzerland. Our presentation was only fifteen minutes, and was on the topic of a law that we had been studying for the past couple of weeks, and honestly it was one of the most interesting experiences I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t call this just any presentation, however I would instead refer to it as the presentation of realizations: realizations not solely focused on the topic of our work, but realizations really for me that this is not some fantasy land here, but it is real life. Real studying, real learning, real people seeking their degrees, real people working. Real people are living here doing normal every day things in Switzerland, just like what happens at home in the US.

Sometimes life here can honestly feel like I’m in a dream world that doesn’t really exist. Among some of my other exchange student friends, we often joke that Switzerland is just too perfect of a place. In fact, when I had first arrived here, I saw the water in a river by the university and it was so blue that I actually questioned whether it was highly polluted. The reality is that it is a great deal cleaner than what I’m used to seeing. The scenery is as picturesque as one could ever imagine. On a clear day, when walking pretty much anywhere in the city, just one look to the south and the view of the lake and magnificent snow-covered mountains just takes your breath away. The buildings in the city are real too. As an American, I’m used to really only seeing this style of architecture be replicated in places like an amusement park, or maybe more authentically in a major city. However, the medieval European style is everywhere here, as it is something we just try to copy in the US. Even the money here, being different and far more colorful than what I’m used to can sometimes feel fake, and just as if it’s out of a game like monopoly (this is not to say that I’m spending as if I’m in a game- Switzerland is too expensive to do so, and I’m not trying to run out of money to buy food). And what’s more is that again, people aren’t speaking the language that I am used to hearing. However, it is a language that I truly love and still feel in disbelief that I’m actually able to use it as a means of communication, not just something to study and enjoy hearing in a song or reading in a book, for example. So as foolish as it can really sound, the life here can honestly feel like I’m still asleep and just living in a European fantasy.

However, I think today when I presented in front of an audience of Francophones, it really hit me that no, this is real. I don’t know why it was speaking in front of a class that made me finally realize this. I’ve given countless presentations in my time as a student, however they’ve always been in English, or maybe French to an audience of other Anglophones learning French just like me. So when I was speaking today and opened with, “Sorry if my French hurts your ears” and was luckily greeted with some laughter and some compliments afterwards, it hit me that this time it was real. These people grow up thinking in this language, not in English. It is French that is the little voice in their head that shapes their thoughts and perceptions, not English like mine. It is French that shapes their personalities, and the way that they express themselves, not English like me. Just the thought of how something that we take so for granted each day, our simple means of expressing ourselves orally or written for so many different purposes, has such a profound impact on who we are.  Again, language is something that truly fascinates me. The fact that I’m not yet at a level of French where I feel like it is true French, not just a set of words formulated into a structure very much like that of my own language, that I speak on a day to day basis, really struck me today when I was speaking in front of this class and realized that this was finally me using what I’ve learned to speak and present information to people whose minds speak to them differently. I hope this makes sense; it really has to do with thinking of how you speak to yourself in your head that amazes me, and to think that there are countless ways to do that is an idea that really came to light today.

SO I guess maybe after finally realizing that this is all real might mean that I’m officially habituated or adapted to the life here in Switzerland? I’d say no. Again, every day brings new experiences, but in a way that makes me excited to get up every day and go out exploring. It’s constantly learning time here, with the world around me as my classroom, library, or any other place you could think of as a place of learning. It is incredible, and again, I am so truly lucky to be here.

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서울의 노래: Classes, Museum, and Karaoke (posted by Indira in South Korea)

March 29, 2013

It has already been over a month since I got to Seoul and I really feel as if I’ve been here for much longer. It is funny how you can feel well-connected with a place and yet discover new things and faces of that place every single day. Seoul is definitely one of those places: being a huge city, you can always discover new corners, little shops, and amazing restaurants where you least expect to find them.

Past week was a little preview of how the next weeks are going to get: not enough time for all the exploring, traveling, and schoolwork I want/need to do. Last week I had my first assignments to hand in and I was pretty busy with school. It is now that I feel the big change from the system in Sweden – instead of focusing on one class at a time, I am all over the place, balancing 4 courses. This is actually good, as it will me help me get on track by the time I am back in Richmond. Speaking of Richmond, the fact that I will be returning to Richmond for my senior year is starting to hit me. The housing selection and coming course registration definitely make me feel nervous. On the one hand, I am excited to go back to Richmond and see all the people I haven’t seen in almost a year, but I also don’t want this year abroad to end, and most of all  – the thought of me being a senior in August is rather scary.

Being abroad is one of the best things an undergraduate student can do and I would recommend it to everyone. It is unbelievable how much you learn about yourself and the world. The most amazing thing is the first-hand experience: sightseeing, learning the language, understanding the culture, meeting the people. I also love how all of my courses foster the first-hand experience. Even though I take a wide range of courses we always focus on Korea as our main example thereby gaining in-class knowledge, but as soon as you walk out of the lecture halls you can easily realize you are in the world you just read or heard about and you can go and explore it all. For my US-Korea relations class, for instance, the professors gave us 2 hours of lectures off so we could go the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History located near the City Hall. A few of my classmates and I went to the museum and actually had so much fun exploring the contemporary history of our temporary home. One of the most fascinating things in the museum was the 38th parallel that divides US and USSR zone. There were also a lot of other things to see and learn about Korea and how it has changed and progressed. There was even a huge section devoted to the technology development (including a super big screen where you could watch K-Pop videos, including “Gangnam Style”).

The 38th parallel, an imaginary line dividing the US and USSR zone (South and North Korea)

The 38th parallel dividing the US and USSR zone (South and North Korea)

I also really liked the part of the museum that represented the President’s office. We spent quite some time there taking pictures and looking around.

President's office in the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History

President’s office in the museum

And last week I went to the karaoke room with a group of my friends. Basically you rent a room for as much time as you want (usually 1 or 2 hours gives you enough times you sing your heart out), pick your song(s) and sing no matter how good or horrible you sound. It is actually quite entertaining and a great way to meet new people and bond with them!

Karaoke with some of my exchange student friends in Seoul

Karaoke with my friends

It is great when you find little things like karaoke rooms and a trip to museum to make your day. Seoul definitely is soulful, all you have to do is keep your eyes open! 🙂

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Posted by indirainsouthkorea

Highs and Lows (posted by Jimmy in England)

March 20, 2013

It is funny how in the course of two weeks you can go from incredible highs to devastating lows.  On my last weekend before spring break, I took a three day trip into London with a few friends.  I have been to London before, but only for day trips.  Oxford is an hour and a half drive west of London, so buses conveniently run through the night.  This time, I wanted to fully experience one of the most influential cities in the world.  We stayed at the Club Quarters Hotel in the financial district, located within a five minute radius of the Thames, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London.  When we settled in, I Googled “shows in London” looking to find a theatre performance for the evening, since London theatre is rivaled only by Broadway.  However, the first thing that came up was “One Direction Concert-Tonight, 7:30p.m.”  One Direction is the British version of the Backstreet Boys, and they are one of the biggest boy bands in the world right now.  They have a few hit singles and their fan base tends to be 11-16 year old girls.  Don’t judge me when I say that we impulsively bought tickets 20 rows from the stage for the concert that night!  My friends and I quickly grabbed some food and took the tube to O2 arena, one of the major concert venues in Southeast London.  I will be honest; these guys draw an unbelievable crowd.  It was the first concert of their new tour and it was packed.  I will gladly swallow my pride and say that this was one of the best experiences of my time at Oxford.

One Direction Concert, at the O2 stadium in London

One Direction Concert

The next morning we set out to do all of the ‘touristy’ stuff.  We attended Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral, visited Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the National Gallery and the London Eye.  Needless to say, it was a LONG day.  The architecture and beauty of the city is absolutely incredible.  London is such a historic place and these landmarks speak to its amazing past.  The following day, we took a 20 minute bus ride north of London to Warner Brothers Studios where we went on a four hour tour of the making of Harry Potter.  I was a little skeptical when the ticket said that it would take 4 hours, but after having been through it, I completely understand why they say that.  We made it through in 3 hours and 45 minutes, and I felt like we were going very quickly.  The studios are amazing.  They have props from every movie, the original sets, costumes, and everything that you could imagine.  They even serve you Butterbeer! ( For what it is worth, I thought it was disgusting). After the tour, we headed back to Oxford and I spent my last week in the lab.

London Eye, a ferris wheel built in celebration of the millennium, from Buckingham Palace

London Eye from Buckingham Palace

One of the sets for Harry Potter, at Warner Brothers Studios

One of the sets for Harry Potter

On Saturday, March 9th, I flew into Richmond to be with the basketball team for Senior Night against Duquesne and the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Brooklyn.  We left for Brooklyn on Tuesday and had our first game on Thursday at noon against Charlotte.  As much as the previous weeks had been my best time at Oxford, this game was by far the most devastating sporting experience of my life.  If you have not seen the highlights on ESPN or Richmondspiders.com, I suggest that you do.  Let me paint the picture: we were up 63-60 with 5.9 seconds to go.  It was Charlotte’s ball, and they were inbounding it underneath their basket and had to bring it up the court and shoot a three before time expired to try and tie the game.  When teams are in this situation, they have two options- they can either play defense and let the team shoot a 3, or they can foul and send them to the free-throw line where the odds of tying the game are very slim.  In order to tie the game, they would have to make the first free-throw, miss the second, get the offensive rebound, and score all in 5.9 seconds.  All smart coaches foul in this situation because they are almost always guaranteed a win.  In fact, I have never seen a situation where the team fouled and then lost.  I have seen countless situations where the team does not foul, and the opposing team hits a three, sends it to overtime, and wins.  Coach Mooney, one of the best coaches in the country, decided that we should foul.  We fouled them with 4.9 seconds left in the game and sent one of their players to the free-throw line to shoot a one-and-one.  The player made the first shot, and after the ball had gone in the basket, there was a tie-up between one of our players and one of the Charlotte players.  At the end of the tie-up, our player extended his arm and as a result their player fell to the ground.  A technical foul was immediately given, and the officials met at half-court for two minutes to go over the call.  After the meeting, they decided to issue the technical, which resulted in two more shots (and the other one-and-on free throw) to Charlotte.  At the end of the free throws, Charlotte was up 64-63 and had the ball as the result of the technical.  Crazier things have happened in sports, so we still had a chance to win.  We were down by one and planned on fouling, so that they would have to go to the free-throw line, and make two free-throws.  We still would have had a chance to win. They inbounded the ball to half court, and we fouled.  However, the player that we fouled did what every player in these situations does.  He threw up the ball after we fouled him in an effort to gain three shots (since he was behind the three-point line because he was standing at half-court).  In these situations, the refs never award the player three shots; they always call the one-and-one.  However, the ref awarded Charlotte three shots, and as a result our coaches were a little angry.  We received two more technicals for arguing the call, knowing that our fate was locked in when they were given three shots.  At the end of it all, they were given 3 shots for the original foul, and 2 for each technical, giving them 7 more free throws.  In a five second span, they shot 11 free throws and turned a 3 point loss into a 5 point win, ending our hopes at the Atlantic 10 Title and turning us away from the NCAA Tournament.  It was absolutely heartbreaking.

I am five days removed from the game, and it still burns. I am currently on spring break and have travelled home to Buffalo, New York.  I will visit Richmond soon for the UR Business Pitch Competition.  We have entered Chance To Play into the competition and hopefully we can receive positive feedback.  On April 17th, I head back to England for my final 8 week term.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could.  Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day.  You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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기초: Living in a Dorm, Classes, and Korea 101 (Posted by Indira in South Korea)

March 18, 2013

It’s been three weeks since I’ve come to Seoul and I have to admit that I’m getting used to it all. I figured out the shortest route to Sinchon (the area of the city where I live), I can communicate with shopkeepers by using the very limited Korean skills I have, and through hand motions, and I know what places I love going to eat at. Those are just some small things that make me feel more at home in Korea. I find it truly fascinating how quickly I can adapt to a new environment and embrace it as a place that I call home: going back to Yonsei University campus or to I-House is always referred to as going “back home.”

I really do feel comfortable in my dorm, going to classes, walking around Sinchon, using the subway, and simply living in Seoul. It feels that all the culture shock is wearing off as I have started accepting and appreciating all the differences around me. I am no longer shocked by a certain behavior, Korean über-politness, or crazy drivers. I am really starting to love this place!

Sunset over Sinchon, an area in Seoul

Sunset over Sinchon

But, what makes me it love it? It’s simple – the people, the place, the atmosphere, and the dynamics.

I live in a dorm called International House where most of the exchange and/or international students live. My roommate is American; she is from San Francisco and I really enjoy sharing a room with her (she is the first roommate I have had in last 1.5 years). There are a whole lot of other people on our corridor and we share a bathroom and a really nice lounge area. All the girls I’ve met here are amazing and we all come from very diverse backgrounds (some of the nationalities represented on my floor are: American, Malaysian, Dutch, Indonesian, Chinese, Swedish, Vietnamese, Bosnian (I am the only Bosnian at Yonsei)). It is really nice that we have the lounge area (there are couches, a TV, and a small kitchen) as we get to hang out there and meet new people. Everybody is really respectful of each other’s needs and people are so nice. International House is connected to SK Global House (another dorm where exchange and/or international students live) so it’s easy to just walk through the building and go visit your friends who live in the other dorm. It is interesting that the floors in both dorms are gender specific and guys are not allowed on girls’ floors and vice versa. There are a lot of rather strict rules regarding the interaction between genders (there are even women’s and men’s laundry rooms!), but in case you want to hang out with your friends there are study rooms and lounges usually located on the first floor or in the basement.

A lot of my friends are shocked by the strict gender rules and almost always ask me whether the classes are gender specific too, but they are not. Classes are really relaxed and nice. Professors are very easy to approach and they are super helpful. As I am taking Study Abroad courses all of the students in my courses are exchange students so the classes are very diverse and it is easy to get, for example, the German, Australian, Canadian or Indian perspective on a certain issue or topic. Classes are organized in a way that there is a short class (50 min) and a long class (2×50 min). Usually the long class is used for a very interactive lecture, while the short class is used for workshops and seminars. I really like this set up. In most of my classes I don’t have a real in-class midterm or a final, but I do have to write quite some papers, memos, and reports. The professors try to make the classes very interesting by incorporating group work. Last week, for example, in my U.S.-Korea Relations class we were divided in 8 groups where each group represents a certain country with a specific power. Then we had to form alliances with other countries and fight a war. This workshop helped us understand the importance of strategic thinking and what lies behind the alliances and friendships between the countries. Apart from that, it was such a fun activity and time flew by!

As we are having really nice weather and a plenty of sunshine, I spent some time walking around the campus and discovering new areas I like. Yonsei campus is really beautiful, especially the park located in the middle (kind of like the lake in the middle of the UR campus) and the huge outdoor stadium built in the Greek style (in essence it is like a much bigger Greek Theater with more concrete and less green areas). The campus is super big and so beautiful!

The outdoor stadium at Yonsei University

The outdoor stadium

Beautiful Central Library at Yonsei University

Beautiful Central Library

It really feels like this place is growing on me and I like that feeling. 🙂

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Posted by indirainsouthkorea

시작: Culture shocked, confused, surprised, amazed (Indira in South Korea)

March 1, 2013

Wow. I can’t believe that I got to Seoul a week ago. It seems as if it happened so much longer ago, and yet it feels like yesterday. This past week has been such a roller-coaster of culture shock and first-hand learning about Korea and Yonsei University.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous about going somewhere than during my layover in Frankfurt. I had about 4 hours before I had to board the plane for Seoul. I used that time to talk to my family and friends who showed me incredible support that I needed so much at that moment. I was excited to get to Korea, but also afraid of how I might adjust to everything. After all, I’ve never been to Asia before and I knew almost nothing about Korea, not to mention that I don’t speak a word of Korean. I think what made me so nervous is that never before have I been to a country whose local language I didn’t speak even just a little bit or where I couldn’t rely on English to get around.  And leaving Europe was weird. I spent the last 10 months in Europe, had a great time back home in Bosnia, and the most memorable semester at Uppsala University in Sweden. It felt  like I was leaving behind all those great memories and yet I carried great expectations for Korea and my semester at Yonsei.

After a 10 hour flight we finally landed at Seoul Incheon airport. I was super tired, and had to go through immigration and claim my baggage. I have never been at a bigger airport (or maybe Incheon airport seemed so big because I arrived exhausted and had to drag my luggage from one part of the airport to the other) and it all seemed confusing, but I managed to get on the subway to Seoul. I have arranged with a Korean friend I met in Sweden, Taesung, to pick me up at Sincheon station in the area where Yonsei University is located. I got a chance to figure out the subway system here right away and after an hour of traveling I met Taesung. I don’t think I have ever been happier to hear someone call my name. I felt so relieved when I finally met him as that meant that I had come to the right place and I didn’t get lost. He helped me get a cab and took me to my dorm, International House. Walking down the hall I saw two Swedish names at one of the doors and I met the Swedish girls who live there immediately. It made me so happy since it kind of prolonged my ‘Swedish experience’ and that meant that I will have someone to practice my Swedish with! After I found my room and dropped off my luggage, Teasung took me out to the city so we walked around a lot, got fika (my favorite Swedish tradition) for the sake of the amazing semester in Uppsala, and tried to figure out how can I get a Korean phone (as my European phone doesn’t work with a Korean sim card). I can’t even start to explain how happy I was to have Taesung here the first day I got to Seoul. He helped me so much in a place that I found so confusing.

Over the past few days I have met a lot of exchange students as we all live in two dorms that are connected – SK Global and International House. Oh, and we had such an interesting orientation. Apart from the regular talk about culture, immigration, health, and academic matters, we had a “cheering orientation.” Yonsei is big on cheers! There are three big university rivals in Seoul – Yonsei University, Korea University, and Seoul National University. Yonsei’s biggest rival is Korea University so we spent about an hour learning the dance and cheers that would intimidate the students of Korea University. One of the cheering songs was about Yonsei beating and stomping Korea University. Even though it kind of sounds brutal, the cheers are amazing and you can feel the school spirit everywhere. The funny thing is that all the Koreans I met in Sweden attend Korea University so we are kind of rivals now.

During the orientation we saw a lot of performances, including K-Pop. It is unbelievable how everyone here is obsessed with K-Pop. We saw two school dance groups dance to some K-Pop songs, and of course the grand finale was a joint performance to Psy’s “Gangnam Style.”

Yonsei International Committee also organized the City Tours for the exchange students so we were able to visit places such as Gyeongbukgang Palace, Ewha Village, Tteok Museum, Ssamzigil, Namsangol, Hanok Village, Cheongwadae Sarangchae, Bukchon Hanok Village and much more. It was really great as we were able to learn more about Korean history, learn how to write our names in hangeul (Korean alphabet), and see the Blue House (basically a Korean version of the White House). I really enjoyed the tours as it was both bonding time with our new ‘home’ and with other exchange students.

My tour group in one of the most popular streets in Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul

My tour group in one of the most popular streets in Bukchon Hanok Village

A view of the Gyeongbok Palace and the City of Seoul from my first week

A view of the Gyeongbok Palace and the City of Seoul

I also met with Sheetal, another UofR student who is here for a year (she was at Yonsei last semester too). We went out for a dinner a couple of times and we went to a Cat Cafe. Yes, a cat cafe. Basically, there is a cafe with a whole lot of cats in it and everything is organized in a way that it serves the cats – they are free to go anywhere, sleep, play, eat; it’s almost a heaven for cats, really. It was interesting going there and I had great time. And hanging out with Sheetal is great as we have so much in common and we can always talk about Richmond related things. Also, since she was here last semester, she is such a great help with everything. I’m really happy she’s around.

One of the cats at the Cat Cafe a cafe in Seoul with cats walking around

One of the cats at the Cat Cafe

There is another UR student here, Patrick. I still haven’t met him, but I hope to do so soon. And there are a whole lot of Virginians here: I remember meeting people from Norfolk and Alexandria, and a few other places around Virginia.

After a week  in Korea I can say that I have eaten  a whole lot rice (I don’t think I have ever had this much rice before haha), made new friends, but also experienced a lot of things that culture shocked me:

  • Food is so spicy! Ok, I knew this was going to happen, but I really can’t eat spicy food, and it’s always a challenge to find something on the menu that isn’t too spicy.
  • People here are obsessed with the technology. On the subway from the airport to the Sincheon station there was a group of Chinese tourists sitting opposite of me and they were all using their tablets, phones, cameras – there was no conversation going on. The same thing is true for Koreans. This really struck me as surprising! 
  • K-Pop everywhere – really! Everywhere you go you can hear K-Pop music blasting and K-Pop faces are everywhere advertising a whole lot of things (not that I know who they are, but other people who do, talk about it)
  • A lot of people here smoke cigarettes. Smoking is allowed in public spaces and even in clubs. Very few places have designated smoking areas. There are some streets that are partially non-smoking and there are signs indicating that. But I really think this is so shocking especially after spending so much time in Europe since people don’t really smoke in public spaces (especially in Sweden, as the most of them use snus)
  • I have to give Koreans credit for one thing – they are extremely fashionable. Everyone cares about how they look, and they all have the latest shoes and follow the latest fashion trends. It’s unbelievable; I thought that Swedes are fashionable, but this is a whole new level.
  • Holding hands – everyone holds hands. It’s just a thing here. Even guy friends do so.
  • American stores and chain restaurants are everywhere saluting to globalization. I don’t think I’ve seen this many Starbucks cafes even in the States (but Koreans do love coffee).
  • Crazy drivers – be super careful when crossing the street as some drivers don’t care even if it’s a red light, especially taxi and scooter drivers. Keep your eyes open and triple-check when crossing smaller streets.
  • Toilet paper. I think it will take quite some time to get used to this (in case I ever do), but since sewage system in Seoul is really old and toilets can clog easily in all places there are signs saying to throw the toilet paper in the bin, and not flush it. It is really a challenge not to flush it, though.

So far Korea’s been very interesting, and I’m really looking forward to see how will my first week of classes end up being.

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Posted by indirainsouthkorea

Alpsolutely Amazing! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

March 1, 2013

Okay, so quick confession: I have been to the Alps so far about three times and I have yet to actually write about it. When I say I have been to the Alps three times, I am talking about skiing. What’s it like here in Europe? Well my title says a lot, because it is just incredible!

I had always planned on doing some skiing while in Switzerland, but I honestly had no idea what to expect, aside from huge mountains of course. I have skied my entire life but mostly on the East Coast, and have been out west before as well. As many of my friends know, I could tell you basically anything you would want to know about North American skiing, but Europe was a mystery! Someone had told me once that Europeans spend more time just relaxing while at the mountains and skiing every now and then. Someone else had also told me that in Europe you spend half the day going up the mountain and the other half actually skiing down. Both of these myths have not ended up being my actual experience. However, I can happily report that skiing here is better than I could have ever imagined! I’ll do my best to actually describe it, but I warn you it is difficult to put into words.

Because Switzerland is a country completely connected by rails, the ski day starts for us with a train ride into the mountains. The first morning I went, I was on the train at 6:30 in the morning while it was still completely dark. About an hour later, when the sun began to rise my view from the train window was just the silhouettes of the jagged summits and snow-covered peaks of the mountains. Once off the train, we always have to take a connector bus or an additional train to get to the actual mountain. I won’t lie, Swiss engineering is impressive. The first place that I went to, or “station” as it is called in French, was really far from the train and required a bus ride to get there. The roads are a continuous series of windy turns as you head up the steep sides of the mountain. In many instances, there need to be tunnels to get around. Whatever the case, I couldn’t help but wonder how people were able to live in this country before the modern technology that was put in place to simply move around. It was impressive to see what people are capable of doing! This may be worth looking into more, but hopefully it is done in the most environmentally conscious manner possible.

The actual skiing is completely different than what I am used to. As soon as you get to the top of one of these mountains, you are above tree line. That means it is completely wide open, unlike what I am used to where there are trees lining the trails. You can also be at the top just looking at glaciers all around you. These can be quite scary but at the same time amazingly impressive to just see the blue crystallized ice that has been there for such a long time! It is also deceiving for me of how high these mountains are. Because everything is in metrics here, I’ll be at the top of a mountain and everyone around me will be gawking at the fact that they are 3500 meters in the air! The first time this happened, we literally rode the highest mountain subway in the world. It was an actual train to carry skiers through a tunnel to the very top of the skiable area. When we got to the top, we had to walk up a set of stairs to get out of the “metro.” It hit me just how high we were when I got light headed and had to sit for a while to adjust to breathing the thin air. While waiting, I looked on my phone for the conversion and realized that we had started out at 5,905 feet at the base of the mountain, and by the time we were at the top, we were almost 11,500 feet high. Like I said, the elevation really hit me when we were at the top. But the views are unreal! Everything at the top is so open! From one of the places, I could see Italy at the top! At another one, I could see France (even though I can see France every day just across the lake). It is simply a magnificent scene; pictures cannot do it justice.

Alps2

Alps3

 

Alps1

Skiing adventures will keep coming, and I will say I am especially excited for next weekend, when we will have a three day trip planned by the exchange student association here in Lausanne. Because skiing is literally such a part of the culture here in Switzerland, they said it was necessary for them to host one. I’m excited! But that’s all for now! Until next time, à bien tôt!

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Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Living, Learning, Loving (Posted by Blair in Ecuador)

February 22, 2013

The homestays are a very important aspect of the SIT program. I think the experience of living in a different culture almost requires this aspect. The families help us a lot with our Spanish language skills, as well as cultural behavior learning, information about Ecuadorian society, and, obviously, the quintessential family love and caring. I can go to my mamá when I have a headache, when I’m frustrated with my classes, even when I feel really confused about being here in Ecuador.

More than just living with a family, we often have homework assignments that incorporate them. Sometimes it’s something as simple as talking with them about an Ecuadorian movie we’re watching or a news item we talked about in class. Later in the semester, we have to write a Personal-National History Essay about a historical event in Ecuador that also affected some family member of ours and how his/her personal account compared to the history books. These little assignments help us learn about the history and culture, as well as to form a closer relationship with our family members.

Living in a homestay certainly has its difficulties as well. It sounds so silly, but after “moving out of the house” into university housing, I felt that I was in control of my life: how I spend my time, what and when I eat, when I sleep, when I get to simply have some alone time. This homestay is quite an adjustment. Now, I depend on my host mamá for my food, for clean clothes, and for help in absolutely every part of life.

Mamá prepares and serves us all the food, sets and clears the table, washes the dishes, stores the food, and the kitchen is spotless again before I know it. Still not sure how she does that… I still don’t know how to boil some water for tea on the gas stove because she’s in the kitchen asking what I would like before I can even find the kettle!

I have washed my own clothes for myself at home since I was about 14, when thought I was too grown-up to have my mom do my laundry (I don’t remember her objecting too much). I have no idea how to wash clothes here… and the machine is even in English! Apparently you have to hook up some hoses though, lesson learned. But my mamá simply insists upon doing it.

I went to the pharmacy with my mamá the other day when we were running some errands and I remembered I ran out of band-aids. When I went to buy them, not only did I have to ask my mamá how to say band-aid, she had to explain to me that No, you don’t buy an entire box of band-aids, who would possibly need that many? About 10 minutes of explanation later, we left the pharmacy with 5 individual band-aids.

Apart from Band-aid runs, we get to go out with our families and they show us around their city. We went on Saturday afternoon to the Virgen de El Panecillo, a hill in the center of Quito where a priest built a large Virgin Mary back in 1976. From that point, you can see all around the city of Quito, much like the panoramic view I got to see from the Volcanic mountain hike on my first day here [see Centers of the World (Posted by Blair in Ecuador)].

The Virgen de El Panecillo from directly beneath, after climbing many flights of stairs for a better view of the city, Quito

The Virgen de El Panecillo from directly beneath, after climbing many flights of stairs for a better view of the city

My host dad pointing out the historical churches of Quito's Old Town, after climbing to get a better view of the city

My dad pointing out the historical churches of Quito’s Old Town

We also got to go to Molinuco Falls on Sunday, which is a HUGE waterfall at the end of a lovely hike. The walk there includes smaller waterfalls, some pools where you can swim, even a ‘Meditation Pond!’ For an idea of the size and force of this waterfall, you should know that I could feel the mist from where I was standing in the photo below!

The GIANT Cascada Molinuco (waterfall); it was so powerful I could feel the mist from where I was standing!

The GIANT Cascada Molinuco

The option to live in a different culture, in a society different from mine, to share with the people of that society, and to live for some time in a different country is a rare opportunity. Not everyone can spend a year of their life hopping between countries due to their committments. I believe many people also prefer to stay in their safe and comfortable space. However, the information and the lessons that I will have learned by the end of the program, whether learned in the classroom, in the daily activities of my family, or during the excursions we take, will make this an unforgetable semester.

“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them.” Lao Tzu

P.S. My family prefers that I do not write about them personally in this blog. We will also be living with a family in a different section of Quito beginning in March and I hope to be able to talk a bit about them.

1 Comment | Blair in Ecuador, Spring 2013 | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by blairinecuador

Bernin it up! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

February 22, 2013

Bonjour à toutes et tous! This is to say, hello to all ! This is typically how emails that I receive from the University begin. For those of you who are not familiar with the French language, toutes and tous both mean “all,” so essentially I just said hello to all! However, in French there are also the different genders. As such, it is necessary in various circumstances to use both the masculine and feminine forms when sending mass emails or writing to many people! It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does often with official emails. Hope you enjoyed your free French lesson of the day!

What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been. To sum it up really fast before reading on, I have experienced fondue and the festival known as Carnaval. Within the course of a quick four days, I feel as if I got a lot of Swiss culture really fast, but it was all amazing! I will start with the food.

Last week, I went out to fondue with my cours de vacances class, which you may remember reading about in my last entry. Fondue is a very traditional Swiss meal. It is not the typical chocolate fondue that we like to think of using fruit, although one can find it. Rather the Swiss eat bread, a mixture of cheese, and then finish the meal off with wine or tea. The cheeses most typically used are gruyere and emmenthal, melted together in a pot. At the restaurant, we were presented with a plate of bread, and it is your job to take a piece, break it up, put it onto the “fork” and cover it in cheese.

Cheese for the fondue! Bread is dipped into this pot

Cheese for the fondue!

The utensil used was something that I’m used to roasting marshmallows on. It is also critical to make sure you don’t delicately or lightly cover it just to taste the cheese. It was completely obvious to all Swiss people around me that it was my first time eating fondue. I was instructed by a friend who comes from the German part of Switzerland to completely sink the piece of bread into the cheese, then pull it out and let the excess cheese fall off. One also must pay close attention that the bread doesn’t fall off of the “fork” because then the person who lost it needs to either sing or do some other embarrassing task that the table decides. Luckily, this didn’t happen to me. When the cheese is all gone, there is usually some burned cheese left on the bottom of the fondue bowl. According to the fondue experts, this is the best part, and cannot be left! I tried it and must say I loved it. While this entire meal is going on, you need to drink either white wine or tea with the fondue. Otherwise, your stomach is going to be left to digest a block of cheese. While it was very filling and unlike anything else I’ve ever eaten, I did absolutely love it and I am excited for the next time I’ll get to try it!

The food experience certainly doesn’t stop there. This weekend I also got to go to a Swiss festival known as Carnaval! It is very similar to the idea of Mardi Gras, though it happens throughout the country on various dates, beginning anywhere from the weekend before Ash Wednesday to the end of May in some cases. On Saturday morning, a friend and I hopped on a train and headed into Bern for Carnaval in the Swiss capitol city. After a breathtaking train ride through the mountains, we arrived in the city, without a single idea of where to go! Our friend who had planned it wasn’t able to go at the last minute, so we had to improvise in order to figure out where to go. The one thing we did know about Carnaval is that people would be dressed in very colorful costumes. Luckily, we saw some people dressed up for the party and followed them from the train station into the city, until we found where we were supposed to be. Along the way, we saw some of the famous sites such as the Swiss Parliament building, and the most elaborate clock tower I have ever seen (so far). Included in this tour was trying probably way too much food that we found at various street vendors lining the main street of the festival. We ate things such as tarte flambée, crêpes, and of course, German sausage. With our stomachs filled, we lined the street with the rest of the carnaval-goers! In Bern, it is tradition to commence carnaval celebrations with a freeing of the bear that had been captured and held in prison for its winter sleep, and so the parade begins with the bear leading the way.

The carnival parade starts when the bear comes marching through the street!

Parade starts when the bear comes marching through the street!

After the mascot passes through the street, there are marching bands dressed unlike anything you will ever see in your life, playing all kinds of music, and throwing candy to the crowds. There is also a lot of confetti throwing. If you ever go to a Carnaval in Switzerland, don’t be surprised when a kid maybe as young as six year old looks up at you, takes a handful of confetti from a bag, and throws it right up at you with a huge triumphant smile. People usually have confetti of their own to throw right back at whoever throws it at them, but my friend and I didn’t know about this before everything began, so we generally just laughed with surprise when we would get covered in all sorts of colors. I absolutely loved Bern! The city was truly quite beautiful and the festival was amazingly fun!

So many colors at the carnival parade!

So many colors!

There were many creatures like this who also joined in throwing confetti throughout the parade

There were many creatures like this who also joined in throwing confetti

Probably my favorite site at Carnaval was this lady, who was dressed like a snail and walking at the same speed as a snail (despite kids throwing confetti at her the whole time). A good idea of the carnival atmosphere

Probably my favorite site at Carnaval was this lady, who was dressed like a snail and walking at the same speed as a snail (despite kids throwing confetti at her the whole time)

This week has been the first week of classes. Stay tuned for my next post to hear about just how very different of an experience trying to get settled into classes here at a large university has been, and also to get a glimpse of some photos of the Alps, as this weekend I’m headed skiing! Thanks for reading, and à bien tôt!

1 Comment | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
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곧: Countdown to Seoul (posted by Indira in South Korea)

February 18, 2013

Thinking of Seoul many words come to my mind, but the loudest for sure is 곧 (god) meaning “soon” since I am leaving home in less than a week to start my semester abroad in South Korea.

I am Indira and I am a junior. I am a double major in International Studies and German Studies. This semester I will be studying abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. Ever since I decided to go to South Korea, I am asked “Why?” more often than anything else. But really, why South Korea?

Well, I am from Bosnia and Herzegovina, I study in the US, last semester I studied abroad in Sweden, I’ve been to most of the European countries, speak multiple languages fluently, and study International Studies – very international, right? So why not expand on the internationality and step out of that frame? I think that is one of the most core reasons I decided to go to South Korea. Actually it was the internationalism that brought me on the path to Korea – while in Sweden I met a lot of students from all over the world, including Korea. Talking to them about Seoul and the Korean culture made me start thinking more about it and I decided to apply to Yonsei University. Basically, had I not studied abroad in Sweden I wouldn’t have met people who would made me think about a whole new set of possibilities and opportunities and I would probably not be going to South Korea this semester.

South Korea is a country like no other: economically it is very much like the US or Western Europe since it is so advanced, but culturally it fits perfectly in the frame of an Asian country – customs and tradition play an important role. Seoul itself is a reflection of this rather specific union of modern and traditional space that is truly fascinating. Living and studying in a country such as Korea and experiencing it from the perspective of an exchange student is definitely another reason why I chose to study abroad at Yonsei. I think that getting familiar with Korea, the way the system works, the culture, and the language is also going to solidify my International Studies major giving it a whole new dimension.

The main reason, however, why I decided to study abroad at Yonsei University is to step out of my comfort zone. I believe that we can only challenge ourselves and find out about ourselves when outside our comfort zone. Most of my life has been spent stepping outside of my comfort zone, but I think that going to Korea is going to be the biggest thing I’ve done so far. I do not speak a word of Korean, I’ve never been to that part of the world, and I don’t really understand the culture – I think it should pose a challenge that I will learn a lot from.

Even the period before leaving for Korea has taught me  lot: for example, I learned that there is no issue that the OIE (Office of International Education at my University) cannot help with. Being a citizen of Bosnia it was quite a challenge to get my student visa. I needed a whole lot of documents I didn’t have and I had to go to Croatia to apply for and pick up my visa. The last month was filled with a gazillion of emails and phone calls exchanged between Bosnia, Croatia, the US, and South Korea. That is actually when it hit me that starting in less than a week I am going to be all about balancing my life on three continents and at least 6 countries. That is going to be another challenge I am looking forward to, to be honest. I think it’ll teach me more about being a true global citizen.

Now, all the problems are solved – I got my housing assignment (I’ll be living in International House on campus and I’ll have a roommate. Roommates are assigned randomly and I won’t get to know her until I get to Seoul), I got my visa, and my flight is booked. I leave on Wednesday and I definitely should start thinking about packing soon. Wow, I can’t believe I’ll have to pack again. Once I get to Korea it’ll be the 5th country I’ve lived in in the past 10 months!

Right now I will just try to enjoy my last days home and simply prepare for a once in a lifetime adventure! 🙂

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Courses, Travels, and Cheese (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

February 13, 2013

Salut! I am now entering my third week here in Switzerland, and I can comfortably say that I’m getting settled into life here. Over the past two weeks, I have been participating in the University of Lausanne’s cours de vacances (vacation course). The course is designed for people of all ages and all levels of French who wish to improve their French language skills. There are three different levels, and I am in the class which is essentially been a preparatory course for taking classes in French at a Francophone university for students whose maternal language is not French. The class has students from all over the world; I have met people from the German part of Switzerland, Russia, Australia, Mexico, and other places, of a variety of ages as well. I am on the younger end of the spectrum, as the course is open to people of all ages who wish to improve their French. With such a diversity of people, it is pretty amazing to hear all the languages that can be spoken at once. One morning in particular, I remember reading an article in English while having a conversation in French at the same time, and hearing people speaking German around me; while all this was happening, one Russian girl even began speaking to another in Russian at one point to figure out how to say something in French. Yes, it can be a tad confusing at times but overall I think it is amazing.

One day after class last week I hopped on a train to go to Geneva. The university has a program that pairs exchange students with Swiss students to introduce us to Switzerland and help us get adjusted as well. My partner lives in Geneva right now. Luckily, the Swiss rail system is incredible, and after a quick half hour train ride without a single stop from Lausanne and some really pretty views of the snow-covered Swiss countryside, I was back in Geneva! This time I got to see more than just the inside of the airport; I got almost a full tour around the city!  I learned quite a bit about the city that I didn’t realize before, such as the fact that the famous philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau was born there, and not in Paris as many people believe. I got to see his statue, and also the entire city from the top of a church roof!

Statue of Jean Jacques Rousseau in Geneva!, because this is his birthplace

Statue of Jean Jacques Rousseau in Geneva

Went to the top of this church in Geneva and got a view of the entire city! It's truly beautiful

Went to the top of this church in Geneva and got a view of the entire city

This is a rare occurrence in Switzerland at this time of year, because of how much it likes to rain and be cloudy in these parts during the winter. The city seems like quite a great place to live! There are a ton of parks, places to go swimming, and beautiful views.

View of Geneva from the top of the church! Made possible because of gorgeous weather

View of Geneva from the top of the church

The city’s public transportation network, just like that of the other places in Switzerland I have seen, was also quite interesting. There were buses and trams, which were a new site to me. I am extremely interested in urban studies, and as such it was really cool for me to see how advanced the city was in its transportation network. I’ve found that its the same in Lausanne. The metro lines are always running on time, and are so very clean and up to date. The buses even generally run on time, except for a few very rare times that they have been one or two minutes off in the morning rush to work and in my case, school. The Swiss stereotype of being on time definitely holds true!

I am also happy to report that the chocolate has been incredible, as I was expecting. I will admit I never go a single day without it. While prices of basically everything are really expensive here, the grocery stores always have bargain products which are still an incredible quality, and cost far less than the rest of the selection. I won’t lie though, going to the small patisseries and fromageries is my favorite shopping experience. My flatmate and I walked into a patisserie one morning for croissants for breakfast, and we essentially began drooling over everything we saw. The assortment of breakfast foods and breads just looked so good! The two ladies who I am assuming owned the store saw the looks on our faces and had to ask us if everything was okay, we were just so excited! We explained how we were here on exchange and this was our first time in Switzerland with a selection like what was there. We got pain au chocolate aka croissant-like bread filled with chocolate, and then a croissant au jambon which is a croissant filled with ham and cheese. Another time, I visited a small cheese shop, called a fromagerie to buy local cheese. I had asked a Swiss person for some advice on what to buy since there are just so many cheeses, and I wanted to try something really local to the area. Armed with some recommendations, I went in and was still overwhelmed, but I explained to the shop owner in French that I was American and I was here for studies and was investigating cheese. He helped me out quite a bit with the different types of cheeses and sold me two very traditional cheeses, called emmental and gruyere, just to start me off. He also explained to me that it would be a good idea to start off with lighter cheeses before moving on to the stronger stuff, so I really appreciated his advice! I made a second trip back there after I finished my first cheeses and they remembered my face and helped me buy other types after I told them what I liked! Can’t beat service like that!

Needless to say, life so far in Switzerland has been great! I am enjoying my time here immensely, and am really looking forward to next week when I will be starting real classes here at UNIL. I have some ideas of what I will take, but nothing set in stone just yet. More on that next time though!

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