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Dan in Argentina: Getting Ready!

July 17, 2015

Hey everyone! I’m Dan. As a junior at the University of Richmond, I am majoring in International Economics and minoring in Spanish. At UR, I am on the Mock Trial team, am an RA and participate in Greek life. This semester I will be attending the Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The school recently moved its campus to an amazing new building. It is right across the street from a major football stadium for one of the most popular teams, River Plate! The university is about 5,000 students, among which about 80% are graduate students. Their main areas of study include business and economics, political science and architecture. While I am there, I plan to take political science courses about Latin American and Argentine politics. For nearly six months, I will live in the northern neighborhood of Palermo. Palermo borders the neighborhoods of Belgrano (where my university is) and Recoleta. I have already mapped my travel plans from my homestay to my school. The porteños (people from Buenos Aires) call their subway, “el subte.” So, on “el subte,” I will take the D line for about 30 minutes!

Lipton Tea Bags, BBQ Sause and Dijon Mustard were the requests of my host family. These items are not imported by Argentina so buried under sweaters and shoes, I’m sneaking them in! Well, not exactly… the law is that foreign merchandise totaling less than $1,000 is fine. But still, I feel like Mark Wahlberg in Contraband.

Everyone keeps asking me if I am nervous to go. I can’t say “no” completely, but I almost want to. I really don’t feel worried about getting down there, assimilating and excelling. I am very adaptable and feel I will truly thrive in this new place. While I wish I were more confident with my Spanish, I think I will be okay and can only improve from here! I am so much more excited than I am nervous.

Here we go! Got my boarding passes, pesos and Passport and I’m ready for a 22 hour travel day! After flying to Miami in the afternoon, I’m on the redeye straight to Buenos Aires! I’ll arrive at 10AM their time (1 hour ahead of Richmond) and go meet my host family! I have been Facebook messaging them a lot so I can’t wait to meet them!

I cannot wait for all that I will experience while abroad, and to document it for you this semester as a photo blogger. The new foods, drinks, customs, activities, tourist attractions, travel destinations, etc. will undoubtedly be amazing.

Saying goodbye is tough. Missing my dog will be ‘ruff.’ But packing! Packing is by far the hardest part of leaving. Two checked bags (under 50 lbs each) and a backpack is not nearly enough room for 6 months of necessities. That being said, I’m not trying to pay a $100 fee for a bag a pound too heavy!

I am going to travel to Iguazu Falls, northwest of Buenos Aires. Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed “Poor Niagra” when she visited this massive group of natural waterfalls.

I want so badly to ski in Patagonia. I promise to show amazing pictures of this. The clothing brand logo does not do the Andes justice.

I will definitely be hitting up a vineyard or two in the Mendoza province. Argentina is the sixth largest exporter of wine in the world and the first largest in Latin America.

I am so excited to take a Tango lesson, go to a street Tango performance and learn everything about Tango. Tango, Tango, Tango.

While many of my friends hit the beach or complain about their summer internships, I get to go back to school! Of course, I can’t exactly be upset because my school is in a different country where filet mignon is eaten daily and the coffee is freshly imported from Brazil. Plus, with flip-flopped season in December in Buenos Aires, I will leave the 90-degree palm tree climate for a snowy mid-winter Boston making me the tannest guest at the Christmas dinner table; sure to be envied from all my relatives. Could this get any better!?

While I will be learning everyday, the way I see it, it’s more of an adventure than an academic semester. I will be learning so much more than just political theory or economic equations. My Spanish skills will grow exponentially. I am ready for a semester of learning, new experiences, difficult communication problems and excitement!

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Posted by Dan H.

Layla in Australia: Introduction

July 17, 2015

Hi everyone! My name is Layla and I’m studying abroad at the University of Sydney in Australia this semester. Though studying abroad is very common for Richmond students, most of my friends were pretty surprised when I told them about my plans for the semester. Why, you ask? Three reasons:

I’m a rising senior. The majority of Richmond students who study abroad do so their junior fall, but I’ve met people who’ve studied abroad semesters ranging from sophomore fall to junior spring. But senior year? I didn’t know it was possible. It’s much more common than I thought – there are at least five other rising seniors going abroad that I know of. Hopefully this blog will help dispel the myth that there’s only one possible semester to study abroad!
I’m a chemistry major. Anecdotally, it seems like science majors are underrepresented in study abroad. For example, of the 21 chemistry majors in my grade, I will be just the fifth to go abroad for a semester. While it is definitely possible to fit in a semester studying abroad into a timeline of required science courses, it requires careful planning. I’ve heard a lot of my fellow Gottwald enthusiasts talk about how they didn’t study abroad because it wasn’t possible with their major. I’m hoping to help bust this myth as well and show how studying abroad can complement any major.
I’m a citizen of my host country — I moved to America from Australia when I was seven years old. This was the reason that I originally thought I didn’t want to spend a semester abroad when I first came to Richmond. I thought that my international experiences before college meant that I couldn’t gain anything from spending a semester abroad. I’ve now come to realize that I couldn’t have been more wrong. The summer after my freshman year, I spent a month in La Rochelle, France, taking classes for my French minor. While I had a wonderful summer eating baguettes and practicing French with my host family, the small taste of a study abroad experience left me longing for more. My program was rigidly structured, with weekends designated for group trips, and independent travel outside of La Rochelle was prohibited. I itched for the opportunity to travel on my own and discover the country for myself. The more I thought about my experiences in France after my return, the more my desire to take a risk and spend an entire semester abroad grew. I knew as soon as I started considering studying abroad that I wanted to rediscover my birthplace, which has always held a special place in my heart, despite my faint memories of it. The University of Sydney was a logical choice — I love beaches and big cities, the university has an enormous class catalog, which is perfect for a science major with diverse interests, and it’s only an hour and a half away from Wollongong, the city where I grew up.

Australia’s academic calendar is very different than America’s, and the spring semester (known as semester 2) runs from the end of July to the beginning of November. So even though it feels like I’m still in the middle of summer break, it’s time for me to leave for Sydney! It’s hard to describe the emotions I’m feeling. I’m leaving a lot behind in America– my entire extended family is here for a family reunion. They live all over the world, from Iran to Sweden, and so I only see them about once every five years. I’m so excited to get to Sydney, but I’m really sad and not ready to leave my family behind. My packing for Sydney has consisted of the suitcase I threw together while I was frantically putting my stuff into storage in Richmond last week, so needless to say, I’m also feeling anxious to see if I’ve packed the right things. So it’s definitely a mix of emotions. Mostly, I can’t wait to spend the next six months really getting to know Australia!

#TBT My mom and I in the Australian countryside. I’m excited to revisit some of my childhood memories!

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Posted by laylainaustralia

Jackie in Switzerland: The (almost) End

June 26, 2015

Leaving Lausanne did not feel entirely real. I think after spending so much time in one place, it is hard to imagine that you might never be back. For the whole last week in this town, I have been living in total denial, which is really the easiest and (clearly) the most mature way to handle things. I’ve mostly been doing the exact same things as normal, refusing to pack, and actually ignoring anyone who tries to remind me that I’m leaving. If someone insists that I should actually start getting my things together, I kindly tell them to stop talking. Very mature.

Luckily, I do not have to say goodbye quite yet, since I will be traveling around Europe for a month after leaving Lausanne! I am really excited for that, since I will be seeing many countries in Eastern Europe that I have never visited before. I also do not know a single word of Czech, German, Hungarian, Greek or Italian so I’m sure that will create some funny/embarrassing /awkward beyond belief stories along the way. I’m sure it will be a whirlwind experience, but for now I’m reflecting on how crazy this past semester has been.

This is one of my favorite things in the city.

Walking through the streets of Lausanne, I remember the first time that I arrived here and the name Ouchy (the area by the lake) meant nothing to me and I was ‘not all that excited’ about the chocolate. Total newbie mistake.

Being at the end makes me think of the beginning and how I showed up somewhat terrified and completely over my head. I had never had to do all that much for myself, even though I had always thought of myself as independent. I can now say that the word has taken on a whole new meaning after having to beat down the doors of the housing administration just to get my security deposit back (I did get it back!).

It really strikes me how the actual city of Lausanne hasn’t changed, but the people in it have. I promise not to make this into a sappy “this semester has changed my life and I will never be the same” drama, but I will say that studying abroad is like nothing else in this world. I wouldn’t say that it changed me, but more that it made me feel alive. It made me feel more secure in the person that I am at the same time that it made me feel small in comparison to what is out there. It is so easy, especially at a small school like Richmond, to get into a groove and never realize how much there is out there.

Being in a city with so many religions, colors, cultures, languages and people has made me so much more certain about who I want to be. It is almost as if I am taking all of these differences surrounding me, picking which ones I like best, and inserting them into my own life. My friend Amanda said it the best; it’s like leaving little bits of yourself behind in every place you visit, but also picking up little bits that others give you.

This is turning sappier than I intended, but all in all, I will say that I have never been more proud of myself than I am in this moment. Not because I passed all of my classes (yay!), not because I made super awesome amazingly cool friends and not because I necessarily got to do all of the things that I wanted to. I’m most proud because I let this experience grow me. If I could give one piece of advice about study abroad, it would be to let the experience take you whatever way it wants to take you. If you want to meet the same people and say the same things and feel the same emotions, stay at home!

Study abroad will offer you bits of the entire world, but that means nothing if you don’t take them. If you do choose to go abroad, do not leave without making an impression and do not leave without letting the experience make an impression on you.

One last lovely view of these mountains.

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Posted by jackieinswitzerland

Jackie in Switzerland: Putting the Study in Study Abroad

May 19, 2015

I am happy to report that Switzerland has turned me into a total French beast. Last week, I gave a presentation in a Contemporary History class that was 75 minutes total (with a partner, I’ll admit). I was so incredibly nervous for this presentation, I was literally shaking before I began. As I told the other students about the absolutely thrilling topic of Swiss books in the United States, I felt more and more at ease, even answering a few questions from other students. After I finally said my last sentence of the presentation, I glanced over at the teacher with that “I’m sorry that I don’t speak French and ruined this presentation” look. I was absolutely shocked when she congratulated us for our great performance and me especially for my French! She said that I was clear, understandable, and that my French was actually very good!

So happy to be done with one big assignment and to never have to read this book ever again (look how big it is!)

Studying abroad with the intention of learning a new language is very weird. I can tell that overall, my level of language is getting so much better. At the same time, there are moments where I get so discouraged in talking to people who speak perfectly that I have the impression that I will never speak French with complete comfort and fluency. I have some amazing hall mates who have been speaking to me in French and teaching me how to use new words and phrases, which has actually helped me more than any of my other classes.

One of the fun things about language learning is being able to read the multi-language signs at the museums. Especially when you find this gem in a Medieval Castle

The problem is that speaking in another language is so uncomfortable that if people are willing to speak to me in English, it is really hard to force myself to change to French. Almost everyone here knows English very well, and they want to learn it and so they would rather speak in English. I have found a few amazing friends who make me feel totally comfortable in speaking (and making really stupid mistakes in) French. Still, this has been the hardest part of study abroad for me; feeling like I should be mastering French but at the same time being hesitant to force myself to converse with French and Swiss people. I am just starting to find this balance and looking back at the beginning of the semester, I am still blown away by how much better I have gotten.

This baby might not look all that impressive, but it is 22 pages (single spaced!) of French research paper on the problems of European integration and multi-level governance. Still cannot believe that I did this, and I’m feeling really accomplished.

I might be struggling a little with speaking, but I have gotten so much better at my written work! So proud of my first grade in Switzerland. It’s a 6/6!

I still cannot believe that I am almost done with this semester, I really think it has gone faster than any other 4 month period of my life. I will be done with classes on May 29^th, and I will be leaving the same day. I feel like at the beginning of the semester, I really didn’t appreciate the fact that I was halfway across the world in a really cool city with really cool people. Now, I have been hanging around Lausanne a lot more and have been getting to know my hall mates. That being said, I will be travelling to Ticino, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland for a weekend trip with the student exchange association of UNIL. I am so excited to see this new part of Switzerland, and I will be sure to post lots of pictures of the delicious Italian food I will be eating!

This is where I will be spending my long weekend, the Italian part of Switzerland.

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Posted by jackieinswitzerland

Becca in Hungary: BLOOPERS!!

May 6, 2015

While typically bloopers are saved for the end of the show I wanted to bring the bloopers from my time in Hungary out a bit earlier. As my program begins to wrap up in the next couple weeks I want to reflect on how I have changed through this experience, but I can only show how much I have grown if I show you where I first started. And with that I list my favorite “Bloopers” of my trip:

1) This face whenever someone tries to speak Hungarian to me:

2) followed by this face from them when I try to reply back in Hungarian:

3) When I went to the post office to try to mail a letter home, and everyone in the post office started yelling at me for some reason I am still unclear of today. (note: Sorry mom and dad I haven’t sent anymore postcards; the post office is just too scary of a place for me now.)

4) When I accidentally ate sour cream for an entire week because I thought it was a yogurt. WARNING: if you come to Hungary and see big shelves of tejföl it is NOT yogurt!! Hungarians are just in love with sour cream so they have a deceivingly large amount of it which may make yogurt lovers like me think that it is in fact yogurt.

5) This weekend when I went to a small ranch hotel, the concierge at the front desk would literally run to the back room whenever she saw us, in fear that we may ask her questions in English since she knew little English. At least I hope that is the reason she ran away from us…

6) When I was stopped at the metro to check for my metro pass. Because I have a student pass, I also need to carry a student ID with me. In this specific instance I forget my student ID and the metro workers were not happy. I knew this by their raised tone of their voice, but my lack of Hungarian prevented me from picking up all the details. Once they said they were going to call the police I knew I should just pay the fine for my offense and go on my merry way.

7) When taking a train from Vienna back to Budapest we were told that we had to buy first class tickets because there were no seats left in economy. When we got on the train we found the economy section to not only be nearly empty, but also that our first class tickets were not valid.

8) When I got lost in a Hungarian mall because not only do they have one H&M, T-Mobile, etc in each mall, sometimes they have two or three of the same exact store in the same exact mall… This leads to problems when telling someone meet me at H&M…

9) Trying to explain why I came to Budapest to study abroad. Many Hungarians didn’t realize that their countrymen are crazy good at math and a large portion of the greatest mathematicians are in fact Hungarian.

10) Trying to explain that you don’t want alcohol in some drink you are getting… that’s an even stranger concept to grasp for some Hungarians.

While I love to look back at these moments for a good laugh, I also love to look back on these moments to see how far I have come. Now, before buying tickets for a trip I verify online that I am in-fact getting the right price and deal. When I go to the grocery store I avoid tejföl at all costs, and when I am looking for something more specific I try to Google the Hungarian name before I go or ask someone in the store when I get there. I will never board any form of public transit without my student ID, and when I am using public transit in other countries I carefully check I am purchasing the correct ticket.

This semester has made me more aware that we can’t just assume things about the people and cultures we meet throughout our lives. Its not fair that I just assume that everyone I meet should just know English or that this person will understand our cultural differences. These differences, though, are not something to fear but rather to be explored and celebrated. That really is the point of the studying abroad anyways: exploring new cultures and realizing the plethora of ways people think and operate. I just continue to thank everyone that has allowed me to have this opportunity to explore the culture of Hungary and beyond.

Comments Off on Becca in Hungary: BLOOPERS!! | Becca in Hungary, Spring 2015 | Tagged: Academics, Culture, Host University, Hungary, Language, Public Transportation, Travel | Permalink
Posted by Becca F

Kyungsun in Scotland: The Happiest Country In the World

April 23, 2015

The iconic picture of Denmark: Nyhaven

When I arrived in Copenhagen, I was more excited to see my friend Amaury than the fact that I was in one of the happiest countries in the world. I was just happy to be in the presence of a familiar friend. As expected, it didn’t take long before we skipped the small talk and dived into a discussion about how our study abroad experience has transformed us. It was a warm relief knowing that he had been sharing similar struggles of changing friendships and becoming more independent like me.

The next day, we spent the entire day exploring the city. The best part about having a friend show you around is that you get your own personal tour guide. It was astonishing just how much Amaury knew about Denmark. He knew everything from the current politics to the historical significance of the main buildings. Two places in particular held the most meaning for me. As expected, my pictures don’t capture the full energy of the moment, but I hope I can still convey the spirit as well of the beauty of the city.

Christiana

The first thing I noticed was the sign. Welcome to Christiana! Once we went under the arch, Amaury told me to turn around as if I was exiting. You are now entering the EU. Huh?

The second sign said that I wasn’t allowed to take pictures.

The third sign said that I was supposed to have fun.

A taste of Christiana (we were only allowed to take pictures before entering)

Walking into Christiana was like stepping outside of Denmark. When I first walked around the streets of the Copenhagen, I saw the traditional colorful buildings, comparatively clean streets, beautiful people, and places to shop everywhere. But Christiana is the part of the city that is still not developed and not developed by choice.

I asked Amaury where he had brought me to and he said that Christiana was a community that represented freedom of expression. Indeed, I saw graffiti and color everywhere. Any white space was anyone’s canvas. You can build your own house in Christiana. But no one owns anything. Rather, everything is owned by the community. You are only allowed to live in Christiana if you are accepted by all 850 members in the community. It is also a town that claims that it’s separate from Denmark (hence the EU sign), but not recognized by any formal body.

After moving past the initial front, I was overcome with a tangible sense of peace that filled the area. But when I looked at the various colors and shapes of the houses, I also felt an uneasy feel of chaos. Nothing conformed to the thing next to it. Yet Amaury told me that there is a deep woven bond of community in Christiana that allowed everyone to enjoy a harmonious life. I suddenly found myself questioning the value of standardizing everything from our houses to our education – do we do it for the ease or for the control?

Did I also mention that weed is everywhere? On what is known as Pusher Street, stalls are lined with people selling, smoking, or buying weed (hence, no pictures). The police know this. The government knows this. And the teens at the local high school across the street certainly know this. Yet it’s an accepted part of Danish society. Occasionally there are police raids (which is why you’re also not allowed to run in Christiana). However, my expert tour guide told me that overall, the Danes want to maintain the essence of Christiana for what it is because it represents a part of Denmark’s history.

I left dizzy with questions and confusion. It made me question a lot about the ways in which we as communities and societies achieve things like safety, individual expression, and justice.

Amalienborg

Denmark continued to surprise me. Thursday was Queen Margrethe’s 75^th Birthday. All I knew was to be at Amalienborg Palace, where the Queen lived, by twelve o’clock. Amaury was unfortunately in class. The morning was pretty calm as I was exploring Rosenborg Palace. Then I saw the band and guards lining up and when I turned the corner, people were everywhere. Little did I know this is where the party started.

It was actually a relief knowing that the guards were kicking off the celebrations with loud fanfare and a parade through the streets. This meant all I had to do was follow them to the other palace rather than stand out as a lost tourist. My favorite part about the parade is that anyone could simply be a part of it. The police encouraged everyone to make way for the guards and band, but a swarm of people trailed alongside or behind the line.

On my way to Amalienborg Palace, I was handed a flag and again, turned a corner and saw everyone waiting to enter. But for some reason we weren’t being let in and the police kept pointing people to the left. I didn’t understand what anyone was saying but I decided to trust my instinct and follow the crowd.

It was a good move because I found the actual entrance! What I loved about the moment even before the celebration started is how energized everyone was to see the Queen. Amaury had told me the day before that the people loved the Queen. When I also asked what the Queen did outside her political duties, I was surprised that Amaury’s host family knew the answer. She apparently makes costumes for plays and paints.

Close up with Queen Margrethe!

Front row view to see her pass by!

It was an interesting atmosphere to be in – I felt like the Queen was approachable. Even the Palace didn’t have any gates or barriers. You could just walk right up to the front door and knock on it if you wanted. I was told that it’s because the Danish Royalty embody the strange balance of humility and pride that make up the Danish lifestyle.

Amalienborg Palace

These two places are sadly only two snapshots out of the near 700 pictures of what I experienced. Copenhagen is a city like Edinburgh in that it has a great mix of nature, history, and modernity. Unfortunately, Copenhagen is also much bigger than Edinburgh. I didn’t get to explore the city fully, but I know I have to come back. As you can tell, Denmark was a place that really made me think about how the country has become such a loved, happy, accepting, humble, yet prideful country and much more.

I think this is the value of traveling. It makes you realize that other people do it differently. They provide welfare differently. They view wealth differently. They deal with social justice differently. And most of all, it makes me appreciate the various ways we all strive for the same thing.

Rosenborg Palace and King’s Gardens

Leave a Comment » | KyungSun in Scotland, Spring 2015 | Tagged: Denmark, Friends, Host University, Reflection, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by Klee

Fabiana in China: Adventure Awaits

April 13, 2015

As I finished writing the last sentence of my essay this morning, I realized one thing:

I was done.

I had finished my final exam.

3 months went by, just like that. And now I look back, and I’m like: “Fabiana, that wasn’t that hard, or was it?” It’s funny how when we’re facing challenges and difficulties, it’s so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we’re like, “Man, I just can’t do it anymore.” We fight with ourselves. We cry. We want to give up. But when it’s all finally over, when you’ve been on the go for days now, you look back, smile, and say “Agh, that wasn’t that bad.” Haha.

Although I have seen my roommates start pilling up their papers filled of Chinese vocabulary words written over and over again, corrected homework, and not-so-pretty exam grades, I just can’t make myself start doing the same. Yes, I am done with the semester, the grades are all in, and I do feel like a weight has gotten off my shoulders. But nevertheless, I do not want to get rid of my Chinese books or tests, or those laborious and tiny “study tips” I like to do with a pink pen on top of my already summarized study guide. Yep, welcome to my world.

Although I have finished this semester, I have not finished learning Chinese.

I think to it as a never-ending project. It’s been a while since I started learning Chinese~ as soon as I start to feel comfortable with the language I realized, “Wow, I know this much. If only I knew THAT much more.” Chinese just keeps challenging you. I love it.

In retrospect, I now look at those 5am morning coffee sessions I had with my Chinese book everyday. I see myself there working, listening to that one “The River Flows in You” Pandora radio station. No one’s up and I am just there absorbed by the new vocabulary words. I smile and laugh for no apparent reason. I’m in my medium.

People often look at me and say, “how do you do it?” The truth is that I simply enjoy studying. I enjoy waking up at 5am knowing that by the time my 9am class starts, I’ll be prepared to answer every question and feel happy with myself. I have truly tried my best.

It’s not very practical, I confess. But it’s what makes me, me.

Now, I sit on the high-speed train making my way to Luoyang. The trip has finally started, and I’m starting the “gaining new eyes” part of my study abroad.

2 weeks of discovery and new landscapes.

Fabiana

A real voyage of discovery

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Posted by Fabiana in China

Fabiana in China: Stage Fright

March 30, 2015

“This was my chance,” I thought as a rushed into the program’s office and wrote my name on the list. I had just signed up for the 2015 CSI Spring Semester Speaking Contest. Oh God Fabiana. What were you thinking?

I was terrified. How was I going to stand up there that day and give a presentation in Chinese? I mean, even back at UR I try to avoid all sorts of presentations!

My second thought after leaving that office: I had single-handedly signed up for getting my butt kicked out of my comfort zone, that’s for sure.

In all honesty, it took a lot from me. I had two weeks to find a theme and prepare for the contest, apart from having the normal workload. There were a few times where I stopped working and reflected on why on earth I like to do this to myself. Haha. I mean, it was not an obligatory event, and I already had enough work to keep me really busy. But then again I thought to myself, what’s life if we’re always taking the “easy” road? Doing this would not only help my Chinese, but also my confidence level. I was given an opportunity.

The day finally arrived. As I stood up there, I could feel the typical red-tomato blush I get in circumstances like this. Undeniably stumbled with some words, but managed to go through it sorta-like one of the hundred times I practiced for it. When those 10 minutes were done, I felt like an enormous weight was lifted off my shoulders. I had done it.

The judges

For some surprising reason, I was kindly granted one of the three awards given that day: “Best Story Award.” There was literally no one who could take away my smile. No one. I had not only finished what I started, but I received recognition for it. I was beyond content!

I really ought to give a lot of credit to my incredible Chinese tutor who was there with me all the way. She not only believed in me, but also pushed me. She was patient and kind, and corrected me ever single time I mispronounced the same word over and over again. I really couldn’t have done it without her.

After the show was over, I couldn’t wait to get back home, but on my comfiest pajamas, and enjoy an episode or two of “The Mindy Project.” It had been a long week.

This week, however, had a very different pace. I had no longer the pressure from the speaking contest and the schoolwork has gotten a bit lighter. I can’t believe we only have a week left of actual school, and then a week for our final exams! After all that jazz, we will be heading out of Beijing to our 2-week end-of-semester trip. The trip’s focus is Tibetan culture and Buddhism and the cities that we will be visiting are Luoyang, Xi’an, Xi’ning, Lhasa, Chengdu and Leshan. You probably never heard these names before, but you have probably heard about the Shaolin Temple, Terra-cotta Soldiers, Leshan Giant Buddha, and the Giant Panda Center. Yes, all located –somewhere- in these cities.

While I keep on daydreaming about visiting Tibet in two weeks, I leave you with some pictures of one of my favorite places in Beijing: 798 Art District.

‘Till the next post!

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Posted by Fabiana in China

KyungSun in Scotland: Getting Plugged In

March 23, 2015

Sometimes I forget that I’m not a typical exchange student.

This past week, my other exchange friends reminded me that essays, tutorials, and societies still existed. These three things about Uni (University) life had far slipped from my mind once I began my internship. Although I do not miss the workload, the one thing I do wish I did was to join more societies. I did do the Music Society, but I unfortunately wasn’t able to attend the concert. I had booked trip to Ireland and realized at the next rehearsal for that concert was that same weekend. #fail

I admit, I do have a lot more free time compared to the other exchange students. But let me dispel your first worry that I probably sit in my room all day. I wrote in my first blog post that if I have spare time, I would spend it going out to explore a new part of the city. I am happy to say that I’ve been keeping up with this promise.

Things I’ve discovered so far on my spontaneous walks in the city include:

Some extreme and strange street performances. Its not uncommon to hear bagpipes on the streets, but my ears perked up when I heard Leonard Cohen’s, “Hallelujah” (one of my favorites). It was played via the flute pipes by a man wearing a Native American headdress. I also saw a man eating fire and another playing the violin while on a suspended line.

Street performance on the Royal Mile

Delicious local food. The best food can always be found at farmer’s markets. I found a great one in Stockbridge that had some noteworthy Kenyan Samosas and Spanish paella. Yum.

Stockbridge Farmer’s Market

Celebrity sightings. I only noticed that fame was in our presence when I saw the traffic commotion of…the Irish Rugby team in front of the Balmoral, aka the most expensive/grandest hotel in Edinburgh. I looked them up later and discovered that they are currently 3rd in the World Rugby rankings (as of 3/2/2015).

Irish Rugby Team Sighting on Princes Street

Each time I go out, I see more of why all my friends, professors, and advisors have told me that Edinburgh is one of their favorite cities. There is always music somewhere, the people in general are reserved, but friendly, the buildings are beautifully historic, and the city is so alive in its own Scottish culture, but also in other cultures. Its not uncommon to see an Indian restaurant, Pizza Hut, a Scottish tourist shop, and French pastry shop all in one row.

While it is easier to get plugged into Edinburgh city, it definitely has been more difficult to get plugged in at Edinburgh Uni. There aren’t many social events that unifies the campus like a football game or a Pig Roast would on a given Saturday. Rather, it’s a more common part of the European uni life to be part of the campus by being part of the communities already within the campus. Aka, by joining multiple societies.

One of the many overwhelming pamphlets I recieved during orientation

But joining a society while doing the internship has been semi-difficult. There are interns who are actively part of societies; one of them recently had a show that we attended through the Opera Society and another two are part of the Sports Unions. But for me, the key to getting more involved at school and meeting more Scottish people has been to go to society events.

Just last night, I went to the Improverts Show, an improvise comedy society, and it was one of the best Friday nights I’ve had. My flatmate and I were warned that we probably won’t get tickets unless we bought them ahead of time. But fortunately we got in line early enough before they sold out. And I could see why we were warned. It was packed and hilarious. Its also a very popular Uni event because apparently, they sell out for every Friday show. That’s a pretty good track record.

The Improverts!

Here is a snapshot of what the pre-show looked like:

There is never a shortage of events here at Edinburgh. This week, I’m going to a Harry Potter themed pub quiz, a theatre festival for social change, and my Scottish neighbor invited us to see her play, Candlewasters. I find out about most of these events through friends or my kind Scottish neighbor. There is no convenient “Spiderbytes” equivalent here at Edinburgh and you really have to dig through Facebook and read the posters throughout campus. But despite the sheer number of events, this has also meant that I’ve also been able to find a lot more entertainment/fun things to do that fit me better. It’s definitely one of the things I’ll miss most about Edinburgh.

P.S. If you want to check out the list of Edinburgh’s 240+ awesome societies for anything and everything, check out: https://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/getinvolved/societies/findasociety/.

Leave a Comment » | KyungSun in Scotland, Spring 2015 | Tagged: Culture, Friends, Host University, Music, Scotland | Permalink
Posted by Klee

Jackie in Switzerland: Looking for Audrey and Finding the Sheep

March 17, 2015

This was the third week of classes here at Lausanne and I am blown away by how fast time is flying by! Now that classes have really begun, I feel like the semester is going to be over before I know it. After much stress and confusion, I have finally figured out my class schedule for the semester! I am taking 7 courses; five are courses about French and Swiss culture, including their literature, art, and films while the other two are political science courses. However, they are ALL taught in French! My professors have been really understanding of the fact that French is not my first language, and sometimes in my political science class, the professor will even ask for my perspective as an American, which makes me feel like I can actually contribute to the course.

I was really nervous that I wouldn’t be able to handle so much French, but so far it has been the best thing about my study abroad experience! I can already tell how much better my French has become, and after only three weeks. One of the most important things that I have learned from this experience is how important immersion is for learning a language. Its just not possible to speak and hear French in the U.S. the way that I can here in Switzerland, and this week I really realized how lucky I am to have the opportunity to come here and not only study a language, but also to live a language. And while sometimes all the French makes my head spin, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Even with all of my classes, I’ve still found time to enjoy the sunset!

And now to explain the slightly bizarre title to this blog post. In choosing to study abroad in Lausanne, I had unknowingly chosen a place about an hour from Audrey Hepburn’s last home. I am both excited by this fact and also disappointed in myself for not knowing this earlier. As a self-proclaimed Audrey fanatic, I cannot believe that her home has been so close to me and I was not aware. However, I decided to make up for this by visiting Tolochenaz, where Audrey lived during her last years. Expecting to visit an overly touristy, Audrey-themed city, what I found instead was what makes me love this country so much.

The houses in Tolochenaz were all so cute and quaint, I would never imagine such a small city for such a big star

With this view, I could see why Tolochenaz is such a perfect place to live!

It turns out that it takes about 30 minutes to walk from the closest train station to Tolochenaz, and the path is the most quiet, beautiful countryside that I have seen to date in Switzerland. After enjoying our walk with the mountains in the distance, we finally reached the small town, and I could not have been more surprised. It took us about 20 minutes of walking in the town to even pass a single person, and the homes were so beautiful, traditional, and modest that I would never have guessed a star like Audrey Hepburn would live there. As for tourism, the town certainly had a few indications of Audrey’s presence, but in general, it was very tasteful and simple. Much like her modest resting place, I could only describe her home in Tolochenaz as peaceful, beautiful, and quaint.

After 20 years, people still come to Audrey’s grave to give flowers and love

The town created a statue to honor Audrey with a beautiful quote that captures her personality

While walking through the town, I realized that while I had come here to see the place where one of my favorite actresses had lived, I got so much more than that. I got a little glimpse into the small things that make living in Switzerland like a dream. On our path, we ran across a herd of sheep, the first that I have seen here in La Suisse, even though before arriving I expected to see this everywhere! As my friend Amanda said “We came for Audrey and found the sheep!” Every little detail of this little town in this little country had such a character and a beauty in and of its own, and I realized in that moment that one of the best parts of studying abroad isn’t so much seeing all of the tourist attractions or ‘famous’ places, but instead finding the beauty of living like a local.

It took me a month, but I finally found the Swiss sheep! We felt like total tourists taking pictures of sheep but we couldn’t resist

The experience of enjoying such a small place made me realize even more how much there is out there to see. I came to Europe searching for the ‘Audreys’; the Eiffel Tower, Lake Geneva, the canals of Venice, or the beaches of southern France. But the more I see, the more I’m beginning to love finding the ‘sheep’; the vines that climb up the side of an old home, the wonderful smell of real French bread in the morning, or even the beauty of gates and doors on the side streets of Lausanne.

Finding the small beauties in a small city

I will never forget this view!

Comments Off on Jackie in Switzerland: Looking for Audrey and Finding the Sheep | Jackie in Switzerland, Spring 2015 | Tagged: Host University, Language, Sightseeing, Switzerland | Permalink
Posted by jackieinswitzerland

Dan in Argentina: Getting Ready!

Layla in Australia: Introduction

Jackie in Switzerland: The (almost) End

Jackie in Switzerland: Putting the Study in Study Abroad

Becca in Hungary: BLOOPERS!!

Kyungsun in Scotland: The Happiest Country In the World

Fabiana in China: Adventure Awaits

Fabiana in China: Stage Fright

KyungSun in Scotland: Getting Plugged In

Jackie in Switzerland: Looking for Audrey and Finding the Sheep

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