Skip to content

Month: September 2012

Published on

By rlubitz

I knew it was gonna happen but I just didn’t think it was going to happen to me. Because I am a stressmonster and have a habit of freaking out for hours at a time, I thought by now I’d be all set, just waiting for the plane to get here, just waiting for the time that I have to actually physically leave Washington, DC. Instead, it’s one day before I leave for London and I’m still configuring bags and giving clothes away and realizing that I’m definitely not going to be wearing three different black sweaterdresses while I’m there because I’m lazy and I never wear dresses.

In these hectic days, I’ve had to rely on humor to not shut my entire world down. For instance, I created a Saturday Night Live skit yesterday while I was lugging my bags across town and it’s called “Rachel Throws A Bag Bigger Than Herself Down Three Flights Of Stairs.” It’s hilarious.

...continue reading "I’m Overpacking and I Know It"

Published on

By shivaniinsingapore

Before I left for Singapore, I was told that it was a very different culture than the US and that I should be aware of certain things that may be considered disrespectful in this country. Throughout my time here, I have been extremely cautious of my vocabulary and actions. However, most of the time, the locals here are familiar with people from the US and usually forgive small nuances that I may have done accidentally.

...continue reading "…Study Abroad Problems?"

Published on

By parisjetattends

My first few days in Paris can be categorized by a sense of enchanted confusion. I arrived a few days before the start of my upcoming study abroad program with the intention of renting a Craigslist apartment. Standing there in front of the stoop with far too many heavier-than-lead bags I rang the bell and rang the bell and rang it. Nobody answered, and nobody showed up. So my first time being stood up was by a man from Craigslist. I suppose it could have been worse. I looked to the right and saw a hotel next door that was overpriced, but it did the job admirably, and had the advantage of being in an utterly charming neighborhood.

...continue reading "Paris, Enchanté"

Published on

By parisjetattends

Berlin is nice and quiet and the air is sweet and calm but never stagnant. When it rains it pours. The people don't stare much. I am never provoked, or touched by strangers on the street. My last night in Cairo, a young boy grabbed my butt. That doesn't happen here. Here, where there is law and order and organization and above all, calm serenity.

I can see the stars at night.

...continue reading "Berlin, Ich Vermisse Dich"

Published on

By rlubitz

Will everything even work?

Starting about two days ago, I realized that “oh, all of my technology can’t work in the UK” and thus ensued a mini panic attack because I prepare for nothing until the last minute. I know everything will be fine and I’ll be able to plug in with an adapter and I know they’re like $10 but that doesn’t stop me from imagining my laptop bursting into flames.

Just a few weeks ago my mom sent me an adapter contraption from the 1970s. Last time she used it was legitimately thirty years ago. If I had, indeed, plugged my phone in using those adapters, it would have burst into flames and my face would have been scalded off as a result of those flames and then I wouldn’t have been in any of my friend’s STUDY ABROAD YOLO 2012 Facebook albums because I would have looked like Darth Vader sans helmet.

Do you see how my mind advances on things like this?

But I WILL be getting an adapter this week and calling 19 different people while I’m in the store because that’s just how I work.

As a Gen Y-er, I expect a full meltdown for myself while trying to set up wifi that won’t work when I get there or forgetting to pack a charger.

Will people hate me because I like Coldplay?

...continue reading "In Which I Freak Out About Technology and Taco Bell A Week Before Arrival"

Published on

By littlemisadventures

At the risk of sounding like a jaded traveler, I can honestly say that not many things have shocked me since arriving in Egypt. I knew there would be omnipresent sand, devil-may-care driving, jet lag, and a language barrier. I knew I would get sick and that I would get better. I also predicted that I would be happy here, and so far I’m right.

I’ve heard that the saying “time is money” only applies in Western countries. It is certainly true in the Midwestern U.S., where being fifteen minutes early for anything constitutes being on time.  Here in Cairo, the school bus may or may not leave on time. (It may not even show up.) It might take several minutes to get directions to a place down the block. On campus, students always hug hello and stop to talk, even if they have thirty seconds to get to class. The leisurely pace and the uncertainty of routine activities can be frustrating, but I am getting used to it.

...continue reading "Shop Like an Egyptian"

Published on

By jfbarszcz

logorrhea, n. An excessive and often uncontrollable flow of words.

Wow. Where to even begin?

So I've been in Prague for about a week now, and I feel like I already have enough to write about for an entire semester. I've been so busy all week meeting people, seeing the sights and generally immersing myself in the local culture (or attempting to as best I can, at least) that the question is less what to write about than it is what not to write about. I guess the least I can do is an overview of what I've done each day. So, let's get started.

...continue reading "Week 1: Logorrhea"

Published on

By shivaniinsingapore

This week I've decided to write about some of the biggest "surprises" I faced so far in Singapore. I haven't had a huge shock yet in Singapore, but have had small surprises that demonstrate things that I would have never expected.

Everyday Scene:

...continue reading "Biggest shock(s) of Singapore"

Published on

By asthaa

El RetiroThis week, on a free Wednesday afternoon some of us GW students decided to spend the afternoon and evening in El Retiro, what I think of as the Spanish version of Central Park. As I walked to the park, I expected to finish some homework and perhaps get acquainted with my neighborhood some more. But enjoying relaxing on the grass was not enough for us; we made the spontaneous decision to go boating in the lake in El Retiro. I quickly realized how terrible I am at rowing. Coincidentally, the three vegetarian girls on the trip happened to be in the same boat (both literally and figuratively) and if it wasn’t for my friend Sarah we may have never left the dock and then been able to return. Rowing in El Retiro was beautiful and produced many laughs but it was quite the challenge for me as well.

...continue reading "Language and Learning"

Published on

By oncptime

I made it into Florence from Rome around 7PM. I was quite pleased with myself. I’d managed to navigate my way through the Italian countryside and end up smack dab in the middle of Florence, my home for the next four months. Sloughing my two bags from the ever-heady platforms of the train station, I bee-lined for the nearest payphone. I was going to call my Italian contact, get the keys to my new flat, move into said flat and begin living the good life.

“I’m sorry,” Petra’s pleasant recorded message intoned. “The Florence & Abroad office is closed for the week. Our normal business hours are Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM. Have a nice day.”

I was floored.

...continue reading "Ostello Ambienti Or “Hostel Environments” pt. 1"

Unless otherwise indicated, the content and opinions expressed on this web site are those of the author(s). They are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of the George Washington University.
Privacy Notice
Viewing Message: 1 of 1.
 Notice

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Visit GW’s Website Privacy Notice to learn more about how GW uses cookies.