October 2012 – Page 4 – GW Blogs from Abroad

Signs

AdminOctober 8, 2012

People don’t go out at night here. Not like back in the states. Unlike New York, or L.A. or D.C., Florence is a city that sleeps. Around 12 AM, the city’s maze-like web of ancient streets empty out completely, and its denizens settle into a collective slumber beneath the Tuscan stars.

Or at least…it seems that way.

You see, I’ve found myself out late at night on a few occasions lost coming back from friends’ homes from across the city, and what I’ve said is true. The streets are virtually empty. No gypsies, no busses, no tour guides, and no policemen. The occasional cat may streak through the muted orange light of a streetlamp every so often, but people are a rare find.

And yet, there’s something out at night. Something sending the city charming, thoughtful, and sometimes eerie messages.

...continue reading "Signs"

St. Pete Eats

AdminOctober 8, 2012December 14, 2018

By squeakyrobot

Russia isn’t like China where every street corner has some rickety food stand with mind-bogglingly cheap prices for utterly delicious goodies and mystery meats. Well, the mystery meats remain. Russian food is much simpler, much less flavorful, and flat-out different in every way possible. To provide some contrast, its main ingredients are potatoes, sour cream, and dill. Vodka might as well be water; it also serves to distract you from the meat jello you’re eating. As an intense food-lover on a budget, I set out to prove that Petersburg isn’t gastronomically hopeless, that there have to be good, cheap eats as rewards for those who search relentlessly for them. ...continue reading "St. Pete Eats"

Chum reap suor Cambodia!

AdminOctober 8, 2012December 14, 2018

By shivaniinsingapore

This past week, I had the opportunity to visit the 800 + year old temples of Angkor Wat, situated near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

My friend and I arrived in Siem Reap on a Tuesday night and took a cab to the hotel; after we put our bags down, we headed straight back outside to go visit the Night Market. We got a Tuk-Tuk driver (tuk-tuks are this form of transportation that has a motorcycle or moped attached to a type of carriage in which passengers can sit). In Cambodia, there are no meters- you have to negotiate the price before you travel. Our tuk tuk cost us about $2 US for four people to go to the Night Market. I also should probably mention that the unofficial currency in Cambodia is the US dollar, and that there are ATM machines that dispense US currency (they do not, however, accept change!) The Night Market was intense; there were tons of small shops selling almost identical merchandise: cotton printed pants, Cambodian silk scarves, jade Buddhas, and temple artwork. The market was packed, and each shopkeeper would try to grab our attention by saying, "Hello lady!" We decided to hold off on the shopping until Thursday, and kept walking. We got dinner on a well-known street called Pub Street; my friends got a traditional Khmer barbeque, in which the waiters placed a makeshift grill on the center of our table and provided them with 5 different types of raw meat: beef, snake, crocodile, kangaroo and shrimp. It was up to my friends to cook everything properly and eat it. I, on the other hand, had Cambodian rice, which was very good! Our meal was very cheap too (I paid about $3 for everything)!

...continue reading "Chum reap suor Cambodia!"

Witnessing Challenging Times

AdminOctober 8, 2012December 14, 2018

By asthaa

I’ve been asked more than once since I’ve been in Madrid how the “situation” is. Am I seeing the protests? Is it safe? The answers to both these questions is yes, but the economic crisis in Spain is deeper than that, and it is not necessarily visible unless you choose to be aware and conscious of it. As students here for a semester, there are a few ways we’ve witnessed the effects of the government’s austerity measures and the public’s response.

We’ve passed by or seen protests more than once. They can be on a smaller scale, like the medical personnel marching in front of the hospital across my home. They can be huge and we later learn about arrests, choosing to avoid the zones in fear of mingling with the police. I attended a protest a few weeks ago and observed some interesting things. For Spaniards, to protest and use one’s right to assemble can be a family activity. I met and saw everyone from college students to grandmothers and their grandchildren in a demonstration. While many of the marches tend to be horizontal, or without a fixed agenda and definitive leadership, some of the people I talked to felt the Spanish government was cutting the most basic functions, like education and support for the unemployed. They felt abandoned and wondered why their tax dollars were not going back to them. The protests were also much louder than any I’ve an experienced in the United States.

...continue reading "Witnessing Challenging Times"

Week 4: Classes etc.

AdminOctober 8, 2012December 14, 2018

By jfbarszcz

Once again, I'm writing this week's post in a bit of a rush, since in just a few short hours I'll be boarding a plane to Amsterdam for the weekend! (Yeah yeah I know, I'm doing such stereotypical American college kid things in Europe: Oktoberfest, Amsterdam.... Definitely looking forward to spending the next couple weekends after this one at "home" in Prague though!) So I apologize in advance for any weird incoherence caused by my not thoroughly revising/editing my post.

My prompt this week is "Discuss what the academic culture is like in your host country." While I can't really say for sure what academic culture is like as a whole in the Czech Republic, I can talk a little about what I DO know about it, as well as how my academic experience thus far has been similar to and different from my experiences at GW. With that disclaimer out of the way let's get started.

...continue reading "Week 4: Classes etc."

Forays into Foul and Falafel

AdminOctober 8, 2012December 14, 2018

By littlemisadventures

Recently, I had the somewhat disturbing epiphany that I have only been homesick in terms of food. Specifically, I miss Trader Joe’s and Thai Place. I am not going to delve into what that says about my psyche in this post, but instead talk about the new foods I have found to enjoy. D.C. food withdrawals are assuaged by the fact that being here is much better for my student budget.

Alex Top is a hole-in-the-wall koshary place on Zamalek. Koshary is a concoction of macaroni, lentils, chickpeas, tomato, and rice. It is served in plastic tubs and staves off hunger for about 48 hours. Hot sauce is provided but must be dispensed carefully; there is a fine line between perfectly spicy and bursting into tears from the pain. This happened to me the first time I bought it and enthusiastically dumped in the whole bag of sauce. Alex offers ruz w laban (rice and milk) as well- a gooey, delicious mixture of sugar and happiness.

...continue reading "Forays into Foul and Falafel"

Cheap Eats Because I Am Poor

AdminOctober 8, 2012December 14, 2018

By rlubitz

Being that everything in London is roughly five more dollars than it is in America, I’ve resorted to eating non-meals. Meals don’t really happen very much unless you count pub food. Which, while we’re talking about pub food, steak and ale pies are like sent from heaven I don’t think you really even understand.

You see a lot of people walking around with a croissant or a sandwich or a burger. There are fast food restaurants around but basically just McDonalds, Burger King and KFC exist which usually elicits photographs from tourists. How many pictures have been caught in the background of with a bag of McDonalds in my shaky hands?

Seven.

Just kidding, I have no idea. Probably definitely more than that.

But anyways, there’s a way to exist in this city on not very much at all and it’s to eat little stuff. Following this blog post I am going to publish a diet book entitled, “Just Eat Little Stuff” and it will sell millions and I will be able to actually maybe come back to London and big stuff. Follow the knowledge below and maybe you can save money and eventually eat big stuff.

My Top Five Cheap Eats:

...continue reading "Cheap Eats Because I Am Poor"

3 Great Eats for Under $5

AdminOctober 5, 2012December 14, 2018

By quericolavida

Before coming to Buenos Aires, I had been doing the pescatarian thing for about a year. Not to save the world, or the animals, or anything noble else noble, but more-so just to try something new for myself that I ended up really enjoying (and partially because of the because of the mystery meat situation in the US & Monsanto). However, I feel like food is an essential element of any culture; the West Coast of the US, for example, is famous for the In-and-Out burger, whereas Buenos Aires is well known for having incredible meats. So in order to take in my full dosage of culture here I decided to start eating meat again. I also don’t like being picky, especially when traveling and/or living in someone elses home for 4 months. These days, I consider myself a “domestic pescatarian” and have been enjoying steaks and other awesome food down here. Here are some of my favorite cheap and quick places to snack in the city:

1) Chinatown Roadside Vendors
On my walk to school there are a few little restaurants facing the sidewalk. They've got all sorts of food on sticks (tofu, chicken, pork, beef, egg rolls, etc..) ready to be deep fried and served to you! An incredible snack always under 4 dollars.

...continue reading "3 Great Eats for Under $5"

Volunteering in Jordan!

AdminOctober 5, 2012December 14, 2018

By ecirrincione

As you may know, I am writing this blog on behalf of the GW Commitment to Community scholarship, and part of this scholarship includes me volunteering abroad. When I was applying for the scholarship, I was thinking about what kind of activities I wanted to be involved with during my time in Jordan. I knew I wanted to somehow teach English, work with the community and deal with women. Alhamdulillah, I have found a volunteering opportunity that deals with all of them.

...continue reading "Volunteering in Jordan!"

Being Brown Abroad

AdminOctober 5, 2012December 14, 2018

By parisjetattends

Its hard to know where to start. If you have brown skin and have been just about anywhere you will know why. Its different for everyone abroad and for everyone abroad the interactions you have may be better or worse depending on those taboo topics like your gender, the gender of the people you date, your religion, the color of your hair, skin, and eyes.

...continue reading "Being Brown Abroad"