Even though I am across the world, I, along with my friends here, will be watching the election results just like we have been doing for each debate. Although we are twelve (now thirteen) hours ahead because of daylight savings time, we all manage to somehow find time and watch the debates together. This coming Wednesday, we all have decided to watch the election results in real time, so that means we will have to meet up in the morning time. ...continue reading "Election Time!"
Month: November 2012
Electoral Madness
By jfbarszcz
I imagine that most GW students would feel similarly when I say that right now, the foremost thing on my mind is Tuesday's presidential election. In the US, the presidential election is always a time of great excitement and dominates the national attention. Here in Prague, as one may expect, the media coverage is not quite so overwhelming, but it's still a very big topic (and of course, I continue to read American news outlets online, where the election remains the top story). Seeing that we exert enormous amounts of global influence in just about every sphere, I don't find this surprising in the least; US policy decisions have effects on the entire globe. Still, it's definitely pretty weird to go to a foreign country and have seemingly everyone there know an impressive amount about my country's politics, when I know so little about theirs, and I'm the one who's in their country! Then again, I guess the same could be said about people here (especially young people) knowing English, American movies, music, etc... in other words, I should be used to this kind of stuff by now. ...continue reading "Electoral Madness"
London Loves Michelle Obama’s Arms Just As Much As We Do
By rlubitz
In London, this election isn’t really a debate but a consensus of the whole entire country that Barack Obama should be elected yet again and the opponent is a *string of offensive names.*
This country fears the alternative. This country fears the alternative would be a step back in time. This country fears that things are too close and really, what are we thinking with that Romney character?
They fear what will happen to the EU, what will happen to US human rights and what will happen internationally. ...continue reading "London Loves Michelle Obama’s Arms Just As Much As We Do"
Argentina Bring Younger Folks Into the Discussion
As I have mentioned before on the blog, Argentines love to talk politics, and the political tension continues to grow as many disagree with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s policies (mainly economic and foreign). People in Buenos Aires frequently rally against the current populist government’s recent policies such as heavily restricted imports, and ban on the legal purchase of American Dollars in Argentina, that when coupled with a 15% tax on credit card purchases outside of Argentina makes traveling abroad extremely difficult for the average Argentine. ...continue reading "Argentina Bring Younger Folks Into the Discussion"
Experiencing an Election from Abroad
In between conjugating verbs and raging at the complicated process that is absentee voting, I’ve been excitedly awaiting the U.S. election. Before I left the States, I remember feeling disappointed that I would be out of D.C. at this time. Now that I’m here, though, I don’t mind it at all; being abroad in an election year gives one a unique point of view on the whole thing. Of course, all the American students discuss the election regularly, but we aren’t doing this in a bubble. It doesn’t feel like we’re distant from the discourse that surrounds it, because Egypt is following the debates and the polls closely too. The outcome of this election will have worldwide effects, so it isn’t surprising that people around the world are invested in it. ...continue reading "Experiencing an Election from Abroad"
Tunis Awaits
I'm on a plane to Tunisia. Nervous jitters keep me suspended between a fine line between calm and chaos. I’m missing a week of school to interpret for a woman who works for the OECD. My boyfriend came this past weekend to Paris to visit me. It’s been a whirlwind. I miss him. I’m excited for the future. Wish I could remain suspended in the past. Of all the things I’ve ever done this feels of the most important. Something that could help me get a job after I graduate. Aside from drowning and cockroaches, being unemployed is my third biggest fear. This is the transition between student and real person. I just signed my first real person professional contract. I’ll be making money doing work that I anticipate actually being challenging. The trip is paid for. It feels surreal that this opportunity fell in my lap, like being thrust abruptly into a dream. ...continue reading "Tunis Awaits"
The Spectacle of American Elections
By oncptime
Hello. My name’s Charles. I’m a 22 year-old journalism student from Washington, D.C., and I am a not-so-recovering political junkie. Like so many other wonks, I got hooked on the stuff after getting a taste of the pure political electricity that was the 2008 election. Just a single week shy of actually being able to vote, I did everything I could to feel connected…which pretty much meant consuming inordinate amounts of news coverage and producing a mini-documentary about the inauguration.
I’ve since become that guy who relishes in political sparring with friends, family, and complete strangers. “What do you mean you aren’t voting? Let me tell you why abstaining is NOT an option.”
A Lesson in Curry and Compassion
By hfirlein
Last Saturday all 11 members of York House traveled to Strandfontein, a township just up the coast from Muizenberg, our favorite beach, about 30 minutes south of Cape Town.
As volunteers, our job for the day was to prepare food for around 150 residents of the informal settlements of Klapteinsklip. The CIEE volunteer coordinator, Earl, dropped us off at the home of Auntie Charlene, or Auntie C, a retired mother of two (and very proud grandmother!) who donates her time every day to help the people of her community. Her house was warm and inviting and it was clear that she is one of the most well-loved women in her community. She runs a convenience store on her porch to supply the people in her neighborhood with basic pantry goods, and the few who stopped by that morning stayed to chat with her for a bit. ...continue reading "A Lesson in Curry and Compassion"
From Environmental Stewardship to Environmental Citizenship
By bbuck92
Work with the Valpo Surf Project has taken a serious academic turn as I make headway with my research project. With many hours of readings done and hours spent with the project volunteering I have focused on connecting the my academic work with my experiences with the NGO. After reading much on the subject of what constitutes nature and stewardship, themes that have much to do with the VSP experience I zeroed in on the subject of environmental citizenship. While the VSP promotes "stewardship" in general what I hope to suggest in my project is that the VSP becomes advocates of environmental citizenship. Just what constitutes an environmental citizen? According to the author John Barry, within the understanding of republican citizenship, that is active citizenry, an environmental citizen is an advocate for preservation, conservation, and sustainability, in all his or her civic activities. Most interestingly this citizen practices resistance. ...continue reading "From Environmental Stewardship to Environmental Citizenship"