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Month: March 2015

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By kennatim

As an American studying abroad in Ireland, I have experienced a lot of familiar things. I did not care to take the leap into complete going to a completely different cultural like studying in Thailand or Cameroon. I live on a very average college campus here in Dublin, stay a short bus ride from an international city, have spent way too much time at a Burger King in that city, and otherwise enjoy most of the average amenities I have back home. Everywhere you look, you see American culture having its influence. My friends and I even enjoyed burgers at an Old Glory themed restaurant named “Captain America’s.”

The trip has not been without cultural differences, though. My trips to the supermarket sadly recognizing no brand names, cars on the other side of the road, heavy accents, and ever-calculating conversion rates all act as my hourly reminders that I am in a foreign country.

One of the biggest and most obvious cultural differences, especially coming from GW, has been that almost all Irish students travel home each weekend. Dublin City University is a pretty traditional university in a suburban area close to a city, with on-campus accommodation, a gym, convenience store, etc. DCU, unlike GW, looks a lot like that college campus from movies and TV shows I used to think of as a kid. But on Friday afternoons, be careful on your way to the bus stop or else you might get trampled by the mobs of Irish students armed with carry-on luggage evacuating to almost every county in Ireland to spend their weekend.

Although I only live 3 hours from GW, going home for the weekend, especially each weekend, is such a foreign concept to me. Weekends are for relaxing, hanging with friends, and spending Sunday night in the library. At each university in Ireland, students go out to bars during the week, find a little bit of time to study, and spend Friday to Sunday with family at home and often at a part-time job in their home counties.

When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. On a small island of only five million people, your hometown network is prioritized. Your primary school friends can often become your friends for life, as you may move back to your county after school. For example, my roommate lives in County Kilkenny, less than two hours from Dublin. He returns each weekend to tend to his family’s farm, spend time with his family and friends, and work at a local SuperValu supermarket. When I explained how rare it is for an average GW student to go back home so frequently, he was dumbfounded.

I guess in a country approximately the size of Indiana with a decent public transportation system, this should be expected. If I was from Indiana and went to school there, I would probably visit home more frequently, too. But walking around campus on a weekend, with every store closed and an eerie quiet about the whole grounds, it is hard to not remark at how different it is that it seems EVERY student is home EVERY weekend.

This life of the typical Irish student, to me, has its positives and negatives. While I would love to spend more time with my family, I cherish my GW weekends hanging out and doing homework with my friends. You can be sure that I would not want to spend any more time on the Megabus. I am eager, though, to experience more differences in the life of a DCU student for my short time here. And I will definitely continue to enjoy my quiet weekends on campus.

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By Ashlyn

When you study abroad, you're asked to register your trip through the State Department. After registering, you begin to get emails regarding travel safety and security in your host country. These emails mostly end up in my trash folder, forgotten. Shortly after I arrived in Denmark I began to realize that it is a very safe and secure country. Crime is low here. The Danes are, for the most part, kind and friendly and trustworthy. Though I am living in the large city of Copenhagen, the streets are quiet and there is no constant sound of sirens and cars like there is in D.C. Copenhagen, and Denmark as a whole, is very peaceful.

That doesn't mean, though, that there is always peace here. Yesterday, shortly after I returned from my study tour in Sweden, news broke that there had been a shooting at a cafe in Østerbro, one of Copenhagen's neighborhoods. One man died and two were injured. The cafe was hosting a free speech debate and Lars Vilks, a Swedish man who has created cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, was in attendance.

Later in the night, at a synagogue in the center of town, another man was shot and killed. The man was working as a guard for a bar mitzvah. The suspect for both shootings was killed a few hours later by the police in a shootout.

We, as students, are being encouraged to stay safe but also to not allow these incidents to frighten us. "We encourage you to continue your lives in Copenhagen in the same way that you did before these events," reads an email from my program's director. But it is difficult to return to normal so quickly after something so terrible and unexpected happens. I don't feel scared -- I know that the attacks were targeted and that security is now high in the city. But I do feel sad. That acts of terror are possible even in a country as small and peaceful as Denmark is unsettling. Especially when those attacks are in response to the freedoms of speech and expression.

As a journalism student, I believe in the supreme power of freedom of speech. Over my travel break I had the pleasure of meeting with an editor of a newspaper in Malmø, whose name I will not reveal as a safety precaution. Her response to a student's question about freedom of speech was poignant. "We are a newspaper," she said. "To us, religions don't have rights. People have rights." She went on to say that she would not hesitate to print an "offensive" cartoon or article on the grounds that it might offend the wrong person.

We don't often think of these people - journalists, editors, cartoonists, etc. - as having dangerous jobs. To most, a journalist or cartoonist is just a person who sits at a desk and turns out content for others to read. But there are times when decisions must be made. Difficult decisions about whether writing, drawing, or publishing something is important enough to put lives and safety on the line. What price are you willing to pay for the freedom of speech? Or the freedom to worship the religion of your choice?

I still feel safe in Denmark. I still feel confident about my decision to study here. The Danes are so welcoming and kind - one month into my stay here, I already feel a part of the Danish community. I may be just an American student studying in Copenhagen for a short time, but for the next three months Denmark is my country as well. I still believe in the safety and peace that has comforted me since I landed here four weeks ago today.

My thoughts go out to the families of the victims. We are all thinking of you.

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By kaandle

In the States we commonly spend weeks every-other year learning about some part of German history. Specifically, WWII and the Cold War are very prevalent in our history education. The shocking thing about being and living in Germany is how recently all this history occurred.

On the one hand, walking down the street you could pass anything from a memorial to a still standing piece of the Berlin Wall. There is definitely a sense in this country of not wanting to belittle their past since so many monumental events did occur - this topic can frequently be read about in the New York Times travel section where an article will explore the dichotomy of Berlin: old versus new, young versus old, proud versus embarrassed. In the past two weeks however, what I found the most interesting was hearing people's personal stories regarding a segregated Berlin and the fall of the Wall.

Saturday night, for example, a group of us were eating dinner at one of the student's houses, partially in honor of Mardi Gras and partially because his host mom wanted to have a dinner party, when we began to hear parts of this woman's experience in life pre-1989. She lived in the East sector and has been learning English over the past few years, because like so many other Germans who lived in the GDR, she was taught Russian, not English, in school. Before Germany united, she earned a degree in mathematical engineering - a degree that was considered invalid when the GDR collapsed so she had to go back to school to earn a West-legitimate degree. She was a very happy woman who, when describing her current job as a teacher, frequently used the phase "I am free" and emphasized the fact that she never would have met her current husband had the wall never fallen.

Other people have shared equally enticing stories. Another host lived on a West-block that was cut off by the Wall. When it fell, her account of the day was being annoyed by the crowds in her street as she came home from work and for the following weeks being constantly begged by people from the East crossing over to the West side for food and money. Professors from the IES center have shared their memories of how transportation within East and West Germany worked - especially coming from the West to West Berlin, which stood like an island in the middle of the GDR. Additionally, when visiting an old Stasi prison the tour guide suddenly began telling us of his experience as an 18 year old man who made several attempts to escape the East, was captured and imprisioned by the Stasi police, and 8 months later sold to the West, where he was able to start a new life. These summaries don't their stories justice, but they can give a sense of the local variety of experiences with and opinions of this infamous time.

People's willingness to share their stories and memories has surprised me. I feel that I have learned a lot from their experiences and I hope to learn of many more during the months ahead. The fall of the Wall was barely before my lifetime, yet I always viewed the end of the Cold War as chapter of history that had been finished and closed a long time ago. But Germany remains a country where people can identify their origins as East or West and their history is very much alive and not forgotten.

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By practiceyogadistrict

I had been in Khon Kaen for less than a week, when Ajaan Dave, the program director, approached our class asking if anyone would be interested in covering a story about a community in Issan that was suffering from human rights violations as a result of a gas company’s activity in their community. The community had specifically reached out to CIEE asking for someone to come and bring light to their story. As a journalism major and a sustainability minor, I of course raised my hand along with a few other students in the program. It was in that moment that we were given the responsibility of being real advocates and telling a real story that actually impacted lives. This was no exercise in a classroom. This was real life.

We knew very little of the issue the community faced before we went to visit them. Before we left, we planned angles and wrote out a few questions that would be our springboard for the interview with a monk in the community, the community members, and the NGO. One half day of interviews and exchanges was all we had to work with. I was blown away during our exchange with the community by their tenacity in the face of a large corporation backed by the Thai Government. They were determined to have their voices heard and their plight known. Near the end of our time, they also asked our group what we knew about fracking, problems that have resulted from fracking, and how communities dealt with them in the US. The fact that we, mere college undergrads, became their primary source of knowledge on a subject that they were experiencing first hand astounded me. Not only was this community trusting my peers and I to tell their story, but they also saw us as an informant, useful to them. In all my years in the classroom, I have never had the privilege of such responsibility, like that which was handed to me in my first few days in Thailand. I am exited to see what other opportunities for advocacy are opened to me in the next few months.

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By jdippel529

Every year, students choose to study abroad in Europe for the opportunity to travel around the continent. If I am being honest, this is one of the reasons why I chose to study in Madrid, as opposed to another Spanish-speaking country in Latin America. I had never been to Europe before and desperately wanted to see historic cities such as Athens and Rome, and “EuroTrip” must-sees like Paris and London.

But, as I embark on my first weekend trip, I can’t help but worry about how to manage my time between other cities and countries, and Madrid. After all, I chose to study in Madrid—a decision I intend to take full advantage of. That being said, once you actually sit down and look at your calendar, you begin to realize what little weekend time 4 short months leaves you. This creates a problem that I believe most study abroad students encounter: the “I know I am not going to be able to afford to go back to Europe for a long time now, so I want to travel as much as I can while I am here while also immersing myself into the culture of my host country,” problem.

Trust me, I am no expert on the matter. However, I do have some tips for coping with the pressure of balancing your adventures in your host country and your adventures abroad:

  1. Which cities do you want to visit the most? Which could you do without seeing? Don’t go on a trip simply because all of your friends are going, go because YOU want to. Your time in Europe is short and precious, so don’t waste half of it traveling to places you could really care less about.
  2. Class load is significantly less when you are studying abroad, so take advantage of the afternoons and evenings you have during the week to explore your city! This is a great way to explore your host country without having to a sacrifice a weekend of travel.
  3. Plan, Plan, Plan! My saving grace this trip has really been my trusty ‘ole iCalendar. With it, I have been able to map out what weekends I am willing to leave open for travel and what weekends I want to stay in Madrid. This comes in handy especially when GW has scheduled program events you must attend, or if you have a paper coming up!
  4. Figure out what YOU want. Listen, everybody has different priorities while studying abroad, and that is 100% ok! That is why you need to figure out what is most important to you: traveling throughout Europe or learning about your host culture. Do you want to work to find a balance? Or would you rather just pick one? It’s all up to you. If you can answer this question right off the bat, you’re in good shape!

Happy Travels!

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By LizGoodwin04

When I first told people I would be studying abroad in Thailand, I got almost the same reaction from everyone: “You’re going to eat so much great food!” Thailand is definitely known for its cuisine. Thai food is the perfect combination of spicy, sweet, sour and salty. While I’ve eaten some stranger things since I’ve been in Thailand like ant eggs and grasshoppers, I’ve also eaten some amazing things that I’ll miss when I go back to America. In no particular order, I’ve ranked by top 5 favorite foods in Thailand.

  • Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
photo (3)
Tom Yum Goong, or spicy shrimp soup

 

I’m not a big soup person, but this soup is so good I find myself ordering it at least once a week! The soup is made with lemongrass, chili, lime and shrimp.

  • Khao Niao (Sticky Rice)

I love sticky rice. It’s become an obsession since I’ve been in Thailand. The Thais eat rice with every single meal from breakfast to dinner. Regular rice is a core staple in Thailand, but in the Isaan province where I’m staying, sticky rice is the go-to. This glutinous rice sticks together so you can form a ball with the rice and mold it into a spoon to use to eat with your other dishes. Sticky rice is also used in a lot of Thai desserts. My favorite is Khao Lam, which is sticky rice that is roasted in a bamboo shoot and sweetened with coconut, sugar and red beans.

  • Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)

Som Tum isn’t a dish that can be found in all of Thailand, but it is very popular in the Northeastern province where I am living and it is by far one of the spiciest foods I’ve had in Thailand. It’s made with shredded raw papaya, fish sauce, lime, chili and cherry tomato. This dish is one of those distinctive dishes that people either love or hate.

  • Khao Pad Tuna (Tuna Fried Rice)

As I mentioned before the rice in Thailand is really good and the fried rice is even better. I’m not used to eating fish in fried rice, but as a vegetarian in Thailand it can be hard to find protein so I try to incorporate as much fish into my meals as I can. This is a typical dish though and the fish in Thailand is much better than any fish I’ve ever had in the U.S. It’s super juicy and flavorful!

  • Fruit Smoothies

And finally, one of my favorite foods in Thailand isn’t really a food, but I will count it as such. Thailand has some of the best fresh fruit including dragon fruit, jackfruit, coconut, mango, banana, pineapple, watermelon, etc. The list goes on and on! Almost everyday I go to the fruit stand next to my classes and grab a fresh coconut, which they chop open for me and stick a straw in. If I’m not feeling the coconut, I go the smoothie stand next door to the fruit stand and get a fresh fruit smoothie. Just like everything else in Thailand, the smoothies are delicious and especially refreshing when it is 100 degrees out!

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By mluevano17

SOAS

This is my school here in London- The School for Oriental and African Affairs. I took this picture on a classic London day, pretty grey and rainy outside. My university has become a huge part of my community, including the teachers and students inside it. I am really enjoying my classes here and I feel that I am learning a lot, especially about international affairs from another country’s perspective. This is also where students line up on campus every day to receive free lunch from the local Hare Krishna group, which makes it a great spot to socialize with other people. ...continue reading "My Community"

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By conniezhanger

Friends

1.) This first picture shows my American IES Program friends on a weekend trip to Munich, Germany. Although I am living in a foreign country, there is a safe American community for me at school. Although most of our core values and customs are similar, we come from many different schools and places in the USA, and in that regard, it is also very diverse. I travel with many of my friends to other place, and it is always nice to share a beautiful experience with friends. ...continue reading "My Multi-Country Program Communitie"

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By Adaeze

It's been a few weeks here and I've gotten more accustomed to the various parts of my stay in Paris. Today, I've decided to show you all little pieces of my community abroad.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower: This is definitely something that makes up my community abroad because I see it every single day on my way to school and on my way back. It’s meaningful to me because it’s so beautiful and somewhat comforting to know that if I’m ever lost, I really just have to follow the sight of the Eiffel and I know from there I can find my way back to my apartment. ...continue reading "Mon Communaute: A glimpse at various communities"

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By jesse allan gurney

At GWU, life feels very career orientated. Most students have one or two internships on top of a full course work load. Many, including myself, seem to be finding satisfaction and worth through advancing their career. However at Bond Uni, life feels more life orientated. While many Aussie students have had internships, they have them when school’s not in session. This  allows them more free time and appears to help them enjoy the moment and life as it passes. If the cultural difference was Will Ferrel’s bedroom in Stepbrothers, American rooms have two separate beds to better rest up for their interviews whereas Aussie’s make bunk beds to have more room for activities. I hope to find a balance of the two, but I have no idea how the beds are going to stack up.

On par with Australia's sporting culture, Bond University organizes weekly sports events for its students in which the different campus dorms compete against each other. This week was volleyball (the courts are on campus), and my dorm happened to win.
On par with Australia’s sporting culture, Bond University organizes weekly sports events for its students in which the different campus dorms compete against each other. This week was volleyball (the courts are on campus), and my dorm happened to win.

...continue reading "Life Oriented"

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