By sturtle7
During my first month in Exeter, I decided to continue consuming British pop culture during my free time under the title of 'cultural immersion'. There was one book in particular that had been on my list for some time: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. The acclaimed children's novel, not the blockbuster-budget cinematic trainwreck. Anyways, I've always been fascinated by linguistics, fantasy, and folklore, so I knew I'd enjoy it. But I never expected to identify with it. And yet, this fantastical story about a homebody hobbit named Bilbo who is forced into a harrowing quest to steal a dragon's treasure is all about identity. And many times while reading it, I've found myself thinking about how my own adventure have changed how I see myself. ...continue reading "Wandering towards Home"
Studying in Jerusalem has changed me in ways that I could have never imagined. While this experience has solidified my identity it has both softened and strengthened my values and thoughts on many issues and ideas.
I have a little bit of a unique perspective because while I am American, I am a Palestinian, Muslim girl living in Jerusalem. I relate to the religious ideas and I understand the cultural values here, yet three months later, I find myself questioning ideas I once firmly believed and strengthening my values I have always have. ...continue reading "Studying in Jerusalem"
By Shanil
Being an American shouldn’t be that weird in the UK, right? That is, unless you’re one of the few Americans that your friends know at Sussex and rely on you to explain everything that happens with America to them.
This week, I was asked to reflect on how my community has supported my identity and how my identity has changed. In a previous post, I wrote a little bit about how my identity in Europe is different from when I’m in America. This time around, I’ll write a bit about how it’s changed while I’ve been here. ...continue reading "*USA Flag Emoji*"