Skip to content

Month: August 2016

Published on

By abbymarco

As an English-speaking, white woman in the United States, I have never in my life been a true minority anywhere. Of course, I have taken gender, race, and minority classes and have learned about the experiences of minorities—I am a Human Services and Social Justice major, after all-- but there is something to be said of living that role yourself. In Morocco, women certainly do not enjoy the same luxuries as women in the United States, especially as a visiting American woman who does not speak either of the common Moroccan languages of Darija or French. An inability to speak these languages in Morocco is essentially the equivalent of being illiterate.

...continue reading "Suddenly Illiterate: My Life in Morocco"

Published on

By taylorclark17

These past three and a half months have been a whirlwind, but I am so proud to say that I completed a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. There were as many bad days as there were good days, but all in all, I believe that the places I’ve seen and the discoveries I’ve made about myself, Italian culture, and academic culture in a foreign country were all rewarding experiences that I will carry with me for this rest of my life.

As a friend of mine so eloquently stated in a Facebook message last week: “Finals still suck even when you’re studying abroad”. And after finishing three term papers, studying for four exams, and presenting two presentations (one of which was for Italian class, and I must admit, my Italian is still a little rusty), I can definitely agree with this statement. However, once I finished all of my assignments and exams, I felt truly accomplished and treated myself to a few farewell activities with friends.

...continue reading "A Farewell To Florence"

Published on

By zoegoldstein23

I’m sitting here completely dumbfounded. 102 days down, just 6 more to go. I can’t believe that this will be my last blog post in Spain. I don’t even know where to begin. How can I summarize such a huge experience in just a few words? Whatever I say here will definitely not do justice to the last three and a half months I have spent in Madrid. This has been an incredible journey of self-reflection, spiritual growth, and intellectual development. I don’t think I’ll be able to fully reap the benefits of my study abroad experience until I am home and I can see the contrasts, because right now, I still feel like a Spaniard. The fact that that’s all about to change is both exciting and terrifying. I miss home SO much and I can’t wait to see my family and friends (and my dogs!), but I also have built an incredible life here that I will certainly miss as well. I love my host mom and her family so much and I can’t even fathom saying goodbye to them. Though we will definitely keep in touch, I don’t know if I will ever see them again, it all depends on where life takes me. So the welcome home to America will be bittersweet – I’ll be back where I belong but sorely missing what I now know I am leaving behind.

...continue reading "Final Thoughts"

Published on

By allisonray94

I think Amman is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I know, the end of the semester is making me really sentimental. But I feel a sense of awe here that I didn’t in Germany or Switzerland or the US. Jordan is special.

“Can you back that up with some reliable evidence, Allison?” No, not really. I mean, Amman is dirty — trash piles up in every empty lot, sidewalks are dusted in sand, cafes are a fog of cigarette and argileh smoke. Maybe it’s the hills. Take a taxi anywhere in this city and you’ll find yourself looking down on valleys and hills of city, or at buildings perched ledges and ledges above. It’s best at night, when all you see are rolling waves of lights.

...continue reading "Thoughts on Amman"

Published on

By kelseymagill13

Sawadeeka from Thailand for the last time!

The last four months have absolutely flown by and somehow, we're down to the final ten days of our program here in Khon Kaen. In the last few weeks, things have really picked up as we've completed the pivotal component of the public health coursework - our data collection and intervention.

After looking at all of the information that we'd received from our initial community stays, my group decided that we wanted to focus on the waste management problem that became in our third community, Mittraphap. As we conducted health surveys and interviews, our group noticed a significant accumulation of trash along nearby railroad tracks and under the stilt houses that were situated towards the back of the community. Many of the community members we spoke with expressed a concern about the health implications of the waste and a desire to live in a clearer, safer community. With that information in mind, we headed back to the community armed with 50 surveys and questions for some of the community leaders. Our primary goal was to figure out where all of the trash was coming from and what, if any, disposal system existed in the community. In survey responses, nearly everyone said that they disposed of trash in individual household trash bins before emptying those into a larger municipal dumpster.

...continue reading "This is it!"

Published on

By zoegoldstein23

Fear of missing out: The first world problem that almost all college students will admit to dealing with at some point in their four years at school. More affectionately known as “FOMO,” this disease is a culprit of the social media craze we now live in, causing twenty-somethings to stay up late at night looking at all the “fun” everyone else is having on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. It’s almost impossible to see a picture of all your friends smiling at a club or a bar somewhere and looking like they’re having a grand old time without feeling left out and sad for missing the fun. News flash: They’re probably not having as much fun as it looks. And while you’re wasting your time scrutinizing everyone else’s lives, you’re missing out on living your own. But clearly, and I am as guilty of this as anyone else, this is much easier said than done.

...continue reading "FOMO: Yes, It Still Exists Abroad"

Published on

By taylorclark17

Although I only have a mere 9 days left in Italy, I am enjoying every minute of my remaining time. This weekend I had a Christmastime themed blast with friends! On Friday, I went to the Mercato di Natale (Christmas Market) in Santa Croce. The market, which began in Florence in 2003 is modeled after German Christmas markets and featured a variety of both Italian and German holiday food and decorations. After trying a delicious soft pretzel and buying some gifts for relatives at the market, I then simply took a tour of all of the Christmas lights and trees in downtown Florence. The tree that was most stunning was certainly the tree in Piazza Repubblica.

...continue reading "Its The Most Wonderful Time of The Year"

Published on

By allisonray94

I didn't expect to love Jordan. I expected to tolerate it. As the semester winds down, though, I'm realizing just how attached I've become. Every little experience has become valuable to me, from riding the bus to sitting in a cafe downtown.

Gaining a new home, though -- even just a temporary one-- means pushing my old idea of home farther back in my mind. Days go by and I don't think once about America or DC. I am wrecked with guilt because I miss nothing. I wish I could stay in Amman.

...continue reading "Going Back Home?"

Published on

By lacymyrman

As part of the AUCP: Bridge to the Mediterranean program in Marseille, France, we take a trip to Fez, Morocco to learn about the people whose culture is influencing the landscape and overall culture of the south of France. From 15-22 November 2015, we stayed with host families, practiced our French and Arabic, learned about the rich culture and history of Fez, and the role of Islam in everyday life. I am grateful for the experience and have outlined some major themes that were interesting to me. Also, I got to spend my 21st birthday in the Saharan Desert! How exciting is that? I describe the experience at the end of this lengthy blog. 🙂 Enjoy!

...continue reading "Fez, Morocco / Fès, Maroc / فاس، المجرب"

Published on

By Shanil

Now that I only have a week and a half left in the UK, I should reflect a little on how much has changed (or stayed the same) since my first post. When I was writing my first post, I had barely just made it to the UK and hadn’t started studying abroad yet; everything I learned was based on two weeks of traveling. Now with nearly four months under my belt, I feel a little differently about Europe but mostly the same in regards to my identity.

One of the reasons why I chose to study in the UK was because I wouldn’t have to learn another language. Sadly, British English and American English are still miles apart. Euphemisms, jokes, and simple phrases don’t translate. Dialects are difficult to deconstruct. Half the time the conversation is “what” or “haha” just to act like we understood what the other person said. Now, this isn’t always happening, but it’s happened enough to where it’s noticeable.

...continue reading "*USA Flag Emoji* but bigger and bolder"

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.