June 2017 – Page 4 – GW Blogs from Abroad

Shanghai’s Cafe Culture

AdminJune 9, 2017December 14, 2018

Midterm season is upon me, and my hunt for the perfect café is on. Luckily, Shanghai seems to have been influenced heavily by its French colonizers, and has a bustling café culture. There are cafés everywhere, not just downtown in the European Quarters. Interestingly, a lot of these cafes try to mimic European style cafes, with croissants and cheesecake.

But, instead of like other “Western” restaurants that try to serve Italian or French food, the baked goods in the cafés are absolutely delicious. Shanghai has absolutely amazing cheesecake, it’s light and fluffier than the cheesecake found in the States. However, all of these cafes have a great Chinese twist, they sell intricate teas that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. A big trend in China now is fruit teas, teas that are made from a mix of dried fruit and flowers. They are served in clear pots, and are not only sweet and wonderful tasting, but also look fascinating.

Because midterms at Fudan University are a lot like finals at GW (where everything is in one week), I have recently spent a lot of time in cafés. Here are a few of my favorite:

Pain Chaud. Pain Chaud is interesting because it’s part of a restaurant complex that includes a bar and an Italian restaurant. Despite the fact that was created specifically to target international students at Fudan, the café has really great croissants. It’s also located in the middle of a street that I would call “old China”, where trash, peddlars, dust and crumbling buildings dominate. So, this café is an interesting mix, but close to my apartment and a good place to work with good pastry and free lemon water.

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I’m still confused

AdminJune 8, 2017December 14, 2018

By lrich522

On Saturday, I went to a wedding with my three American friends, my four host sisters, my host brother, and their onslaught of friends and extended family members. My sisters had invited me and my friends a few weeks back. When I asked where it was, they responded "Dakar". When I asked where in Dakar they said a name that I was not familiar with, and my host brother said it's far away.. but I assumed he was just sulking about being forced to go because he hates weddings.

My friends got to my house between 11 and 11:30. We got ready together and put on our traditional Senegalese dresses (at first I was uncomfortable with the notion of wearing traditional garb but my sister explained to me that whether you are Senegalese, American, Muslim, Christian... anyone at all can wear them and it is more a sign of respect to attend these events dressed appropriately). I had forgotten to factor in Senegalese time because we didn't end up leaving until 2 pm (sorry to Clara who took half a shower so that she could make it to my house by 11).

When we were on our way out of the house I saw a big van waiting for my sisters and their posse (the first sign that should've made me realize the wedding wasn't all that close). The four of us got into my brothers car who drove us to pick up his cousin who was going to direct us how to get there since he didn't know the way (second sign). Then we got stuck in traffic, I fell asleep, and when I woke up we were very much not in the city of Dakar anymore (third and final sign).

An hour and a half after leaving, we realized that the wedding was in the region of Dakar and not the city.. classic mixup. As we drove through the sand streets, we eventually stopped once again because the other van broke down. Since we were close to the actual wedding, my host brother tried to drop us off so that he could loop back and pick up the others but then his car stalled and got stuck in the sand. We attracted a lot of attention and pretty soon there was a crowd of kids surrounding our car yelling "toubab" (white person).

...continue reading "I’m still confused"

One last stop at Geneva

AdminJune 8, 2017

It's April 25 today, and Easter term has finally begun. It's been a really long break - 5 weeks to be precise. But these past few weeks have also been really exciting and adventurous, while simultaneously being quite tiring from constantly moving about. My wallet's also taken quite the battering, but the memories made and the places I've seen, smelled, and heard were unforgettable and worth every penny.

Before heading back to school-related matters, I thought that I'd dedicate this last blog post to one more travel experience that I had. This past weekend, I visited Geneva, Switzerland - an astoundingly beautiful and clean city. The city struck me as beautiful, less out of the organized structure and classy modern architecture and more out of the remarkable scenery, from the crystal clear waters of Lake Geneva to the snow capped peaks of the Alps. I was shocked by how clean and transparent Lake Geneva was - never had I witnessed a body of water next to a metropolis so untouched by pollution.

I've lived next to the Han River of Seoul, the Potomac of DC, and the Thames of London, and anyone can tell you at first glance that these rivers do not exactly seem like the best place to take a dip. Naturally, these cities are significantly larger and much more industrial than Geneva, so perhaps this would not be a fair comparison. Nonetheless, I was impressed by how pristine Lake Geneva looked, as well as the efforts made to keep the city clean and the surrounding natural landscape environmentally healthy.

On Lake Geneva, I took a ferry to a small Swiss town called Nyon. I walked through the small, yet lively marketplace and sat down for a fantastic lunch special at a French eatery. The dessert that concluded the course was to die for - a mouth-watering sampling of creme brulee, raspberry pudding, and chocolate mousse, along with an excellent cup of espresso that woke me right up. Despite being a lunch special, the price of the meal was quite pricey.

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What's Shaking in Chile

AdminJune 8, 2017

Very exciting update here in Chile!! Just last night I got to experience my first ever earthquake!! Since arriving here there have been a couple of small tremors but nothing worth writing home about. Until on Saturday night the 22nd of April there was a 6.2 quake with an epicenter in Valparaiso. 6.2 would generally be considered a pretty serious earthquake.

The scale for measuring earthquake (The Richter Scale) classifies them 1-10 and each number illustrates exponential worsening. 6-7 level is considered to be a strong quake. However, in Chile they say that this scale is very different. Chile is one for the most earthquake prone countries in the world and the location of the largest quake on record, a 9.5, in Valdivia, Chile in 1960. Chileans will proudly tell you that well in order places anything over a 5 point earthquake is something to talk about, here you need to hit at least 7 to make it on anyone’s radar.

The reason that Chilean’s have their own scale is how prepared they are in this country for earthquake. Since the devastating quake in Valparaiso in the 1800s hundreds when much of the city was leveled the Chileans have focused on building more sustainable structures. They are very careful with construction to build with materials that flexible rather than rigid allowing the buildings to sway rather than break. This is a very impressive engineering feat and it was been enacted very effectively throughout the country, especially considering that Chile is not considered fully developed.

But Chileans have not only focused on good construction but on educating their citizens, after the earth quake of 2010 about 500 deaths were reports, and while that number is significantly smaller than it would have been in a country which was less prepared it was in great part due to a lack of education. Many people by the beaches did not know to expect the possibility of a tsunami and thus stayed out by the ocean as it receded and were killed when the wave came in. Since there was has been a significant focus on education and in the most recent over 8 point quake in 2011, there were only 11 deaths total. A truly impressive number.

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What’s next

AdminJune 8, 2017December 14, 2018

By amberherrle

I am excited to finally announce that I received a grant from the Elliott School to study Arabic in Amman this Summer. This means that while I will be leaving this May, I will be back in Amman soon enough! I cannot wait to be back and studying Arabic here again.

I haven't been doing much since I started my research (other than research) BUT I am happy to also announce that I will be turning my ISP in a few days early. I am really happy about this because I have worked on this project since February. Finishing the project early means that I will have a few extra days to relax because flying back to the states. So here's my advice for SIT students, I wish my program had placed a larger emphasis on planning and timing out our ISP, as many of my friends are in crunch time right now.

For those that don't know - a big part of SIT programs is the individual study project which is field research that is presented in a 30-40 page paper and in class seminar-presentation. It's a lot of work but a really great experience!

January: BEFORE (yes, crazy town, I know) you come on your program, have a clear idea of the general topic you want to research. So if you want to research radicalization in Jordan, do your research on theories of radicalization before you come here so you have some framework and context of your research.

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Homesick

AdminJune 8, 2017

No I’m not homesick, sorry if the title was misleading. I’ve just been thinking about going home lately and I’m starting to wonder how I’ll fit back into American society and how I’ll be when I get back. Obviously, readjusting to my usual eating times and my uncivilized eating habits will come naturally, but there are other things that will likely change. Being in Spain has given me a nostalgic eye that makes me look back on everything American with a new sense of appreciation. However, at the same time, I will also look at a lot of things I used to take for granted with a critical eye.

First the good. America, unlike European countries that I have been to, is diverse. Something we often forget as Americans is that all countries of the world aren't a rough cultural mixture like say New York City. I think in places like NYC or DC, the incredible diversity of people you see on the streets or the different languages you hear all the time is beneficial because it produces amazing mixtures that would not have occurred if we remained separated. A great example: Jazz. If not for the unique experience of African Americans, mixing African rhythms with Classical music and instruments, we would be living in a sadder world. I think I’ve always taken for granted how much diversity exists. People with foreign ancestry, whether Italians, Irishmen, Jordanians, French, Germans, etc. have so much to offer each other in the United States and all though we clash a lot, we also learn so much from one another.
People don't get freaky in the US on the metro or in public. PDA is too popular in Europe.
Rain. I miss a little rain. Why does it not rain in Madrid?

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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

AdminJune 8, 2017

I have a confession. Study abroad is not all pretty views and happy times. Superficially, it can seem like a photo under the Eiffel tower with a picnic blanket splayed of wine and strawberries. In reality though, there are days when we all question what we’re doing here. Those feelings are exasperated by unfortunate situations like 3 week-long traveler’s diarrhea, colds from freezing weather and kitchen smoke, and bed bugs.

Yes, I have experienced my fill of each of these unfortunate conditions. I think it is important to share this “dark side” of study abroad not to scare anyone away from the experience, but to highlight reality. Our social media world is often all too positive. This false reality sets unreachable standards, contributing to disappointment and mental insecurities. I feel that my experience is very real. The reality is, I go to the bathroom expecting there to not be toilet paper or soap—even in the health centers. When someone tells me, “yes, there is wifi” I expect the connection to be shaky at best, and nearly impossible to work with.

The truth is, it is difficult to travel for a month with 23 other compañeros constantly by your side. I envy moments like this, sitting in a café, thinking, writing, and sipping house [tea] on my own. I admit all these negativities in order overcome them and emphasize the positive aspects. Although all these undesirable traits exist, everyday I am grateful for the landscape, the culture, the people, the new knowledge and the overall beauty radiating from all forms of life. Now that I have acknowledged the bad and the ugly, we can go on to the plentiful good. Perhaps this can be a new addition to my weekly blogs—highs and lows.

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The Floating Village

AdminJune 7, 2017December 14, 2018

By juliareinholdgw

This week I went to one of China’s most famous and beautiful tourist attractions, the ancient water village of Zhouzhuang. This water village, also known as the “Venice of the East”, is an quiet, small, ancient village built atop a lake inlet outside Suzhou, a city in Jiangsu province. In my opinion, the name “Venice of the East” is a bit of a misnomer because the only thing that ZhouZhuang has in common with the large European city is its canal structure. Unlike Venice, with its multiple story tall buildings, ZhouZhuang portrays a serene, almost pastoral-like paradise. The villages’ canals and houses are shadowed by weeping willows, and the air is filled with smells of roasting pork sprinkled with mouth-watering spices. Although ZhouZhuang is kind of built up like a tourist trap, it is not crowded, and the day we went was beautiful and sunny so the overpriced food and yelling hagglers put no damper or stress on our visit.

Getting to ZhouZhuang itself was neither hectic nor troublesome, we simply took a tourist bus from Shanghai there and back. The route was only 2 hours and passed through what can only be described as “Chinese suburbs”. When people think of China, they normally think of the giant, busy cities and ancient architecture, but are not familiar with what may lie in between. On our way to ZhouZhuang, we passed by multiple story houses clumped together, rice fields, busy downtown areas with flea markets, a few apartment buildings, and many factories. In order to reduce pollution in its large cities, the Chinese government has been working to move factories outside of its sprawling metropolitan areas like Shanghai and Beijing. As the weather was beautiful and the trees green, it was surprising to drive by civil defense manufacturing factories on our way to the ancient water villages.

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Another Nation's (Ancient) Capital

AdminJune 5, 2017

After Hanoi, CET took the program participants to Hue—the imperial city.

Hue houses a large amount of Vietnamese history considering that it acted as the capital through French colonization. Only after the, "American War" did Hanoi take power.

Our first afternoon in Hue was spent visiting a school that housed children, young adults, and adults with developmental disorders. The school, in part supported by Eurasia Foundation, teaches vocational skills to their pupils—including gardening, lacker painting, and food preparation. In addition, they also teach them life skills like brushing their teeth and public speaking. This experience showed me and my peers a completely different sphere of Vietnamese society that I never truly considered before. The services this school offers are in high demand but unfortunately uncommon. These individuals are cast aside and never given the chance to develop their potential and the Eurasia school attempts to give them the opportunity to be contributing members to society.

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Great Firewall + Shanghai

AdminJune 5, 2017December 14, 2018

By riakkim

七寶/Qibao Traditional Boat Village

I'm sure you've all heard of it- China's Great Firewall, that blocks most everything convenient to Americans; our social media, video streaming sites, to our beloved Google. The obvious answer that I hear around this is "VPN!," but it was hard for me to really fathom how suffocating and suppressing it really was on the inside when I arrived in Shanghai.

The small things I really take for granted back home and in Seoul- like all my social media, all my chatting apps, Google (and not Bing), YouTube, WordPress- they're all blocked in China, and coming back from such a controlled environment felt surprisingly liberating and entirely refreshing. Perhaps it's because I'm part of a generation addicted to their smartphones and used to information, it was frustrating to not only have slow internet, but to even use sites such as Bing in order to find more information. Even when planning my brief visit towards Macau on my way back to Seoul, or trying to access my airline tickets on Gmail- everything was quite difficult and roundabout- taking far more time than it should have.

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