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Month: October 2018

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By Taylor Garland

This past week was recess week for us, so my friends and I went to do a bit of traveling around Southeast Asia. Our trip to both Bangkok and Bali felt too long and too short. The bustle of Bangkok made me miss me time in Shanghai, but there was a distinctive difference – no one was looking at us.

In Shanghai, I had a diverse group of friends, many of them tall, and all very much foreign-looking to local Chinese people. In Thailand, however, in the group of six, there was only one non-asian person, but her “sun-kissed” skin and dark, thick hair made her appear to belong to the region. I felt right at home in Bangkok, acclimating to the weather (rainy) and the metro (crowded) quickly. We walked the streets like we lived there, despite the obvious chatter in English that very often gave us away.

One thing I sought out to do was find spicy food and BOY let me tell you. Singaporean food seems to be relatively tame, so coming to Thailand was like the clouds parting and a single chili that is also on fire falling on my tongue. Everything I ate there was spicy, much to the shock of those traveling with me.... everything. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all flaked with red and I loved it.

Bali was very different in tone and experience. For one, it didn’t rain, which I appreciated greatly. It was also a dryer heat, which was so nice, to not be sweating as soon as we stepped out. And two, it was an island, and the culture was certainly reflective of it. No structure stood more than one story, and there was no highway – while there were a few paved roads, not many with any traffic direction – so transportation by scooter was preferred. There was an air of nonchalance and relaxation – though that might have been through the insane amount of foreigners coming to their surf n’ sun mecca.

A note for both of these places, and any place you travel to – everything you do is what you make of it. There are so many ways to experience the same place, so many ways you can go to a beach and come away happy with your time or mad about your sunburn. Also, always know where your phone is.

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By Julia McNally

July 22nd, 2018

This weekend we finally got some sun, so naturally we took to the beach. The west coast of the north island is home to two of the world’s most beautiful black sand beaches, Karekare and Piha. Just a 45 minute drive away, eight of us set out to make the journey. In New Zealand, you only need to be twenty years old to drive a rental car, leaving all but one of us eligible. Being a rather fast and confident driver in the US, I thought it best for someone else to take the wheel along the narrow and unknown streets. Thankfully, those who took the wheel did a decent job of driving not only on the opposite side of the road, but the opposite side of the car than we’re used to.

We arrived at Karekare just after 11am. We came upon a sign that pointed down to the beach or up to the waterfalls. We couldn’t pass up waterfalls, and decided to being our day there. Tucked away on the side of the mountain we had just driven down we found two falls. The first was a short cascade that collected into a small but very deep pool before continuing to drip down into a creek. It was a matter of seconds before we all tore off our shoes and began climbing up to the pool. The water was icy and the rocks were sharp and slippery, but we made it to the ledge where we dipped our toes in and posed for pictures.

The second waterfall was taller than any of us could estimate, and pooled into a medium-sized lagoon. This was where the true fun began. Once again unable to resist the temptation, we quickly changed into our swimsuits and half of us waded in. Two brave souls did a full polar plunge, letting their entire bodies be swallowed by the fridged water. As for me, I went about stomach-deep -- enough to be content with saying I had gone in, but not far enough to be submerged. The water was a clear, aqua color -- the kind of color you’d imagine water to be if you were painting or coloring it.

Wet, cold, and lacking towels, we threw on what we could, put the rest in our packs, and continued on to the beach. Down a sandy path lined with tall grasses was the shore. We must have arrived at low tide, as the beach stretched for what seemed like miles before the waves break. Setting our stuff down, we sat for a moment and enjoyed a quick picnic. Music, snacks, the sound of waves crashing, and the giddiness of diving into waterfalls fueled our smiles and our energy. A few at a time we began wandering around. Down to the shore, over to the large rock that sat just a few feet into the ocean, to each side of where we’d sat.

After a bit we all decided to pick up and see more of the beach. Walking first to a massive rock, three people began to climb up. It was a vertical climb, much like a rock wall you’d find in a gym. Closer to the shore were rocks that stretched out into the ocean. Climbing barefoot along these formations we found a cove where the water came in, splashing up on the rocks and glistening as the sun was setting over the horizon.

After a long time exploring and climbing the various rocks we decided to hop over to Piha beach. Slightly more developed, there was a small surf school lining the path to the beach and a handful of people out on the waves. A massive rock stood firmly on the shore and we noticed there were stairs etched into the side, allowing us to walk up and get a full view of the beach. After completing yet another steep climb, we were gifted with a view of the sun going down over the expansive Piha beach. We didn’t stay up there for long as it was crowded and getting late, but, once again, the view was worth the climb. I’m starting to sense that as a theme of this country: you’ll have to climb a long way, lose your breath and strain your legs, but what you see from the top will make you forget how difficult it was to reach the sights.

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By Chizuru Uko

Loving Lisbon has been very easy for me. In the past couple of weeks, I have had so much more free time than usual during the week. While joggling travel, learning Portuguese, building relationships I have made a mental note to spend a good chunk of time at various beaches in Portugal.

Every beach has its individual character ranging from the crowd, to the color of the water, the texture of the sand and the animals you see while snorkeling. Beach hopping has made me fall deeply in love with the ocean, I suddenly have so much respect for the waves around me and the vastness of the ocean. I didn’t realize how intense this had become till I was in a thermal bath in Budapest and got disappointed by the dullness of restricted water.

Similar to most study abroad stories, some of my top beach experiences were at islands I visited in the spur of the moment like Burlengas. Hiking to the beach and the castle here truly made me feel alive and like I was on top of the world.

I am easily a free spirit, I love meeting new people and thrive on getting to know someone with a different background. I have really struggled with this through my program because the people selected are very similar to my friends in America.

I was initially very frustrated that we only took classes together and had so many group activities to encourage group bonding. But with time I found a way to create balance, I was able to identify local communities and groups where I got to interact with other locals like my kizomba dance class and my Hillsong connect group. Taking these bold steps have been very daunting but have made it possible for me to recreate little pockets of things I like to do with people who challenge the way I think.

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By Fatima Zahra Kassidi

1- The first set of photos was taken in Hajji Lane—a colorful place full of great ambiance, charming coffee shops, bars, vintage boutiques and arts on the street walls. A great sense of Singapore community can be felt there and one of my favorite spots.

 

2- This picture however is Arab Street. There are lots of delicious Arab food specialties for you to try. In the back you can see the mosque where muslims come for prayers. In some way I feel a sense of home as there is a Moroccan restaurant I can go to when feeling homesick.

3- This last picture was taken in Little India. If you like Indian food and culture, it’s the place to be. It is a very vibrant community in Singapore with lots of colors and culturally inspired art.

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By Savita Potarazu

Marrakech, Morocco
08 October 2018

From September 28th to October 6th, I traveled to Morocco with my program for our semester excursion. We spent the first two days in the capital of Rabat where we heard from individuals working with the Ministry of Health, the International Office of Migration (IOM), and many NGOs to learn about the Moroccan health system and evident health disparities. After traveling to central Marrakech and getting lost in the maze of the Medina at Jemma El Fna, we learned about the current king’s initiatives to augment women’s empowerment and health care access to vulnerable populations like disabled children and cancer patients. On Monday, we proceeded to spend a great deal of our trip staying with homestay families in a rural village in Marrakech. There, groups of 5-6 students were assigned different homestay families and I firmly believe this experience allowed me to feel a stronger pulse of Morocco.

From our last night in Marrakech- we danced all night long!

Beautiful bowls at the Medina in Marrakech

The view from the balcony of my homestay family’s house overlooking the Atlas mountains

The homestay element of this excursion consisted of dining, dancing, playing, conversing, and adapting, and most importantly being open-minded about temporarily living a much lower standard of living compared to Switzerland and the United States. Despite this, the architecture, design, music, dance, and food radiated in vibrant colors, sounds, and flavors left me in a state of bliss multiple times throughout our week in El Maghreb. Over the course of the week I reminded myself embrace rural Moroccan culture and to make the most of such a valuable experience while being conscientious of my/our imprint on a pre-existing community.

Me (left) and my host mom Khadija (right)

Situated in the Atlas mountains, this small village of Tanahout exhibits low levels of light pollution that allowed us to stargaze and enjoy the peace and serenity that is indubitably one of the perks of rural life in this middle-income country. After reflecting a bit, I realized that my life’s travels so far have exposed me to either extremely impoverished settings in developing countries around the world or relatively very well-off national infrastructure in many European and North American regions. Learning about the urban-rural divide in this context was truly unique and has definitely broadened the scope of my studies of global health. When it came to understanding Moroccan health care, education, transportation, and many more means of upward social mobility, social disparities took on a deeper meaning. For instance, the role of tourism even in this rural village sustains so many families, including the ones we lived with for a few days. Although there is much pushback against the pitfalls of tourism in such fragile communities, many of our host families embraced inevtaible cultural compromises because it set meals on the table and paid for medical bills that are not covered by their basic health insurance.

Kids of the village being silly after school

My friends and I made connections of a lifetime with Moroccan cuisine, art, and most of all the people. Coming back to Switzerland, I see a stark contrast in the cultural spirit of each country and long to drink sweet mint tea and dance in the golden sunset over the Atlas mountains with my family in Marrakech.

Sweet, sweet mint tea

Sunset over the Atlas Mountains

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By Taylor Williams

This weekend, I was tasked with the impossible… ok, not so impossible as much as difficult. My sorority sister, Faith, came in from Barcelona and was only staying for one day, meaning I was tasked with trying to show her everything London had to offer in 24 hours. This is a very daunting task, as you might imagine, London has so much to offer and I’ve already seen so much and yet even I’ve barely scratched the surface in the 3 weeks I’ve been here. We set out on an action-packed day and I was able to show her all of my favorite spots. We started in Camden markets, undoubtedly one of the favorite places I’ve visited since I’ve gotten to London. Camden is such a bustling and vibrant City. We started early in the morning so of course, we went straight for the food stalls. There are so many incredible smalls and food choices that it's hard to pick just one. Ultimately, I went with the safest option and I got an amazing arepa from the same stall I went to a few weeks ago. After Camden Market, I decided to show her Harrods. This was my time truly taking in Harrods in all its glory and it's truly an indescribable place. It’s such a big and grand place that we actually got lost trying to leave. Afterward, we decided to go to Buckingham Palace. I’ve never been to Buckingham Palace and ultimately it was a little underwhelming. Maybe it was due to the cold and dismal weather, but unpopular opinion: I was a little disappointed with Buckingham Palace as a whole. Kensington Palace and it’s accompanying Gardens, however, is in my opinion, a lot more beautiful and that's where we headed off next. We ended the day in Leicester Square, home to Chinatown and one of London’s 7 Chipotles’, the only place Faith really wanted to go while she was in London. All in all, it was a fun and action filled day and it was nice having Faithy here and reminding me of home. Until next time xx

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By Joy Kayode

اهلاً وسهلاً اساحبي، (Welcome my friends,)
كيفكم؟ (How are you all?)

I hope all is well! I’ve officially been in Amman for over a month and I am STILL in love! Holistically, SIT Jordan Geopolitics could not have been a better fit for my learning style and my current academic interests.

This month’s topic is about the research and volunteer work that I plan to participate in while I’m abroad. As I mentioned in the previous post, I will be pursuing a research project centered primarily around economic development throughout Jordan. My research/internship will be solidified by the next post. So get ready for A LOT of details next month! Before starting any research, I believe that by partnering with a Jordanian institution I will have the opportunity to contribute to the preexisting body of research about the future of Jordanian economic policy. I want to begin researching this topic with the prospect of offering a new or fresh perspective on the subject. If I am able to answer the questions I have, and pose new questions from them, or lead someone to think about something in a different way, I will feel like I am making a genuine difference.

Although, at this particular moment my research project is not finalized, (therefore I have been unable to start) I do anticipate running into a few challenges. For instance, the fact of the matter is although I have been taking Arabic for the past two years, I am still new to this language. Being a non-native Arabic speaker, I can anticipate running into some challenges translating and comprehending some of the high-level or more specialized Economics vocabulary. However, I have to keep in mind that any challenges that I might encounter are not unique to Joy. These challenges can stem from anywhere and it is my responsibility to be persistent and work towards overcoming them. Another challenge I anticipate running into is the time period for which I will be in Amman. Of the places I’ve reached out to, some establishments have expressed hesitation in offering research positions for someone who is only able to work for a limited period of time. Like any other obstacle I might encounter, I will work closely with SIT, determine the most feasible organizations moving forward, and develop and readjust my path of research as needed.

Another very important issue that I don’t believe is emphasized as much, is the importance of maintaining a realistic budget. Managing the weekly stipend that I am allotted has been difficult to maneuver around. Realistically, 50 dinars (approx. $70 USD) can last a week, but it can very easily last just one or two days. In order to not blow through all of the money that I saved up over the summer, I decided to assess how much I was spending in a week, what I was spending it on, and how many of these things were complete necessities. I was able to decide that I don’t need to buy a Mini Chicken Makers Meal from Burger Makers (think Jordanian Chick fil-A) every. single. day. After some trial and error, I realized that if I didn’t spend all of my money on monetary wants, I will have more money left for necessities. Then I could purchase my splurge items and not feel guilty about it! If you’re reading this and you may be considering studying abroad, don’t let this discourage you! During anytime in your life and throughout any situation, I’m positive that you will be able to find a solution that will work out in your favor! Even if it doesn’t seem that way at first! Keep pushing and keep fighting! I’ll be doing the same, only halfway across the world!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post! Take care and talk to you all next month!

مع السلامة ولك حقا،
جوي كيودي

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By Rachel Blair

Hey guys! I hope you’re enjoying this journey I’m taking you on. Last week as I mentioned, I made it to Germany. It was absolutely beautiful! It felt really good going to Germany because my mom’s family is actually from Germany. I have had many different types of German food before, but only from German restaurants near me, so to have actual German food was another world. I got to horseback ride in the mountains of Germany & eat home cooked German food. It all felt so unreal. I texted my mother & told her that we must go back together because I want to experience that with her. Sadly, I had to leave and get back to reality.

It was nice going back “home” to my apartment in Paris and getting to lay in “my” own bed again. Now, I’m writing this blog from Normandy. This week flew by and I feel like October is going to be over in the blink of an eye. Being here in Normandy has been an amazing experience so far. We left this morning, Saturday, October 7th, at 7:15 in the morning and arrive back in Paris tomorrow around 8 at night. Then, next weekend I’m heading to Iceland, and then the weekend after that I’m going to London, and there’s just so much to do!

While in Normandy, we are staying on this island that reminds me of “The Woman in Black” for those of you that have actually seen it. Not that it’s creepy, the island itself reminds me of Hogwarts, but the concept of the island reminds me of “The Woman in Black.” The island itself is beautiful and old but looks like it has a lot of character and doesn’t look real. But there’s one bridge to get to it, and only one way to enter into the town. Before that bridge was there, you were only able to enter or leave the island during low tide because there would be no way on or off during high tide, like in the movie. But this is everyone’s favorite part of this trip, and I can see why. It’s a great bonding experience for everyone, being stuck with most for two days, and sharing a room with people you might not be the closest too. I must say, I’ve had some great conversations with my not so usual group of people.

So far, I’ve loved going on all of the trips provided by GW. That is one major highlight about this trip. These are all paid for & are ways to explore parts of France that aren’t so close to Paris. They’ve been really fun and have also encouraged me to do things I normally would not have. If this trip was not included in the program, I definitely wouldn’t have made it here to Normandy, but I’m so glad I did. I think part of traveling is about going to the places that people least expect you to. The tourist spots are fun, but it’s also those parts of countries that only few people know about that really make a place.

One last thing, the food!! I believe that the food of a country is a very significant part of traveling and I will gladly say that the food all over France has not let me down. I could eat forever here. I’m scared to leave France to go to Iceland because the food in Iceland is supposedly very bad. I’m going to go from being spoiled by France to barely eating in Iceland. Let’s wish me the best!

      

Above: Oktoberfest & Horseback Riding

      

Above: Normandy

Above: “The Woman in Black”/Hogwarts

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By Zachary Brumback

It seems like yesterday I was arriving in Sydney, Australia; however, I have already completed half of my time abroad. With the temperature warming up, two of my friends and I decided to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Since we wanted to explore Australia further, we decided to tour the East Coast for “Mid-semester Break.”

Day 1: Following our last class before break, my friends and I flew to Brisbane where we would meet our tour group the next day. Upon arrival, my friends and I explored Brisbane and stayed in an exquisite Airbnb with an infinity pool on the 92nd floor. Both the apartment and pool had fantastic views of the city.

Day 2: After a lovely stay in Brisbane, my friends and I traveled to the Roma Street Bus Station and met the other exchange students who were on our trip. With our bags stowed beneath the bus, our tour group headed to Noosa Beach where we received surf lessons from the locals. Let’s just say surfing is much more difficult than it looks. After several attempts, I was able to ride a wave and made my way to the shore. The thrill of finally succeeding at surfing is something that I will never be able to forget. Following our surf lessons, we headed to lunch and later traveled to our accommodation for the night.

Day 3: The next day, our tour group boarded modified 4wd buses and headed to Fraser Island. To get to the island, we had to take a thirty-minute ferry ride. When we arrived at Fraser Island, the buses drove along the beaches and dunes where we spotted two Dingos in their natural habitat. After an hour drive on the beach, we headed further off-road to Lake Makenzie. There, my newly acquired friends and I enjoyed swimming in the pristine crystal-clear water. Later, we boarded our tour bus and traveled twelve hours overnight to Airlie Beach.

Day 4: After our twelve-hour bus ride, the group boarded two speedboats that traveled at 60 km/h towards White Haven Beach. While on the boat, we observed the spectacular scenery of the Whitsunday Islands. Once we arrived at Whitsunday Island, we took pictures with the “Most Instagrammed Tree” in the world. And yes, I have already posted a photo of me with the tree on Instagram. We then hiked to various lookouts along the island, sailed to White Haven Beach, and went snorkeling. During our last stop, I had a little accident. I lost my footing and hit my chin on the metal railing of the boat. I busted my chin open and ended up in an immediate care center. The wound required two stitches. Although I may have ended up injuring myself, I had a blast with my new friends and exploring the Whitsunday Islands.

Day 5: A day after my injury, we headed back to the Wharf and boarded a private yacht. Due to my injury, I was instructed not to get my stitches wet for the next forty-eight hours. As a result, I remained on the ship while others jumped off and went swimming. Although I was unable to participate, I had a fantastic time sunbathing on the yacht. Also, I could not pass up the opportunity to represent my fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, on Spring Break. Following our stay in Airlie Beach, we boarded our tour bus and headed north to Townsville. After our four-hour bus ride, we grabbed our luggage, headed to a ferry, and traveled to Magnetic Island where we would be spending the next two nights.

Day 6: Throughout our trip, every hour was planned for us. However, this was the day where we could do whatever we pleased. As a result, a group of my friends and I rented a 4wd jeep and explored the island. Our first stop was the Fort Walk. On our walk, we saw Koalas sleeping in their natural habitat, World War II Bunkers, and the rest of the island from its tallest peak. Following our descent, my friends and I made our way to a local beachfront restaurant famous for their fish and chips. The food was impeccable. Once we had finished our lunch, we headed to the historic shipwreck that is just off the coast of Magnetic Island. During low tide, one is able to walk through shallow water to the shipwreck. During our walk, my friends and I discovered two starfish and a sand dollar. After exploring the wreck, we got back in our rental jeep and explored secluded beaches. Most notably, my friends and I ended our day by watching the sunset from West Point Beach.

Since my Mid-semester Break is only halfway over, I will summarize the second portion of my trip in my next blog post. Fingers crossed that I do not end up further injuring myself. Till next time.

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By Mikayla Brody

Among my family's pots and pans and stacks of magazines on the kitchen counter there were always two candlesticks rising above the rest of the clutter. They were clustered with fingerprint stains and coated with thick gobs of wax but somehow still retained their bronze-ish shine. And every Friday night since my grandpa passed away, my dad would make me stop what I was doing to light them.

I would yank myself from my bed, strike a match, and spit out a poorly pronounced version of a Hebrew prayer on fast-forward before racing out of the house to go hang with friends at the movies. The entire 'ritual' lasted maybe two minutes. But even though I was going through the motions, I was completely missing the point.

The lighting of these two candles is supposed to be a pause. It's supposed to usher in the weekly Jewish day of rest - Shabbat- but I treated it as an obligation and an inconvenience. I didn't really understand the true purpose and power of Shabbat until I came to Israel and was forced to experience it.

From Friday night to Saturday night, most of Israel shuts down. Stores are closed, buses don't run, and the streets are quiet. For the very religious, Shabbat means turning off your electronics and turning on your connection with God and your family. For me, this means a bigger hassle to get to the beach and a pretty boring day off. The first Shabbat here in Tel Aviv, I spent the entire day frantically searching for something to do. I did my yoga, I did my homework, and I did my writing, but those tasks only preoccupied me for about 4 hours. The rest of the day was spent trying to make work for myself. I took myself on a needlessly long walk and began googling potential internships for 6 months from now.

Both of the following Shabbats here have been spent meticulously trying to finagle a cheap and quick way to get to the beach and manufacture a false sense of productivity by getting tan and being with others. But for all of these days, I was completely missing the point. I was restlessly and relentlessly maintaining my need to be in a constant state of 'doing'. Whether that meant going out or doing work, I still felt the overwhelming desire to seize the day and to feel accomplished. There was no rest.

While the idea of Shabbat initially came from the Old Testament over 25 centuries ago, it still has important lessons for us today. It is an intentional opportunity to digest all the chaos of the past week and to reset for the coming week. And in Israel, whether you want to or not, the city does all that it can to encourage you to slow down and check in.

Despite my clinging to the American, constantly restless way of life, I'm slowly teaching myself that it is okay to take it easy and that it is productive in a less immediate way but a more profound way. When we give ourselves the space and the permission to slow down, we are creating a more resilient and healthy body and mind, ready to tackle all of the other crazy tasks of the days ahead. Like a perfect loaf of challah bread, we must give ourselves the time and the space to rise. Without this time for rest, the bread can stretch too thin and crack.

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.
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