Tag: ashleyle

By AshleyLe

Truth be told, I didn't start celebrating Thanksgiving until I came to college, when a friend of mine invited me to his family for Thanksgiving break. Growing up in Vietnam, and even after I immigrated to the United States, I never knew why this holiday is important, aside from the lavish festivity of food.

This year, however, is different, in so many ways. Perhaps, it is because my host university organized an Israeli way of celebrating Thanksgiving, where the turkey and gravy mash potato were replaced by a fancy reception and a wild dance floor. Perhaps, it is because for the first time in my life, I felt as if I'm recognized and treated as an American, and thus the meaning of Thanksgiving just became so much more to me. And perhaps, it is because for the past two years, I have been spending it with my best friend, in the most traditional way possible, and thus the separation during the holiday season brings forth a feeling of emptiness and incomplete.

Spending Thanksgiving, or any other major holiday, abroad can be challenging. While the saying "home is where the heart is" could be said in these situations, it is nevertheless still difficult for foreign students to enjoy the atmosphere when they have yet to find home. And given that celebrating Thanksgiving is an "American thing", the challenge of finding home during this holiday becomes less realistic.

But in the end, Thanksgiving is all about reflections and giving thanks. It's the chance for us to pause and look back at what we have done in order to be reminded that we are capable to do so much more. It's about being thankful for what have been given to us, so that we will use our blessings in giving back to others. It's about realizing the most important things in our lives, and vow to continue holding on to what makes us better and stronger everyday.

...continue reading "Thanksgiving When Abroad"

By AshleyLe

I will be honest here, I don't like staying still.

As a millennial who happens to be attending George Washington University, my schedules in the past two years tend to look similar to that of the rest of my classmates. In addition to the full load of classes, I still managed to squeeze in internships, volunteer services, student organizations, jobs, and student government. And while it sounds impossible, we (GW students and I) have gotten used to this routine of being on the move constantly. Thus, the concept of rest becomes somewhat strange and unnecessary. After all, how can you put resting on your resume, right?

When I arrived to Israel a month and a half ago, one of the first challenging adjustment was the observance of Shabbat. As the state of Israel is established as a Jewish state, its laws are rooted deeply in religious values. The observance of the Shabbat, the fifth of the Ten Commandments, begins at sunset on Friday evenings until an hour after sunset on Saturday evenings. During this time, businesses, public transportation, and almost every restaurants are closed. Religious Jews visit the Synagogue to pray and sing, while families gather for a festive Shabbat dinner.

Unfortunately, as a non-Jewish and study-abroad student, my experience with Shabbat does not revolve around festive Shabbat dinners or family gathering. Living in the holy city of Jerusalem, the challenge to find open businesses is almost impossible to achieve. With the closure of public transportation, shops, and restaurants, I found the 24 hours of Shabbat to be lengthy and lifeless. I felt trapped in my dorm, and unproductive as I am unable to explore more of Israel.

...continue reading "Observing Shabbat, Learning to Rest"

By AshleyLe

In the past two weeks, I had the exciting opportunity of traveling across Europe. Starting in London and wrapping up in Amsterdam, I found myself in 6 countries, 9 cities, 6 buses, 4 hostels, and countless of restaurants. But most importantly, I was surrounded by the presence of the GW community once again. Whether if I was in London, Paris, Madrid, or Vienna, I was welcomed and hosted with generosity and hospitality from GW students. So while the 2017 Colonials Weekend is quickly approaching back at home, I am honored to be a part of the global GW community abroad.

In reflection of my time constantly on the move in the past 2 weeks, I realized a few important lessons that would last a lifetime:

• Be a part of a community, and stay engaged in your community

Community here doesn’t simply limit in just the GW community. While I was blessed to have been welcomed and hosted by many GW students in different European countries, I also found myself in the presence of those with the same faith and common interest. In Paris, I found home at Hillsong Church. In London, my heart is full while attending a Chelsea FC football match. While the definition is vague and is always different, it will almost always be true that a community is where you find a home away from home. The idea of staying engaged in my community pushes me to continue reaching out to my friends currently living abroad. Checking in and sharing our experiences together help us to learn from each other while strengthening the community and friendship bond.

...continue reading "What 17 Days Across Europe Taught Me"