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Tag: GW Exchange

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By jfbarszcz

Hey there! I was pretty sick last weekend, so I didn't write an entry last week. But I'm back now! So while this might be the fourth week of blogs, it's only my third post, but I'm going to call this Week 3 (because the first one was Week 0, remember?). Don't bother looking for Week 2. It doesn't exist.

When I saw the prompts for this week's entry, one jumped out at me immediately. "Tell us how to get around your city! (Describe how to take the bus, ride a bike in the city, etc.)" This is because one of the most wonderful things about Prague is how easy it is to get around! While I love DC, its public transportation, by comparison, is honestly crap. The only American city I've been to with a comparably extensive mass transit system is New York, and if you've ever been there you know that besides its extent the NYC Subway lacks in pretty much everything else... besides character, of course. It has loads of that. But really, if Prague is any indication, Europeans have the public transportation thing WAY better figured-out than us Americans.

...continue reading "Week 3: In Which Jake Espouses The Virtues Of The Systems Of Rapid Transit In The City Of Prague"

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By shivaniinsingapore

One of the best things about Singapore is its public transit. One can literally get from one end of Singapore to the other within the time frame of an hour and a half to two hours. The public transit system here is referred to as the MRT, and to use it, you must have an EZ-Link card (identical to a SmarTrip). There are four basic lines: the Circle line (this is the line that contains the stop for NUS called Kent Ridge) , the Northeast Line (this line has Chinatown and Little India on it), the North-South Line (this line contains a major shopping district called Orchard Road, as well as "downtown" Singapore, known as Marina Bay), and finally, the East-West Line (this line contains mainly residential areas, as well as one of the largest street markets for shopping). You may only have a minimum balance of 3 Singapore dollars (SGD) before the system forces you to add a minimum of $10 SGD; traveling on the MRT usually costs anywhere from $1-$2 SGD one way.

...continue reading "Singapore’s Public Transit System"

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By littlemisadventures

We in the U.S. are lucky to live in a country that enjoys freedom of speech and of the press. Anyone can write an article or make a video, and then turn it loose onto the internet. Unfortunately, this means that lots of ignorant, hateful, or simply stupid material makes its way around the world, such as the anti-Islam movie that has inflamed ill-will across the Middle East.

...continue reading "Post-Protest"

Published on

By shivaniinsingapore

Before I left for Singapore, I was told that it was a very different culture than the US and that I should be aware of certain things that may be considered disrespectful in this country. Throughout my time here, I have been extremely cautious of my vocabulary and actions. However, most of the time, the locals here are familiar with people from the US and usually forgive small nuances that I may have done accidentally.

...continue reading "…Study Abroad Problems?"

Published on

By littlemisadventures

At the risk of sounding like a jaded traveler, I can honestly say that not many things have shocked me since arriving in Egypt. I knew there would be omnipresent sand, devil-may-care driving, jet lag, and a language barrier. I knew I would get sick and that I would get better. I also predicted that I would be happy here, and so far I’m right.

I’ve heard that the saying “time is money” only applies in Western countries. It is certainly true in the Midwestern U.S., where being fifteen minutes early for anything constitutes being on time.  Here in Cairo, the school bus may or may not leave on time. (It may not even show up.) It might take several minutes to get directions to a place down the block. On campus, students always hug hello and stop to talk, even if they have thirty seconds to get to class. The leisurely pace and the uncertainty of routine activities can be frustrating, but I am getting used to it.

...continue reading "Shop Like an Egyptian"

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By jfbarszcz

logorrhea, n. An excessive and often uncontrollable flow of words.

Wow. Where to even begin?

So I've been in Prague for about a week now, and I feel like I already have enough to write about for an entire semester. I've been so busy all week meeting people, seeing the sights and generally immersing myself in the local culture (or attempting to as best I can, at least) that the question is less what to write about than it is what not to write about. I guess the least I can do is an overview of what I've done each day. So, let's get started.

...continue reading "Week 1: Logorrhea"

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By shivaniinsingapore

This week I've decided to write about some of the biggest "surprises" I faced so far in Singapore. I haven't had a huge shock yet in Singapore, but have had small surprises that demonstrate things that I would have never expected.

Everyday Scene:

...continue reading "Biggest shock(s) of Singapore"

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By jfbarszcz

Greetings to you, Dear Reader. Unfortunately, I don't really have much to say this week about Prague, because I'm not there yet! (Hence the "Week 0" title.) However, it turns out that there's a good deal to say about NOT being abroad, because of how absurdly involved getting ready to leave is.

Obviously, there's a lot to do to prepare for spending a semester a continent away from home. First of all, there's all the paperwork, most notably my Czech visa. While the Czech Republic is part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, as an American I still need a visa for an extended stay in the country. Of course, the process of acquiring a visa, no matter what country, is only slightly more pleasant than waiting at the DMV. Actually, it might be even worse, because of all the time you need to spend on prep. I had to compile, let's see... ...continue reading "Prague: Week 0"

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By shivaniinsingapore

After having been in classes for three weeks, I can safely say that there is a lot of curiosity amongst my classmates as to what exactly constitutes American culture. In classes, I always get asked several questions about US perspectives on various topics; the most discussion of US culture comes from my Gender and Society of South Asia course. While in this class, I am pushed to think critically about how the US/Western mindset is different than the Eastern mindset. Most of the time, I don't know how to answer. Culturally, there are numerous things that are different between the US and Southeast Asia; however, I have enjoyed every last bit of the learning process!

...continue reading "Foreign Perceptions of Americans"

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By littlemisadventures

Cairo is unlike any city I have ever experienced. It is sprawling and dusty and friendly and hectic. I love it already. This week, AUC organized some outings for international students, which was a great way to become familiar with the city. On our very first day, we saw ancient Coptic churches and the mosque of Amr ibn al-As. The soft carpet and serene atmosphere were a welcome respite from the sun and heat.

I was completely overwhelmed by the pyramids. I went inside the third, smallest one, which involves walking downward at about a 45-degree angle, bent double in sweltering heat and dust, with the passage ceiling scraping your head. The passage opens up to a series of chambers, which long ago held everything that royalty could possibly need for a comfortable afterlife. After crawling back out of the pyramid, the desert wind feels like a cool breeze. ...continue reading "Hello from Cairo!"

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