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Tag: IES

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By Marissa Kirshenbaum

This weekend, I went on my last weekend trip, this time to Barcelona. It's hard to admit that this would be my last time jetting off to a new country for the weekend: my last time trying new foods, seeing different cultural sights, and hearing a language other than French spoken by the locals. I have enjoyed immensely this opportunity to travel beyond my limits, and live life fully in the moment, treating every day like a vacation.

For every trip that I went on, I was welcomed with different reactions from my peers. When I went to Italy, I was told that it would be beautifully sunny and photogenic. When I went to Morocco, I was told that I would have a significant cultural experience. When I went to Belgium, I was told to eat the fries, the chocolate, and the waffles. And when I went to Spain this weekend, I was told to watch out for my belongings because people would want to steal my phone and passport.

Before I set off for Paris, I had a lot of people warn me about how unsafe it is here. They put ideas in my mind that this beautiful and magical city was also violent and untrusting, that I would be lucky if I made it back without having something pickpocketed. I let these ideas fester in my mind, and for the first few weeks I jumped whenever somebody stood too close to me on the Metro or when somebody came on board asking in a loud and demanding voice for some spare change.

...continue reading "Warmth Over Worry"

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By frenezeder

Greetings to all 4 of my readers! While this post may be a bit delayed, it is only because I have been traveling throughout Italy for the past 2 weeks and have been so immersed in the moment that I simply have had neither the time nor the Wifi to dedicate time to this. The Tuesday prior to the last I departed for my Eat Pray Love trip to Venice, Florence, and Rome and just now returned today - Sunday - to Freiburg. While I would love to give you all a detailed summary of my trip, my itinerary was simply too packed to relay all of my adventures. So - rather than suggesting cafes and activities I am going to address a common revelation that happens when you go abroad - becoming your own best friend.

It may be clear by now that I am a huge fan of blanket statements, so I apologize in advance if this does not apply to you, but I truly believe that when people go abroad they learn how to spend time by themselves and actually learn how to enjoy being alone. While I have always been more of an introvert, I often struggle with being alone and entertaining myself, which I believe is a common struggle amongst college students. Most college students are surrounded by their peers at almost every hour of the day, so spending time by yourself and becoming comfortable with being alone for more than 3 hours with nothing to do is daunting. Italy was the perfect place to just become my own best friend and truly relish the opportunity to get to know myself a bit more. Most of the time I just walked around the streets and window shopped, but others I went to museums alone and I must say that my experience was vastly different than if I had gone with friends. Normally when I go to a museum with other people, I practice common courtesy by trying to give the group enough time but not too much in front of each work of art. I mean going to museums with friends is fun and provides for some interesting conversation, but I went to the Uffizi, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and the Duomo by myself and was able to spend my time as I wanted without a single concern for others. It really makes the world your oyster and is very liberating. My time in Italy has shown me that my favorite person to hang out with is actually myself as we like to do all the same activities! I even dined alone several times throughout my trip and discovered that it may very well be my favorite thing to do in the world.

I think I should clarify that I did travel with other people in my program - 6 others to be exact. While I did enjoy my time with them, I wanted to try to travel on own as I have only ever traveled with friends or family and I am completely content with my decision. I would recommend everyone to try to travel on their own or even dine alone just to see how you feel and think about. I will be writing another post on recommendations for Italy soon, so until then!

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By frenezeder

For those who did not know, I am absolutely enthralled with Elizabeth Gilbert and her work. This affection towards Gilbert is not only due to her famous post-divorce journey recorded in the book Eat, Pray, Love, but mostly due to her outlook on life and writing style. I never truly planned on making the pilgrimage to Italy, India, and Indonesia, but when I was in Rome I somehow ended up doing a full Eat, Pray, Love journey. While my intention to go to the restaurants and cafes Gilbert frequented during her stay in Rome was purely to experience the food and espresso, I found myself becoming a super fan. For those of you who read my last post, you know that I spent most of my time in Rome alone just marveling at the city and consuming mass amounts of pasta. During that time I unintentionally found myself learning how to enjoy being alone just like Gilbert did during her post-divorce find herself stay in Italy. So during my four days in Italy I found myself EATing insane amounts of carbs and gelato, not PRAYing because that is simply not my thing, and falling in LOVE with my pasta. So here are some of the restaurants and cafes both Gilbert and I frequented during our mini find-ourselves-abroad stay in Rome. ...continue reading "I Ate, I didn’t Pray, and I fell in Love with my pasta"

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I cannot believe it’s already April! Time has flown by and I continue to learn something new about Spanish culture every day. The first day of the month was also Easter, which is widely celebrated through Spain. Since the country has strong Catholic history, even citizens who are not particularly religious celebrate the holiday. My host family celebrated with their extended family in the countryside and most of Barcelona was quiet on both Sunday and Monday of Easter weekend. It is really interesting to compare this prevalence of a religious holiday to my experience in the United States, where there is more evident religious diversity. 

Over the past month, I have become more involved at Sant’Egidio, the church with which I have been volunteering. Aside from helping on Thursday evenings, I have also been able to volunteer for the Tuesday evening shift. This has offered a new perspective on the work the church is doing, and the customs of community service in Spain. On Tuesdays, there is an entirely different system of providing food to the homeless population in Barcelona. Rather than delivering sandwiches around the city, the church runs a restaurant out of the community room. Although slightly more similar to my experience with soup kitchens and food pantries in the United States, this system had stark differences. 

...continue reading "Voluntario en Sant'Egidio"

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By Marissa Kirshenbaum

My host father was a high-level government employee when he was in the workforce. His life is a political sphere: he has friends running for office, weekly outings to different departments in France, and exclusive access to some of the country's most elite gatherings. One of these get-togethers was last Tuesday. A spectacle featuring one of Paris' most beloved rappers and actors of the generation and crawling with celebrities and important political figures, the night was meant to capture the history of France through its different texts in the elaborate setting of the Assemblée Nationale. And I was lucky enough to attend.

My host father spends his free time guest lecturing at a "professional" high school down the street. This term is what we attempting Parisians like to call a "faux ami", because it translates directly to an English word yet means something totally different. In France, there are two different tracks you can take when you are in high school: the general track or the professional track. The general refers to all students who wish to attend college and pursue a career with an academic prerequisite. The professional, therefore, refers to "vocational learning", and tends to be comprised of the underprivileged student population. In France, you are sorted into these different paths early in your high school career, and from there, your life is laid out for you. Unforgiving to those who do not bode well with the school system during a certain point in time, it seems that in my opinion, the French tracking system is concrete and determinant.

My host father took his "professional" students to this event at the Assemblée Nationale last Tuesday, an impressive opportunity for them to see their representatives and legislation in person. However, these students did not seem to take much interest in the tour of the building, and seemed restless throughout the whole night. Their teacher told me personally that they don't have the desire to travel like I do during my study abroad experience, and that they rarely sign up for trips like this one if they are not required to.

...continue reading "Professionalism"

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As I expressed in my first blog post, I view myself as very multicultural. I was of Indian descent, yet was raised in America. This mixture of cultures was always a part of me, but coming to Spain made me appreciate and embrace it even more.

The community of people I have had in Spain has provided an enormous amount of support. My host mom always ties into my upbringing by discussing various aspects of Indian culture with me, from food to dance. She constantly recommends Indian restaurants for me to go to, and yearns for me to cook homemade Indian food for her. Building on that, I have been planning on doing a Bollywood dance in front of the Arc de Triomf with a fellow friend of mine. My host mom has not only been supportive of me, but has gone out of her way to tell everyone about it and show off my dancing videos to her friends. This might seem small, but its created an environment for me in which I feel comfortable and proud in who I am. If my host mom, who I have only known for a few months, can be proud of me, then I can be proud of myself.

My friends have also been a great supporter of my identity in the time I have been here. I have a very diverse friend group, (Pakistani, Spanish and Indian to name a few) and these people really have created a comfortable environment for me. My friends reflect all that I love; a sense of familiarity with similar upbringings they possess, along with the overall factor of diversity they possess.

...continue reading "Understanding Identity through Community"

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Greetings from Zurich, Switzerland! While Switzerland is known for its divine chocolate and creamy swiss cheese, I have found that atmosphere in Switzerland can more accurately described through its streetwear and work ethic. When you walk down the perfectly disheveled streets of Zurich, you cannot help but stare at the locals as they are dressed to the nines in magnificent fur coats and perfectly blown out hair. I mean even the men are properly dressed in straight-edged jackets and rather dapper loafers. I even witnessed an older woman dressed head to toe in Chanel waiting to board the bus! I mean is this city even real or is it just a figment of my wildest dreams? As a whole, I would describe the atmosphere on the street as chic and effortless and it is for that reason that I could easily see myself living there in my 40s. I have already began looking at property that I aimlessly hope will be available in my old age to purchase. Walking through the simultaneously busy, yet relaxed streets of Zurich with the sun shining off of the golden restaurant signs just made the perfect Saturday.

Even though I was only able to spend a single day in Zurich, I feel as if I truly experienced the local laid back, yet productive atmosphere that surrounds the city. On the other hand, I must admit that I did not have a single ounce of chocolate or swiss cheese while I was there. I know this may be an international crime and serious mistake, but I feel as if the world is so globalized that if I truly wanted to try it, I could buy it anywhere in the world and it would be the exact same. So alas, I do not believe I made a terrible mistake. I did throughly enjoy the single handed best tomato soup of my life at Cafe Presse Club in the city center. It was perfectly creamy, yet full of flavor and I even got to enjoy it while sitting outside Zurich’s Munster. Overall, a perfectly normal, yet extraordinary moment that I will cherish forever.

...continue reading "In the Land of Chocolate and Cheese"

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By Marissa Kirshenbaum

This weekend, I went to Normandy with my program. The sight of D-Day and the entire battle that liberated France from Germany, the region of Normandy in the north of France is integral to the nation's history in the context of the second World War, yet simultaneously important to France's relationship with the United States. Before coming to Paris, I knew that D-Day was important to history, but I did not know to what extent it was still referenced to and talked about in the modern day.

France is a country with a very long history. It has seen five different republics, countless kings and queens, emperors, and revolutions. Juxtaposed to France, the United States is like a young kid finding its way: so young that it is confused and progressive all at once with enough energy to keep its momentum going for a long time. The two countries are drastically different when it comes to their histories. However, the one true thing that they have in common is the Battle of Normandy. I have thought it so interesting for months how French people seamlessly make fun of Americans, yet at the same time almost strive to be just like them. On occasion, they poke fun with our accents and discredit our global knowledge, yet at the same time, they respect us. They sport our clothing brands, they watch our movies, and they dream of visiting our country. As a sweeping generalization, they seem to hate to love us. And why? In part, because of the Battle of Normandy.

Since my first week in Paris, I have heard of French people adoring Americans because "we saved them in the war." At first, I discounted this as a stretch of our history with the French. However, as the weeks passed and the confusion ensued, I realized that in fact, no matter what we as a country seem to do, French people continue to like us because of the sacrifices that we made for them during the war. As a country of tradition, it is not surprising that they share a long memory.

...continue reading "Thank you, U.S.A!"

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For everyone who understands the reference in this title I commend you and hope that you will forever remember these lyrics. This upcoming Tuesday the 20th marks the third week I have been able to call myself a resident of Germany’s Green City - Freiburg. While it feels as if I have been living here for nearly ages, each week the city throws me a pleasant surprise and this week it was snow. Part of the reason Freiburg is able to be so eco-friendly is due to its geographical location on the globe as the Baden-Wurtemburg region obtains the most sunshine per year out of every other region in Germany. This allows for an abundance of solar farms and a heavy reliance on solar power. It is due to this fact that the snow seldom sticks to the ground; however, this week the streets were packed to the brim with freshly fallen snow.

On Saturday, I rushed to the Black Forest to ski and see just what inspired the Grimm brothers to write their fairy tales. If you are particularly interested in skiing or snow-shoeing, I would recommend going to Feldberg Mountain, which is just outside Titisee and about an hour away from Freiburg city center. It is rather easy to commute there as the RVF (Freiburg’s public transportation system) goes straight to Titisee and then you simply have to take the 7300 bus to Feldberg. All in all it is about an hours worth of transport to spend upwards of 7 hours enjoying the ever crisp, clear snow and seemingly endless forests. The ski resort is situated in a rather small town where nearly everyone knows your name. (For example, I made the trek the weekend prior and they still remembered me and gave me a discount). The mountain has a wide range of runs including race courses, which was fascinating to watch local athletes compete. While at Feldberg you cannot help but just admire the sheer beauty and magnificence of the land and its immense power. Every moment spent in the Black Forest during the winter feels like Christmas morning. Pictures simply cannot due it justice, so you will just have to go see for yourself for I cannot include one. Typically you can see the Swiss-Alps from the top of Feldberg at Seebuck, which is 1,450 meters in elevation. Unfortunately it was rather foggy that day, but I have previously seen the Swiss-Alps and they are quite a landscape to awe at.

On Sunday, I woke up to a winter wonderland outside my room and immediately threw on my coat and sprinted to city center to capture the scenery with my camera. Freiburg’s historic and main church The Munster holds services in German every Sunday morning and rings in the hour with the chiming of the bells. I could hear these bells from about 500 meters away and I must say it was a phenomenal way to begin my morning. I then walked around town and grabbed a cup of coffee, which in fact I was able to ask for entirely in German. I was rather impressed with myself and truly just relished the fact that I have the opportunity to live in Germany for even just a short moment in time. This upcoming week marks the end of my introductory German and the beginning of my actual classes, which I am rather excited to start. More updates to come, but for now I shall continue to enjoy the snow!

Published on

By Marissa Kirshenbaum

Life abroad is all about adjusting your mindset. You are in a weird place, knowing more than the tourist yet always less than the local. You look like you belong there, and people don't doubt it until you open your mouth, but you cannot associate with the vacationers. You are caught in between two different mindsets, and sometimes you can't even notice it until something interrupts the constant flow.

For me, this is what happened over Spring Break when my boyfriend came to visit. His French vocabulary comprised one word, "bonjour", and only recently grew to include "merci" and "s'il vous plaît": he is a raw American, a type that I have not interacted with that often since my time living in Paris. Over the course of the week, he brought things up to my attention that I had never noticed before about the city: he just saw things differently. He noticed the bilingual ads in the metro, the cafe seats facing the street, and the rapid weather changes. He compared the city to its American counterparts: New York, D.C., and Boston, using descriptions that I had never thought of before. Growing up learning about French culture through my nine years of language education, I had grown used to the differences that he noticed so blatantly. He allowed me to change my mindset around the city a little bit to an identity that is more familiar to me. For the first time, I saw Paris as an exploring American rather than an impersonating Parisian.

Perhaps the biggest mindset change happened when my host parents invited us over for dinner. Seeing as my boyfriend does not speak French and my host family does not speak English, I became the designated translator. Over the past month and a half, I have gotten so used to my way of living in my homestay. On the first day, I was so overwhelmed with the idea that I would not be able to speak at all in my native tongue to any of the members of the host family, but at this point it came as second nature. To have to change my mindset, my actual language and thought process when conversing with my boyfriend and with my host family was a strange yet eye-opening experience.

...continue reading "Switching Gears"

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