Sonya Kalmin – GW Blogs from Abroad

Farewell Ye Land of Haggis and Bagpipes

AdminMay 31, 2014December 14, 2018

As I reflect back on my semester abroad a number of things pop into my mind: my first walk to class, getting lost on my first walk to class, eating a full Scottish breakfast and learning to properly say “cheers” instead of thank you. Surprisingly however, the most memorable experiences of mine occurred in the last two weeks of my stay here. The first of these is my visit to The Big Cheese and the second is my long-awaited trip to the Scottish Highlands. The Big Cheese, you see, is a type of a student club, occurring solely on Saturday nights. ...continue reading "Farewell Ye Land of Haggis and Bagpipes"

The Identity Crisis

AdminApril 30, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

In my first post, I gave a brief account on my background as an Ukranian-American. Following up, in the next series of posts, I described the categorization of Americans that takes place here in Scotland. Interestingly enough, not much has changed in terms of my identity. It's pretty clear to everyone around me that I'm American. When asked where I come from, my first instinct is always to say New York. However, if asked about my nationality, I do tend to delve a little deeper and illuminate my audience on my ethnic diversity. Going back to the United States, I will definitely be much more aware of my American dialect. Out of all characteristics differentiating me from my peers, it's the one that's been the most poignant. While not everyone here is of Scottish or English descent, they have all grown up learning "British" pronunciation and grammar. These are students coming from all over Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. So of course it’s hard to even get into the topic of identity when the first words of my mouth give it all away. ...continue reading "The Identity Crisis"

To Identify or To Not Identify…

AdminApril 2, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

The thousands of American/abroad students and other foreigners from outside the UK make up the majority of the student population here. I guess you could say Edinburgh hasn’t really altered my communal values. To a certain extent however I feel more comfortable identifying myself as a Ukrainian than as an American. Stereotypes flow freely across Europe, and as soon as my New York accent flies off my tongue I automatically get badgered with questions and comments. “Why would you ever leave and come here?” “I want to marry a New Yorker.” “How do you say ‘hot dog’?” ...continue reading "To Identify or To Not Identify…"

My Community

AdminFebruary 19, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

com·mu·ni·ty

noun

a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

"the sense of community that organized religion can provide"

That is the three of us! Sabrina, Ariel and I: the three stooges from GW.

We all arrived here together and have become great friends during the last month.

My community here first and foremost includes these lovely ladies; I would be a complete mess without them.

This is George Square aka Our Campus here at the University of Edinburgh.

This picture doesn't do the vast property any justice, but you can take my word for it that it's absolutely stunning.

My sense of community here arises from my classes, my professors and my fellow student body.

I spend most of my days here, so I figured it's only fair to feature it in this post. ...continue reading "My Community"

Categories, Labels and Identities

AdminJanuary 29, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

Hey there! My name is Sonya and I am a junior at GW currently studying English Literature for a semester in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Stemming from a first-generation Ukrainian family, I have always oscillated between my American and my immigrant identity. Growing up in an all-Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York further accentuated the difference between my peers and me. However, it wasn’t until High School that I began to understood how little of a role my heritage played in the grander scheme of things, and by that I mean the millions of various backgrounds each teenager growing up in New York encounters. So in a nutshell, while feeling confused, even uncomfortable with my identity as a pre-teen, by the time I reached young adulthood I was fully aware that I wasn’t alone in the ‘strange family’ category. It wasn’t long before I became quite content with my own unconventional heritage. ...continue reading "Categories, Labels and Identities"