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By gwblogabroad

After a long Winter Break back in Madrid, heading again to DC feels like going home. Although 1959 E St is not going to be the same without all the fellow exchange students that returned to their home countries, I can't wait to welcome the new ones and make a lot of memories together! I bet you guys are so nervous and excited, I was too! The first night I spent in my new apartment I couldn't sleep at all. However, the morning after we started the orientation week program and hell yeah...such a relief! I knew it was going to be awesome.
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My name is Raquel Recuero. I'm 24 (before you even dare, YES, I'M OLD!) I'm an exchange student from Madrid, Spain (raise high UAM too!) and I've been studying at GW since last August. I'm studying International Affairs although I'm taking a few courses in business just to explore. The past semester was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. DC is an inexhaustible source of entertainment and knowledge. I'm gonna give you a piece of advice here though: do things, move, go places...time flies, suddenly it's midterms season and half of the semester is gone. Travel around the US, go to museums, (most of them are free!) go to the markets, visit the Capitol, the Pentagon, get lost in Alexandria, go to an Embassy event, go grab some cupcakes or ice cream in Georgetown and eat them while watching the sunset by the Waterfront, go watch the Colonials, take advantage of the massive amount of workshops, events and associations that GW offers and don't be shy, everybody loves exchange students! Get ready also for great apartment parties, neighbors inviting you for dinner and an American family adopting you for a night! If you are lucky you might spot a Congressman or Congresswoman, a Senator or even the president with his caravan!

When I came from Madrid I didn't have many expectations. I expected to be able to see big differences between Europe and the US and maybe to be able to travel around the US, make some American friends and improve my English. I didn't have much information about the university system in America so I didn't really know how classes were going to be. If I just had known! I loved it so much that I'm staying for another semester even though I didn't plan it!

This is my 7th year in college (I'm currently studying my second BA) and I have never learnt so much! Your professors are going to make sure you think critically, put the concepts in practice and feel motivated. Take courses that you like and also courses from fields that are new for you. If you are still open to more advice: take at least one LSPA course (they are still open!) so you will have fun, move and meet some more students! I took Yoga and Aikido and both were great.

Now that I'm coming back to DC I really want to get more involved in social issues. I want to find a volunteering or an internship opportunity and I would love to go to more places in DC, keep exploring the city like a local, do you want to join me?!

 

 

Here are some of the best pictures with great people the past semester:

 

By gwblogabroad

My name is Anthony Scheercousse and I chose to do my third year exchange in Washington D.C at GWU, and on this page you will be able to follow my experiences throughout the semester!
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Before beginning this series of blog posts, I would like to introduce myself so you know me and better understand the many reactions I will have as I live in America.
I was born in France, moved to Myanmar when I was three months old, and lived there till I graduated from an American high school in Yangon. I then flew back to France, lived there for 3 semesters where I studied at ESSEC Business School (my home institution) in Cergy (a town about 15 miles away from Paris). For my 4th semester I did a campus exchange and studied at ESSEC’s campus in Singapore. I then returned to France, completed a semester there, and now I will be attending GWU for an exchange during the spring 2019 semester.
After these 20 years, I now consider myself as a mixture of French and Burmese, and therefore the following blog posts will come from a French/Burmese point of view.
I expect a lot of great things in Washington. A large majority of my teachers from elementary to high school were American and during those years, I was introduced to the American culture which I appreciated a lot. But, I never once set foot in America and therefore I am super excited.
I expect to meet many great people with many different international backgrounds, and I expect to learn a lot about the American way of life throughout this semester.
Now stay tuned, and I will regularly post about my experiences here, and keep you updated about how America is different from everything else I have known till now.
Best Regards,
Anthony Scheercousse