Off The Proverbial Beaten Path
When my friend Ruth told us about a student trad night, we knew that we could not resist going to check it out. But as we walked past the familiar sights and sounds of Galway’s Latin Quarter and into its West End, unfamiliarity began to settle in. I did not know Shop Street even stretched this far! What if the recommendation had been a mistake? What if Google Maps was lying to us? It would not be the first time. At last, we...
Appendicite…
“What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever experienced?” Before last month, I used to say that I was scared of heights, of spiders, or even public speaking. Then, on a weekend trip six hours away from my program’s city, I ended up in a French hospital, thinking I had appendicitis. Being sick and thinking there’s a chance you’re going to go into surgery is scary enough, but not knowing what the...
¡Quien lo vive es quien lo goza!
This semester I am studying abroad in Barranquilla, Colombia–home of the world’s second largest Carnaval and I arrived just in time to experience the wonderful celebration. Carnaval is a celebration that embodies the Spanish, indigenous and African cultures that comprise the Colombian national identity. Colorful and extravagant costumes. The loud and vibrant sound of traditional Colombian music. Dancing in the...
Closer to God: Semana Santa in Colombia
Studying abroad is all about embarking on new adventures that challenge you to expand your comfort zone, right? In a small town tucked away in the Andes Mountains, Villa de Leyva, I had such an adventure that broadened not only my horizons, but also my spirituality. In many Catholic countries around the world, the week leading up to Easter is known as Holy Week and represents a celebration in which believers reflect upon the stages of...
¡Una cálida bienvenida a Palenque!
One of the reasons I chose to study in the Atlantic coast of Colombia was because I wanted to learn more about AfroLatinx culture in the Caribbean. Cartagena, and the neighboring town of Palenque, located just a couple of hours away from Barranquilla, provided the perfect venue in which I could enrich my understanding of the nuances of AfroColombian culture. Cartagena, one of the most important slave ports in the Americas in the 16th...
Espresso, Architecture, and Pastels
I don’t think there are words to succinctly summarize my past month and a half in Budapest, but here’s my best shot. I’m sitting, laptop out, in a small square in the Palace District of this capital city. Beside me, a cobblestone street winds its way towards the twin spires of a church nestled between residential buildings and cafes. I can count more than a dozen colors adorning the buildings surrounding me, with nearly as many...