Before
I’m currently a week away from the daunting flight that will take me to India. I keep glancing at my luggage, still debating on whether I’ve packed too much or too little. I guess in my next post I’ll be able to update you on that specific question… still not sure which one would be better. As I’m packed and ready to go, I’m thinking about how I got myself involved in a trip all the way to Asia. I would say I just kind of heard of the...
In Retrospect
Exposure is a tricky thing. Exposure to the western world and it’s ideas, products, and way of life has always seemed like a beneficial thing in my eyes. Who wouldn’t want what we have? Who wouldn’t want to have access to everything we do? The healthcare, the free market, the education, the distractions? Seriously, if I didn’t have Game of Thrones I believe I might be lost. I am still convinced that everyone needs to have access to...
Returning to the USA
Getting back home was a bit of an adventure. My flight was delayed 2.5 hours, causing me to almost miss my connection back to New York. By some miracle, I made it through customs in Dublin and boarded my plane. Upon arrival I was exhausted, and shocked at just how different things were back home. The main thing being air conditioning/circulation and readjusting to less daylight. Aside from the rush of delayed flights and jet lag,...
Spanish School
Among all the other wonderful experiences that come with studying abroad, there is also a lot to be learned in the classroom. Not only did I learn so much more about the material covered in the classes that I took, it also really deepened my cultural experience. Being a business major, I took international business and Spanish culture and civilization while abroad. The University I studied at was tailored to students studying abroad....
Abroad in Prague
Academics: I am studying at Anglo American University. It is a small, private university that is taught all in English and located right near the city center. AAU is absolutely beautiful. The interior is filled with intricate molding work and large chandeliers. When I’m there, I feel like I’m in a castle or a fancy house, not a school. For the first three weeks, I took The Legacies of Totalitarianism: Post-Totalitarian Europe. It was...
Abroad in Belize
Academics: This trip is a little unconventional because it is more of a field-study set up. We are doing research projects that require us to snorkel. My group is observing the behaviors of one species of fish – Sergeant Majors. This is a small-scale ecological study. It gives us a basic idea of the health of the reef because if the Sergeant Majors are not behaving normally, it indicates a larger problem in the reef’s ecosystem. We do...