Why study abroad in Asia?
A year ago when I was deciding where I wanted to attend college, my school counselor laid out a list of common deciding factors that were supposed to help me decide. There were the obvious ones like the location of the university and its surrounding atmosphere, the types of majors the university has, and the overall campus life. Then, there was study abroad programs that a university offers. Study abroad? I wasn’t interested....
Interesting Hindu Traditions in India
India is home to many religions, Hinduism is the largest percentage, around 80%, followed by Islam ( only 14% of the population, but with almost 200,000,000 adherents, it is the country with the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia), as well as smaller percentages of Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddists, Baha’i’s, and many more. Hinduism has over a million gods and goddesses, most of whom are manifestations of...
How to Bargain in India
You may think you’re good at bargaining, but even the most savvy, budget-conscious, stubborn negotiator can learn some valuable skills from the average corner shop owner in India. They are masters of their art, sizing you up from the moment you walk in their store filled with tapestries, goblets, textiles, you name it, you can find it. They make friends with you, speaking multiple languages to discover which one you speak, maybe...
Packing Lightly for Serbia
I travel a lot, and yet packing is still something that I struggle with. It isn’t procrastination that I suffer from more than I can never seem to pack lightly. In the last year, I have traveled thousands and thousands of miles across the country and once abroad, and every single time I found myself overpacking. Although I never came close to the airline weight limit, my heart always dropped a bit when I placed my suitcase on the...
Day in Smederevo
Thursday, May 11th, 2017, Today marks Day 4 of the Serbia Fellowship Experience. Early this morning, after breakfast and coffee, we prepared to head to the nearby city of Smederevo for the day. I imagined it as a small, historic town outside of Belgrade, but Smederevo is actually a quite vibrant, mid-sized city along the Danube River. The banks are open to many paths, some shops, and passing trains. Close to the city’s center,...
Beograd, the White City
Wednesday, May 10th, 2017, Today is Day 3 of the Serbia Fellowship Experience – the first full day after transit, and we are just beginning to get acquainted with the city of Belgrade. The weather is slowly warming and extending a fonder welcome. This morning, I stopped at a kiosk to purchase a copy of a periodical newspaper that is written entirely in Cyrillic. Translating the headlines gives me a better insight into the...