I’m still on summer break, technically. English universities begin their terms much later than Americans begin their semesters, meaning I am at the tail end of the longest summer of my life— a dream come true for a younger self who aspired only to watch Cartoon Network and eat Cheetos, but dreadful for a college student waiting to go off on an adventure. At least by the end of September I’ve achieved the “abroad” part of “study abroad.” A few…
Almost three weeks in, and Vietnam is both comfortably familiar and wonderfully new. We have spent most of our time so far in Ho Chi Minch City, a place that is impossible to describe. It is loud, crowded and polluted; the people are the friendliest I have ever met, the coffee is the best I’ve ever had (secret ingredient is sweetened condensed milk) and even the motorbikes add to the charisma of life in the city. The sidewalks are meant…
Tālofa lava! It’s been nearly two weeks since I’ve arrived in Sāmoa. Already, things feel like they’re falling into place. I’m living at The University of the South Pacific-Alafua, located in a village in the outskirts of Apia. USP-Alafua is where the School of Agriculture is located. It’s a legit farm. I’ve never lived this close to cows in my entire life. They’re literally right next door to me. I haven’t explored the rest of campus, but there are…
Hejsa! Hvordan går det? For those of you who haven’t been pestered by my incessant Snapchats or Facebook messages/posts/pictures yet, greetings from Denmark! I am one month into my semester studying in Copenhagen, and am still thoroughly enjoying the culture and the Danish weather (though I have been warned many times that it is about to get wretchedly cold and rainy with no hope of sunlight until spring).. I’ve spent the past few days pondering what I would write to…
How many pence are in a dollar? The title of this week’s blog experience is 1000% accurate. At one point, while purchasing a little phone I had never heard of at a phone store I had never heard of, I asked the woman ringing me up “How many pence are in a dollar?” and she looked at me angrily. I significantly underestimated just how much of a cultural barrier there is between the UK and the US. One would think…
Hey Vassar people! How’s Poughkeepsie? I’m currently at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, and it has been quite the adventure so far. My mom and I first came into Ireland through Dublin and spent a day there, then flew up to Glasgow. Dublin was pretty cool, we got to see Trinity College and the Book of Kells which was incredible. The Book of Kells is an illuminated copy of the gospels that’s really old. If you’ve seen any sort…
This semester, I am studying with 25 students on SIT’s IHP Climate Change: The Politics of Food, Water, and Energy. We travel to San Francisco, Vietnam, Morocco, and Bolivia. I have several goals for the semester. First, I want to learn how to live out of a suitcase, while shedding some attachment to material items and 3G Internet connection. Second, I want to push myself out of my comfort zone for the sake of personal growth. Finally, I aim to…
Malo! O lo’u igoa Lisi. Hey! I’m Lizzie Bennett. I’m majoring in Anthropology with a correlate in Art History. This semester, I’m studying abroad in the beautiful and fascinating island nation of Samoa. I will also be taking excursions to American Samoa, an unorganized territory of the United States, and to Fiji. Until this past Friday, I was in Honolulu, Hawai’i, for orientation with my classmates. We lived at a hostel and walked every day to the East-West Center, by…
When I tell people that I will be leaving to study in Vietnam for a semester, I am usually met with disbelief. “Oh my goodness, why?” everyone asks. “Will it be safe?” one says skeptically. If someone is feeling particularly diplomatic, she might say, “Well, at least the food will be good.” My response is just as terrible. I give a cowardly shrug, put on a fake grin and say apologetically, “I know, crazy right?” I usually top it off…