Category Stories: Wellness, Health, and Safety
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Engaging in Uncomfortable Discussions about Race
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In London, I’ve experienced similar challenges with micro-aggressions (aka “casual racism”) as I have in the U.S. Like the United States, the UK has its own set of racial tensions that inhabit college campuses and the greater London community. In the conversations that I have had with other students of color, similar sentiments about the…
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Facing Disabilities Abroad: A Few Steps
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In high school, I decided that I was going to study abroad. Besides Canada, I had never traveled outside of the United States, so I was determined to make it happen in college. I picked a college that prided itself on their study abroad experience and organized my graduation and major requirements to work with…
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Coming Out: The Abroad Edition
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I have always felt uncomfortable about the phrase “coming out” because of the inherent implication about there being a “normal” or “standard” sexuality, while others are regarded as “other” or “strange.” This past summer, I had to wrestle with this concept. I spent a lot of time thinking about my own sexuality. After many conversations…
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The Invisible Identity Survival Guide
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There’s always a lot on students’ minds when studying abroad, from general worries to specific.I want to keep in touch with family…but will people judge me if my calls home are in Spanish?I’m worried about getting lost…what happens if I have a sensory meltdown?I hope I make friends here… but what if they ask me…
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Coping with Recent Media Attention to Sexual Assault, and other Title IX Issues Abroad
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Please note: While this story was written by a student studying in London and offer London-specific resources at the end, the content is relevant for all students, regardless of program location.Recently I have noticed a lot of media attention to issues related to sexual harassment. Each time I visit a social media platform, I see…
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Coping with Recent Terrorist Threats in the U.K.
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This summer, I began to grow nervous about my decision to study abroad in the U.K. A few terrorist attacks occurred at the beginning of the summer, and I was worried I made the wrong choice. Three days after I arrived, there was another attack on the tube at Parson’s Green. While normally at home…
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Cell Phones in the U.K. : A Beginner’s Guide
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IFSA-Butler has a new policy that students must have a cell phone which can send and receive local calls and texts while they are abroad, because it is important to be able to reach them in case of emergency. In the U.K., there are a few options for this. Different plans work for different people,…
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Home Is a Verb: Building a New Life in Galway
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It’s 10:30 am, and I’ve stumbled, bleary-eyed, off the bus into Galway City. The drive from the Shannon Airport to my new apartment’s only about an hour, but it feels more like five. I’ve been sitting on an airplane for almost half a day, and my perception of time and sense of place can’t be…
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England, Exams, Mental Health, and Me
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In England, most classes are assessed by a single exam. That kind of high intensity situation can be very stressful for a neurotypical person; for those with anxiety like me, it can be terrifying. And yet, even knowing this, I chose to study abroad here, and so can you. Part of the reason I chose…
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5 Ways to Survive and Thrive as a Vegetarian Abroad
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“A special note to vegetarians: vegetarians are poorly understood in Latin America, and they are often undernourished.” After reading this sentence in the IFSA-Butler housing application, I began to worry. As someone who has been mostly vegetarian all my life and fully vegetarian for over 5 years, I couldn’t help it as thoughts started running…
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