-
Differences between classes in the UK versus US
posted on

Going into classes on my first day in London, I was nervous to see what was in store. I knew there were differences between the grading scales, I expected bigger classes, and I heard there were less tests. All of these were true. Difference #1: Arrival times I walked into my first class about 15…
-
Hombres Outnumbered: Men Studying Abroad with IFSA
posted on

It’s a common and generally true perception: more women than men study abroad. Based on available statistics using legal sex data, IFSA’s enrollment for the Fall and Academic Year 2019 programs included twice as many female students as male. Current Spring 2020 enrollment currently sits even more unbalanced. On the Fall 2019 IFSA Peru program, there are…
-
Black History Month in Northern England
posted on

Heritage months are a time for the public to learn, celebrate and focus on various, oftenmarginalized populations within their communities. As a cultural studies major and more importantly, an African American woman, Black HistoryMonth holds a significant place in my heart. In the UK, Black History was launched in the 1980s, not surprisingly in London.…
-
Learning to Live Independently from Home
posted on

Freshman Year When I made the decision to study abroad I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy transition. I am a homebody who has never lived more than a few hours away from my family. My first few weeks at college back home were spent calling home basically every free minute I had.…
-
How to Explore yourself by Going Camping in Australia
posted on

I went camping during my study abroad program at University of Sydney in Australia. This camping trip was to the Basin campground in Ku-Ring-Gai National Park arranged by the Myanmar Cultural Society from the university. It was during the mid-semester break, and the camping trip was both affordable and enjoyable. Plus, it was not very far from the city…
-
Living Gluten Free in Peru
posted on

For the past couple of months, Sophie has been adapting her gluten- and dairy- free lifestyle to Peru; one of the most food-focused countries in the world. Sophie has celiac disease and is lactose intolerance. In Lima there is increasing awareness of dietary restrictions and a growing market for gluten- and dairy-free products. However, it still hasn’t reached the…
-
Learning How to Swim in Troubled Waters
posted on

Life is truly unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen, when it’ll happen, or where you’ll end up. In some cases, this means being granted some of the best blessings in life; exploring countries you never thought you’d ever see. In other cases, this means dealing with hardships that derail you from everything you…
-
Exploring Racial and Ethnic Identity as an International Student Studying Abroad
posted on

Studying abroad can be a very exciting, yet daunting experience. I’ve always had wanderlust and thus knew I had to study abroad. As a British international student pursuing an undergraduate degree for the last three years in the United States, I knew that was not enough for me. I wanted to experience somewhere new, somewhere…
-
Yes! Extroverts Get Culture Shock Too
posted on

I had been anxiously awaiting my semester abroad so much that I didn’t sleep the night before my 7 a.m. flight to London. I’ll admit I was too tired to do my normal fidgeting on the plane but once I touched down in the U.K. I felt a wash of relief and assurance that the…
-
Being One of the Few Men in K-pop Culture
posted on

It was four years ago when I started listening to K-pop music. I have actually been in touch with K-pop since I was around 8 or 9 because my sister always opened K-pop songs at home. Before getting into K-pop, I had a lot of stereotypes about it. However, as a dancer myself, I had a chance to…