-
Reflecting on the Chilean Coup D’etat: A Gender Perspective
posted on

History The date September 11th resonates in American hearts, but it resonates in Chilean hearts too. On September 11th, 1973––following an extended period of unrest and political tension––Augusto Pinochet seized power; showering La Moneda Palace, and the democratic government inside it, with bombs and bullets. In 1970 Salvador Allende received 36.6% of the Chilean vote,…
-
Gender Identities and How to Appreciate Them While Abroad
posted on

I used to get judged by people for the way I styled my hair, the way I dressed and the way I behaved. Many people think that I am trying to change my gender identity to a female. My family members as well as my friends think that I am going against the cultural and…
-
Abroad: This is For Me, Not For You…
posted on

Being First Gen My background as a first-generation student has been crucial in determining the experiences I’ve had growing up. For me, being first-generation means coming from a low-income family with immigrant parents; well meaning but unable to give advice on how to navigate the U.S. education system and careers that follow after. It also…
-
How and Why to Laugh and Embarrass Yourself Abroad
posted on

“Será que puedo botar más comida…” “Como, Chris??” my friend exclaimed with her voice climbing octaves in disbelief, cutting me off as I tried to ask for seconds of the food she and her family had cooked up with much love and craft for me to try. I had succeeded not in asking for more food…
-
How Study Abroad Helped my Mental Health and Emotions
posted on

Mental Health Back Home My emotions are something I’ve struggled with a lot in the past. In particular, I feel this at my home university because at Colby I feel stressed and sometimes lonely. Being so far away from home at Colby is hard. I always miss my family and the comfort of Chicago: of…
-
Take the Plunge: Study Abroad as a STEM Student
posted on

“Wouldn’t you rather graduate on time?” This is the question friends would ask me when I told them I wanted to study abroad. “In our major?” fellow Computer Science students would ask. I knew what I was getting myself into—or so I thought. I had the grades, I had the flexible academic window, and I was on…
-
Navigating Relationships Abroad
posted on

Navigating Relationships Abroad: Three Kinds of People You’ll Miss When you leave the country for three months, you take your life into account. Affairs must be put in order: bags packed, calls made, storage containers rented and filled. The practical takes precedence and you become objective in your choices, taking only what you need. Then…
-
From Regret to Optimism: Finding Common Ground in a Foreign Institution
posted on

Re-posted with consent from Lea Morin and the Amherst Global Education blog, Beyond the Bubble: The overarching feeling I’ve had since my journey to London has been one of regret. Leading up to my departure, I was on campus working and observing the start of the Fall semester at Amherst as an outsider. I didn’t get to share…
-
Engaging in Art as a STEM Student Abroad
posted on

My Motivations to Study Abroad One of the widely advertised aspects of studying abroad is the necessity of having diverse experiences and trying new things. When I was applying to universities abroad, one of my main goals was to enjoy a new sort of university life that is distinctively different from my home university. After…
-
How I Made The Most of My Academics Abroad
posted on

How I Made The Most of My Academics Abroad Decision to Study Abroad as a STEM Major One of the locations of my Marine Biology lab practicals. We went to Maroubra beach and collected data on the algae along the rocky shores. Studying abroad in college was something I knew that I wanted to experience.…