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Mi Familia Chilena: How I Found Home After Being Uprooted Abroad
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About a month and a half into my semester abroad, I had to switch host families for reasons beyond my control. While this experience was disorienting and stressful, in the end it turned out about as well as it could have, and it revealed a lot to me about the support network that IFSA-Butler cultivates…
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The Best of Two Continents – Cultivating Your Image Abroad
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Never in my wildest childhood dreams did I think that I’d pull a Hannah Montana and get The Best of Both Worlds– or in my case, the best of two continents. I’m not quite sure what I expected when I went abroad. Part of me had grasped the concept of starting a new- sort of -life, but I hadn’t…
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Hooked on Abroad
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Fishing is a perplexing hobby. It requires hours of patience, often ends in failure and even when successful, offers only a few short seconds of action. Yet, it is a pursuit that I have truly grown to love. I find the act of fishing fulfilling for two main reasons: it provides a strong connection with nature and it gives…
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Predominantly Catholic Ireland Faces a Controversial Vote on Abortion
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As I watched the festive St. Patrick’s Day parade jubilantly marching through the streets, I learned that 2018 marks the 100th year of the women’s right to vote. Many of the groups in the parade chose to display a reflection of women taking action and gaining rights; many enthusiastically shouted that a woman’s place is in…
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Peru, Biology and Biochemistry: Tips for Studying Abroad
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STEM students have long been underrepresented in study abroad. Up until recently, students majoring in or studying science, math, or engineering were, for the majority, unable to participate in study abroad due to the nature of their course loads. STEM majors often have a specific track they need to follow, with courses specific to the department which need…
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Let’s Get Real About Study Abroad: It’s Hard, and that’s Exactly Why You Should Do It
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When people ask me how my semester abroad was, they are sometimes shocked that I don’t immediately respond with, “Amazing!” or, “Incredible!” or, “The best five months of my life!” Most of them are family members or friends who haven’t studied abroad before, so they have the same idealistic image of study abroad that I…
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An American in Cuba – Cultural Immersion
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The Privileges of an American Student in Cuba “American,” or what it means to “be an American” is not an idea I had ever truly stopped to consider. Prior to my semester abroad in Cuba, I had barely traveled outside the United States–a trip to Paris when I was six-months-old (which I continue to debate…
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Handling Illness While Abroad
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No matter how carefully students approach study abroad, illness and injury are often an unavoidable part of the experience. Visiting a doctor’s office in a foreign country can be both intimidating and stressful, however taking care of your physical health while abroad is extremely important, and experiencing a new healthcare system, while never ideal, can…
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Going to Therapy Where English isn’t the Dominant Language
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Going abroad when you struggle with mental health or are used to a certain style of healthcare can be a daunting idea, especially if you’d like to study abroad where English isn’t the native language. Luckily, if you’re considering Buenos Aires, Argentina, you have some great options! In 2005, the World Health Organization ranked Argentina…
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From Aloha to Kia Ora
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Long before I set foot in New Zealand, while I was still waiting to hear back from IFSA and conducting preliminary research on the place where I would soon spend five months studying and exploring, I assumed that New Zealand would be very similar to my home in Hawaii. Afterall, how different could this Pacific…