It is amazing to see how fast time goes by when you are abroad. I’ve been in Australia for two months already and only have two months left before I go back to Venezuela. As I enter the mid semester, the uni (as Aussies call it) has been getting pretty tough. The work load has…
Month: September 2015
Visiting Ancient Caesarea
We went on a group trip to the ancient port city of Caesarea, about an hour north of Tel Aviv by bus. It was built by King Herod around 13BCE to improve relations with the Roman Empire. The original structures were mostly destroyed during the many different times the city was captured. It saw many…
Settling in
I’ve been in Reutlingen, Germany for the past couple of weeks, and classes still haven’t started yet. I’ve done an intensive German language course, which ended last week and just finished orientation. It’s been frustrating, especially since I’ve been watching my friends talk about their classes, that they’ve been in for a month, and actually…
A World of New Food
I have been in Shanghai for a little under a month now. This is incredible city that is growing at an extremely fast rate. People from all over china flock to this city in hopes to hop on the growing train of success that is occurring in Shanghai. These people bring many things, culture, music,…
Meeting Niall from One Direction!
My friend Ana and I decided to go to South Kensington for dinner, since it is only two tube stops away from our house. After dinner we were walking around when we spotted Niall Horan from the boy band One Direction. There was no crowd or commotion around him, which is what I would’ve expected,…
Is This Really Happening?
Here it is a day before my arrival in London. This time tomorrow I will have already settled down into my cozy suite on campus and absorbed my fill of orientation information. To say I am excited is to say the least. This is my first time out of the country. (Caribbean cruises don’t count…
Armando Abroad: “But they kill Christians there!”
While I never thought I would face physical danger for not being Muslim, I admit I was unsure about how to identify religiously while on this trip: would it be better to identify as “Catholic” since I was raised as one or frankly express my atheism? Maybe I should just stay as far away from…
change of scenery
I have moved Homestays since my last report. I am much closer to school and have a family more of what I asked for. I have three younger siblings under the age of 12 along with a homestay mom. The setting is a lot more relaxed and I am much happier with the new accommodations….
Stinky Tofu and White Snakes
Fields of rice paddies alongside a dirt road; elderly locals cooking and selling unique food on streets; the smell of tea plants during their peak season; cloudy mountains hovering in the landscape, preserved forests and waterways; tiny boats paddling down a canal lined with close-knit homes; traditional art being protected and displayed; public dancing and martial arts; the Beijing opera, folk stories and pipa…
Just a Mid-Sized City Girl, Living in a Mountain World
She took the 9:15pm Plane, Going to Heathroooooow. Pardon my singing, but it’s been a long trip and I didn’t warm up. Let me start this off by saying I started this blog post on the plane while watching Inside Out. I can’t believe it’s only been ten days since that sleep deprived ride. Living in…