An experience where I felt I had to adjust to an aspect of my host culture (France), was the transparency that French people hold. In the US, sugar-coating is a much more common practice. In Aix-en-Provence, France, I lived in a homestay with a French family and an American suitemate my age who was also…
Final Blog Post – Moroccan Adventure
After living in Morocco for the past four months, I continue to be fascinated by the overall sense of community found in each city I traveled to. Whether you look like me, you’re African American, Asian, or any other race, you’re more than welcome to be apart of the North African community. On the streets,…
Final Blog Post – Letters to America
When studying abroad, I was surprised by how slow-paced the lifestyle in Italy was. Whether it was going up to pay for the check or trying to go into a certain store during “riposo”, an early afternoon break for shops, the average person lived a more relaxed and conscious life. People took pride in seeing…
Pre-departure to the University of Newcastle
One aspect of the U.S. culture is the reliance on meal plans at college. It is very common for a college student to have some kind of meal plan while on campus. The college I attend in America offers an unlimited swipe plan, a 15-swipe plan, a 10-swipe plan, or a 5-swipe plan if the…
Final Blog Post
Something that kind of confused me about Australian culture is how much more laid back the society is. America is so fast-paced, I always feel in a rush to get things done, but Aussies view life a little bit differently. For example, if it was a nice sunny day out, you would find many businesses…
Final Blog Post – SIT South Africa
During my study abroad time in South Africa, I worked in a community health clinic in a township of Durban called Inanda. I was working as an intern/volunteer in which I would observe and assist health professionals in treating patients from the Inanda community. Before entering this setting, I learned about the healthcare system in…
Final Blog Post
Traveling to Rome was an unforgettable experience. With any experience comes hard adjustments and since this was my first time traveling anywhere I definitely faced some challenges. There were aspects in my host country that I was not used to and had to adjust to very quickly. A big adjustment for me was the sense…
Final Blog
After being home for a while now, it has given me time to reflect on my experience abroad in Italy. To say the least, it was an incredible time and I was very thankful for the opportunity to go. While in Italy, I got to visit 5 different countries and a bunch of different cities…
Final Blog – Back in USA from AUS
No matter what culture one comes from or enters there are going to be similarities and differences. The important aspect is to be open minded and not come in with expectations. Even though I did this, some aspects took a moment to adjust to such as the sense of humor for most Australians, it is…
SIT International Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality
This past fall I was able to study abroad in Amsterdam in a program through SIT called “International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender.” My program was based in The Netherlands but we also spent a few weeks traveling throughout Morocco. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in both countries and learned to think about gender studies…