Planes, Trains and New Terrains

As I write this, I am on a plane flying from Prague to Barcelona. A gaze out the window shows an epic view of what I am assuming must be the Swiss Alps among a fringe of clouds. In this moment I feel so much gratitude for the experiences I have had this semester —  and for the fact that I somehow scored an entire row of seats to myself.

The last few weeks have been quite busy with traveling for me. Last weekend was Bologna and Rome in Italy, and the week before was London. The back-to-back traveling has left me a little weary, but my brain usually finds everything funnier when I’m tired, so it’s a fair trade off.

From Fall to Winter

Greetings, friends and family!

These past few weeks I have been taking it easy compared to the previous weeks. I have been spending more time in school, as the season of presentations and critical papers has arrived. I am taking this time to get to know my peers in the master’s program for international affairs.

What I’ve Learned: Starting Your Semester Abroad Search

Believe it or not, I’ll be on my last week of classes by the end of October! That’s followed by a week-long study break and then finals on four separate days throughout early November. And that wraps up my fall semester.

Crazy, right?

But before I really begin that countdown, I’d like to offer a few pointers for those who may be starting their journey for a semester abroad.

The Camaraderie I’ve Found Abroad

Many things have come to mind as I’ve considered the differences between traveling and going to school in Europe, versus back home in the United States. What I have found to be one of the best parts is the sense of community you find when you meet other international students or like-minded travelers. Something about the shared experience of being in another country brings people together in a humbling way.

At my university in Prague, I take classes with students from so many different backgrounds. I have flatmates from France. I have classmates from Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Korea, Germany, Ireland, Croatia, Turkey, India, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, to name a few. The class discussions are fascinating to me because there are so many more opinions and interpretations that come from having such a culturally diverse representation of students.

Actually Studying During Study Abroad? Believe it.

We all know the rumor: “studying abroad doesn’t really require studying!”

Of course, that is at least what I had the notion of when I decided to study abroad. In the past month and a half of being abroad, however, I have been proven wrong to an extent. That is, I do have classes and attendance for all of my courses is mandatory. I have exams, and yes, I have essays to write.

I believe that my experience at SDSU as a student has prepared me well enough to take my studies abroad. It has also prepared me to balance study and travel, and BOY have I been traveling!

I am Finally International!

Greetings from Hungary!!!

Wow, I am finally here and it has in every single way exceeded all expectations that I held for this wondrous journey to Pécs, Hungary.  Immediately on my arrival to Budapest and traveling to Pécs, I met other international students studying in the same city as me. I asked them how it was in Pécs and they gave me descriptions of a beautiful city with rich history, a great ambience and lovely people. They were not wrong at all.

Campus Culture Comparison: Murdoch and SDSU

Around this time of the year in California, classes are just beginning to kick into full swing. A new semester brings on new routines and for some — myself included — the cafe-hopping habit makes its return.

Now in Perth, Australia, it’s the end of Week 7 and mid-semester exams are here. My last two weeks consisted of writing a literature review for my abnormal psychology class as well as studying for a biomechanics midterm. Most of my days were spent in either the campus library or my bedroom. It seems my studying routine has not been so cafe friendly this semester (the weekend brunches are entirely their own thing, of course).

Coming to that realization, I began to rack my brain for some differences I’ve picked up on as a student here in Western Australia.

Back from Hong Kong, Feeling Like a Changed Person

It’s been a week since I’ve returned and wow are things different.

In these few lines of my last blog post, I would like to talk about how study abroad affected me as well as tell you a little more about Hong Kong. If you are thinking about studying abroad in Hong Kong or would just like to learn a lot more about it, I’d also want this to be your best resource.

First, here’s Hong Kong through my eyes.

My Research Program in Hong Kong

Hello again!

In case you have not read my last post, I shall introduce myself again: my name is Sarah and I am a biology major and psychology minor. I’m going into my fourth year this fall and this summer I’m studying abroad in Hong Kong! My study abroad is unique because I am not taking any classes — instead I’m doing research through the Undergraduate Summer Research Program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

My Educational Experience Abroad

My educational experience at the Universidad Adolfo Ibañez in Chile has been fantastic and memorable. It has given me the opportunity to learn and gain new skills that I will be able to take back home with me, and apply them to all aspects of my life.