I can’t really pinpoint where to begin with this beautiful city, but as my second week comes to an end I can only say this place has only amazed me more and more with each passing day.
Residing in the city of Ho Chi Minh and being surrounded by the locals has allowed me to have one heck of an experience thus far. Through the food, the culture and the people I’ve met, this experience has reminded me again how much I love traveling!
When you study abroad, you need to make sure that you also make time to travel in your host country and, hopefully, the surrounding countries as well. Traveling is such a great way to educate yourself. You get to study the culture personally.
As I continued with my studies and made new friends, I was presented with the idea to travel with my friend, Feli. Feli, short for a German name that means happiness, invited me to explore more of China with her. She asked me to come along to see Xi’an.
Nĭ hăo! Wŏ jiào, Nasreen! Hello! I am called, Nasreen! Learning the language Mandarin is incredible! I cannot believe I have never thought to learn it, let alone come explore the Chinese world. But here I am.
After the Chinese New Year, my cousin and I had planned to travel to Taiwan. It was so cool to know that traveling in Asia, while in Asia, is extremely cheap and is a must if you’re planning to stay for a long period of time. This was the first time I’ve traveled without older adults in a foreign place. At least by now I am a pro at packing.
It has always been traditional for me to be at home on New Year’s. This year, I was in two homes for two New Year’s. When I came to China, I did not know that the Lunar New Year was fast approaching (just letting you know beforehand, Chinese New Year started in early February, not January 1).
I am known to be a loud and very smiley extrovert who loves to always see the positive side of things and make the best out of life for others and myself. I am Mexican-Iranian-American in America, but here in China, I am American. But that does not mean I forget who I truly am and what my heritage is while I study in Shanghai, China.
I started writing this on a United Airlines airplane, slowly realizing that I was heading to a new home with only five recognizable faces for the next six months. Things will be difficult – getting adjusted, learning the language, and figuring out Chinese culture. I did not know what to think, except to think about the faces of my loved ones back home. As I arrived in Shanghai, 14 hours later, I was immediately anxious to see China and my Chinese brothers and sisters.
I wanted to encapsulate my experience overseas by compiling a video to share with anyone intrigued by the thought of visiting Thailand someday. Here is a glimpse of the breathtaking landscapes, jovial citizens and beautiful traditions of Chiang Rai, Thailand that I am grateful to have encountered during my Winter Break abroad. Enjoy!
Continue reading “VIDEO: Two Weeks of Teaching and Traveling in Thailand”
I grew up as a military brat with parents in helping professions. Naturally, I have long had the desire to travel the world and contribute to assisting a community in Southeast Asia. For my time abroad, I chose to be a volunteer for International Volunteer HQ in Thailand, where I would teach English for two weeks.
Continue reading “If You Had Two Weeks To Live, Where Would You Go?”
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 