It is my personal belief that our highest calling as spiritual beings of this world is love.
This is true no matter your religion, political opinion or past transgressions in life. The simplest summary of my spirituality is that we are called to love ourselves deeply, others as a reflection of ourselves and the world as an even greater and clearer reflection of us all. And that love will always find its way back to us.
Reciprocity.
In less than two weeks, I’ll board a plane, spend a lot of hours in the air and arrive home in California. It’s strange to think about returning to the U.S. It’s my home country, yet it’s such a different world from here.
I believe that once you have an experience where you learn and grow and stretch yourself, you can never go back to being exactly the person you were before.
Continue reading “Some Reflections After Two Months in Madagascar”
In a midst of the hustlin’ and bustlin’ Ho Chi Minh City, I was able to capture bits and pieces of life here in Vietnam. From the outskirts of Mui Ne to the lively nightlife in District 1 there is something for everyone.
Let me show you around!
During my time in Madrid, I thought to myself, “Why do I need to study abroad?”
As a kinesiology major, international experience is not something I thought I would need. However, during my experience with International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), I was able to answer my own question.
I brought a camera and a journal with me to record my experiences each day. Being able to reflect on day-to-day adventures, I found that I grew knowledgeable about Spanish culture and even myself. So let me take you through some pictures of my wonderful experience in Madrid, Spain.
Five weeks down, five to go!
While my first two weeks in Madagascar actually felt like two weeks, the next three weeks passed so quickly that I can’t believe I’m already halfway done with my time here. Since I’m here for 10 weeks total, I have the unique opportunity to watch many different sets of volunteers come and go. It’s been wonderful to meet and get to know people from all over the world, but it also means that most of them will leave long before I do. It’s really nice to have friends who are here for a longer period of time like I am, but I enjoy getting to know everyone no matter how long their stay is.
A lot has happened in the past few weeks, but here are some highlights.
Continue reading “Basketball, Construction and Volunteer Life in Madagascar”
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!
This being my first time in Europe, I didn’t know what to expect. Without expectations to color my experience, Madrid is absolutely blowing me away.
I’ve been keeping a journal to record my travels and write about my activities every day, including my time volunteering and how I spend my free time. Each day has been an adventure with new surprises!
Mbola tsara from Madagascar!
Most days this summer, you’ll find me hiking through the forest on a tiny tropical island called Nosy Komba, located off the northwest coast of Madagascar. I’m volunteering with an organization called Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute, doing forest conservation work in a threatened type of rainforest called sambirano. Despite the hot and humid weather, the absurd number of mosquito bites on my legs and the occasional pangs of homesickness for the people and places I’ve left behind, I’m incredibly glad to be here.
I’ve met some really cool people from all over the world, I’m learning new skills while helping to protect a valuable forest ecosystem, and I get to live in a beautiful location all summer.
It has been about a month since I arrived here and I can’t believe it has been that long. I must admit that I miss my parents, my friends and my school.
Despite the nostalgia, I could not be happier about finally accomplishing my dream of studying in South Korea. I am loving my experience so far and I am anxious to keep learning and discovering more about this beautiful country.
At SDSU, I had never taken a proactive role to be part of the campus community — not because I didn’t care or want to, but because of other responsibilities. However, to make the most of my experience in Korea, I decided to be part of a club where I could feel involved and establish friendships with Korean students.
Continue reading “Making New Friends — and Making a Difference — in Korea”
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”
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 