A Study-Abroad Reflection

Now that I’ve officially been back in the States for 2 weeks, I’ve run into many people who ask the same question over and over: How was Ireland??? For the first few people I ran into at the grocery store, I tried to sum up my experience the best and quickest way I could without losing their attention. However, I soon learned that no explanation could suffice. Although I can genuinely tell these people that I had a great time and enjoyed my experience, I will never be able to sufficiently explain everything that affected me in Ireland because no one will be able to understand but me. Although kissing the Blarney Stone, visiting the Belfast peace wall and traveling all over Europe played a very big role in my experience, I believe it is more the little things I encountered day to day that will stick with me the longest and will continue to shape how I act and view the world.

Voting Abroad

The US Presidential Elections will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. On that day, many of us will be waiting in line at our local school, senior center, or town hall to cast our vote. But what happens if you’re still abroad? Well, the short answer is… your vote still counts!

Students who are preparing to go abroad this Fall semester should plan on voting with an “Absentee Ballot”. Obtained through your voting state, an Absentee Ballot is sent to you in advance of the election, with enough time for you to send the ballot back before elections begin.

The Last of Ireland

As I lie in bed, unable to sleep the night before I return to the States, I think about what I’ll miss most about Ireland. When my Irish roommates asked me the question at dinner, I couldn’t give them an immediate answer.  The truth is I can’t pick out a few aspects of the country that I know I’ll long for once back in the States. Rather, it’s the whole Irish environment and character I’ll miss the most.

Post Botswana Reflection

I can’t believe that my time in Botswana has come to a close and that I am back home in the United States.  Every day I think about the time I had there and all those who I met.  Settling back into the lifestyle here has been somewhat difficult in that so much is completely different.  The classroom culture, for example, is nothing like it is at my home school.  At the University of Botswana, the due dates are not clear, tardiness is not a problem (most of the time the professors were even late), and sometimes the students would go off on a tangent speaking Setswana.
The transportation, as well, is nothing like home.  Taking combis and calling cabs was the only way to get anywhere other than walking unless you knew a friend with a car, and often times us students would walk very long distances.  There was something pleasant about that though and about the insecurities of taking public transportation, as silly as that may seem.  And wow, although I loved my time in Botswana and consider it one of the greatest experiences of my life, it is definitely good to come home to the food that I am used to.  But even though there isn’t much variety or choice in what you are eating in Botswana, I still find myself craving foods like pop and the paphatas.

A Scholar Among Us!

The Gilman Scholarship awards offered for Summer 2012 have been announced.

Congratulations to Interstudy student, Kellie Lam for winning an award! Kellie will be studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College (Durban) this Summer.

Read more about the scholarship and how to apply here: http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program