We’re Back!

It’s been a while, but the Interstudy Blog is back in action! Like all of the little furry animals here in New England, we’ve been hibernating all winter, but have no fear… it is finally Spring and we are ready to blog again! Help us get back into the blogging world by subscribing to our blog! All you have to do is click FOLLOW and then you will receive email notifications when we post new blog posts. It’s as easy as that! If you love blogs so much, you can even subscribe to the blogs of our partner organization, ISA! There’s the ISA Study Abroad Student Blog and the ISA Today- Official Blog of ISA. Stay tuned for more blog posts!

Celebrating Thanksgiving… Study Abroad Style

Thanksgiving might be the quintessential American holiday. Many of us have grown up with the smells of turkey, mashed potatoes, and fresh pies baking on this day of thanks. If you’re currently abroad, or are planning on studying abroad during the Fall semester, you might find yourself feeling nostalgic for home on Thanksgiving Day and wishing that you could wake up to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade, watch some football, and fill yourself full of hearty foods until it’s time to take a nap.

Getting to Know Historical Grahamstown, South Africa

International students in front of the Drostdy Arch.

Grahamstown is situated in the heart of Frontier Country; with the arrival of the 1820 settlers it became an important military post for the English. Traces of this history can still be found today. La Trattoria, the Italian restaurant that is fully booked every Tuesday in anticipation of its weekly 2 for 1 pasta special, is located in one of the oldest buildings in town. The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George, where a friend and I have attended Sunday services, is decorated with plaques celebrating the exploits of colonialists; racial and ethnic offensive language has been permanently covered by strips of marble. High Street was designed to be wide enough for horse-drawn wagons to turn around in.

Realizations After a Semester in Cape Town

After four months in Cape Town, I realize that I have a terrible sense of humor. I stuck to my guns, but my guns apparently weren’t funny. This cuts me deep and is making me rethink things. I arrived in Cape Town in July and fell in love with this place instantly. The sprawling city, the diverse and interesting people (and their accents), the breath-taking scenery. Oh, and the bars and clubs. What’s not to love?

Amsterdam is in South Africa?

One of the things that I love most about my experience in Durban is the glimpse of small-town living I get every once in a while. Even though Durban has over 500,000 residents, there are several regular hangouts where I always see familiar faces.

Living the London Life

Westminster Abbey

It has been about two and half weeks since I have arrived in London. So far, everything has been good. Sightseeing has been amazing and it is fun seeing things that you see only in movies or on TV. Walking up to Westminster Abby and seeing it in person was a breathtaking experience.

Figuring out where to go was my first major challenge. I come from a place where you have to drive no matter what. So coming to London where public transportation is everywhere is a cool and daunting experience. I live within walking distance of a train station, which is very nice. Learning the transport system here really helps make the adjustment much easier.

Interstudy and ISA Announce Strategic Partnership

Today, Interstudy is pleased to report that we have formed a strategic partnership with International Studies Abroad (ISA), based in Austin, Texas. ISA is one of the largest study abroad providers in the United States.

ISA is known for the on-site support services they provide, and the strategic partnership will provide enhanced support services for students studying with Interstudy, as well as additional resources for Interstudy programs.

Life After Study Abroad Conference – DC Area

The Life After Study Abroad Conference, will be held at the George Washington University on Saturday, September 22nd. Students from institutions in the region are invited to attend and can sign up with RideShareto to carpool with other students.

The program includes:

*Workshops* help students take the experiences from abroad and turn them into concrete skills to demonstrate to employers.

*Panel discussions* illustrate ways to adjust to life in back in the US, furthering reflection on the international experience. Plus, they share tips on finding ways to teach and volunteer abroad, and how to develop an international career.

*Resume critiques* provide feedback about how to incorporate international experiences into a professional presentation.

*Networking reception at the Embassy of Spain* lets students connect with peers and professionals who have similar experiences and interests.

All information, including registration, can be found on the conference website. Also, you can find the conference on Facebook or Twittter!

Sticking to What You Know

I was going to write about the fun stuff I’ve been doing since I arrived in Cape Town. I was going to write about adjusting to a massive school like UCT. I wanted to talk about the exciting things I’ve done and seen- the whales, the baboons, the penguins, lions, wine tasting, peri-peri, the Old Biscuit Mill, bungy jumping, backpackers, the Garden route, the night life. I really did. But then I started looking around and found something far more worthwhile to write about at this time.

Township Walk

The university system in South Africa of course has its differences from that of the United States, but the similarities are clear: I attend classes, write papers, and study for exams. One course, however, has its students buzzing and pushes the boundaries of my comfort zone every day.

Joy, the lecturer for my anthropology class on Power and Wealth, has challenged us to take control of the course and our own education. She doesn’t give us lecture notes, she doesn’t assign weekly readings. We bow to each other at the beginning of every class to recognize each other’s knowledge and perspectives. We have discussions ranging from the feminization of poverty to the recent Student Representative Council elections on campus to racism in South Africa. Someone posts on the class Facebook page almost daily.