This Week Abroad
Blogs Abroad: Que Tengas Suerte - Take Care!
This is Arcadia's weekly roundup of highlights from student blogs abroad.
This week, we have two farewell posts. It's that time of year and our students' semesters are starting to come to a bittersweet conclusion. Both Brenda and Yasaman in Barcelona treat us to heartfelt goodbyes and reflections on their transformative times abroad in Spain. Jillian also sees the writing on the wall, in terms of her semester abroad, but it's not time for her to go yet. This week she thrills us with stories of her travels before finals.
But it's not the end for everyone. Alison has two posts for us: one describing what an average week looks like for her and one about how consequential her excursion with Arcadia to Northern Ireland was. Remy examines the contentious social climate in South Africa right now and deems that it needs therapy, while Eien contemplates a major change in their life.
Que Tengas Suerte - Take Care!
"Being in Barcelona, Spain for twelve weeks has been a crazy experience that I will not forget. I remember my first day traveling. I took a 13-hour flight during which my luggage was lost. I thought it was a sign that my first time abroad would not be a good experience. However, my study abroad program made me feel welcomed in Barcelona right away. Soon after, I knew I was going to have the time of my life.
Throughout the twelve weeks, I was able to build relationships with my professors, the program and my peers. With them, I visited many historic sites such as la Sagrada Família, Tibidabo and Palau de la Música Catalana. I learned so much about Barcelona over the course of the four months and I feel like there is so much more to explore. I plan to stay after the program and visit other cities in Spain as well as travel to other countries in Europe."
NO ONE WORD CAN DESCRIBE IT
"So I’ve been home for about a week now and it’s pretty crazy to start to process my last four months. Initially, I arrived home and everything felt back to normal— especially because I didn’t experience jet lag and I went right back into my normal schedule and just had a ton of reunions. Now that life is starting to slow down again and get back to how it was before, I can start to think about what these past four months have meant for me."
Putting on a Show: South Africa Needs Therapy
Remy in Cape Town, South Africa
"Last week while talking with a friend on campus, she said something that has been stuck in my head. Within the few months that I have been here, the push to change South Africa has manifested in several events and daily happenings around the country. The country is so dynamic, which is exciting coming from the states. However, this can be overwhelming. The country is facing an endless list of social issues and contemporary challenges such as a failing education system, high unemployment rates, the electricity crisis, and lack of healthcare for poor communities. There has been electrical load shedding, clear institutional racism, the #RhodesMustFall movement (and subsequent statue removal) xenophobic attacks in Durban, and a recent bus violence incident in the township of Nyanga in Cape Town."
WEEK BY WEEK
"I attend the National University of Ireland: Galway. The large school of about 17,000 students total is home to approximately 400 American students this semester, several hundred Erasmus students (study abroad students from other European countries), and native Irish students. For the semester, I am taking a collaboration of history and an Irish Studies course in addition to a Women’s Studies course and a Global Marketing course.
Since each week varies depending on extra-curricular activities or events, my class schedule, and weekend travel or activities in Galway, I do not have a typical week in Galway. That is what I appreciate about studying abroad. Each day is entirely different and full of possibility and adventure. But while my weekends are spent either enjoying life in Galway or gallivanting across Ireland or another country for a few days, my weekdays are spent in classes."
LEFT WITH A HUMBLED HEART
"Of all of my trips through the semester, the trip to Belfast tugged at my heartstrings the most and opened my eyes to a culture damaged by chaos and violence yet living life in the moment. I was excited to visit the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland and go with several of my friends from Arcadia. I had no idea that the trip would leave such a lasting impact on me."
ART
Eien in Wollongong, New Zealand
"One of the first things I thought about when I got here was the stars; the fact that I am halfway across the world and can still find Orion's belt. One night, me and some friends walked home from campus and all I could do was stare at the stars because it's just so weird and cliché to have that thought of "this is the same sky." It sounds really dumb, but it’s such a real observation."
LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN!
"It is so weird to think that school ends here the last week in March, you get a month break, then go back to take finals! At least at the university I am studying at (University of Westminster) that is how it is done. On April 4th I got ready to celebrate my Spring Break being abroad, and it was the best break I have ever had. I am so lucky that I not only made lifelong friends that I was able to travel with, but also having this amazing once in a life time opportunity. Not everyone could say they were able to explore the world!"