¡Bienvenidos! My name is Eva and I am about 5 days away from the greatest adventure of my life. Initially, through the application process, all I could feel was the utmost excitement at the very thought of living in Costa Rica. The more newsletters, e-mails and books I read, the more excited I became. I thought gee, I grew up in Los Angeles, what could better prepare you for life in a Spanish-speaking country? I had a Spanish-speaking babysitter, tons of Spanish-speaking friends, I even went to quinciñeras and bilingual masses. I was the epitome of a non-Hispanic, Hispanic. Despite the fact that I was not in the least bit Mexican, I immersed myself into my community and never thought twice about it. After about 6 years of studying the language in addition to that, you might think I would feel confident in my abilities. I felt so ready and anticipated the experience as the highlight of my college experience.

Now, I find myself less than a week away, feeling like I’m wearing a blindfold in a game of tag. I’m re-reading newsletters, e-mails and books, but still feel like nothing can truly prepare you for such an experience. I’m going to look to engage myself in many varied extracurriculars while I’m there- soccer, surfing, futsal, etc. I cannot wait to meet my host family and experience the Costa Rican way of life with them. I am enthusiastically anticipating the meals with my family to be some of the most delicious meals I’ve had because I am particularily fond of Hispanic food. I know my expericences will undoubtubly exceed my expectations but we must wait and see.I want to pack my life into my suitcase, take my Spanish-speaking friend as a translator and bring all my family and friends along with me! As I near my departure, I know that nothing will be certain, everything will be new and my best option is to be as open-minded as possible and embrace the country and culture as a long lost friend. Until we meet again, ¡Adios!

Hi Everybody!

My name is Megana, and I am looking forward to a exciting semester in Santiago, Chile. But before I go, I would like to share a little bit about myself. I’ll make it quick so I don’t bore anyone.

I am a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am majoring in International Studies, with a concentration in pre-Med. I am still not entirely sure about what career path I’d like to pursue, but I’m looking into all my options.

I live with my mother in a suburb of Chicago, but I also frequently travel to New York to visit my sister and her husband. I have become very close with my family, especially in the past few years after my father passed away.

Currently, my favorite shows are “How I Met Your Mother” and “30 Rock”. To anyone in need of a good laugh, I would definitely recommend watching these shows. And I will try to continue to watch this show in Chile. Thank you internet. However, this season, these shows have been slightly sub-par. Maybe try season 2?

I don’t read too many books, but I make sure I keep myself updated on current events by reading news magazines and internet articles. I love listening to music, as long as it’s not anything too depressing. And I also enjoy dancing and singing (mostly in the shower in order to avoid making a fool of myself due to my lack of talent). But I feel that when a song has meaningful lyrics, music truly has the power to inspire those who listen to it. Hence, the High School Musical reference in the title of this post.

Anyway, as I embark on this Chilean adventure, I look forward to documenting my experiences and sharing more about myself.

Besos,

Megana

During the IFSA Butler study abroad Wales orientation in London, the day of the Presidential Inauguration came and everyone was very excited, not just the Americans but basically everyone we met that day. The orientation leader thankfully changed our schedule around so we could all watch the ceremony. Around four, after the IFSA Butler staff helpfully informed us on what living in the U.K. would be like and how the education system differs from the U. S., we walked to a pub off the busy streets of London. Not to my surprise, the pub was packed full of people whom all had the same agenda of watching the U. S. president being sworn into office.

Since I’ve been here, I’ve noticed that U.S. politics are as popular to the British people as their own politics. I believe this is the case because the U.S. is still the world super-power and the way that the U.S. is run will ultimately affect the U.K. in some form. A perfect example of this is the recession that is currently taking place in both nations.

As we were watching the inauguration, a prayer was said during the ceremony before the president was sworn in. Being that there were Christians, atheists, and Jewish people in the orientation group, the discussion of religion came up. It was said that in Britain, religion is completely left out of politics, which is very different from the U.S. Many members of the group were expressing their opinions of bringing religion into politics and disagreed with the idea completely. Five minutes later I looked outside the pub and noticed a red double-decker bus with an advertisement on the side which read “There probably is no God, so stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Later, I realized that this quote was on almost every red double-decker bus in London. I was taken back by this because I was so used to seeing “Jesus Saves” quotes around so many places in the U.S. which has a completely opposite meaning. At this point I realized how the views of the majority in the U.S. compared to the views in Britain are very different when it comes to religion.

A recent poll taken among 1600 British school children showed that the person the kids looked up to the most was Simon Cowell with God coming in at sixth on the list behind Harry Potter and Santa Claus. If the same poll was done in the U.S., it would be interesting to compare the views of the children among the two nations. I wonder how different the ratings would be if religion was left out of U.S. politics as well.

Another part of the British Government that struck my attention is the political party of the majority. Britain is overall a liberal nation. For example, the issue of abortion is rarely brought up in British politics because it is generally accepted by the people so there is hardly any discussion on the topic. If I was at my home University talking to a group of my peers and said I was pro-choice I would have to defend my position because the majority would be pro-life. On the other hand, If I was at Cardiff University in Wales and said I was pro-life to my peers, they would wonder why because most of them would have views of the opposite. When looking at the extremes of the left and right wings among the political parties of both nations, the extreme right wing that exists in the U.S. cannot be found in Britain. For instance, if Sarah Palin tried to run for any position in the British government, they would think it was a joke. There would never be a spot for someone like Sarah Palin because her beliefs are too far right wing compared to the other views that are held in the British Government.

In so many ways, the U.S. and Britain are very similar but different at the same time. After living here for almost 2 months now, the differences are becoming very clear. One of my Psychology instructors at Cardiff said that by only living in another culture can you understand your own more clearly. I am currently finding this statement to be very true. All of the different views on politics and religion have made me re-evaluate my own opinions on such topics and have helped me define who I am as a person. Before I came over here, everyone said that you will find yourself while studying in Wales which I thought was kind of cliché and cheesy at first but you really do. Now I am living by this quote that I came across the other day that said “Sometimes you have to get lost to find yourself.”

A week after I arrived, a few others and I were in Weymouth, a city on the Southeast Coast of England. One day we decided to go off-Roding. To those of you who don’t know what this is, you basically get a land rover and drive it on trails that test it’s limits and see how well it can drive through mud, sand, water, sand, and etc.; basically trails that any car shouldn’t really go on unless you’re willing to let the car take a beating. A taste for adventure is key before going off-Roding as well. At the start of the day, the first trail we went on was right on the beach. Being that it was the first time I saw England’s Seaside, all I wanted to do was stop the group and just sit on the beach and take in the sight. Being the only girl this wouldn’t have gone over too smoothly, so we started driving. The first trail was really easy so my first thought of off-Roding was that it wasn’t too extreme, Not at all actually. Of course, this was before I knew what was to lie ahead of us. We worked our way up the hills, finding different trails on our way. The higher we climbed in the hills, the thicker the frost became on the trees and more fog formed. Again, I was taken back by the beautiful views of Weymouth’s countryside. Soon enough, we were at the next trail. This trail looked like it was right from a scene of Jurassic Park. It was dark with these huge trees and vines that hung down on the trail that was basically mud. There was a wall of rock on each side of us as well. The trail was almost impossible to drive on but we decided to try it anyway. At the start it was very bumpy and really fun. We approached this rock which was impossible to drive over so we got out and moved it ourselves so we could keep driving, not thinking about the huge likelihood that more rocks like it would lie ahead. As we continued forward, the walls of rock seemed to be closing in on us as the mud and rocks got bigger. It was loads of fun, until we got stuck. I think we all saw it coming with the looks of the trail from the very beginning. After getting completely muddy in our efforts to get the Land Rover unstuck, we achieved our goal and unanimously decided that the Land Rover was in dyer need of a wash and to call it a day. This day was very exciting and I am just overjoyed that I lived through it! I would happily do it again while I’m studying in Wales.

Today is for the most important of activities – relaxation.  The past week and a half has been filled with wonderful friends, great explorations, and plenty of lessons.  Any attempt to explain in full detail what I’m experiencing would be futile, so I’ll try and give you just a tasty sampling.
Transitioning to New Zealand has been a growing experience.  I’ve lived life on the road, away from any semblance of home, but this has been completely new.  After enjoying (no sarcasm) a twelve-hour plane ride and going through a very lax customs procedure, I stepped out into the warm Auckland air on the 31st of January.  I arrived a few days early so that I could get a feel for this unique city, so I came with only a phone number, a hope, and a prayer.  The kiwis are very friendly people, though, and I had little trouble finding my way.  For the next two days I roamed Auckland, the City of Sails.
The city is very beautiful, situated amidst mountains and islands.  The first day I ferried out to Rangitoto, a volcanic island absolutely covered in trees and volcanic rock. The summit afforded a spectacular view of Auckland, the surrounding coastline, and the bay.   Even more stunning was the utter silence and darkness of the nearby lava caves.  On day two I biked around (and managed to get a flat tire three miles away) and sailed the harbor with a group on an America’s Cup yacht.  Afterwards, I found out that the wind was about twice as strong as the boat’s capacity, but a confident crew can make even the worst of situations look completely in control.  The ozone isn’t particularly thick here, so even with sunscreen my winter-toned skin was getting a little rosy.
Next came IFSA-Butler study abroad New Zealand orientation.  These three days on the Whangaparoa peninsula nurtured the formation of friendships with other Butler participants that will no doubt grow into meaningful relationships.  And it was the perfect introduction to the place they call nature’s playground.  Our lodge was surrounded by hills, beaches, cliffs, and all varieties of natural phenomena.  I got to know some awesome people while enjoying great activities.  We enjoyed kayaking, orienteering, swimming, coasteering, and rugby, among other things.  Some of us even got to stand on the steam pipe of a shipwreck in the bay!  While doing this I think we realized that all of us had a certain piece of our personalities that we held in common.  While I can’t pin it to one word, the characteristics of being venturesome, active, and eager all seem to capture a little bit of that quality.  As I said, these are awesome people, and I enjoyed every minute with them.
The final night of orientation occurred at a marae south of Auckland.  The marae is the traditional meeting/sleeping/living grounds of the Maori people.  Perhaps the most entertaining part of the night happened when a group performed for us a mix of song and dance dating far back in Maori history.  No one would disagree (especially not the ladies) that the best part was the co-performance by the Maori performers and the IFSA-Butler guy students of the haka, the (shirtless) war dance.  I lost my voice after three minutes of the haka, so I marveled at those manly Maori men who used to scream it out for half an hour at a time.  Of course, the Maori are not without their fine culture as well.  We heard history from the Maori perspective from a woman who was instrumental in reviving Maori culture in the 1970’s.  It was a rare privilege to hear.
Our arrival into Dunedin was greeted with cheers and celebration. For months in preparation to begin studying abroad in New Zealand, I’ve been reading about Dunedin, talking about Dunedin, dreaming about Dunedin.  Now my destination was spread before me – and just like my arrival into Auckland, I felt a little lost.   But the city is closed in by hills on every side, which makes it cozy and close, provided you have enough warm clothes.  So literally and metaphorically, I’m living on the other side of the hill – a completely different place.
We wasted no time exploring – getting to know the city, our neighbors, and trying to find internet service.  Although I still under-appreciate many facets of the American lifestyle, the abundant availability of wireless internet is something I will henceforth call a blessing.  The same goes for cell phones, food, cars, and anything else you might need in life.  We’ve got each other and support from all of you back in the States (which, along with our Butler rep is a sufficient safety net), but we’re kind of on our own for most things.  I came here to have my eyes opened wider and my heart grown, and in this short time it has already begun.
Aside from stocking my flat (housing spot), I’ve been enjoying ‘old’ friends, making new ones, and having a look around to see what has been so great in my anticipation.  Just yesterday several of us traveled out onto the Otago peninsula, hiking up to see Larnach castle, a unique historical landmark of Dunedin. This morning I ran up Signal Hill, which gave me a great sense of where the city lies on the coast.  But we’ve got plenty of things to do and plenty of time to go.  School doesn’t start until March 2nd!

Hello everyone! Since this is my first blog entry, I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Carrie and I am currently studying in Wales at Cardiff University for the semester. My main focus of study is Psychology but for this semester I am also taking some Welsh culture and language modules. I have come to study in Wales for a little over a month now and have experienced so much already. My home town is Mound Minnesota and my home University is North Dakota State, thus I have experienced so many changes to my normal way of life and just general interaction with others and their culture.

Since I’ve been in the U.K., I sometimes forget I’m in a foreign country. This feeling reminded me of how I felt when I just arrived at Heathrow. Right after we got out of the plane, we had to take a shuttle to terminal 5. At first I didn’t feel like I was in England because it all was so surreal to me… but then I went on the shuttle ride. I became completely aware of my surroundings when the driver was purposely driving on (what was to me) the wrong side of the road! Of course I always knew the British drove on the left side but even so, every turn we made I really felt like we were all going to die. . It was a very uneasy feeling obviously, but luckily everyone else was driving on the wrong side along with us so I lived through it! Another reality check was the first time I went to a restaurant and ordered a glass of wine with my meal. Being only 20 I knew I wasn’t in the U.S. anymore. Then after the meal, I asked the waitress for a to-go box and she thought I was nuts, not knowing at the time that the only person to ever ask for a to-go box would be someone that was homeless or just really desperate for food. So you could say that was a somewhat embarrassing reality check for me.

So much has happened already that it’s impossible to talk about it all so I will touch upon the most memorable and interesting times. I’ll start with the day I arrived and my first experience with the public transportation in England.

The First Train Ride

To start off I want to say how easy, convenient, and affordable the public transportation is in the U.K. Surprisingly, unlike the U.S., you don’t need a car to get everywhere. A lot of people prefer to take the bus or train over a car. I thought taking the train in the U.K. was very affordable in the beginning but now I have recently bought a Student Rail Card which saves me a third of the original price every time I buy a ticket! After arriving at Heathrow on my first day, I got on a train which let me see the countryside of England for the first time. I was so excited at the time that any new thing I saw no matter how miniscule it was amazed me. Every little street, car, or house I found really adorable. The sun was surprisingly shining and was setting at the same time so it made the rolling hills where sheep were grazing picture perfect. At this moment, I was overwhelmingly happy because I was in a land that I’ve been dreaming about going to for a very long time now. Knowing that it wasn’t just a dream anymore and in fact was my reality made me overjoyed. So the littlest things at the time, like just overhearing someone speaking with an English accent or seeing a round-about for the first time put a big smile on my face because it reminded me of the fact.

Hello to all reading this, whether you’re someone considering going abroad, a returnee from travels, or none of the above.  Right now we’re strangers, but if you read my ramblings, you can get to know who I am and what I’m doing.  And if I hear from you, maybe I can get to know you back.

I write this entry four days before my departure to study abroad in New Zealand.  What an adventure it has been just preparing for this time.  Between finishing up involvements in the US, figuring out logistics, and saying the final farewells, I’ve had little time to dream of the coming months.  I’m enjoying the extra three weeks of Christmas break afforded by the University’s late starting date (March 2!).  My time being with friends and brothers here in the U.S. has been rich.  I’ve been well sent off, with plenty of advice, prayer, and affirmations that my relationships here will be missed.  One of the notable sendoffs from one of my brothers was that we never go anywhere without a great purpose.  This purpose of studying in New Zealand will be fellowship – through both the quiet conversations and the wild adventures.

Of all the illustrations I could use to describe to you my current condition, I think the best would be the minute just before watching a celebrated movie or meeting an hyped-up person for the first time or unveiling a long-awaited spectacle.  Although I’ve heard the accounts of many others’ experiences, I have yet to know for myself.  And although my anticipation is piqued, it really is colorless, for I have no idea what I’m really in for.  The people, places, and pursuits that lie ahead of me are still like mountains in the mist.  But I am beyond excitement to see and understand more as I get closer.  Only four days until I begin to actualize the content of those three metaphors (LOTR, anyone?).

I’ll write again from my final destination in Dunedin, New Zealand.  Between now and then: a thirteen-hour flight, orientation on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and a multitude of other explorations.