I define culture as the practices and customs a particular region values and uphold. Before arriving in London, I didn't expect to experience "culture shock." Despite all the study abroad advisors and preparatory sessions telling me otherwise, I just didn't expect the UK to be much different from the US - after all, London is …
Continue reading Things to know before studying abroad in London
In England, Thanksgiving isn't celebrated as acclaimed as it is in the States. However the program that I studied with, UCEAP, sponsored a trip for all of its students in the UK to meet in Scotland, and host a dinner plus a one night's stay in a hostel. The night before the dinner, my study …
This past weekend I traveled to Salzburg, Austria with a few friends and couldn't stop being in awe of the nature I was surrounded by. The first day, my friends and I wandered over to the Old Town, and found a castle on a hill that overlooked the whole city. Naturally, we walked up the …
As mentioned earlier in one of my previous posts, last year before deciding to study abroad I didn't feel like I was growing. I wasn't in the best state of mind and was desperately yearning for change. So I acted. I turned in my study abroad application and did it. I studied abroad in one …
This past week my friends and I ventured out to Rome, Italy for our school's reading week, a week off for studying in the beginning of November. We visited all the essential landmarks: the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps... and ate pasta, pizza, gelato until our bellies were full. It was so …
If one year ago someone told me that I'd be traveling in Europe exactly twelve months from then, I would've laughed and said, "Yeah, right!" If at eighteen years old someone told me that I'd be attending college at UC Irvine, I would've cringed. If at twelve years old someone told me that I'd be …
I’m back in Amsterdam.. This is my second time visiting. My sister and I arrived here a few hours ago and at current I’m sitting in my hostel bed at Euphemia Hotel. The room is bland and it smells like dirty socks, but we met these two girls who are traveling around Europe for three …
As a first-generation low-income college student, traveling to other countries was not a realistic option because of the financial burden it would impose on my family and I. However, I was reluctant to let that stop me from pursuing this ambition of mine when I heard of the various scholarships and aid that was available …
Dear Readers, Welcome to my blog. My name is Alvina Phouasalit (Po-wah-suh-lit), or Al for short, and I’m a student at the University of California, Irvine. Nine months ago I decided to study abroad during the upcoming fall semester in London, which is where I’m writing from today. To hear a little bit more …
Al Around the World 