Study Abroad Guide

Barcelona, Spain, Stephanie Stroud

2011-06-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

The Official Barcelona Guide

Dear whoever you are,

It may seem strange that a total stranger is writing you a multi page guide to the best city on earth, but Barcelona is very near and dear to my heart. I'm also doing it for several friends. I think everyone deserves a shot at attempting to even have a fraction of the fun that I did in BCN. I'm sure you have one of those little guide books with the goofy fold out map of the city, but living there for nearly half a year taught me a lot that those books can't tell you. A week isn't nearly enough to see the glory of Barcelona, but hopefully I can help you have a legit vacation!

Quick background info. Madrid may be the capitol of Spain, and a slightly larger city, but Barcelona is the heart of Spain. I think a good comparison for Madrid and Barcelona is like the difference between New York and New Orleans. Both cities are fun, and you will have a great time, but Madrid is very impersonal and stuck up like New York. There is amazing Spanish Baroque architecture everywhere, hundreds of years of history, world class museums and art galleries, and of course some sick clubs. But Madrid doesn't capture the passion of Spain. It is trying too hard to be a modern European capitalistic city. Barcelona is huge, but it is just small enough to where everyone is friendly, musicians play on every street corner, everyone you see is smiling and laughing in cafes, with all the aforementioned benefits of a major city. It is Madrid with some personality, plus amazing beaches. Barcelona also has the classic flamenco dancing and bullfights that most people think of when they hear Spain, which actually originated in the south (if you get a chance Seville is an amazing city that really shows that historic side of Spain), but I think Barcelona is a lot more fun.

I get carried away when people ask me about Barcelona, so I will try to stay on track. When I travelled to different places, I liked to see and do things that were unique to that culture and location. Therefore I will try and pick some experiences for you that define what makes Barcelona different, and so damn fun.

Las Ramblas – The main street of the city, famous for all its street performers and crazy vendors of all sorts of things. It has become very touristy, so watch your purse, and skip the restaurants on Las Ramblas. It is overpriced, and there are better places to eat anyways. But the music, the dancing, and all the life on Las Ramblas is very unique. Start at Placa Catalunya and take your time to walk all the way down to the waterfront and the statue of Columbus and Port Vell. Prostitution is legal, so at night Las Ramblas will be full of interesting people.

Mercat de la Boqueria – a must see of Barcelona! It is hidden on the side of Las Ramblas, but look for the stained glass and wrought iron entry near the Liceu metro stops. It is amazing to see so much amazing, beautiful, delicious food in such huge quantities. You can buy anything and everything, and the fruit is especially delicious. Look around the perimeter for good wine shops, and check out all the crazy butcher stands…

Port Vell and the Waterfront – Port Vell is at the bottom of Las Ramblas, and is touristy as well but worth going to visit. It even has a new mall, and aquarium, and lots of museums. This is one of the locations to take the Gondola ride up Montjuic. Lots of street vendors set up shop here as well. Once you have had your fill, I suggest that you take a walk along the water or better yet rent one of the bicycles. You can ride along all the artwork and yatchs down to Barceloneta Beach and Port Olympic, home of some nice clubs. There is a path along the beach just for riding bikes, and the beaches are fun as well but be informed that there is no dress code…
The Catalan Modernist Architecture of Barcelona

The entire history of Barcelona is a struggle for power and independence with Madrid. This is clearly reflected in the architecture of the city as well, when the modernist movement of the late 1800's broke the traditional model for what buildings and cities should look like. The heroes of this movement were Domenech i Montaner, Puig i Cadafalch, and of course the famous Antoni Gaudi. They sculpted the city with their revolutionary, and sometimes abstract forms. Check out these key buildings:

El Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia – more commonly known as the Sagrada Familia cathedral. In Spanish this literally means the Temple of Expiation of the Holy Family. It is an apt title, as Gaudi devoted the majority of his life to create this crowning work. He spent every last dime he had trying to get it constructed, and even died as an old man crossing a street while preoccupied with work. His life is very interesting, as he was rejected by a woman and consequently became celibate and zealously religious. Unfortunately he only lived to see the beginning of construction, which also paused for the Spanish Civil War, and continues today with private donations. Every square inch of the entire cathedral tells the story of the Bible and the life of Jesus through sculpture, architecture, and even music. The entire building was designed as one large organ. Gaudi wanted it to be a complete work of art, and his love for organic forms also shows through in much of the design – ex: palm forest nave and the shape of the towers themselves. The towers represent the Holy Family, and the 12 apostles, and it will be the tallest cathedral in the world when finished. The sheer size and verticality of the building is enough to take your breath, not to mention the insane amount of detail in the ornamentation. It is worth the wait in line to climb the towers for the view. I hate to ramble, but I could talk for hours on each building, and it is so hard to condense that into a paragraph…
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau – often overlooked by guide books, this place rocks! It is right down the street from the Sagrada Familia, and is a must see for architecture fans. This was designed by Domenech i Montaner, and totally breaks the mold for what a hospital can be. It is aesthetically beautiful, and spatially interesting with its plazas and underground tunnels. Lots of fun, check it out. You can even see it from Sagrada.
La Illa/Manzana de Discordia – the "block of discord" is a unique block of the Passeig de Gracia that shows the work of all three of the great modernist architects. Casa Batallo by Gaudi is the most famous and radical, but the works by Domenech and Puig are awesome in their own right. These were houses commissioned by the social elite at the time who were trying to out-do one another on the most posh street in town. As much as I want to talk about them, I'll leave the long history lesson to your guide books.
Casa Mila – one of Gaudi's more famous works, shows off his organic design philosophy. There is a story behind every shape and form of the building. I'll let the guide books fill you in because it is so famous, but don't miss the view from the roof, you can see Sagrada, the city, and the ocean.
Park Guell – Pronounced "Park Goo-Waaay" Gaudi's spectacular park has great view of the entire city, and lots of cool features within. It was designed to be a new housing development, but never took off. Make sure to kiss the salamander, and hang out on the world's longest bench. A must-do is to watch the sun set over the hills and ocean from the "three crosses" at the end of the park.
Palau de la Musica Catalana – Domenech's finest work, in my opinion. Gorgeous. Inside and out. It is a functioning concert hall, so if you get the chance go see the symphony, choir, or some band play there! Located in between Born and Gothic, near Plaza Urquinouna.
Universitat de Barcelona – this is the University where I went to school. It is beautiful architecture for a school. I recommend stopping by even for a minute to just walk through the campus once. It isn't that big for a University, it looks more like a palace! Check out the main entrance hall, go upstairs and see the very ornate rooms, and enjoy the gardens.
There are hundreds more, but those are the major ones that you shouldn't miss!

Santa Maria del Mar – one of my favorite cathedrals in the world. It is not the most ostentatious, largest, or famous cathedrals, but it has meaning to the people of the city and its interior is gorgeous. It was built by the poor workers of the city in the Middle Ages to have their own place of worship. The main Cathedral of Barcelona is a completely different place, and was built for the rich by the powerful and oppressive church leaders of the time. Santa Maria del Mar might not be too impressive outside, but the purity of the arches, columns, and bare architectural forms inside has me sold. It doesn't need all the decoration to be beautiful, it's pure design does all the talking. Take a minute to just sit in the nave and enjoy. There is also a legit ice cream shop outside the South entrance. This entire Born district is beautiful and has great food.
Cathedral of Barcelona, La Seu – the main cathedral of the city. Built by the corrupt clergy on the backs of the citizens, it is nonetheless gorgeous. My favorite part is the courtyard accessed from Carrer Bisbe. It is filled with swans, fountains, and chapels where locals literally light thousands of candles for their loved ones. Also, if you walk down Carrer Bisbe from the Cathedral to Placa Jaume, there is a very pretty bridge that I liked. Ask around to find Ryan's bar/pub, which has the best hamburgers in Spain (hard to find anything but pork and seafood in Spain).
Montjuic – this huge park features a gorgeous palace, and all the facilities used for the Barcelona Olympics of 1992. The palace houses a historic museum, and out front they have big water shows at night called the Magic Fountain. Lots of lush gardens and cool hiking as well. You can choose to take the Gondola ride up to the top instead, where there is a cool castle to explore. It also has an area called Poble Espanyol, which is a replica of monuments from all over Spain. Tourist attraction, but it is filled with restaurants and awesome artisan stores and shops like glass blowing, guitar making, and sword smithing.
Arc de Triumf – Did you know that most cities in the world have their own Arc de Triumf, not just Paris? This one is all brick, a symbol of the people of Barcelona and the Catalan Nationalist/Modernist movement. Right next to the park, see below.
Ciutadella Park – Huge park created for the world's fair of 1888. I suggest seeing the Arc de Triumf and walking down the promenade to the park. The park has lots of cool museums, nice architecture, water features, its own zoo, etc. It is also next to Born district, which has great food.
Born District – Next to Ciutadella Park, has the best food in the city, next to Passeig de Gracia. Lots of cool architecture, like Santa Maria del Mar and the Mercat del Born. Fun to wander the narrow streets and shops, but watch your pockets and belongings as pickpockets are everywhere.
Gothic District – Next to Las Ramblas on the other side of the Born district. Has tons of little churches and plazas to visit, cathedrals, amazing stores, and decent food. Fun to wander around, but watch for pickpockets! It is a more popular area than Born, but they are both awesome to hang out around. Home to the Picasso museum, it houses some great examples of his early work when he was a realist, and the building is beautiful as well.
Placa Reial – Off of Las Ramblas, in Gothic District. Beautiful, full of sun, people, and palm trees. There are clubs here, but they are more like cool jazz clubs to visit on a mellow night and listen to music. The best restaurant in Barcelona is in the corner of the plaza. I forget the name, but it won't be hard to find – sometimes the line is hundreds of people long. It has amazing food for ridiculously cheap prices, which is why everyone and their uncle go there.
CAMP NOU! - This is the soccer stadium for FC Barcelona, the more popular of Barcelona's two teams. They are one of the best teams in Europe, and one of my favorites. They have a ton of superstars, so their games are always exciting. It is quite an experience, and on big games the streets are packed wall to wall with fans. I highly recommend getting tickets to a game! Even the back rows have a good view, and those tickets are pretty cheap.
More things to try:

Shopping on Passeig de Gracia and Diagonal – top fashion designer names, as well as some stores with reasonable prices. Also lots of great restaurants.
Flamenco Show! – Great idea for a dinner show. There are a couple places in town that do great shows.
Festivals – talk to visitor information to find out what is going on while you are there. There is always some kind of celebration going on. La Merce in September is absolutely amazing! It has fire runs, free concerts, dancing in the streets, fireworks, water shows, etc. There is literally almost always something to go celebrate in Barcelona.
Get a massage on the beach for a couple bucks from the old ladies that walk around. Glorious hands. There are also vendors that walk around selling beer and temporary tattoos. Barceloneta Beach is full of cool art and sculptures. The big copper fish at Port Olympic was designed by Frank Ghery.
Food to try:

Paella - classic dish, rice mixed with all kinds of seafood or chicken or vegetables
Buy and eat a roasted sweet potato from one of the street vendors all over Barcelona!
Tapas! These are hors de oeuvres of all types, from the common piece of bread with tomatoes, oil, and vinegar to all kinds of unimaginable extremes! Go big or go home, they might look funny but they taste great.
Galician Octopus or Squid – tastes amazing if you aren't offended by the name itself.
Patatas Bravas! My favorite tapa of all time. It is like french fries, only in wedges with a special tangy marinara type sauce. Some put mayonnaise in it as well. Delicious. Each restaurant does their own variation, and it is a good indication to how good the rest of their food is.
Jamon Iberico – The staple of the Spanish diet is pork. Since the Spanish Inquisition, everyone in Spain has eaten primarily pig to avoid persecution. It is a lot like prosciutto, or smoked bacon. These are the pigs' legs that you see hanging absolutely everywhere! They come in a bazillion varieties. Goes great on a loaf of bread with olive oil and tomato for a sandwich.
Doner Kebab – I almost don't want to put it on here because it isn't authentic Spanish food. These places are dirty little holes in the wall that shave meat off a huge rotating spindle and put that in pitas or wraps. It is Middle Eastern food, usually run by immigrants who were extremely nice. Usually pretty cheap and easy when you are low on time.

And of course, the best for last: Nightlife in Barcelona. The clubs in Barcelona were so fun that sometimes we would go a few days without ever seeing the sun. The schedule is very different, as dinner starts at 9pm, bars get good around 12am, and the clubs get going by 2-3am. You go home at 6-8am when the metro opens again (metros go until midnight on weekdays, 2am on Friday, and all night on Saturday, open around 5-6am) and salute the sunrise as you drag ass back home. You can tell who is a local and who is a tourist every morning, because the locals are the ones stumbling the streets drunk as hell and just going to bed. House parties are non-existent, due to the high density housing (noise) and the great bars and clubs. Like Vegas, you can have a great time just showing up and standing in line at clubs, but it is all about who you know. Promoters are legitimate businesspeople in Barcelona, and make bank doing their job well. Venues/clubs are different from night to night, as the quality of the party depends on which promoter is working which venue on a given night. Some nights it is fun to just go salsa dancing with locals at some hole in the wall, but there are some big clubs you should visit that will rock your socks off. I'll give you a list of some sick clubs, as well as contact information for some promoters that can get you on guest lists to great events.

Clubs:

Razzmatazz – where my ashes will be scattered when I die. I love this place. It is a huge wearhouse-style club that is mostly Euro-rave and hip-hop. They have five different rooms though that play all styles of music. Open Thurs-Sun, the only place that is so legit it doesn’t even need promoters. $15 cover to get in, but it comes with a drink and well worth it. Clubs in Spain are expensive, get over it. Take out a loan, sell your car, whatever you have to do it is worth it for the experience. Have a good time and try not to worry about the gaping hole in your bank account.
Sutton – the Ritz Carlton of Barcelona clubs. Full of gorgeous people, superficial and posh. The bouncers are seven foot ex-Russian military and won't hesitate to punch a girl in the face. Don't eff around. Need to be on a guest list or a supermodel to get in. Dress extremely well or you will get kicked to the curb. Don't be discouraged by these drawbacks though, they throw awesome parties and it is always an epic night. Very nice VIP lounge but pricey.
Otto Zutz – another favorite. I spent many a night there. Multi level, crazy dance parties. Again, it depends on the promoter, but they often have some free drinks and great DJ's. More Americans and students than locals. Thursday nights were great here when I was abroad.
Lotus – up and coming in the club world, it really took off recently. Great setup with a huge bar, good dance floor, stage full of scantily clad dancers. Lots of fun, used to be our default for Wednesday night but I hear Saturdays are getting pretty good there as well. Has some intimate seating areas as well as a good VIP.
Catwalk – this is one of the Port Olympic clubs, a hotspot for nightlife. It is a two story purely dancing club. This is where you go to get hammered and grind away on some sweaty Spaniard all night long. Be ready to rage, expensive bar.
Carpe Diem – one of the three beach clubs at Port Olympic. Very chill environment with a dance floor to rage, verandas and lounge areas full of pillows to hang out on, and an overall very cool semi-Eastern design. Has an outside patio to cool off on some pillows with a friend, overlooking the beach.
Opium – next to Carpe Diem on the beach at Port Olympic. More technoish than the other clubs. All white inside, usually with an older (late 20's) rich crowd. They throw some sick concerts too, like DJ Tiesto.
Shoko – the third beach club at Port Olympic. This one is all Asian in design, sometimes has an older crowd as well (20's-30's), but it a lot of fun. Several good dance floors, with a whole VIP lounge area.
Bikini – great place to go salsa dancing!
There are lots more, these just came to mind first…

Bars:

George Payne – my main man. There are lots of Irish Pubs in Barcelona, but this one is the biggest and the best. Great happy hour, great food, and they even have karaoke nights. Placa Urquinouna.
Marselle – the original absinthe bar. Ernest Hemmingway, among many other famous historical figures frequented this place. Very old fashioned inside, hidden on a back alley in Raval/Poble Sec area.
Ice Bar – this entire place is literally made of ice. It is pretty cool. They give you a coat, gloves, hat, and cups made of ice. Legit. Right next to Carpe Diem, good place to start the night.
Port Olympic has an area with like 30 bars in a row. First drink is usually free. Those of you who are good at math just figured out how to get 30 free shots.
So many others…

Concluding Tips:

Pickpockets are everywhere. Watch your stuff, hold purses and packs closely!
Spanish men are ridiculously aggressive. Go to clubs with guy friends. It can get ugly.
Roll in packs when walking home at night. Use common sense. There are lots of African vendors, drug dealers, and pimps illegally in Spain with nothing to lose.
Drink prices increase as the night goes on.
Have a blast!

Club Promoters in Barcelona – Here is the contact info for the promoters. Join their Facebook groups and you will get tons of info on upcoming parties, and they can put your name on guest lists. Just shoot them a message, tell them your friend Ryan knew them during study abroad, and that Ryan says hi. They will hook you up like it is their job. Oh wait…it is. And don't get the Kyke's mixed up! They are different people.

Kyke Navarro Gimenez

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21782549250#/profile.php?id=874275552

Oliver Moon De Navas

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7931743947#/profile.php?id=898410178&ref=ts

Kike Barcelona

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6413612&ref=profile#/profile.php?id=13956203

Alex Barcelona

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7931743947#/profile.php?id=1130751996

Paris, France, Trevor Felch

2011-05-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

at Roland Garros in Paris seeing the French Open

I studied with the Sarah Lawrence College semester program in Paris. It's a semester long which seemed right. A year would mean missing too much back on campus, though I probably would've done a year with a semester elsewhere if I had not transferred after my freshman year. I went for Spring 2010- like January 3rd to May 15th (stayed until mid June for extra traveling).

My preparations were pretty typical, had to do the pesky visa stuff. I am an avid traveler/restaurant lover so my preparation was more where to go, where to eat, museums, theatre, and such in Paris and cities I want to visit. I had to buy some winter gear, though I had no idea just how cold and dreadful the weather is in Paris through April.

I immediately didn't hit it off with my host-mom. She had a lovely apartment in a beautiful area but it just didn't work. She was classic formal, unapproachable French, and her meals were repetitive and boring which drove me nuts in such a food culture like France. The host-dad was a lot kinder and very anxious to help me, though he worked and was very busy.

Upon arrival it was freezing and my program had a mostly useless, way too long 2 week orientation. The program's weak suit is its not impressive academic classes but this orientation was pathetic.

I luckily knew most people on my program from the Claremont Consortium and one who I went to Oberlin with. It was like 10 girls and me the only guy, plus 10 or so girls who had chosen to the full year program, but we rarely were with them.

The program's classes were useless. We could take classes at other Parisian universities, a very wise choice. The program also dealt very poorly with my friend who got in an argument with her roomate and they ended up fighting and my friend was wrongfully blamed and had to move out. Really poor that the program found her guilty. The program is not rigorous but likes to think it is, making students sit in class and work more than any other program. The kids at Middlebury and Cornell were far more happy and better at French than us.

The three biggest problems I encountered were homestay, my friend's lack of interest in spending money, and the fact that I had to go to these useless classes instead of being productive and savoring one of the great cities in the world.

Oktoberfest in Munich

The homestay just didn't work, I wouldn't do it again.

I wanted to sample some great restaurants and do day trips and go to museums...my friends just stayed near home and rarely wanted to spend money besides on beers and cheap wine. Paris is a city that must be experienced and they never want to go sit in cafes and explore. I had to do way too much on my own. I didn't get too homesick but this made me get homesick from time to time.

And it is just so hard to sit in class or even worse, convince yourself to do homework, while you have Paris in front of you.

Advice on Paris, in general...

Explore! Explore Europe, explore your city! Don't just do the same thing every week, do something special every day whether it's a cafe or a museum because you will never have more freedom to do things in your life!

Travel! Take advantage of being young and having the energy to do lots of travel in short times. Europe has excellent rail passes for under 25 year olds, so take advantage! If you have to fly, use easyjet. Ryan Air is not the worst but not worth it when you factor in they fly to out of the way airports requiring lots of time and money just to go to the city. Easyjet flies to real airports.

I could make a huge list of all the cities in Europe to visit...but if you're in Asia or another continent I'm guessing it's harder to visit lots of cities since they're more spaced apart. Still, travel is such a key part of the experience.

That being said, be a tourist in your own city too! Be a tourist sometimes, be a local other. Blending both is so much fun and a rare thing you get to do.

Instead of hostels, look apartments if traveling in a group. Often you can find great ones at less than 100 euros and they're spacious and private! I am no hostel fan...had a few not good experiences.

If you're homesick, know that it's a small world. Every city has an American bar. Go to a cafe. Do not go on skype because that just makes you even more sad when seeing parents and friends. Know that this is only a semester and it goes faster than you think.

In Paris...you have to hit the tourist stuff (Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame, Montmartre). Make sure to take advantage of your French citizenship/under 25 honors given on your visa, often it's free or reduced price.

Take advantage of the Seine, Jardin des Tuileries, and Jardin du Luxembourg for walks, jogs, reading, relaxing.

Spend lots of times in cafes, you do have to try the classics Cafe de Flore and Deux Magots just to say you've done it. Get macarons and pastries at Ladurée and Pierre Hermé, amazing ice cream at Berthillon (best is caramel au beurre salé). Lots of the leading chocolatiers like Christian Constant and Jean Paul Hevin makes amazing ice creams in the summer. Hot chocolate at Angelina is must but the service is a must. Even better is the tiny Charlotte Ile St. Louis near Berthillon for great hot chocolate in a friendly, cute tea salon. Bars- make sure to get the Andy Wahloo Special at Andy Wahloo in the Marais (they have weird door policies, go early or late), the canadian pub The Moose by Odéon, mango mojitos at La Rhumerie on St. Germain. I love strolling thru the markets of Rue Mouffetard and Rue Cler. Make sure to get cheese at Rue Cler's Fromagerie Marie-Anne Cantin. There are so many great places to buy fresh bread, look for "boulangerie artisinale." I love the bread most at Bruno Solques in the 5th and Bazin near Bastille. Be sure to sample some ethnic cuisines. Moroccan to Paris is like Mexican to L.A., lots of great places like 404 and L'Atlas for couscous and tagine. Visit the African neighborhoods of the 18th and 19th and have lunch or dinner at our beloved Mama Africa. Hacienda del Sol makes shockingly good and innovative Mexican near Montparnasse. The best crepes are at Breizh Cafe in the Marais, L'Avant Comptoir by Odéon, and a nutella-banana one from the restaurant Le Goutte d'Or's stand across from Notre Dame on Ile de la Cité.

at my beloved ice cream maker Berthillon in Paris

Homesick? Go to the Moose or Breakfast in America makes great pancakes and burgers.

My favorite cute bistros are both on the left bank--Le Timbre in the 6th and Itineraires in the 15th. Be daring and try classic French dishes like escargots, pied de cochon, foie gras, pâté, and steak tartare. Best steak tartare is on Ave. Montaigne at Bar aux Théatres, unbelievably good. Speak in French and they'll be really nice to you. For sure get falafel at L'as du Falafel in the Marais and Jewish pastries and bagels at Sacha Finkelsztajn.

Drink lots of wine, so much cheaper and the cheaper wines are better than they are in the U.S. Franprix has the best cheap selection. Try to learn a lot about French wines and French food.

My favorite nieghborhoods were the Marais, the Canal St. Martin, the Odéon, the Rue Mouffetard.

For sure stroll through Boie de Boulogne and look at the transvestite prostitutes. Take advantage of Paris's great public pools, cheap for students. Piscine Keller in the 15th is my favorite. Lap swimming is as chaotic as New York traffic but worth it.

Don't waste money on Moulin Rouge or the Lido. Do go to a latin quarter jazz club, an opera at Opera Bastille, a ballet at Garnier, Cantatrice Chauve at the Huchette, and an old cabaret like Lapin Agile.

Do lots of picnics!

Lastly, stay optimistic when times are tough, it's all an adventure and you're such a better person for going abroad. It's so important for all of us to learn other cultures and be open-minded. Try to meet people in your city, meet the actual Parisians in Paris. It's scary and hard to do, which is why my American friends and I just stuck together. That's fun but I do regret not meeting more Parisians.

Egypt, Tori

2011-05-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

Egypt Maymester

I traveled with Vanderbilt University to Egypt during May of 2010. We traveled from Cairo to Aswan to Luxor to Sharm el Sheikh to Alexandria and back to Cairo to fly home.

During the trip, we were fortunate to stay at nice hotels which I would definitely recommend as it is a somewhat unsafe country (although I never once felt unsafe). We went with a travel/tour agency that scheduled our days and provided a charter bus that we visited all of the sites with. As per Egyptian governmental rules, we had an armed guard with us at all times (again, he never had to do anything except save us from the solicitors at Giza.) We visited many churches and mosques as that was the main reason for our class and the highlights of the trip included:

Cairo

Statues of Memphis
The Step Pyramid
Carpet making factory
Felucca sailing on the Nile (dinner included)
Giza Pyramids and the Solar Boat museum
The Sphinx
Cairo Museum
Muhammed Ali Mosque
Dinner cruise on the Nile

Luxor

Market
Temple of Karnak
Temple of Queen Hapshepsut
Valley of the Kings

Sharm el Sheikh

Climbed Mt. Sinai

Alexandria

The Library
Royal Gardens

We took a Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, which was really cool and wonderful. The food on it, however, was not the best. The food throughout Egypt was mostly Mediterranean- hummus, babaganoush, gyros, etc. and a lot of the locals also smoke hookah nightly.

As for dress, I would recommend breathable clothing that is modest as it is a Muslim country. The only city where you absolutely should wear long pants and shirts is Alexandria. Also, as in any Muslim country, be prepared for the Call to Prayer to be announced from all of the mosques multiple times a day. Another tip is for girls to wear their hair back, especially blondes- many Saudis visit Egypt and our professor had us stay very modest in their presence in the hotel.

Although I only spent a few weeks there, I really feel that I saw all of the sites of Egypt that I’d wanted to. We took classes in the hotel conference room and traveled a lot, but it was well worth it. It is important to note that I probably would not have felt near as safe if I wasn’t with such a formal group. That being said, most Egyptians are very nice and friendly.

Chiang Mai and Nong Khai, Thailand, Arielle Gout

2011-05-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

My study Abroad Trip in Thailand –Chiang Mai and Nong Khai

I always knew that I wanted to travel abroad in college. Having moved around my whole life, I am a huge supporter and a huge promoter of traveling to as many countries and to as many places as possible. Every country has such a distinct culture. Traveling opens your mind and enables you to learn from others. And as you learn from others, you are also able to take on and to understand different perspectives. If everyone in this world was well traveled, there probably would be greater understanding and fewer conflicts.
Being able to understand different perspectives is probably one of the most important characteristic a person should have—a person must WANT to have. Or else, who are you kidding—you are not fully appreciating some of the best stuff this earth has to offer: diversity at its core.

Originally I thought that for my junior year study abroad, I would to move to Paris for a year. However, then I remembered that although I have moved many times, I am terrible at adapting to new places. Therefore I decided that leaving for a quarter would be sufficient. Also, I decided against Paris, because as I am French and lived in France, I felt a sense of “been there, done that”. I wanted to go live somewhere REALLY different. Then I found out about a study abroad program going to Thailand through Cal Poly. Perfect. The classes would transfer easily, the program is very, very affordable, and I would be going to Thailand—a place that I would have never even considered had it not been for this program—with a bunch of Cal Poly students—that I would actually be able to see and hangout with back in San Luis Obispo. Also I knew that a couple of my friends were considering the study abroad program too. We went in and talked to the program adviser and were immediately sold on the idea.

I left for Thailand at the end of March 2010. I stayed for 9 weeks. The program itself was only 8 weeks long. To be honest, I should have stayed longer.
I traveled to Thailand with a group of four. We packed lightly. Luggage-wise, a couple of weeks prior to our departure, I bought a huge Northface duffel bag with straps I could use as a gigantic backpack. The great thing about traveling to a tropical country is that you don’t have to worry about bringing winter clothes! I filled my bag with shorts and tank tops and swimming suits…and that is pretty much all I needed.

The flight took forever—especially since we have to change planes in Taiwan. Eventually we arrived to the Bangkok International Airport, found the shuffle to the hotel we had booked prior to leaving, and before we knew it, we were riding in the back of shuttle through the streets of Bangkok. I never felt more excited. We left for Thailand a week prior to the program actually beginning. We decided that we would travel around Bangkok before figuring out a way to the Uniserf in Chiang Mai—where our program would begin.
I will always remember our first hotel. It had green walls. There was no internet. It had a pool that looked over Bangkok. And the breakfast consisted of one egg and one piece of white bread. AND everyone spoke Thai. The next morning, as we floated in the pool and read through our handy travel guide (Lonely Planet) we decided to make the most of the week we had, and impulsively decided to go another town several hours away and hike a seven pier waterfall. Our adventure began that day.

We made it to Kanchanaburi (after several taxi and bus rides), and hung out in one of the least touristy places of Thailand. We were literally one of the only white people there. I will never forget when we got caught up in the initiation of a monk, and started dancing in the middle of the parade. Or when one woman insisted on us (me and another girl with our huge bags) getting into her Tuk Tuk, and she biked us to our hotel 20 minutes away in the scorching sun—so she could make the equivalent of $5. These experiences are unforgettable.

I could go on and go with my Thailand stories. I cannot stress enough how amazing it was. Once the program began, we spent 5 weeks taking classes in Chiang Mai. We then spent 3 weeks in Nong Khai (north of Thailand right by Laos). We had to opportunity to do lots of traveling during our study abroad.. We saw the ocean, we saw national parks, we saw Laos, we saw Cambodia… We were there during the Songkram festival (when everyone celebrates water by literally having a huge water fight in the entire city of Chiang Mai), we were there during the riots in Bangkok (red shirt/yellow shirt fiasco), we ran by the Mekong river, we saw monkeys on a regular basis, we were attacked by mosquitoes, we got used to eating rice for breakfast and mango smoothies for lunch…

Of course, I did get home sick. I missed my boyfriend and my friends a lot. I hated skype because it would never work. It was very, very humid and I got sick of literally going outside for 5 seconds and being drenched with sweat, or waking up in the morning being drenched with sweat. I hated the cockroaches and the mosquitoes. And I definitely did not like being stuck in Chiang Mai for 5 weeks because of a couple of insanely easy classes, instead of having the freedom to travel around non-stop. And I missed being able to eat sandwiches. And peanut butter.

The Thais were very good to us. However, you must know how to haggle, that is for sure. It is very easy to be ripped off, ESPECIALLY in the towns or cities where the inhabitants are used to travelers. In fact, I would suggest avoiding the highly touristy places. I whole-heatedly believe that in order to get an authentic experience, you have to travel to the obscure, remote places. Places with hardly any whites. Also, it was fairly easy going around speaking English. I hardly spoke Thai and managed quite well.
Of course, as whites, we would stick out as sore thumbs. And people do steal (one of my friends on the trip got her mac computer stolen out of her own hotel room in one of the bigger island in south Thailand). Also, another group of my friends were sold fake visas when they wanted to cross the border into Cambodia. In fact, the Cambodians at the border were much more aggressive than the Thais and, in my experience, did not seem to like English speaking tourists very much.

I want to go back to Thailand. In fact, I am planning to do so next year. The best part about traveling to Thailand is that is it so close to so many other countries! I would recommend going to Vietnam (or so I have heard—one of the places I want to visit), to Vang Vieng in Laos, and DEFINITELY to Anchor Wat in Cambodia which has to be one of my favorite places ON THIS EARTH.

Studying in Thailand taught me to appreciate everything I have here in the United States. It taught me how to adapt. It taught me how to be resistant. And the beauty…is unbelievable. Pictures do not do justice the view I had of the pink bungalow nesting in the green, green jungle right by the blue ocean. Also, I learned how to drive a scoot!

If you get a chance, please go to Thailand. But be respectful of their culture. Do not be an obnoxious, loud tourist. Also, apart from the touristy areas, Thailand is does not have a night life. Be warned. The Thais work hard to make their country beautiful. Thailand is the “country of smiles”. I can confirm this saying: it is true.

I am not going to lie, after writing this, I feel especially nostalgic.

Florence, Italy, Nora Boyd

2011-05-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

- I met amazing people, both in Florence and in my program. With a scholl-run program like mine, it's easy to assume it will feel like summer camp or boarding school, with name games and all the embarrassing stuff, but the people I met who were cool and were in Italy for the right reasons: to see some more of the world, to become familiar with a new city, to eat good food, to take advantage of classes abroad, and to travel.

- Italy is not so much the huge culture shock that one could find in other parts of the world, as in Asia, Africa, or South America, but it is definitely an experience! It's important to be flexible, and to try to understand the other culture. On the good side, for example, if there is an old lady cutting you in line at the grocery store, it is totally appropriate to cut her back, and it's considered part of the culture.

- Traveling is fun and more convenient for us while we're in Europe already, but it's nice to spend some weekend exploring the city you're in. Going every weekend to Berlin and Paris and Madrid and Amsterdam (and I actually know people who did this) is exciting, but it's totally exhausting and it gets extremely expensive. I tried to focus on getting to know Florence and traveling within Italy, and only went to different countries during Spring Break and Easter break when I had more time.

- Try every food! Italy is not really a place where you can find the weirdest food, but stomach and liver was not something I was eating all the time at home. I did try it. It doesn't mean I liked it. But I did decided I liked anchovies and fennel, and that was a step forward. On a related note, I really enjoyed cooking for myself, because produce is cheaper than in the US and so much fresher than in New York. It's interesting to see how grocery stores work in other countries, and it gets you more familiar with the kinds of foods people actually eat there (and it's less expensive than going out all the time).

San Luis Obispo, CA, Pablo Allouard

2011-05-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

Pablo Allouard

Rouen Business School, Normandie, France

Where did you study abroad?

San Luis Obispo, CA.
For how long?

10 Months.

Pre-departure preparations?

Just basic things such as searching apartments, money, transportation etc…

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?

It was my first time in the USA and far away from my roots (at least for a year). The first thing was Los Angeles. I arrived in a sunny afternoon, in this huge American city. I spend the first night in a Hotel downtown, because there wasn’t a train for SLO after 3pm. I was excited to discover this new world (and 10 months after, I still discover new things every day). I saw many cultural differences when I arrived: the Amtrak (generally, public transportation), cars, architecture, the coastline with mountains, streets etc… I noticed all the visible differences between California and France, but there are also similarities.

I was surprised to see all these beautiful cars, trucks and houses, compared to a period of economic recession. The opulent way of life was my culture shock, especially the “car society”(everything is easier with a car, compare to public transportation).

After I realized that I was going to spend one year without coming back to France, which was difficult at some point, when you start missing your family, friends, roots etc…

Overall experience

I definitely want to come back, I loved my experience abroad. So many road-trips!
I discovered a lot about myself, California changed me.

I realized that the French have so much to learn from California:

First, an optimistic way of thinking. The French are pessimistic, like tradition and see change as a danger. They always complaining about everything. That’s why I want to come back!
Americans are more open to change. We talk a lot about changing, but when it is time to take actions...
A friendly attitude towards people. SLO life seems to be a little bit cooler than the rest of California, but it is still different than in France, where people are a lot more distant, sometimes unfriendly.
A lot of sports amenities here. Things changed in France, but it’s not comparable to here: so much sports equipment! Compare to French campus, it’s a lot different. I would say that Californian seem to enjoy take care of their body and health, towards sports activities. A way of life that I’m going to miss for sure!

I’m 100% sure I’m going to have a reverse culture shock when I’ll come back: I’ll miss Californian people, way of life and landscapes (so beautiful).

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?

Moving to France:

I think that you will face some barriers such as language: In France, people speak French. If you have the opportunity to learn French in your university (at least some simple “everyday life expressions”), that would help you to meet people and discover the culture (or just to survive ^^).

Unfriendly attitudes: Generally, I would say that French are open-minded and always want to discover more about you. But unfortunately, some people are not open-minded at all. To compare, I’ve always meet friendly and open-minded people in California. French are more distant.

Well, at the beginning, I guess it could be hard to understand the French culture and how French organize their lives. If you’re interested by learning the French culture, there is a class in Cal Poly where the French teacher explains few things to know about France.

Well, I would definitely recommend you to move abroad as soon as you can! It will change your vision of the world and makes you more open-minded to new cultures. I’m almost sure that coming back in the USA will be hard after a year in France!

Sydney, Australia, *Lauren Krensky

2011-05-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
Sydney, Australia (lived just outside at Coogee Beach)

For how long?
One semester, Spring semester my Junior year

Which program?
IFSA-Butler

Predeparture Preparations?
Minimal. I did open a Bank of America bank account. They have a partnership with the bank Westpac which is prominent in Australia. Whenever I took money out from Westpac banks with my Bank of America card I was not charged the $5 service fee that many other banks charged.
Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?
Moving in was scary since I was all of a sudden around the world with no one I knew. But, seeing the beach and moving into my apartment two blocks away assuaged many of my concerns. Also IFSA-Butler had an orientation for everyone involved in their program so I felt more comfortable being in a foreign city after I had met a few other people in my same situation. The program also showed us around the city a bit in the first days - we visited the Sydney zoo, did double decker bus tours, etc. Those sorts of activities made me feel less overwhelmed since I had a remote understanding of the city after.

Best part
My favorite part of my semester in Sydney was my location. Living at Coogee Beach made me feel like I had an actual home, rather than just living in an apartment in the city. The area of Coogee is very cute with lots of little shops and restaurants and is fun to walk around. It didn't hurt that the breathtaking beach was only two blocks from my apartment. It was also ideal because I had the community feeling at home and could go into the city to explore via a short bus ride.
I was also there for the World Cup. Sydney was involved in the World Cup's Fan Fest and had giant screens up in the harbour that played all the games throughout the night. Some of my best memories abroad are sitting outside watching the US play on the screens in the harbour at 4:30 in the morning.

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)
Although I loved living in Coogee, some people may view living there as difficult. The abroad kids joke about Coogee being "Little America." Many of the study abroad programs in Sydney have their students live in Coogee so there are tons of American students located there. This fact makes it easy to find American friends, but living so close to Americans can also act as a crutch. It gets difficult to leave "Little America" to meet Australians unless you really want to.

Information about Sydney (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)
The American dollar is not as strong as it used to be. Food in general is reasonably expensive so I often cooked at home. Alcohol is incredibly expensive in Australia (!!!!) and most Americans only drink box wine (called goon). The beer there tastes slightly different but is good (I liked Pure Blonde).

Favorite places in the city:
Bars: I loved going out around Darling Harbour - my favorite bar there was Cargo Bar (right on the water). George Street is also a popular place to go out - The Ivy is a really swanky bar that you have to stop by at least once to see (no cover on Fridays, but dress up!). The Rocks is another fun area but a little nicer - The Argyle is a nice bar there.
Restaurants: The Australian Hotel in the Rocks is awesome. Must try their kangaroo pizza, although all are great. Pancakes on the Rocks is a 24 hour restaurant that has all kinds of food but it's fun to go in the wee hours of the morning to have pizza. People eat meat pies (Harry's is the most famous place for those) and kebabs for every meal. Also, if you're ever in Coogee - A Fish Called Coogee is my favorite restaurant. All fresh seafood that you pick out on the spot and they cook for you. Amazing.
Beaches: Coogee, Bondi, Maroubra
Must dos: Sydney Zoo; Sydney Fish Market; boat trip across to Manly beach; Beach walk from Coogee to Bondi (!!); Visit the Opera House and Botanical Gardens; Paddy's Market
Places worth visiting: Great Barrier Reef area (stay in Cairns or Port Douglas); Byron Bay; Melbourne. Also if you get the opportunity, I highly recommend visiting New Zealand -- breathtaking.

Khon Kaen, Thailand, *Ana

2011-05-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Ana

Where did you study abroad?

Khon Kaen, Thailand

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)

From mid-August to mid-December, only one semester is available with this program. You may choose a fall or spring semester. I studied there during fall 2009.

Which program?

CIEE

Pre-departure preparations?

A physical is essential, but I believe that’s a standard for any study abroad program. Perhaps you may need to get some medical shots, however, if you have traveled to tropical destinations before then there is a good chance you have already acquired all necessary shots. Malaria pills may be necessary if you plan on traveling in Southeast Asia before or after the program. However, malaria pills are less expensive in Thailand and you will not need them for where you will be during the program. Also I suggest purchasing loose, breathable clothes. Linen pants will be your best friends. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any that fit during my trip so I suggest buying those at home. They are super light and usually don’t cost much, a great wardrobe essential for other travels as well.

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?

I absolutely loved it. The temperature and humidity was hard to adjust to at first. Thailand is the quintessential tropical country and Bangkok is incredibly humid, especially during the months between April and August. I suggest learning a couple simple Thai words before your arrival e.g., thank you, hello, and bathroom. This will go a long way; Thai people are very impressed with foreigners who can speak even a little bit of Thai. Although you will have intense Thai classes throughout the program, it’s a good idea to get a head start. Throughout your study abroad experience in Thailand you will be treated completely differently, and will get “star” treatment in Thailand. Also Khon Kaen is located in the northeastern region of the nation, there not many people speak English and you must learn to Thai quickly in order to order food, buy mobile phone cards etc. Unfortunately, Thai isn’t the easiest language to learn since it is tonal. Specifically, it has five tones and a words meaning changes when an incorrect tone is applied, so be careful! The best way to learn Thai is to listen to it. Thai-English dictionaries are often unhelpful especially for a beginner.

Overall experience

The program has completely changed my life. It not only teaches you about the under-belly of development and globalization, buy it also teaches you how to be a better person. The program involves a lot of “group process.” This is a very frustrating process in which decisions in the group are made by consensus, not majority rules. Therefore, everyone must be happy with the decision made. During the first month of orientation the program emphasizes Thai language learning and activities focused on cultivating cooperation skills among the group. However, it is very flexible afterwards and your final project is completely determined by the students. IN fact, after every semester the staff changes the curriculum to reflect student feedback. Honestly, there is too much information for me to write in this entry. But know this, if you want a life changing experience and you want to become a better person, choose this program! In fact, I loved my experience so much that I came back a year later to do my senior thesis research.

Information about Khon Kaen

There is a huge mall and a movie theater that did not exist there when I studied abroad. However, the restaurants located around the CIEE office offer amazing food. Please try the grilled bananas from the banana lady that can be found to the right of the 7-11. Also Thai massages are a must; you can get an hour massage for less than 4 dollars. In terms of safety, I never felt completely safe anytime I was in Thailand, at night, in cities, regardless. Of course I suggest executing your best judgment at all times, but there is little to worry about. However, before going I would check news on the red and yellow shirts political movements after spring 2010 unrest, the violence is in no way directed towards foreigners. Nonetheless, you don’t want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Cooking Sticky Rice at a Homestay

What you learned

I learned how to better communicate with people as well as a plethora of knowledge regarding grassroots and community organization. I applied a lot of what I learned in the classroom and I changed my college major upon my return. Also the Thai “ajaans” (teachers) are incredible at teaching the language. You will be amazed by the amount of Thai you will be able to speak at the end of the program. For example, you will be able to have heart-to-hearts with Taxi drivers in Bangkok…it’s awesome.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?

If you want to party and barely scrape by in your classes this is not the program for you. However, if you want to learn more about the world, become a global citizen, and understand the world as a whole better, don’t hesitate to apply.

Water Buffalo on a Farm

Rice Farmer in the Northeast

Florence, Italy, *Kim Wohlleb

2011-05-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

Guide for Florence

Places to Eat:
Paninis: Oil Shoppe, Antico Noe, i Fratellini, Gusto Panino (all of them are under 4 Euro for amazing amazing paninis, quick to-go kind of thing)

Pizza: Gusta Pizza, Za Za Trattoria, Trattoria Mario (pretty much anywhere actually..)

Nice dinners:
1. il Latini (this is a MUST)- its a completely Italian style dining experience, they bring you out tons of food, tons of wine, deserts, everything, its the best (a little on the pricey side, but well worth it) make sure to get a reservation because it gets packed really quick.

2. Coquinarius (our favorite)- less expensive but amazing food, especially the Pear and Pecorino cheese ravioli. Also, if you like brie cheese, they have an appetizer that is to die for called the brie, honey and almond bruschetta.

3. Golden View- right along the Arno River- views of the Ponte Vecchio at night. More contemporary, really good food. If you can, sit by the window, it is beautiful at night.

4. Gatto e Volpe: the only place in Florence that actually gives you really good bread (fyi- Italians dont usually put salt in their bread... a lot different than at home) and they have really good penne with vodka sauce

4. Quattro Leoni- really good, a lot of people take their parents there...

5. Trattoria Tredici Gobbi- another good one

6. Buca Mario- havent been there but we hear great things, a little more pricey as well, but apparently its really good :)

**Aside from il Latini and Buca Mario, all the rest are pretty affordable places with really really good food. To be honest, its hard not to like everything, but these places are definitely hot spots for us.

Gelato:
1. Grom- really touristy but good. its supposed to be more "natural" whatever that means...

2. The actual best place in Florence though is a place called "La Carraia" and it is two bridges down from the Ponte Vecchio (Ponte Carraia) on the opposite side of the river from the Duomo. (to be clear, the duomo is on one side of the river, and this place is on the opposite side of the river... hah) anyways, as soon as you cross the "La Carraia bridge" the gelato place is right on the corner. Its the best. Get the "biscottini" (cookies)... all of our favorite

3. Perche No? also pretty good

4. Vivoli, used to be like, an award winning gelato place...

Sights to see:
Uffizi Museum
Accademia (the David is here)
Bargello Museum
Duomo
Churches- Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella (where we lived these past few months)
Ponte Vecchio (famous bridge full of gold jewelry)
**Piazza de Michelangelo: best views of Florence, a little bit of a hike to get to, but worth it. there is a restaurant up there too if you wanted to eat there. Beautiful during the day and night- great spot for pictures.
**Hike the Duomo stairs: really cool views as well, plus a little bit of a work out to help with all of the pasta, pizza and gelato you'll be eating :) haha
**Cascina Park: non touristy, huge park, great to walk around, kind of an escape from the city.

*My favorite thing to do at night (when we arent drinking): Walk from the ponte vecchio, down two bridges to ponte carraia, cross the river, get gelato from that one place that i told you about, and stand on the bridge looking at the view. the lights on the ponte vecchio and along the river are all beautiful, and its really fun to just enjoy the view and hang out on the bridge.

**Also, some Saturday nights a guy plays the guitar and sings on the Ponte Vecchio, so grab a bottle of wine and go hang out there if you get a chance

Bars:
Old Stove (right by the Duomo): its an Irish Pub, and the Bartenders are really cool- most of the time they're hammered... so its fun

Shot Cafe: near the Duomo as well- they have about 50 shots to choose from with ridiculous names like "Hiroshima" "Duck Fart" "Lube Job" and "American Flag" and stuff.. we spend a lot of time there... but be careful.. the phrase "death by Shot Cafe" has been used more than once during this trip hahah

Mayday- small bar but decent drinks and they serve popcorn to your table, always a plus

La Dolce Vita (accross the river)- appertivo (buy a drink and get free appetizers) is really good, kind of a swanky place, but fun

Naima- small but fun

All of the bars around the Santa Croce area are cool- Moyo, Naima, XBacco, etc.

Clubs:
Space- two story club, fun to dance at, they make their drinks strong, again- always a plus

21- really fun, smaller, underground, Wednesday nights are hip hop nights

Red Garter- more Americanized- its a bar and it has a dance area. Tuesday nights are beer pong tournament nights

Other things:
-Piazza Signoria is really popular- right by the Uffizi Museum
-San Lorenzo leather markets are really cool, super cheap stuff like scarves and belts and stuff, plus leather jackets and purses for your mom :) haha
-Lion's Fountain is another great bar, forgot about that one

Buenos Aires, Argentina, *Kathy Smundak

2011-05-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina from March to August 2010 (a semester). Instead of going to NYU’s Buenos Aires campus, I enrolled directly at the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) by taking a leave of absence. I wanted to immerse myself in Argentine culture and take classes in Spanish which would’ve been impossible at NYU’s study abroad campus. I chose a semester long program because that was the length of time for which I could take a semester off and still graduate on time. I also chose the program because it only costs $400 dollars for foreign students (as opposed to $16,000 through NYU).

I didn’t prepare too extensively before leaving. I applied for the program in the fall of 2009, but honestly, given their system, you could easily arrive a couple of weeks before the semester starts and they would still take you. I found a furnished apartment online that I rented with a friend from high school. Class registration took place at UBA’s orientation.

I was determined to fall in love with Buenos Aires when I got there, but quickly discovered that my Spanish was not nearly as fluent as I had expected. It’s definitely a very different country than the US—it’s not just that dinner starts at 10:00 and that they really haven’t mastered the salad (I once had it served to me in a cup), there’s also a massive bus system to master, the scarcity of coins to keep in mind, as well as the fact that their sense of humor differs radically from the US one—sarcasm is not their forte.

Because I wasn’t there through a program, I didn’t have a built in group of friends. The Argentines at UBA were extremely friendly, and I made some friends through classes—other study abroad students, as well as Argentines. My roommates were enrolled in a study abroad program at another Buenos Aires university, so I made friends with people in their program. Through them I also met a group of Argentines who hung out with study abroad students. They also introduced me to a big group of Middlebury students. I also posted on a CouchSurfing message board for a language exchange (Spanish/English) and met an awesome girl who was very friendly. We went out once, and it was one of my favorite nights in Argentina.

Not speaking the language fluently definitely made the experience difficult and alienating. It’s hard to make friends when your personality is abridged by a lack of fluency. I couldn’t make the jokes I usually would’ve been able to, we didn’t share the same cultural referents. At NYU, I was very lucky to have found my best friends within the first week. In Argentina, I was on my own for the first time. Although my roommates were very friendly, and we got along really well, they were both guys (which made living arrangements much simpler) and I wasn’t used to not having close girl friends. In any case, the experience taught me self-reliance. I learned to go out on my own, to get out of my comfort zone. I became much more independent, and, I think, nicer, less judgmental. I gained a greater sense of perspective—gossip and grudges and the social judgments that are characteristic of one’s usual social circle just didn’t matter anymore. My classes were the most rewarding part of my study abroad experience.

The main building was a former cigarette factory; the walls were papered with political posters. Classes never started on time, professors smoked in class. One time a stray dog walked through the lecture. But, the professors were extremely educated, erudite, and funny, as were the students. I learned so much about South American literature. The study part was a huge success.

Buenos Aires is an eminently walkable city. The Palermo parks are beautiful, and there is an awesome bathroom museum in the city in a building that looks like a giant pineapple (roughly). The steak is incredible—go to Desnivel in Sal Telmo, and it will be the best meat you’ve ever eaten. Iguazu waterfalls are gorgeous, and Cordoba is a very fun city. The country is huge, so travel time is always extensive.

The nightlife is very active, and goes until dawn. If you are home at 4 am, you’re not trying. That said, be careful at night: probably 50% of the people I knew there had something stolen from their person.

Advice: get involved in something. I had way too much free time while I was abroad. Only in the last month did I get a job (no I did not have permission, but they did not check papers). I waitressed and bartended at a bar, and not having done so sooner was my biggest regret. It was also a great way to improve my Spanish and meet new people.Overall, it was a very enlightening experience, and I think if I'd stayed longer, I would've benefited even more.

Barcelona, Spain, *John Enos

2011-05-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
Barcelona, Spain

For how long?
One semester

Which program?
IES

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?
I arrived in Barcelona in early September and was disoriented by the heat! Suddenly having to rely on my feeble Spanish was also a wake-up call.

Any culture shock? excitement? nervous?
Excited!

Best part
My favorite part of my semester in Barcelona was actually the traveling I got to do outside out of the city. I was able to go on trips to Morocco, Amsterdam, Sardinia, and San Sebastian.

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)
I was a bit disappointed by the lack of language immersion from my experience. Obviously, this is in large part my fault, but I often ended up with other Americans speaking English. Catalans and the people on the street usually conversed in Catalan, which is totally different from Spanish. I wish my Spanish had improved more from my time there.

Information about Barcelona (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)
Be on the lookout for pickpockets. You may have to hunt hard to find good, cheap food. Parc Guell is a great place to relax atop the city. I found that Catalans and residents of Barcelona often seemed fed-up with the constant influx of tourists and loud Americans and were often a bit hostile towards us. I thought this was sometimes understandable…I was pretty embarrassed by the loud, culturally insensitive actions that often seemed to go hand-in-hand with many American study abroad kids.

What did you learn?
Overall, I enjoyed Barcelona, but in many ways it was not what I was looking for in a study abroad experience. I became a bit tired of how touristy and expensive the city was and found it difficult to separate myself from the ‘herd’ of American study abroad kids who weren’t really interested in immersing themselves in the city and culture of Barcelona. I think it is a great study abroad destination for many students, but in retrospect I would have gone somewhere else.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?
Go somewhere that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to go. It is pretty easy to visit Barcelona (or elsewhere in Europe) later in life on your own…it is much harder to travel independently to Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, or the Middle East. Keep an open mind and realize that the US isn’t the center of the universe and that much can be learned by traveling to new places and meeting new people.

Cape Coast, Ghana, *John Enos

2011-05-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
Cape Coast, Ghana

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)
6 weeks…that was how long the program was. (It was a summer program).

Which program did you go through?
Davidson in Ghana (through my school, Davidson College)

Pre-departure preparations
Read a lot about Ghanaian and West African culture, visited the travel medicine clinic to get yellow fever immunizations and anti-malarial pills!

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?
Amazed by the heat and humidity and thoroughly exhausted after 16 hours of traveling, but I was really excited to step foot on a new continent.

How did you feel at first: culture shock? excitement? nervous?
I wasn’t nervous, but I definitely experienced both excitement and culture shock. I hadn’t been to Africa before and everything was so different.

Best part
Experiencing the Ghanaian way of life, teaching kids at a secondary school, making Ghanaian friends, sampling the local cuisine, learning West African dance/drumming, etc.

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)
I got malaria in the northern part of Ghana, near Burkina Faso. The northern part is quite undeveloped and hospitals are hard to find….somehow I survived!

Information about Cape Coast (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)
Cape Coast is an awesome city right on the water. Most of the touristy bars and restaurants were overpriced and underwhelming; I enjoyed just walking around, meeting locals, and eating Ghanaian cuisine. I learned to watch out for scamming taxi drivers.

What did you learn?
Life is much different in Ghana. Things happen at a different pace, perspectives are often unlike the American view, and the day-to-day life of an average Ghanaian is so much harder than what most Americans experience. It was really inspiring to see how hard-working and ambitious Ghanaians were – particularly the students I taught in the secondary school.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?
Go somewhere that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to go. It is pretty easy to visit Europe later in life on your own…it is much harder to travel independently to Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, or the Middle East. Keep an open mind and realize that the US isn’t the center of the universe and that much can be learned by traveling to new places and meeting new people.

Central Wisconsin, *Maurice, from Switzerland

2011-05-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
I went to high school in Central Wisconsin.

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)
I was there for 1 year, in 2003/2004, and at the age of 15 respectively 16 years old. I chose that length because you really need to spend at least 1 year to really learn a language and culture of any place. Even 1 year is quite short compared to the vast amount of experiences to be done in a different culture and language.

Which program?
I was a foreign exchange student and went there with an organization called "EF". Even though my program was called "foreign exchange student program", there wasn't actually an exchange happening: My family in Switzerland did not have an American student in return. I went to High School, my level was "Junior" (even though I think I should have been a "Sophomore" according to my age).

Pre-departure preparations

Applying to a foreign exchange program with "EF" requires you to do most of the preparations; if not, you won't be accepted to the program. This involves things like being interviewed by experienced people to find out if you can handle 1 year away from home, writing essays about yourself, language tests, reading articles/books etc. What I did for myself specifically was I bought a book about American culture and tried to implement some of those lifestyles at home in Switzerland so I wouldn't have to worry about that once I arrived there. In hindsight, you can't prepare much, though. The most important factor is that you can just let go of all of your expectations and opinions. You have to be ready to let go of what you believe in for that time being (without betraying yourself of course). As a foreigner you are expected to adapt and you can't change a whole community's mind just because you think they're wrong. You really have to learn to accept without judging, that's the key.

Any culture shock? excitement? nervous?

On my very first day I had a huge culture shock. I arrived at my host family's house and only then I realized I'll be here for 1 year. I wanted to fly home that very second. Not because it was a bad house or anything, not at all. But just that feeling of being "gone" struck me real hard that day. I went to bed pretty early and the next day the feeling was gone. After that I didn't have any kind of culture shock anymore. Every day was more exciting because everything was so new. I would repeat this year without hesitating. And yes, of course I was nervous about many things. For example my first day at practice (football, wrestling and baseball). Those were very nervous days for me. I didn't know what the coaches expected and what the other players' would think about a Swiss guy trying out for their sports teams. And then the games and tournaments, the first game I was very nervous, too. Since I, as a foreigner, got the chance to play on the field, I felt like I have a huge responsibility to not let my team and school down. But it was only the first couple times, I felt very welcomed and didn't have any problems after that.

Best part
Anything that had to do with High School sports was the best part. Practice, the games, the team spirit, school spirit - everything. Joining the teams was the best decision I have made. Thanks to being in the teams, I didn't have any problems finding friends and meeting people. Before even classes started, I already had somewhat of a social circle and didn't feel left behind at all, even though nobody really knew me back then. Anyone doing a "study abroad program" should absolutely join some kind of team or club. It's going to make his/her life much easier. And I think local people like it when you get active in clubs/teams and then it's easier for them to connect with you and accept you (this is just my own hypothesis of course).

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)

When you live somewhere for 1 year, you will have stressful and emotional situation, where there is not much time to look up words and think a lot about your answers. In some of those times, I wasn't able to express myself very clearly and it lead to misunderstandings. It didn't cause major damage but it would have been nice to stop the time in those situations and look up the culturally correct answers. But as I said, this wasn't an issue in most situations. Only when it got stressful or emotional - when you don't have a clear mind or much time to think about how you want to express yourself - my lack of language and culture skills were an issue and I then couldn't express myself the way I wanted. It's part of the experience and quite a challenge, because you still have to work on your social skills like you would at home. I wouldn't worry about it too much, though, it's normal and everyone who has to deal with foreign students knows about this. Just make an effort and be ready to apologize, because in the end, it's your fault you don't understand their language and/or culture - and not the opposite.

What you learned?
I learned everything! I still feed upon what I have learned during my foreign exchange year today, every day. It ranges from school knowledge (math, speaking, English, writing etc.) to social skills (arguing, meeting new people, making friends etc.) - and everything in between. I also learned a lot about myself during that time, that is still very valuable today.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student? All of my advice I have included in my answers above. To sum up: 1) Keep an open mind 2) Accept what you don't understand at first anyways 3) Don't feel guilty if you can't express yourself the way you wanted 4) Enjoy every day, you'll look back to it during the rest of your life 5) And join some sort of team/club that you find interesting and be active

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Lindsay Mueller

2011-05-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
Aix-en-Provence

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)
10 months, I chose to study for a year because I had heard from so many people that they regretted not staying for a whole year after being there for a semester.

Which program?
California State University International Programs

Pre-departure preparations
Before I left, I talked to a lot of people who were in the same town I was in the year before to see what would be best to bring. I was told to buy mascara, nail polish remover, and basically stock up on stuff that would be more expensive to buy in France. I probably started packing my stuff about a month ahead of time, I was so excited. I got a international drivers license before thinking I might drive for some reason (don’t get one, you wont need it even if you do drive). I brought two large suitcases, a big carry-on backpack, and a small duffle bag. TOO much stuff! Bring one large suitcase if you can, you WILL buy a ton of stuff, no matter what you think.

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?
culture shock? excitement? nervous?
I was nervous and excited. I didn’t experience any culture shock because I already had been to France multiple times and knew what to expect. For the first week at least, I couldn’t believe I was finally there and was only nervous for my classes to start, since they were all in French.

Overall experience
I loved meeting so many new people everywhere I went. I made a lot of really close friends throughout the year that I still keep in close contact with. I also loved being able to pack up my stuff and be in another country within an hour. Lastly, I had a lot of free time, which was the best part. Living the “European” life and being able to sit around coffee shops and do nothing but enjoy talking to other people.

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)
The biggest difficulty for me was living with another French girl. I was excited at the beginning to be able to practice my French and be able to hopefully cook with her/meet a lot of other French people. But, we were kind of opposites and it didn’t quite work out as I’d hoped. The language barrier was hard at times too. A lot of people would automatically recognize my accent and start speaking to me in English. By the middle of the year though, it was so rewarding when that finally went away.

Information about Aix (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)
Best places in Aix: Bulldog Burger, Book in Bar, the big market every Tues, Thurs, and Sat. Jacobs (bread!!), l’unique (drinks), Wohoo (fun international/French student hangout), Crepes a go-go. Renior (theatre).. There are so many more places…

Smaller, tri-weekly market

Larger Farmer's Market with incredible food!

Farmer's Market

un petit-déjeuner

What you learned?
I learned SO much.. just about myself too. I came back with a different view of my University, but in a good way. I think I gained a lot of patience (the French can be hard to deal with) and I learned to take some time for myself in my busy schedule here back in the states. It was hard adjusting back to this lifestyle, but you will get used to it.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?
Go for a year! You will regret it if you only go for a semester or a summer. You just start to get used to things and start to make close friendships after the first semester. The second semester was definitely a lot more enjoyable and the weather was better. Also, don’t be shy. I was way too shy to speak French in the beginning and put myself out there, which was a big mistake. In order to really get a good grasp on the language, you have to just speak it and get over the fact that you are probably going to be horrible at it (in comparison to the French). Lastly, live it up and enjoy every minute of it, it will be over before you know it!

Lindsay Mueller is a student at Cal Poly SLO

Savona, Italy, *Samuel Raffaillac (from France)

2011-05-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
I study abroad in Savona, Italy, just before Genova in the north.

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)
I choose to study in Italy, because I am half Italian (my mother's Italian), so I went to the Italian consulate and they told me, “If you are half Italian, you can have a scholarship to study during the summer in an Italian university”. So I also received a scholarship to study during three weeks.

Which program?
The program, I choose to study’s, was Italian Art History, all lesson were in Italian.

Pre-departure preparations
Before the departure, I look for a place to stay during the entire trip. After that was ok, I try to find different place to visit, because my trip was short.

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?
When I arrived in Savona, I went to the place I would be staying in “Lavagnola” very close to Savona, and it was a very big apartment, it was close to a church and our neighbor was a cool priest. I had five French roommates and it was fun to live in community.

Information about Savona
If you want to study, in Savona you can go at the Savona university campus, if you want to party I recommended you to go to the port, there are some pubs. If you want to watch opera, or concert you must go to the Priamar. If you like to surf go to Varazze. And if you just want to go to the beach, there is wonderful small beach just after Bergeggi.

What did you learn?
I learned how to leave in community, with people I have never met before. To study abroad, with all lessons in Italian was really interesting and make me learning faster the small difficulty’s of the Italian. Like I said, I’m half Italian so I need to learn the story of my half origin.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?
Like everybody says, studying abroad was the best experience of my life. Even if I’m European just the fact to have a change in language made me feel like I was in an exotic country. So if you study in Ligury, you must go to “Cinque terre”. And you can go easily from Savona in Corsican. So enjoy your time, and live the moment.

Flint, Miami, *Vedat Artantas (from Germany)

2011-05-09T23:07:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
Flint, Miami

For how long (and why did you choose that length?
Only one term, 3 months (I chose it because it is a partner university of my German university, so it was without any extra fees)

Pre-departure preparations
Organizing lots of paper for travelling, like visa, any living apartment documents, the trip from New York City to Flint by plane, places to stay befor arriving in Flint and an recommendation letter from my prof. in Germany

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival? culture shock? excitement? nervous?
First of all I was sooo happy to arrive finally, then I thought I know nearly all those places from the movies.. so I felt really confident with for example New York City (Manhattan). it was like I was there before, but I've never been there actually :)... funny feeling anyway.
Culture shock was not that what lots of people had expected, I guess.. it was really nice and I never had problems with anyone over there at any of the places I visited. So there was only positive shock if this counts :) I have to say that I was 29 when I arrived there, so I was not excited or nervous... maybe younger people would be, but i was really relaxed and i felt sooo great :)) that's why I can recommend studying abroad to everyone.

Overall Experience
I collected lot's of great views and my way of thinking about the people in the USA changed in a much more positive way than expected. I never had problems with them, but since I was there, I think I know them even better and I loved the place and the people :))

Best part
Meeting my 2 "brothers" Jackson and Jordan (honestly!!) and lot's of other nice people, but those two I won't ever forget, for sure! The other thing was to have the chance to see sooo many places and meet nice peoples and have even a good relationship between Christian, Jews and Muslims (I am Muslim btw) and we were really good friends :)

Any difficulties?
I think there was only one week, when I ran out of money....but my family helped me out so after this week I kept going on with my nice life :)

Favorite places visited?
1. New York City Manhattan, 2. Miami-Beach, 3. Chicago, 4. San Francisco, 5. San Diego, 6. Los Angeles (for me the east-side was very nice) and watch out for Detroit and Flint, not to go alone out after it is dark, or you could get any problems in some areas... i never had problems, but maybe others could ;)
I learned to improve my English, how people live and think in the USA and that it doesn´t matter where you are in the world, without money you are lost, and without family support twice ;)
check the places of the city where your partner university is!! try to avoid boring citys, like Flint, there is nothing to see, unfortunately... but it was ok to go to Canada (Toronto and Niagara Falls) and Chicago by car, thats it ;) even partying was arround 2 hours drive...so I think San Diego would be much better hehe... but anywhere, doesn´t really matter where you go, important is what you do, just enjoy and have fun.. be openminded to everyone and you will meet lot´s of nice people, like i did....

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Lindsay Rodriguez

2011-05-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?

Aix-en-Provence, France

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)

one year.. I knew a semester wouldn't be long enough to really dive into the culture and get the full experience based on what others had told me. Plus, I thought why not leave home for the longest period possible?

Which program?

CSU IP program at SFSU

Pre-departure preparations

The only preparation really was just taking care of the Visa which was neither fun nor simple. Be sure to do that a bit in advance if possible. Oh yeah I guess I worked to save quite a bit to travel and enjoy my time there. Thats not a bad idea, either. :)

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?

I was so excited. I arrived full of energy and hope for the year ahead and honestly, I wasn't nervous or afraid but more in awe of everything I was seeing and the culture around me. It felt so easy to just find a place amongst this new lifestyle; things felt relaxed, much slower, the weather was warm, the city was beautiful. It was way far too easy to adapt to feel any culture shock in the negative sense. Literally I felt like I was waking up in a dream the first month or so that I was there. Meeting all the other CSU students was awesome.. we all had such a good time together those first couple weeks in the hotel when we began our language program. I feel like nobody should be afraid of the beginning but prepare yourself for the pain at the end; unfortunately leaving is a bit harder.

Best part

The people you meet and the places you see, of course. Food wasn't bad either :) There is no other experience where you are just thrown literally into another culture and have to sort yourself out. You meet some amazing friends, have the best travel stories and most people I know came out of the year with much more confidence than when they left.

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)

Like I explained, I felt that upon arrival it was really a pleasure to be amongst a totally different culture from our own. As the winter sets in, times get a little more rough I think as the thrill of arrival wears off and I started to face the difficulty of really finding good french friends.. I had a few but the americans all stuck close to eachother.. in fact, all the english speakers did. It's not negative it's just natural. With time, if you lose this hesitation or get yourself a language partner who wants to learn english, you'll break through and notice nobody cares, you're learning after all. The biggest difficulty I experienced actually was coming back home. Spending a year of nothing but traveling and learning and meeting amazing people and returning to the place you know so well was extremely difficult.. it feels like the adventure is coming to an end. On the positive side, you have the opportunity to reunite with your friends and family of course and learn even more about your own culture from a whole different viewpoint.

Information about Aix-en-Provence (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)

Aix is such a tiny place that all the clubs and bars and all that are in the same area. You'll discover it all on your own within a few weeks. One of the most memorable events I went to was this outdoor festival called "Aires Libres" in Arles at the end of August or beginning of september. Oh and be sure to go to the markets everyday.. the big ones near Palais de Justice are awesome but the little ones are amazing as well.. they have the cheapest and freshest produce of anywhere and the farmers are some of the nicest people I ever encountered in Aix.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?

Aix is definitely a wonderful little city but I would really encourage you to make some french friends or any international friends who have a car or who leave the city from time to time. Its one regret I had to not explore more of the regions close by and to be fearless in meeting the natives, whether or not my French was perfect upon arrival. Just go out as much as possible, try to make as many contacts with frenchies and other internationals and you're going to have some of the most unforgettable memories with these people the rest of your life. You'll have a friend in every country of the world waiting to welcome you next time you travel. I dont know anyone who regrets studying abroad.

Torino, Italy, *Francesca Marchini

2011-05-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?

Torino, Italy

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)

Jan-May 5 months. I wanted to do something longer than a summer program but shorter than a year. At the time I was scraed to miss slo for a year. Now i wish i was gone a full year.

Which program?

USAC

Pre-departure preparations

Student Visa, USAC helped out with that the whole way. They were very helpful. Bought clothes to fit the weather patterns.

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?

Overwhelmed. But once i got settled in I thought it was in Disneyland for adults.

Any culture shock? excitement? nervous?

No culture shock. I kept on thinking I missed things from america but end those things didn't matter.

Best part

seeing the world and getting to experience the a relaxed culture. I love that having dinner and getting drinks takes 2 hours out of your day. Not watching TV and socializing with everyone

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)

The smoking. I don't mind it outside but inside a restaurant where I would be eating was annoying.

Information about Torino (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)

Go to as many aperivos as you can. You basically by a drink and get all you can appetizers for free ( it is a meal).Take the city tour bus right when you into town. It will help with you deiced what you really want to see in Torino. Live in Downtown and Midtown. Do not live at school!!

What did you learn?

Everything about life!

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?

Just go and never look back. Being abroad is the best experience of your life. When you return home after its all said and done you are going to miss being aboard more than you missed home. Home and your college town will always be there. Traveling for 6 weeks after graduation isn't the same experience as living there.

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Shaun Brennan,

2011-05-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

Information on travelling to and arriving at your study abroad destination/host institution

I spent last summer in Chicago so I left myself little enough time to get everything organised. I booked my flights to Marseille airport in early June, they were cheap (€70) with Ryanair from Dublin. I flew out from Dublin on the 31st of August and got the bus from Marseille airport to Aix-en-Provence which leaves very regularly. I booked into a cheap hotel the first night. If you have no accommodation booked prior to leaving for Aix, go directly to the tourist office where they will book you a room in either a hostel or a hotel, depending on your budget. I paid €30 a night in Hotel Concorde, located next to Rue d’Italie. It was comfortable and reasonably central. The tourist office advised against the hostel, especially after seeing the amount of baggage we had.

Your experiences with finding accommodation for your study period abroad

We arrived in Aix-en-Provence having not booked accommodation. After spending three days looking for a place to stay, we (a classmate from NUI Galway and I) found a fourth floor apartment right next to the Town Hall. This was as central a location as it gets and to be honest, it made my year. I was literally two minutes from the university and everything else that we needed was a stone’s throw away. While writing this report I’m looking down into the square watching the people strolling about or sitting having a coffee while a great five piece band play music. I could not have asked for a better location. Now, as regards student accommodation, it is an interesting tossup between that and a place like mine. First of all, the price difference is big. For student accommodation you’ll pay €170-€200 per month. I’m paying €430 a month. It’s quite a big difference, especially considering I had to spend my fair share of nights working in the bar, or days playing guitar in the street. But both working in the bar and playing guitar in the streets or in pubs were a huge experience for me. So from that perspective I didn’t mind paying the bit extra. There are three student residences that I know of, one I won’t even mention because of its distance from the university and the town in general. Cuques and Gazzelles are located right next to each other and are located about a twenty minute walk from the town centre and the university (IEP). When I say twenty minutes, thats at a good pace! There are other universities located close to these student residences (Fac de lettres) however I presume all are going to the IEP. Life in the student residences is an entirely different experience to the one I had, however I can offer you an insight into life there as I had lots of friends living there. Everyone living there gets very close and great friendships are made there. It’s a great way of meeting people at the start. Not that we had any problems, there were many parties and nights out and it seems that the hundred or so Erasmus students all get to know each other. Cooking facilities are basic, you purchase one plate, one fork etc in a starter pack and use a communal kitchen with twenty or so others for the year. In most kitchens there are only two hobs so patience is a good virtue to have. The walls between bedrooms are thin and disturbance is normal. In fact I’ve often heard people having converstions from the comfort of their beds with a friend the other end of the corridor. Clothes are left drying on lines in the bedrooms, and most rooms are tight for space as it is. However, in spite of this, these residences are really homely places once one gets settled. I saw two Irish girls from Limerick return home after less than two weeks after finding accommodation together in a private house. I can’t help but feel that wouldn’t have happened had they lived in student accommodation. From a personal perspective, I couldn’t have imagined living in student accommodation, but that’s only due to the the location of my house and the number of friends we made so early on. Everyone is in the same situation, so just start conversations. My best friends this year were those I met on the first day just through being sociable. Having a private house, we were free to play music as we liked, study and sleep in peace, cook comfortably and throw some brilliant parties! In my opinion it’s worth the extra money to find a place in town. However it may be advisable to come in August rather than September like me and sort a place out in advance. If you do book student accommodation, you’re also going to have a great year.

Information on the local environment in general, including issues like safety, native people’s attitudes, local customs, etc

Aix is a very safe place, often girls walk back to their student accommodation alone after a night out. The night life is very lively, but safe. As for local customs, there are markets three times a week and an abundance of bakerys, both play a big part in the locals lives. Be sure to eat well, I doubt you’ll find another place in the world with such an array of foods and tastes. The place is brimming with culture.

How was the academic set up at your host university, for instance: was it difficult for you to find suitable courses? How are courses assessed? Are the teaching methods very different to what you were used to?

At the beginning it is made very simple for Erasmus students to register for courses. In fact, you have one month to register both in September and January so you can sample courses and see what is for you and what isn’t. You can take either 2nd year or 4th year subjects and there is a wide choice catering for all interests and abilities. Some lecturers are very helpful, others not so much but that is the case in all walks of life. Courses are assessed by either three hour written exams or 15-20 minute oral exams. Oral exams is the more common for Erasmus students. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of an oral exam, your French will improve no end during your stay here. You’ll be well abe. The classes are smaller than Galway and the lectures are two hours long for the most part. There are no tutorials.

Information about student life in Aix:

There are an abundance of clubs and societies to join, sports, amnesty, music, basketball, boxing. I got involved immediately in the soccer team and found my feet very quickly in Aix thanks to them. Foreign people, especially Irish seem to be a novelty for French and they are very welcoming and include you in everything. Some of my good friends were made through soccer, and it’s sure that we will kepp in touch after I leave. Bonds made on sporting teams are strong as we’ve travelled around the south of France together as well as to Strasbourg for the national championships. There are wonderful sporting facilities available in Aix. There are numerous astro turf pitches, which you can play on for free, a fifty metre swimming pool, running tracks, tennis courts, table tennis tables etc. There is also Mount Saint Victoire, which everyone has to climb before leaving.

Information about the cost of living at your study abroad destination

As regards local transport, I didn’t need to use it as I am within walking distance from everything here. However it is very cheap for bus journeys around the town. Trips elsewhere to Marseille etc are more expensive, but you can buy a card if you intend to travel frequently in and out. Trips are organised to all places worth visiting around the area. Feel free to contact me as regards places to visit as I made it my business to see as many as I could. Although on arrival here you will quickly learn of the best places to see as people begin to say ‘’what? You havnt been there yet?’’ A meal can be got for less then three euros in the university canteens, located in different parts of the town, all walking distance. The food is nice usually and you get a dessert too! In general eating out anywhere else is expensive, although there are some lovely resteraunts that cater for students. Laundry is expensive. You’ll pay €8 to wash and dry clothes(not a large amount). In the Student residences its cheaper as you can hang your clothes out the window if you’re not on the ground floor. The phone! Orange are ridiculously expensive and one of the very few things I would change about the year is not have spent money on credit. It lasts no time at all. Use webtexts! Get a phone(not Orange) but my advice would be to use webtexts asmuch as you can. Skype is also a great thing. We were lucky in that our fairly wealthy neighbour allowed us to use her wireless for the year. However if you’re willing to pay €40 a month you can get your own broadband with house phone and unlimited free calls to European landlines. Which is really a very good deal. Any questions regarding that I can find out more if needed.

Did you get part-time work? Is it difficult to find? Any tips for future students?

Part time work is difficult enough to find. In bars and nightclubs it’s easier, however they look for experience and I had four years. Minimum one year I imagine. If anyone can play music, there is a big music culture out here and bars will pay you decent money to play. If there is anyone coming out here for the year, I may be able to help find part time work if you could start immediately in September in the bar I worked in. Its one minute from the university, The Wohoo (25 Rue de Bon Pasteur). Otherwise, put up hundreds of adverts offering English lessons and you’ll be pretty much guaranteed to get a few lessons a week and make €30 for yourself.

Playing at the Wohoo, International Bar

Any other advice?

My advice would be to set up your bank account with Soc Gen, on cours Mirabeau the main street. They are straight forward and relatively helpful to students. You’ll need this account for CAF. CAF is money back on your accommodation(25% roughly). However, one thing I would change about this year is go to the CAF office with as much personal documentation as you have early on (in the first two weeks at latest). If you post it, you won’t get money until you leave. They are very slow.

Would you do it again? Would you change anything?

This year has quite simply been the most exciting, rewarding and best year of my life. I’ve made brilliant friends from every continent of the world, people I will undoubtedly stay in touch with for the rest of my life. I’ve climbed a mountain, I’ve ran around the best preserved Roman amphitheatre in the world in Nimes, I’ve been to the ‘Grand Canyon of Europe’, I’ve learned to play the piano, I’ve lost money in a casino in Monaco, I’ve slept on a roofop in Turin Italy, I’ve sat in the Nou Camp for a Barcelons game, I’ve seen the Palais des Papes in Avignon, I’ve sat on a cliff in Saint Marie de la mer for a night playing the guitar with friends, I’ve played football in the national university championships, I’ve drank great wine (and a lot of cheap wine too), I’ve swam in Valencia Spain during the night, I’ve read books and seen films in both English and French, I’ve thrown snowballs in the Alps, I’ve danced with jubilant Marseille supporters after they won the league, I’ve swam in fountains, I’ve climbed the Eiffel tour. There is nothing I could or would change about this year. Study abroad, you won’t regret a minute of it!!!

In apartment with international friends

Sean is a student at NUI Galway

Barcelona, Spain, *Katie Kays,

2011-05-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
Barcelona

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)

1 semester...i could not be gone my whole senior year

Which program?
CEA

Pre-departure preparations

getting my visa was a little stressful...so was packing, i had no idea what to bring

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?

I was very nervous, excited, and anxious...when i arrived i felt very jet
lagged and disoriented...but it was an exciting feeling

Any culture shock? excitement? nervous?

Definitely culture shock...i was nervous & excited Best part:

traveling around to different countries....trying different foods

Difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)

I missed my best friends and family A LOT....i think that was the only real difficulty....other than everything being so expensive

Information about Barcelona (best places to go, watch out for, etc..):

haha way too much to put in writing...best restaurant was ceveseria catalonia, watch out for pick pocketers, best clubs: oshum and razzmatazz.....just to name a few :)

What you learned?

I learned a lot about being on my own and taking initiative...i learned about adjusting to unfamiliar situations and communicating with people from other cultures

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?

Do research beforehand, roll with the punches, relax, be safe, and have fun!

London, England, *Caroline Binkley,

2011-05-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

Stepping out of the phone booth in London

Where did you study abroad?

London, England

for how long? (and why did you choose that length?)

One semester. I found a semester was a great length to feel like you are actually living abroad as well as experiencing all of the things the city has to offer.

Which program did you go through?

University of Wisconsin - Madison Study Abroad Program

London Spring Semester

Pre-departure preparations

Two orientation meetings with my program and a meet and greet with other students in my program

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?

I felt nervous, anxious, out of place, but most of all beyond excited!

I had difficulty finding my apartment and how the Tube station worked because I did not know how to navigate.

Feelings of culture shock? excitement? nervous?

I did feel some culture shock but overall since the country I went to spoke English I feel like I was able to adapt quicker because I was able to communicate with the locals as well as able to find my way around since everything was in English.

Best part

Meeting people and experiencing the amazing things London has to offer

Posing with the Guards outside of Buckingham Palace

Any difficulties? (cultural, language, etc)

I did find it difficult to meet locals because I lived with all Wisconsin students.

Information about the city (best places to go, watch out for, etc..)

Best places to go is Harrods, Hyde Park, Camden and Piccadilly Circus. Definitely have to go to a Broadway Show and a soccer game!

Every Museum in London is truly amazing. Just any local pub is a great place to get Fish and Chips and a beer.

O'Neal's is a great club/pub to go to.

What you learned?

I learned all about the culture and history of the country as well as gained a great perspective on how the rest of the world views America especially the way London views America and their stance on specific political views and decisions. I learned how England views us as a culture and their stereotypes about us. I learned to be more accepting of others and their differences.

Any advice you’d give to a prospective study abroad student?

Make sure to enjoy everyday because everyday is a new experience. Do as much as you can and as often as you can. Become familiar and get to know your host country because you will end up feeling like you actually live there plus enjoy your time more. Meet as many people as you can and try to stay in touch.

Overall experience

The most rewarding and wonderful experience in my four years of college. I not only learned so much about my host country but about myself as well. I met the most amazing people and made wonderful friends.

Building a Pyramid in front of the famous Stone Henge

Caroline is a student at University of Wisconsin

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Maeve O'Sullivan

2011-05-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Maeve O'Sullivan, San Francisco State University

Before studying abroad I never thought I would be able to learn another language. I had taken five years of french in school but and still didn't feel at all that I could speak or understand it. Six months into my year in Aix-en-Provence I was carrying on conversations in what we called "Franglais". After that it was an easy transition to becoming pretty much fluent. Now I know that for me to learn a language I have to be immersed in the country and culture and I think it would be the same for anyone who finds it difficult or impossible to learn another language. I gained so much from my trip abroad and really enjoyed learning about French culture and experiencing their way of life. It was an eye opening experience that changed the way I see and think about the world. It also exposed me to many opportunities, one of which is a job I found at a B&B in Carcassone which is making it possible for me to return this summer. I never would have found it if I hadn't studied abroad. Do it! You won't regret it!

Maeve is a student at San Francisco State University

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Matthew Williams

2011-05-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Where did you study abroad?
I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France, just north of Marseille in the south.

For how long? (and why did you choose that length?)
I decided to go to learn French, so I chose to go for a year with this goal in mind. Many PhD candidates and friends told me that to achieve what one may call "fluency", a year is incomparable to a semester. Plus, I was bored in the US and I needed a changeup.

Which program did you go through?
My program was through the University of Michigan Office of International programs.

Pre-departure preparations
My preparations included listening to French music, reading French novels, and speaking with natives when I could. I also did my best to look at pictures of the city and get as excited as possible.

Beginning experiences and feelings upon arrival?
I loved the city. The arrival was a bit tough because when you first arrive it is hard to find your way around. But this is something everyone goes through, and there is no way around it.
Other than that, I was nervous when I arrived to set up my phone, learn my way around, start cooking, etc.. It can be overwhelming, but it was easier when I took it one step at a time.

Culture shock? excitement? nervous?
Aside from what I said above, it was all excitement. I left home knowing I would come back, so this let me take in everything much easier. I missed food in the US, but once I experienced the new cuisine I easily adapted.

Best part
The people, the beaches, and the weather. I loved passing days at the beach drinking wine with my French friends!

Overall experience
The best decision of my entire life. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Matthew Williams is a student at the University of Michigan

Study Abroad Guide

Barcelona, Spain, *Stephanie Stroud*

Paris, France, *Trevor Felch*

Egypt, *Tori*

Chiang Mai and Nong Khai, Thailand, *Arielle Gout*

Florence, Italy, *Nora Boyd*

San Luis Obispo, CA, *Pablo Allouard*

Sydney, Australia, *Lauren Krensky

Khon Kaen, Thailand, *Ana

Florence, Italy, *Kim Wohlleb

Buenos Aires, Argentina, *Kathy Smundak

Barcelona, Spain, *John Enos

Cape Coast, Ghana, *John Enos

Central Wisconsin, *Maurice, from Switzerland

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Lindsay Mueller

Savona, Italy, *Samuel Raffaillac (from France)

Flint, Miami, *Vedat Artantas (from Germany)

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Lindsay Rodriguez

Torino, Italy, *Francesca Marchini

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Shaun Brennan,

Barcelona, Spain, *Katie Kays,

London, England, *Caroline Binkley,

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Maeve O'Sullivan

Aix-en-Provence, France, *Matthew Williams

Barcelona, Spain, Stephanie Stroud

Paris, France, Trevor Felch

Egypt, Tori

Chiang Mai and Nong Khai, Thailand, Arielle Gout

Florence, Italy, Nora Boyd

San Luis Obispo, CA, Pablo Allouard