Pretty sure everyone agrees that Mumbai is much more exciting than Delhi, and we are all sad to leave it tonight.

Delhi was a very big culture shock. Crazy traffic, tons of people just sleeping on the street, many vendors determine to get you to buy their products, extreme heat and humitity, etc.

Mumbai has been a much calmer experience. There are not as many people, I feel safe when riding in a taxi, lots of fun little shops, and many interesting people. We actually had a chance to hang out with students from a university in Mumbai yesterday while visiting Tata Motors and a local call center.

I think the best thing so far in India is the shopping. I am one of the few that absolutely loves to haggle. Any chance I get I try to go lower. I think the most important thing to do is to be willing to walk away and it works almost every time.

Oh and the wild life is exciting. The night we got off the airplane we almost ran into an elephant on the road, there was a lizard in our bus one day, and tons of monkeys in Agra. Cows, goats, and sheep all wander the streets  and slow down traffic constantly.

I think the best part so far was both of our trips to the slums. We had a chance to go to two different slums. Both areas seemed to be in the same condition–impossible to imagine living in, but I felt safer there than in any other place in India. The people were kind, all of them smiled, waved, and said hello. Of course they were all staring–everyone here stares at us, but they were friendly, and I enjoyed having a chance to talk to them. Plus the children love getting their pictures taken! Also, while in the slums there were no beggars at all. My biggest fear when visiting was to be uncomfortable and to be attacked by children asking for money, but not one person asked for anything. They would come up and shake our hands and walk with us. Being around these people really changed my view on the slums. I would still never choose to live in a place like that, but I could see why they choose to live there. It was a really strong community and they all seemed to care about each other greatly. I was glad to experience it.
I know this post is kind of scattered, but I don’t like paying for internet and I am not in the comfort of my own room writing this!

I hope there aren’t too many errors because I know if there are I will be getting an email from my mother. Hopefully other students will have a chance to add on to there experiences, and we will definitely inform you how our “Holiday in Goa” goes!

We miss you all!

My program has changed slightly as I have decided to focus on studying sustainable farm practices, and I have taken to going to Solitude, a sustainable organic farm, close to our pavilion most days. I showed up on my first day eager to help them out, dressed in yoga pants, t-shirt and tennis shoes. I soon learned I was over-dressed upon noticing that most guys were shirtless and barefoot. My first task was to plant some lady finger seeds. In the first 5 minutes, I discovered that my arms were sweating and after a while I accepted the fact that every pore on my body was sweating.

After planting, I got the opportunity to cut up sticks for mulch and engaged in conversations with the other workers who came from places like England, Spain, the Dominican Republic and Texas.  The woman from the Dominican Republic had brought her four-year old son with her, and I delighted in seeing his rampages around the farm. He gathered sticks that were twice his size and climbed the ladder of the water tower, and while many mothers would fret about their son being at such dangerous heights his mother allowed him to explore on his own accepting the fact that he would adventure wherever he pleased. It was clear to me that India could be a child’s favorite playground. We were able to see some unique little red bugs that come out after it rains. They are a bright red color and feel like velvet to the touch, and I delighted in seeing them as I worked.

Surprisingly I wasn’t jet lagged at all and had no trouble waking up in the morning. Following breakfast we went to culture class on Chinese government, Chinese culture, and Chinese history. We learned a lot of basic information such as how the Chinese government works and some background on Chinese culture and customs. After class we had lunch and then went on a tour of the Tsinghua campus with a few current students. The campus is so big that it seems like its own village. Unlike the schools in the States, Tsinghua isn’t just inhabited by students, but there are many ordinary citizens that set up shops, use the facilities, and work at the university. The rest of the week is packed with exciting activities such as visiting the Temple of Heaven, Great Wall, and the Forbidden City. I look forward to visiting these landmarks and being able to share these experiences with you guys.

As a college honors student, I am required to complete three science classes, and I decided to ad-hoc my seminar to meet this science requirement. During my time in Auroville, I will be conducting a three-week long internship under the direction of the Center for Scientific Research (CSR) with a professor at the UW-Bothell campus to understand renewable energies and focusing primarily on solar power. 

I arrived early on Tuesday morning after a day and a half of traveling and only two hours of sleep. I was told that “India attacks your senses”, and I have found this to be true as I confront new sights, tastes and smells all around me. Although I have done some traveling in warm climates, India’s constant high temperatures and even more prevalent insect population have proven to be a handful. Nevertheless, I am excited to see what  the next couple of weeks have in store. The group I am traveling with is small, and we come from a variety of different disciplines. We are finishing up our first week of orientation where we traveled to the various sites where members of our group will be doing their internships. So far I have tried all the food that has been offered to me, which includes eating a meal solely with my hands, and I have not gotten sick and hope that my lucky streak continues.

Highlander Bar and Rubics Cube
There is a bar in St Andrews!  Semester started the next day, everyone hadn’t seen each other since last semester.  Fresh fresh didn’t know anyone.  It was a good opportunity to meet a lot of the residents.  We started the Rubics Cube party with all of the colors of the rubics cube.  During the party, you trade clothes with people you meet.  The objective is that by the end of the night, you are dressed in one color.
 
EGM – Extravagant Meeting. 
It started at 7:30pm and lasted until 7:30am the next day.  The freshmen sat on one side of the Junior Common Room, and the 2nd/Seniors sat together on the other side.  The student leaders ran over school news/minutes/general news and upcoming events.  Fresh fresh got nicknamed by the 2nd/Seniors.  Freshmen got hazed (a little) some. 
 
Walkabout Auction
A group of 3 freshmen were auctioned off by 2nd/Seniors.  Walkabout – a group of 3 freshmen (minimum of 1 male) are dressed in ridiculous costumes, males usually get their hair shaved as if a 5 year old did it, girls get vegemite and honey in their hair.   Anyway, the group gets dropped off by their auctioned party hours and hours away from Sydney in the middle of no where.  The group gets left by the 2nd/Seniors, so they’re responsible getting home on their own – hitchhiking, or “Amazing Race” style traveling.  Group has no phone or money; although, the group has to carry objects (taken from their room) back.

Meredith and I spent a couple nights in the C.B.D. or city (synonymous for downtown). My cousin, Chris, lives in an apartment complex in the heart of the city and has a breathtaking view of the Darling Harbour and city skyline. At night, he took us on a walking tour of the city. Everything seemed larger than life and very surreal. At 11:00pm, the streets were bustling with business(wo)men, teens, nightgoers, tourists, etc; the streets were lit up with nightlife lights, sky-scraper buildings, and small-locally owned shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars.

Meredith and I moved to another hostel, Billabong Gardens, in Newtown to be closer to campus. Billabong was very accessible – a minute walk to the bus lines and a 5-10 minute walk to the University of Sydney campus. King Street, which runs through the heart of Newtown, is very similar to UW’s “Ave” – just 100 times better and bigger. There are three Thai restaurants every other block!

Judith, who Meredith exchanged messages with on Facebook prior, was also a resident of Billabong. She is from University of North Carolina. Throughout the course of 1-2 weeks, Judith and Meredith looked at several places to live all over Sydney.

Meredith and I shared a room with 4 other residents – some students, some backpackers. A few of them were from Germany (there are a lot of Germans in Sydney!) – at this point, I met more Germans than I did with locals. We spent several nights cooking dinner together, singing along to songs Martin and Rene (German roommates) were playing on the guitar, and checking out Sydney attractions.

Top 10 reasons why I love Sydney, Australia:

1.  Diversity
2.  Weather – their winter is gorgeous, sunny, and full of blue skies;
3.  Public transit is convenient and easy;
4.  University of Sydney has a number of international students – they cater to our academic, social, and personal wants/needs;
5.  The language – English with (lazy) twang + hot accents;
6.  Beaches — SURFING!;
7.  Nightlife;
8.  Wildlife/other natural settings — koalas/kangaroos, the Great Barrier Reef, Blue Mountains;
9.  Sports (they have 3 rugby leagues – I can’t tell the difference between them yet); and finally,
10. The people are AWESOME.

Before I Left for Australia:

The University of Sydney International Office created a Facebook group for all study abroad/exchange students coming into USyd Semester 2. I exchanged messages with Americans and Europeans. Coincidentally, I found another student from the University of Washington (Meredith Dugoni) studying abroad at USyd.

I kept in touch with the University of Sydney team, including Quintin and Nhi, from the Global Business Case Competition and asked them lots of questions about accommodations, tourist sites, classes, etc. They recommended that I apply to Sydney University Village (apartment complex with many USyd international students) and either St Andrews College (where Quintin resides) and Womens College (where Nhi resides).

The application process for St Andrews College was somewhat demanding – applicants were to complete a personal statement, submit a resume, and be interviewed on the phone. Quintin did me a wonderful favor and recommended me to the staff. I also applied to the International House (an on-campus residence) and Sydney University Village.

Because on-campus accommodation for international students is very competitive (very few spots, very high demand), a majority of international students either: 1) find an apartment or room in a house before arriving or 2) live in a hostel, meet people they want to live with and look at places they could live in, and then move.

Being the only person from the University of Washington on this summer program was quite nerve racking. However, all of this changed on the first day of school as I learned that there were other people who were also here by themselves. I knew that the only way to not be uncomfortable for the upcoming six weeks was to throw myself into the crowd and meet as many people as possible. Now, I know almost everyone in this summer program because we hang out with each other in and out of class.

Another great thing about this program was getting the chance to interact with the French students. Interacting with them outside of class has allowed me to learn a lot about the French people and culture in such a short amount of time. It was a great opportunity for me as I get a chance to improve my French speaking skills.

As a student, this exchange program has been great, and every minute of it has been a learning experience for me whether it was good or bad. I would encourage everyone to participate in this study abroad program or any other abroad program that they are interested in because of the vast knowledge you will acquire in such a short time.

The professors at this school are very energetic and full of enthusiasm.  I enjoy their lectures because what they talk about is interesting. I learn so much everyday going to class, especially about the European Union.

During the weekend, many students travel around to different places such as Bordeaux, Barcelona, Interlaken, Munich, London, Marseille, and etc. Then when all of us meet again for class on Monday, people tell each other stories their weekend activities and all of the great things they did or see. However, at the same time there are many students who choose to stay in town and do sightseeing because Nantes is rich and full of amazing medieval buildings and artworks.