This past weekend, I explored Chinatown with two friends who are also student teaching at SAS. Singapore has three main “cultural” areas: Little India, Arab Street, and Chinatown, and all of them are wonderful areas to try different foods, shop, and explore. We began our exploration at a little coffee shop that sold Kaya toast, …
Category Archives: Culture
First Week
Well, I am finally in Singapore and have begun student teaching! The first five weeks of the semester I spent on Hope’s campus, taking the “6-hour-block,” which is a block of three education classes which all special education majors are required to take during fall student teaching. Although I loved being able to spend time …
Trauma
I wrote my last blog about a month ago concerning the protests taking place at the University of Cape Town and other universities across South Africa. When I wrote that blog, I was in the second week of not having classes and UCT being shutdown. Now as I sit here in a cafe writing, I …
Wellington – The D.C. of N.Z.
I spent this past weekend in Wellington. After finding incredibly cheap flights with Air New Zealand, Max and I decided to spend a few days in the capital of New Zealand. Flying into the city was absolutely beautiful. Situated on a hilly peninsula at the southernmost part of the North Island, the city of …
Marae Visit
This past weekend I went on another IES excursion – a must do for anyone visiting New Zealand and wishing to learn about the culture and people. With other IES students we stayed out at a marae. A marae refers to “meeting grounds” and is central to all Maori communities in New Zealand. The marae …
My First Ceilidh!
Firstly, it’s pronounced “kay-lee.” Yes, I had no clue how to say it when I first saw it as well. However, once you get over how weirdly it’s spelled, you’ll realize that ceidlidhs are the best! So what is a ceilidh? Think square dancing, but replace cowboy boots with kilts and country music with Scottish …
Vacation from a Vacation
So IES has a little secret. They arrange a field-trip vacation for you over your mid-semester break. When I registered for my study abroad semester in New Zealand I was not aware of this. However, that made the realization all the more exciting when I was told that for my break I would be going …
My Home away from Home
“You have to taste a culture to understand it.” – Deborah Cater I would definitely agree with Deborah on that point. Food is an integral part to a culture, as well as sharing time around a table and being with family. In Christchurch I have enjoyed a homestay with a Kiwi family. Renee, my “Mom” …
Freshers Week Thoughts
After traveling around London, Stratford, and Chatsworth, I’ve officially made it to Scotland! My family helped me move into my single room (with a private bathroom!) on a cloudy day in Aberdeen, and from the minute I walked into my dorm, I could tell orientation week (or “Freshers Week”) was going to be a lot …
Scottish Studies
Wait… this isn’t vacation? My junior year officially took off on September 12, but I don’t feel like a third-year student at all. Spending a semester abroad means that I have to get used to a whole new accent, a whole new country, and, of course, a whole new way of schooling. I’ve found after …
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