Much of our time in New York City was spent laying the foundations of human rights and traveling to different sites to see human rights work alive in NYC. When referring to human rights work, it’s important to distinguish the difference between Human Rights (HR) at an institutional level versus human rights (hr) at a …
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Far From Home But Never Alone
Before coming to Tanzania, I had a lot of questions about a lot of things, and so did most of my family and friends considering I had never traveled to Africa before and the longest I had ever been outside the U.S. was two weeks. One of the most common questions I was asked before coming …
Secular Sanctuary
Last week I visited St. Paul’s Cathedral, or should I say St. Paul’s V. The very first St. Paul’s was founded by a monk in 604 AD. Now, in the middle of a sea of lumbering office buildings, rises the unmistakable dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The architect, Christopher Wren, oversaw the construction of this …
A Weekend for the (History) Books
There is no better way to explore the city than to attend Campus Philly’s annual CollegeFest! It is a super cool event where college students are given free admission to visit over thirteen museums, all over the city. A friend of mine from the Center, Binny, and I hit about four different museums – the Rodin …
Learning the Comical Way
I think it goes without saying that East Africa is a very different place from West Michigan and the U.S., in general, and this is something I knew coming in to my study abroad experience. However, I wasn’t sure in what ways specifically, but I am quickly learning. A lot of cultural differences can’t be …
Week Two & A Lot is New
When I thought there weren’t enough changes happening already, it turns out that week two is when real life really kicks in. It’s the week when you’re already out on your own – navigating the streets of Philly, signing a lease, moving into a new apartment, attending a new church, exploring different parks, trying different …
Vivre à Paris: Rules, Reasons and History
Paris is a complicated, historic city. There are unwritten rules to just about everything, and if you want to be treated like a local, you better follow them all. Unlike in newer American cities and towns, quick convenience and individual happiness are subject second to the city’s collective needs and functionality. Say au revoir to …
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Karibu Tanzania!
I’m currently sitting in my tiny 3rd floor dorm room on my mosquito net-covered bed as the hot African sunlight streams in through the barred windows onto my face. “Did I put on enough sunscreen today?” A question I’ve been asking myself a lot, along with other questions like: “Is this the right way to take …
Catching Feelings for Philly
And just like that – the official move has happened! Traveling for my first day to Philadelphia, PA, was an absolute whirlwind. It looked a lot like a 4am alarm, a rush to the airport, a hard goodbye, a flight full of anticipation, and a long walk down the sidewalk rolling two overpacked suitcases down …
As they say in Les Miserables: Who am I?
Who am I, you ask? Well, to make a long story short, my name is Katie Joachim and I am a rising senior at Hope College, studying Theatre and Creative Writing. Some of you may have seen me as the Baker’s Wife in Hope’s production of Into the Woods last fall. Currently, I am an …
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