The Season of Cherry Blossoms

I was excited to be able to witness the cherry blossom season in South Korea. The cherry blossom season is typically between the end of March and the beginning of April. This year it came earlier than expected and did not last long due to the strong winds blowing the cherry blossoms away. During the …

On Trials, Tribulations, and Change

I am writing on a significant day. Today is the day I would have been home had I stayed in Thailand for the length of my program. In August, I flew bright-eyed and bushy-tailed into a completely different world. I wanted to launch myself into an entirely new and unfamiliar culture… and I got exactly …

Dal Bhat and Nepali food

Before this trip, I had never really tried Nepali food. Now that I have, I can’t get enough! It’s flavorful, spicy, and versatile. The staple of almost all meals here is Dal Bhat. This is usually Dal soup that is accompanied with rice, small portions of curries and vegetables, and usually some type of meat. …

How to Extend And Then Cancel a Study Abroad Extension

What a rollercoaster! So for a variety of reasons and a lot of planning, I decided it would be in my best interest to stay a year. Now, what does that process look like? Well, I can only speak for CIEE. The first thing I did was email the Center for Global Engagement at Hope …

Traveling in Nepal: Buses, Motorbikes and Frogger

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard about the game frogger, but crossing the streets of Nepal often feels like I am the frog in that game. Traveling here is quite the adventure. If there are road rules, people don’t follow them. Stop lights and stop signs don’t really exist. Well, there are some stop …

Celebrating My Birthday Abroad

In all honesty, I’ve never really liked where my birthday is placed in the year. I grew up moving around a lot, and September 22nd was always just way too soon in the academic year. When I’d go to a new school, it was nearly guaranteed that it’d be forgotten just because, unless I went …

Hello Nepal and My Sweet Host Family

During these past few weeks, I have transitioned from Chile to Nepal. While some parts of transitioning are challenging, I have had an amazing experience. I live with my host dad and his mom who are Newari, and my host mom who is Japanese. I have two host siblings, a little sister who is four, …

A Weekend in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is lovely because it can be touristy in some areas, but those touristy areas are easy to get away from. Finding transport to fun places on the weekend in Chiang Mai almost always starts with hopping into the back of a red truck. These trucks are one of my favorite modes of transportation …

Getting to Class: CMU Style

If the 5 AM sunrise or the screeching birds don’t wake me up before my alarm at 7:30 AM, I consider myself lucky! Once I am able to sit up and open my eyes, I hobble out of my little bedroom and into my dorm’s main room to grab breakfast. Every Monday-Thursday (the days I …

Guide to Street Food

Ask anyone who has been to Southeast Asia and one of the first things they will probably say is how amazing the food is. In some cases, the food is quite amazing, but one has to be careful in the realm of street food. The standards for health and sanitation are extremely low; every once …