Cats, Hummus, and One Month Left

I have just about a month left in Jordan, and return has been on my mind a lot lately. I’m looking forward to going home, seeing my family, and catching up with my friends. But I’m also already missing so many aspects of Jordan that I won’t get to experience in the states. Here’s a …

Safety in Jordan

Right after I arrived in Jordan, my host dad told me a story about some travelling he had done while visiting a friend in an unsafe area. “My friend had five locks on his door,” he said. “Five locks! He was afraid to be outside after dark. We could hear gunshots outside. He was afraid …

Ramadan

I walk from one epoch to another without a memory to guide me. The prophets over there are sharing the history of the holy … ascending to heaven and returning less discouraged and melancholy, because love and peace are holy and are coming to town. Darwish, Mahmoud. “In Jerusalem.” Translated by Fady Joudah, The Butterfly’s Burden, …

The Sound of Salzburg

Cue The Sound of Music soundtrack: I ventured to Salzburg for a day trip this weekend. No, I did not take the famous Julie Andrews picture, sorry to disappoint. However, I walked through some of the filming locations. I also toured a fortress in the mountains and ate some delicious food. A Few of My …

Austrian Cultural Norms

Grüß Gott! (a common Austrian greeting). This week marks my third week in Vienna. That means I’ve been here long enough to share some of my favorite Austrian cultural norms with you! Environmentalism One of the first instructions I received upon moving into my apartment was how to properly dispose of our garbage. You may …

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 …

Final Moments in the City

Three days! Three weeks have quickly become three days until the end of the semester. The end of my experience in the city. The end of nursing school. The beginning of my *official* adult life. The beginning of a new start. The beginning of finally contributing to society in a larger way. Don’t get me …

¡Fui a un Espectáculo de Flamenco!/ I went to a Flamenco Show!

Castellano: España es un país que gracias a Dios tiene una gran cultura que difunde mundialmente. Como mencioné en el último blog hay muchas regiones dentro de tan pequeño país y cada región con su propia cultura. Cultura que proviene desde tiempos en los que éstas regiones eran sus propios reinos con costumbres únicas, que luego fueron …

My First Cricket Match

In the first week of classes, the University of Aberdeen hosted a refresher’s fair aimed at introducing new students to its large number of clubs and societies. I went to the fair and signed up to be notified about when most of these groups met. Fast forward one month, and I am bowling my first …

Dos días en México: Two days in Mexico

Español: Antes de partir a España tenía unas ansias de llegar ya a este nuevo país. Ya quería ver el país del cual la gente tanto me comentaba. Iba a ver el país de mayor influencia dentro de mi vida, porque había, en su momento, conquistado tanto a México como a parte del país donde hoy vivo. …