1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
Taking classes in German; cold weather. I had been studying German since ninth grade, and was reading Goethe at UCSB before EAP, so the classes were all right. Latin and water color painting were my hardest courses. The cold weather was not as cold as I imagined - there are places in the CA mountains or East Coast that are much much colder, actually. Plus, you can just buy clothes there if you need it! (But beware, not a lot of petite sizes available - maybe go to France or Spain for smaller sizes).
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
Know what I wanted to do after college so that I could make most use of my time abroad toward that goal.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
Eat Middle Eastern food (kebabs, babaganoush, falafel, salads...). Ride bike a lot. Have bunch of people over for dinner (residents of my "Flur" did that a lot for/with each other, also "Grillpartys" in the summer).
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
More store closings, inconvenient if you're running low on something, like bread. Some assumptions or attitudes about Asians that are different from here.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
Middle Eastern food; the bratwurst in Erfurt; great fresh breads; super creamy yogurt in glass jars; ice cream that looks like spaghetti, with a side of fries; great drinks available at lots of easily accessible cafes, bars, gathering places.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
There isn't really good Mexican or Asian food easily accessible there, although you could find some specialty stores in larger European cities that have many of the ingredients (expensive, and you'd need to know how to cook it, though). But I didn't really miss it that much because I knew it was for a year and there was great local food to enjoy. The one thing I really remember missing was Thanksgiving - we (Americans) were nostalgic for that traditional meal, so some went to an American military base grocery to get pumpkin pie, Chips Ahoy, peanut butter, turkey breast, Stove Top, etc.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
When I was there, there was a "goth" look which was not really goth, more "euro."
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
Streetcars and trains in Switzerland that are supposed to arrive at, say, 1:27 p.m., and by golly, they arrive at 1:27 exactly. Also in Switzerland, a little Swiss man with an Alpine hat with feather in it walking up to the streetcar stop where I am and saying to me (in Swiss German) "Good morning, lovely Fraulein!" while tipping his little Swiss hat! Also, saw someone get yelled at for putting a whole teabag in the compost, instead of putting just the tea leaves in, and putting the little paper tag in the paper recycling can - the German recycling system is amazing, and some Germans are quite strict about it!
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Too many places to mention all. Some examples - Hundertwasser house in Vienna; the Alhambra in Granada, Spain; Paris; Madrid; Seville; Rome, Coliseum, Vatican, attractive people; Venice, canals!; Greece, cool ancient temples; London.
10. Where do you want to go next?
EAP gets you hooked on travel because you realize that you can do it and that it's so much fun. Would like to see more of South America.
08 February 2010
Melyna Campos - Mexico, UNAM, Business Economics Major
1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
I was completely freaked out about getting lost in an unknown world. My experience abroad at UNAM was my first time in Mexico City and there were lots of frights attached to that. Thankfully, it was easy to get a handle on things and find my way around. There were always friendly people around to help guide me around the city.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I wish I would have a specific route for my trips during vacation time. I would have loved to backpack to the most rural areas outside of el D.F. I should have researched transportation options (bus, train, metro, etc).
3. What's something you did for the first time while abroad that you?ll continue to do now that you're home?
I learned to express myself more clearly, in a "universal spanish" that most Spanish-speakers can understand. I also learned to control the effect that my presence had on those around me that met me for the first time. Intercultural communication skills will definitely be a great tool for my future.
4. What's the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
The single most annoying thing is the loudness at the beginning of the day. There is ridiculous traffic and people honking like crazy (or yelling) when honking is not going to speed up bumper-to-bumper traffic.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you're back?
I miss all the natural juice shops or stands where I could pick up a deliciously fresh-squeezed orange juice daily for cheap. Also, the McPatatas that do not exist in the U.S. :(
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
I missed authentic (and affordable!) Japanese food. I could not find a place that had good-tasting sushi for the life of me! Drinks were all pretty much available there. Although I did miss 2% milk, it seems to taste completely different to the "light" version that exists in Mexico.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
It's very difficult to seem strange in California, we have it all. Although my band t-shirts from Mexico are rare on a worldwide basis (Zoe, Porter, Juanson, etc).
8. What's something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
People running literally across highways, people loading a bus until there is no foot space inside (or along the outer steps), a person dead on the ground without attendance, little kids smoking on the streets (below 15 years old), so many street vendors in one single space, sardine-packed subway, and so many other things that make my list endless.
9. What's the coolest place you visited while abroad?
There were many places. But the most rare and beautiful to me seemed to be las Grutas de Cacahuamilpa. When I walked in I had the eerie sensation of being on a movie set but realizing simultaneously that these caves had been existent for centuries.
10. Where do you want to go next?
Italy, South America, Australia, Greece, East Asia, EVERYWHERE!!
I was completely freaked out about getting lost in an unknown world. My experience abroad at UNAM was my first time in Mexico City and there were lots of frights attached to that. Thankfully, it was easy to get a handle on things and find my way around. There were always friendly people around to help guide me around the city.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I wish I would have a specific route for my trips during vacation time. I would have loved to backpack to the most rural areas outside of el D.F. I should have researched transportation options (bus, train, metro, etc).
3. What's something you did for the first time while abroad that you?ll continue to do now that you're home?
I learned to express myself more clearly, in a "universal spanish" that most Spanish-speakers can understand. I also learned to control the effect that my presence had on those around me that met me for the first time. Intercultural communication skills will definitely be a great tool for my future.
4. What's the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
The single most annoying thing is the loudness at the beginning of the day. There is ridiculous traffic and people honking like crazy (or yelling) when honking is not going to speed up bumper-to-bumper traffic.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you're back?
I miss all the natural juice shops or stands where I could pick up a deliciously fresh-squeezed orange juice daily for cheap. Also, the McPatatas that do not exist in the U.S. :(
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
I missed authentic (and affordable!) Japanese food. I could not find a place that had good-tasting sushi for the life of me! Drinks were all pretty much available there. Although I did miss 2% milk, it seems to taste completely different to the "light" version that exists in Mexico.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
It's very difficult to seem strange in California, we have it all. Although my band t-shirts from Mexico are rare on a worldwide basis (Zoe, Porter, Juanson, etc).
8. What's something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
People running literally across highways, people loading a bus until there is no foot space inside (or along the outer steps), a person dead on the ground without attendance, little kids smoking on the streets (below 15 years old), so many street vendors in one single space, sardine-packed subway, and so many other things that make my list endless.
9. What's the coolest place you visited while abroad?
There were many places. But the most rare and beautiful to me seemed to be las Grutas de Cacahuamilpa. When I walked in I had the eerie sensation of being on a movie set but realizing simultaneously that these caves had been existent for centuries.
10. Where do you want to go next?
Italy, South America, Australia, Greece, East Asia, EVERYWHERE!!
Courtney Gibbon - Japan, Doshisha University, Literature Major
1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
Going to restaurants and buying things in stores. It was all very straight-forward and the service in Japan is amazing, so everyone was courteous and helpful. It's definitely a cash culture, though, and you'll probably want a coin purse to carry all your change (the equivalent of 1 and 5 dollar bills are in coins!).
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
It might have been better if I had looked into current events about Japan more deeply so that I would have had more to talk to people about when I got there. We mainly discussed our likes, dislikes, school, etc., but if I'd known more about what was going on in the country maybe I would have had more to talk about that went beyond that.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
As someone who doesn't drink, I got more comfortable being around other people who were drinking while not actually drinking myself. I went out with friends a lot and no one gave me a hard time about it, which was nice. Since coming back I've gone to happy hour with my roommates a lot and it hasn't been a problem, even though I don't drink myself.
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
It can be really crowded walking around, which can cause you to feel like you don't have enough personal space when you're shopping or just walking down a busy street. Also, since Japanese people can be pretty shy and non-confrontational at times, there was some frustration with that.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
All of it! Good ramen, miso soup with most meals, oyakodon, cheap cheap cheap sushi, eel, shabu shabu... everything! It's very hard to starve in Japan. Some of this can be found here in the US, but it's not the same. Drink-wise, I miss C.C. Lemon!
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
Mexican food, by far. There's no good Mexican food in Japan whatsoever, especially not in Kyoto, where I was. You could buy beans in import stores and try to make it for yourself, though. I didn't really miss any drinks while I was there, I don't think. They had most everything there.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
The style at the time in Japan was for a girl to wear really long shirts that almost bordered on being dresses, which might seem odd here, especially since they were also kind of baggy. People kept to long sleeves even when it was hot a lot of the time, and a good percentage of the girls there wear tights.
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
People in Japan love to carry parasols around because they don't want to get tanned. I can't imagine anyone doing that in CA, since most people are dying to get a tan!
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Hiroshima was definitely an amazing experience, but I think the most noteworthy place I went to while in Japan was to the top of Mt. Fuji. It was awesome, if painful and extremely tiring. I can give anyone who's thinking of climbing it some tips on how to tackle it!
10. Where do you want to go next?
10. Where do you want to go next?
I would like to go somewhere in Europe, seeing how I haven't even been there once.
Devin Lane - Spain, University of Barcelona, English Major
1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
I was definitely scared of the use of Catalan. Before I left for Barcelona, my host university sent me a letter telling me that most of the classes were taught in Catalan, so it was intimidating. However, it turned out that everybody that spoke Catalan also spoke Spanish (castellano) and there were enough classes taught in Spanish.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
PRACTICE MORE SPANISH. Before I left, I was so confident in my Spanish skills and then I got to Barcelona and realized how difficult it was to form sentences at conversation speed. It wasn't horrible or anything, but I just had to work at it to get my skills up to par.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
I began to speak Spanish with confidence and drink coffee.
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
Everything is closed on Sunday and lots of places are closed in the early/late afternoon.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
The tapas, the grilled sandwiches, olives, fried foods, the seafood, and basically anything from the open markets like the Boqueria.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
Mexican food! I didn't find one good Mexican restaurant in Barcelona. (Maybe there's a good one out there that I just missed.)
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
The dreadlocks on guys and girls, the fanny pack-type things worn on the side...
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
Botellón! Drinking in public without the cops eating you alive. And the festivals de Sant Joan/San Juan where everyone lit off fireworks all over the city.
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Cadaques, a little fishing town north of Barcelona. It's extremely beautiful and you should go if you get the chance.
10. Where do you want to go next?
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
PRACTICE MORE SPANISH. Before I left, I was so confident in my Spanish skills and then I got to Barcelona and realized how difficult it was to form sentences at conversation speed. It wasn't horrible or anything, but I just had to work at it to get my skills up to par.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
I began to speak Spanish with confidence and drink coffee.
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
Everything is closed on Sunday and lots of places are closed in the early/late afternoon.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
The tapas, the grilled sandwiches, olives, fried foods, the seafood, and basically anything from the open markets like the Boqueria.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
Mexican food! I didn't find one good Mexican restaurant in Barcelona. (Maybe there's a good one out there that I just missed.)
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
The dreadlocks on guys and girls, the fanny pack-type things worn on the side...
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
Botellón! Drinking in public without the cops eating you alive. And the festivals de Sant Joan/San Juan where everyone lit off fireworks all over the city.
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Cadaques, a little fishing town north of Barcelona. It's extremely beautiful and you should go if you get the chance.
10. Where do you want to go next?
South America maybe, or Germany or France perhaps.
04 February 2010
Tacy Kennedy - Ireland, University College Cork, Anthropology Major
1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
Before I left I didn’t know anyone who would be going on my program or anyone else in my host city. I was terrified to show up alone in a foreign country but I don’t think that I’ve ever made new friends so fast in my entire life. It wasn’t an issue by a long shot.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I wish that I would have researched the history of the country a bit better. I knew a fair amount, but there were a number of important things that I had no idea about. I attempted to remedy the problem by taking an Irish history course during my first semester and it helped a lot.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
I began refusing to let myself use laziness as an excuse not to go out, especially with new people. While abroad I viewed it as making sure that I got the fullest experience possible out of my time there, and I realized that it’s stupid to not apply that same mentality at home.
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
Not having a quick way to get anywhere. I had to make sure that I always left early enough to walk to wherever I needed to be. There was no subway or extensive bus system and very few people dared to ride bicycles.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
I don’t quite know that it’s local food per say, but I miss getting nice big bowls of fresh fish chowder with a side of brown bread. In the drinks category: I desperately miss Beamish. It was the local stout brewed right in the city and I totally fell in love with it. It’s extremely hard to find in the US but I was lucky and found it at one store in Claremont.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
I absolutely missed Mexican food. We had one Mexican restaurant in town and they put bbq sauce on everything. Very, very weird. As for drinks, I desperately missed non-carbonated lemonade.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
The fashion wasn’t too different there. People tended to get a bit more dressed up to go places, like to class, but it was pretty much on par with the difference between California and the east coast.
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
The guards (police) walking right past extremely drunk men peeing on buildings and not saying a word to them.
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
That’s a toss-up between Prague and Malta. Prague was amazing and I was lucky enough to go there a few times. Malta was actually just a spur of the moment weekend trip and I hadn’t even heard of it before I went, but we had an amazing time!
10. Where do you want to go next?
I’m actually headed back to Ireland in about a month and a half, but other than that I’m trying to get down to visit some friends in Peru this summer!
Before I left I didn’t know anyone who would be going on my program or anyone else in my host city. I was terrified to show up alone in a foreign country but I don’t think that I’ve ever made new friends so fast in my entire life. It wasn’t an issue by a long shot.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I wish that I would have researched the history of the country a bit better. I knew a fair amount, but there were a number of important things that I had no idea about. I attempted to remedy the problem by taking an Irish history course during my first semester and it helped a lot.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
I began refusing to let myself use laziness as an excuse not to go out, especially with new people. While abroad I viewed it as making sure that I got the fullest experience possible out of my time there, and I realized that it’s stupid to not apply that same mentality at home.
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
Not having a quick way to get anywhere. I had to make sure that I always left early enough to walk to wherever I needed to be. There was no subway or extensive bus system and very few people dared to ride bicycles.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
I don’t quite know that it’s local food per say, but I miss getting nice big bowls of fresh fish chowder with a side of brown bread. In the drinks category: I desperately miss Beamish. It was the local stout brewed right in the city and I totally fell in love with it. It’s extremely hard to find in the US but I was lucky and found it at one store in Claremont.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
I absolutely missed Mexican food. We had one Mexican restaurant in town and they put bbq sauce on everything. Very, very weird. As for drinks, I desperately missed non-carbonated lemonade.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
The fashion wasn’t too different there. People tended to get a bit more dressed up to go places, like to class, but it was pretty much on par with the difference between California and the east coast.
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
The guards (police) walking right past extremely drunk men peeing on buildings and not saying a word to them.
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
That’s a toss-up between Prague and Malta. Prague was amazing and I was lucky enough to go there a few times. Malta was actually just a spur of the moment weekend trip and I hadn’t even heard of it before I went, but we had an amazing time!
10. Where do you want to go next?
I’m actually headed back to Ireland in about a month and a half, but other than that I’m trying to get down to visit some friends in Peru this summer!
Andrew Bitar - United Kingdom, Pembroke College - University of Cambridge, Business Economics Major
1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
I was worried that I wasn’t going to meet anyone that would be willing to go to all of the places I wanted to go. I quickly learned that I was beyond wrong. I met great friends that wanted to go with me, and we found even more places we wanted to go together.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I wish I had packed a sturdy umbrella. Also, I wish I had found out exactly how to get from the bus stop to the campus upon arrival. I ended up hauling my entire luggage for way too many blocks.
3. What’s something you did for the first time while abroad that you’ll continue to do now that you’re home?
When I first entered Cambridge, I was so excited to check out the landscape and everything the city had to offer. So for the first few days I decided to take aimless walks around the town. Bringing back home this new mentality about places I live in made me realize how fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful place like Santa Barbara. Right when I got back I decided to explore IV with a keen eye. I ended up finding a lot of relaxing areas I had never seen before. From now on I am going to try not to overlook anything from all of the new places I encounter.
4. What’s the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
The unpredictable weather really puts a damper on planning, though it did lead to memorable, spontaneous endeavors.
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you’re back?
Late night munchies sufficed by the Trailer of Life (a.k.a. the Trailer of Death). I liked anything on the menu as long as it had burger sauce on it.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
A meal from La Super Rica with a large horchata. It’s the best Sunday mini trip downtown for a good meal.
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
Shants—half pants, half shorts—would elicit strange looks here, but in the UK it is deflinitely standard local fashion. Though capris are accepted here, they are a lot more common over there.
8. What’s something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
I got to see a tank parallel park in the middle of a busy street in Endinburgh, Scotland. I do not expect to see that any time soon in shopping districts in California.
9. What’s the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Prague was one of the coolest places I have ever been. Taking a paddleboat around the Vltava River on a perfect day was too relaxing to forget.
10. Where do you want to go next?
I haven’t decided yet, but I want to go somewhere extremely exotic. Study abroad has motivated me to travel as much as possible. I love experiencing new cultures because it is interesting comparing lifestyles of different countries.
28 January 2010
Kaitlin de Blanc - France, University of Bordeaux, Environmental Studies Major
1. What were you totally freaked out about before going that turned out to be no big deal?
I was freaked out about my ability to speak the language, but I was learning everyday and I progressed fast, often when I was least aware of it.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I would have liked to have been more knowledgeable about French politics - they are so informed! I did not have a problem with French students asking me about my government, but so many things dealing with the politics of the country came up during my year, and I wished I could have understood more.
3. What's something you did for the first time while abroad that you'll continue to do now that you're home?
I eat the seeds in grapes - a good source of anti-oxidants, now I actually prefer 'seedful' grapes!
4. What's the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
The scarcity of free public bathrooms. If you have to go, either hold it, or buy something at a nearby cafe to obtain the 'rights' to use their restroom!
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you're back?
I miss macaroons (similar to an almond flavored madeline) and canelés (a sort of caramel spongecake) - both are Bordeaux specialties.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
Bordeaux has a lot of what they've got in the States with the exception of Mexican food. I suppose I missed peanut butter (a food heavily associated with Americans).
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
Most of what people wore on an average day was pretty tame when compared with California. I think a better question would be how many typical Californian outfits would elicit strange looks in Bordeaux, France!
8. What's something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
Students protesting in mob-like masses walking down the center of a main street with flares, picket signs and protest calls.
Also - everyone had the same hour off for lunch - it would be common to see people sitting on the grass and eating with their friends - on and off campus
9. What's the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Barcelona, Spain was beautiful. I also loved Arles, France - a small provincial town where Van Gogh painted many of his most famous works.
10. Where do you want to go next?
I'd love to make it to Stockholm, Berlin, Venice, Bath, Istanbul, Angkor, Cairo, Edinburgh, Prague and Tokyo!
I was freaked out about my ability to speak the language, but I was learning everyday and I progressed fast, often when I was least aware of it.
2. What do you wish you had done to better prepare before going abroad?
I would have liked to have been more knowledgeable about French politics - they are so informed! I did not have a problem with French students asking me about my government, but so many things dealing with the politics of the country came up during my year, and I wished I could have understood more.
3. What's something you did for the first time while abroad that you'll continue to do now that you're home?
I eat the seeds in grapes - a good source of anti-oxidants, now I actually prefer 'seedful' grapes!
4. What's the most annoying thing about everyday life in your host country?
The scarcity of free public bathrooms. If you have to go, either hold it, or buy something at a nearby cafe to obtain the 'rights' to use their restroom!
5. What local food and drink do you miss most now that you're back?
I miss macaroons (similar to an almond flavored madeline) and canelés (a sort of caramel spongecake) - both are Bordeaux specialties.
6. What food and drink from home did you miss most while abroad?
Bordeaux has a lot of what they've got in the States with the exception of Mexican food. I suppose I missed peanut butter (a food heavily associated with Americans).
7. What standard local fashion styles would elicit strange looks in California?
Most of what people wore on an average day was pretty tame when compared with California. I think a better question would be how many typical Californian outfits would elicit strange looks in Bordeaux, France!
8. What's something you witnessed while abroad that would never happen in California?
Students protesting in mob-like masses walking down the center of a main street with flares, picket signs and protest calls.
Also - everyone had the same hour off for lunch - it would be common to see people sitting on the grass and eating with their friends - on and off campus
9. What's the coolest place you visited while abroad?
Barcelona, Spain was beautiful. I also loved Arles, France - a small provincial town where Van Gogh painted many of his most famous works.
10. Where do you want to go next?
I'd love to make it to Stockholm, Berlin, Venice, Bath, Istanbul, Angkor, Cairo, Edinburgh, Prague and Tokyo!
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