International Experiences

Nicole Gieselman • Oct 3, 2018 •4:00 pm

Padahastasanas for Post-Abroad Blues

Odds are at some point in your Arcadia career, you’ll have an international experience. The longer the trip, the more opportunities you have to immerse yourself in a foreign culture — and the more likely you are to suffer from a case of those dreaded post-abroad blues. After returning from four...

Heidi Specht • May 9, 2018 •10:54 am

Tourism’s Effect on Indigenous Chileans

Upon entering San Pedro de Atacama (the world’s driest desert, in northern Chile), tourists are greeted with a view like no other: volcano-topped horizons, white salt flats that seem to go on forever, and vibrant red rocks in every direction. This might be what makes the Chilean Desert one of South...

Heidi Specht • May 2, 2018 •9:56 am

‘Do You Eat Chilis in Chile?’

This week, I sat down with my Chilean friends and asked the burning question: What are the most common misconceptions that foreigners have about Chile? I was surprised when everyone starting talking at once. Clearly, there are a lot. Here is a narrowed-down list of questions Chileans...

Heidi Specht • Apr 4, 2018 •11:47 am

Commemorating International Women’s Day in Chile

On March 8, countries all around the world celebrated International Women’s Day.  Being in Chile, I had no idea what to expect for this day. But when I walked into Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), my Chilean university, I was surprised to see it had changed...

Kathryn Jones • Mar 27, 2018 •12:43 pm

Enchanted by London’s Theater Scene

I grew up in a very artistic household. Everyone in my family plays an instrument, we all are avid singers, my sister and I draw, and my father and I write. I was not only surrounded by creativity growing up, but I was actively encouraged to explore these artistic urges. And that’s what I’ve...

Nicole Gieselman • Mar 27, 2018 •12:06 pm

My Secret to Self-care Abroad

Studying abroad can be an extraordinary, life-changing experience. You get to challenge yourself and expand your horizons in an entirely new part of the world. There’s food to try, trips to book, pints to down – oh, and you should probably try to pass your classes while you’re at it. Cramming...

William Snell • Mar 27, 2018 •11:55 am

Leaving Home to Discover Myself

I have been blessed to travel to five different continents during my time as an Arcadia student, and on my latest excursion to Australia, I found new purpose in my life. Sure, I’ve chased those wild dreams that go hand-in-hand with studying in a place so tropical, exotic, and fun: I pet...

Shivani Mansharamani • Mar 13, 2018 •4:23 pm

Arcadia, My Ideological Home

“How do you like it here?” It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked as a foreigner studying abroad. Most people expect me to answer with a comparison to India. What surprises everyone is that I identify more with my new culture than the one in which I grew up. As someone born into a...

Heidi Specht • Mar 13, 2018 •2:55 pm

My Home Away From Home

My first week in Chile was a brilliant blur of sunny beach days, delicious (and cheap) wine, Reggaeton, and the most difficult Spanish I’ve ever heard in my life. Coming to Chile can be a major culture shock, even for someone who knows Spanish and has previously studied abroad. Still,...

Shubhechha Dhar • Mar 9, 2018 •10:57 am

Comfortable With the Uncomfortable

When I used to hear my name being called on in class to answer a question, my face would flush red. My chest would tighten up and breathing seemed like the most difficult thing to do. I feared that I would be judged, criticized, and evaluated based on what I said. And when the professors said...

Nicole Gieselman • Feb 27, 2018 •10:14 am

Land of the Free, Home of the Art

There’s no way around it: Studying abroad in London is expensive. Every time I walk down the street, I see at least half a dozen new restaurants and cafes I’d like to try. Pub culture is incredibly welcoming, but just one pint sets you back about $7. Then there’s the lure of travel.  A weekend...

Jessica Derr • Feb 27, 2018 •9:24 am

Shaking It Up With Shakespeare

Fenced in by desks, a mass of bodies wander and weave among each other. Their heads are bent over slips of paper in hand, yet they never collide. Rather, they orbit each other in perfect harmony, their voices raised as one in a steady beat, chanting out the same verses over and over. Surely images...