International Experiences

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...

Kathryn Jones • Feb 26, 2018 •3:48 pm

Managing Mental Illness While Abroad

As a person who’s dealt with mental illness for most of my formative years, deciding to study abroad was one of the biggest and scariest decisions of my life. Around 10th grade, my mental health was at an all-time low. I was tired of living as a captive to my own brain, so I begrudgingly decided...

William Snell • Feb 23, 2018 •3:52 pm

Going Global: The Arcadian Experience

Don’t get me wrong: I really miss Arcadia. But I am also having an amazing time here at Bond University in Gold Coast, Australia. Arcadia’s study abroad program in Bond has become a very popular choice not only among Arcadia students, but also for other American students coming from various...

Kathryn Jones • Feb 15, 2018 •8:22 am

An Unlikely Getaway

Walking along London’s Highgate Cemetery paths in the cool morning air, hearing only the birds in the trees, was perfect for thinking and reflecting. People often say go on a walk to clear your head, and I’ve always loved that advice. As a part of the First-Year Study Abroad...

William Snell • Feb 15, 2018 •8:04 am

G’Day Mate: A Lone Arcadian Gets a Warm Australian Welcome

Torrential downpours of snow wreaked havoc on the Philadelphia area, and I was the only Arcadian to have my flight survive the wintry blast. I hopped off the 16-hour flight sleep-deprived and hungry— similar to how I feel normally when I wake up early in the morning, but nevertheless,...

Doriane Feinstein • Feb 15, 2018 •6:32 am

Discovering My Heaven

For the first time in a long time, my winter break was incredible. It wasn’t just nice or relaxing. It was truly spectacular. My sister and I went to Israel for 10 days with Hillel International’s Winter Birthright trip. Each day was an adventure… even when that included a trip to the...

Nicole Gieselman • Feb 13, 2018 •11:00 am

The Ins and Outs of In-Country Orientation

It’s been two weeks since I landed in London. Though at times it’s still hard to believe this vibrant, cosmopolitan city is my new home, I already feel incredibly in sync with the tempo of London life. True, I’m hopelessly lost without the help of Google Maps, and often find myself...

Shubhechha Dhar • Feb 9, 2018 •1:00 pm

Finding My Way in a New Place

When I first came to Arcadia in August last semester, I was full of enthusiasm. Everything was new, exciting, and also a little scary. I was super-pumped to experience life abroad. My friends and family from India were just as excited. They pictured me in a fairy-tale life. After...

Heidi Specht • Dec 4, 2017 •12:53 pm

Where in the World Are You Going?

¡Adios, Arcadia! Next semester I will be crossing off yet another item on my never-ending bucket list and studying abroad in Valparaiso, Chile. Valpo, as the locals call it, is a coastal city an hour north of Santiago. That’s right, I’ll get to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time...