SCHOOL’S OUT! SCREAM AND SHOUT! It is finally the end of finals and I am free at last! Free to sleep in and not stress about school for a little while!! Finals week was such a drag, but I tried my best and did what I could. Throughout this past semester, along with taking classes…
Category: culture
The Seoul Diaries Mini Episode: Idol Birthday Cafe Guide~
Hello! These days, Seoul has been treating me well with its nice weather, green trees, and abundance of aesthetic cafes. The semester is almost coming to a close but – in today’s mini episode – I will be covering my experiences visiting K-pop idol birthday cafes in South Korea! Planning and Coordination So, when I…
The Seoul Diaries: Attending a Korean Wedding!
Howdy! Welcome back to my blog! I just finished up my midterms and am back to my usually-scheduled blog posts. In this one, I will be recounting my first experience attending a Korean wedding in South Korea (+ it was also my first wedding experience ever)! Upon Arrival For context, I was invited to this…
The Seoul Diaries: Faith’s Language Corner (언어 코너)
Hello or “안녕하세요!” It’s Faith 선생님 and today I will be reviewing some key phrases, terms, and slang words that I have picked up since being in South Korea. Knowing basic Hangul and the pronunciation of the letters will come in handy a lot, but I will try writing the romanization for the phrases. I…
SUMMER IN SALERNO: let’s have an aperitivo!
The aperitivo is basically the Italian version of what we would consider happy hour. Normally, this cultural ritual takes place between the hours of 4-6pm as a relaxed drink and/or snack before dinner. (Remember, Italians start eating dinner as late as 10pm!). Stemming from the Latin word ‘aperire’ meaning “to open”, this classic early evening…
Australia: Hosting An Aussie Dinner Party
One of my favourite ‘grown-up’ things to do in Sydney these days is to entertain guests as the host of an Aussie-style dinner party. During my first au pair arrangement in Australia, I became aware of the very distinct idea of a dinner party. Somehow it seems to be differentiated from ‘having friends over’ or…
Focus on the Future: Fall in Ecuador
Zach Allen planned to study abroad in summer 2020 then in spring 2021, but the world had other plans. With travel and entry into Peru and Ecuador restricted due to COVID-19 and universities in Latin America shifting to virtual classes, Allen had to be flexible (and hopeful). Now with his senior year coming up, he…
Japan: One Final Look Back
My time in Japan has come to an end. It’s bittersweet: I’m ready to get back to the US and get to work since I now have my degree, but I’ve really enjoyed my time and how much I’ve grown as a person while abroad. I gained a ton of perspective about the world and…
Japan: You Can’t Do Tokyo In Just Three Days
My time in Japan has been winding down, so I decided to end my time in Japan with just a few days of relaxation and enjoyment by visiting Tokyo and Yokohama before heading home to the good ‘ole US of A. I even roped in one of my newfound friends from Ritsumeikan to come along…
Italy: Living Large in Small Ways
Pop culture has ingrained in us, and young women especially, that Italy has a magical transformative qualityー ever heard of Roman Holiday or Lizzie McGuire the Movie? I have to admit that I fell for that allure when I signed up to take Italian freshman year, but despite not becoming an Italian popstar, I found…