Tag Archives: Study Abroad

Abroad Blog of the Week: The Cantaloupe Tales

When I came upon The Cantaloupe Tales a few weeks ago, I was reading through study abroad posts on WordPress. It’s my favorite tag as I do love me a good ole study abroad blog – one that has pictures of the Eiffel Tour or the experience of a student eating her first Italian gelato. But what I enjoy the most is when I find ones that are unique, filled with character, and so funny that I almost wet my pants. Well, Cantaloupe Tales is one of those blogs. The blogger, Katie, is witty. She can tell a great story and has made me laugh to the point that Hubby has come in our office to see what is going on. If you’re having a bad day, read this post from Katie. I promise you’ll be tearing up from laughter by the end. Katie’s humor doesn’t end there. I have had the wonderful privilege of emailing with her and she answered a few questions about her blog and experience in Morocco. I hope you will enjoy her writing as much as I do.

Katie from the Cantaloupe Tales

Why did you name your blog The Cantaloupe Tales?

You know, I don’t really have a good reason, except that it was the first thing that popped into my head when I sat down to create it in January. Maybe I got confused between which snack I wanted to eat and what I wanted to name this new blog; I do that sort of thing when I’m hungry. It also sort of sounds like the Canterbury Tales, which makes me sound educated and clever. The first post is called “A Melancholy Tale,” (get it?) and it’s a very short, very dumb story full of puns about two star-crossed lovers who also happen to be melons. The last line is: “‘I love my melon lover,’ sobbed the melon, “but now we cantaloupe!” I know, I know. I can’t believe I have readers either.

What surprised you most about Morocco?

Healthcare. Is. So. Cheap. (For US-ians, anyway). When I came down with intestinal parasites (avoid those), I dragged myself out of bed to a private practice Moroccan doctor, who made us wait forever but only cost 200 dirhams (approximately exactly $22.7110). Then I went to the pharmacy and got my meds. Long story short, you just walk in and tell them what’s wrong with you. For Moroccans, I know that this isn’t exactly chump change, but as someone whose paycheck (when employed) comes in dollars, it was a bit of a relief. Also: don’t eat unwashed salads. Parasites suck (ugh, literally. Ugh, get me off the Internet).

Also, when inside a Moroccan family’s house, everyone wears their pajamas all the time. One gets dressed to go out. Brilliant! It was fantastic. Bring your jammies.

Did you pick up any local habits/customs while living abroad?

I read this question to my mother, who laughingly replied, “Well, look at what you’re wearing!” She was right: I’m wearing a Moroccan gandora, which is a traditional garment that my host family gave me the day before I left Morocco. I also wear harem pants now. Other than my increasingly dubious wardrobe, though, it’s hard to say: when living in Morocco, I picked up plenty. I ate with my hands, mastered the squat toilet and bucket operation, and grew accustomed to haggling in the souk. Lots of small things come to mind, tiny and huge lifestyle changes that add up to making a new home as the months pass.

What have I brought back to the U.S., of all these customs and habits? I’m still not sure. People use forks and toilet paper, and it’d be crazy to try to haggle at Target. I like to think I’ve brought back something, though. A puffy Hello Kitty bathrobe? That little purple rug? I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

From your experience, was it harder to go to Morocco or to come back home?

BOTH. I know that’s sort of a weenie answer, but let me explain. I struggled with adjusting to Morocco: I missed my friends, culture shock, the works. Yet adjust I did, and as my airplane departed Casablanca, the last thing I wanted to do was completely change my way of life—again. I love Morocco and its rich culture, history, politics, and mostly, its people. Slipping into all of my old U.S. habits was easier than forming new Morocco habits had been, but once home, I realized that nobody (except for a select few) knew or really cared about Morocco. That’s been weird.

So both were challenging in different ways. No matter which way the cookie crumbles, though, you’ll forget where your comfort zone was and replace it with some good, wholesome awkwardness. I’d do it all again, and not change a thing. Well, except for waiting so long to see a doctor about those parasites. Seriously.

What three pieces of advice would you give someone who was planning to live/study in Morocco?

1. Travel as much as you can, Morocco has pretty great public transit. Go to Chefchaouen and Asilah! Climb Mount Toubkal! Run around on beaches! Play soccer with Moroccan kids!

2. Don’t be too paranoid about people ripping you off in the souk. Get some ballpark prices from Moroccans for certain items, and haggle away! Don’t be shy! But honestly, you’ll end up paying a bit more for some things because you’re foreign anyway. When it’s a difference of 10 dirhams, what’s one more dollar to you? You’re boosting their economy. Smile. Make friends with the shopkeepers. Have a ball.

3. Learn Darija and talk to people. All the time. Never stop talking to people! Ladies, just ignore the catcallers, but talk to people! That’s the point, right? Crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries. Seriously, learn Darija. It’s fun. Chat ‘em up! Good luck! Have fun!

4. I know you said three, but I just thought of an important one. Bring hand sanitizer. There’s never soap, and when you’re using a bucket and water, you’ll want to wash your hands thoroughly. Oh, yeah, and eat lots of couscous. Go to a wedding. Beware of leben. Okay, I’m done. Thanks for reading!

Thanks for the interview, Katie!

Versatile Blogger Award

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I was so excited to get a comment from Letizia at Reading Interrupted that she nominated Global From Home for a Versatile Blogger Award! Yay! Now it is my turn to pass on the honor. But first the rules:

Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. ( I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

Here goes!

Letizia, THANK YOU! I also think Reading Interrupted is pretty grand and hope many more people will enjoy all you have to share.

I’ve been reading a TON of blogs lately so I have a lot of favorites but here are 15.

Healing Pilgrim – a journey of healing in Bali
If you ever find yourself in… – a great blog to help plan your next vacation
Travel Thayer – a new ESL teacher’s stories of living and teaching in Korea
Born Again Brazilian – a New Yorker moves to Brazil and embraces the culture
The Cantaloupe Tales – tales from a study abroad returnee coming home from Morocco
Erin Flew the Coop – a Peace Corps volunteer’s experience in Thailand
Cristian Mihai – for such a young person, he sure does know a lot about self-publishing
Partners for Peace – Mari and Paul are Peace Corps volunteers in Ecuador and just helped open a pizza shop
foldedcranes – one of my favorite travel blogs by an Aussie
sanipanini – it is crazy what this girl can do with just a panini press
Clearing Customs – a returned missionary from Taipei examines how cultures collide
The Domestic Man – awesome recipes, many with an international flare
Left Turn Ahead – this blogger jumps head first into a new life in Ireland
Study Abroad in Kazakstan – I think the name speaks for itself; the blogger heads out to Kazakstan this fall
Turkish Musings – one more study abroader about to head to Turkey this fall

Seven things about me:

1. I’m often mistaken for being 16-years-old when I’m actually 30. I’m not sure if it’s because I have a baby face or because I’m the size of a 5th grader.

2. I have read Pride and Prejudice 6 times.

3. I was a professional sorority girl for two years. Yep, I worked for my sorority and traveled the U.S. doing leadership training.

4. My favorite color is navy blue.

5. I am obsessed with sending and receiving postcards.

6. I start wrapping Christmas presents in October. It is one of my top 10 favorite past-times.

7. Even though I live in San Diego, I still go to a church in Atlanta. It’s so good Hubby and I get up every Sunday and watch NPCC online with coffee in hand.

Empowering Youth Through Travel

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Right now in Uvita, Costa Rica there is a group of inner-city, Chicago teens exploring, learning, and serving abroad for the very first time. Do you remember your first time abroad? The excitement, the culture shock, the challenges of language, the sensory overload. These students are experiencing all of that through the incredible efforts of a non-profit called Empowering Youth Through Travel. Started in 2010 by Jessica Mann, EYTT just left yesterday for their very first overseas program after 6 months of training in Chicago.

In her blog post on June 11th, Jessica highlighted some of the students who were about to venture to Costa Rica:

For one of our student’s, Dushun, this will be the first time he steps on a plane let alone outside of the country. Can you imagine what this experience will be like for him? Dushun lives in Chicago’s Austin community and will go from our concrete city streets to Uvita’s lush land, surrounded by the rainforest.

What will this experience be like for Yael, a soft spoken young lady from Cicero, IL, who is passionate about nature, yet has never left the country or strayed far from her close knit family? She will be venturing off to an unknown part of the world, stay with a family she’s never met, and see things she has only read about in books.

And for Chris, a quiet, young man of choice words who’s world currently revolves around soccer. He will soon have to step outside of his comfort zone by introducing and immersing himself into a lively, foreign community.

For all of us who have had the privilege of traveling abroad, we are more than aware of all the benefits and challenges in store for these students. But I’m pretty confident to say that the experience will be life changing for them. If you are interested in supporting EYTT and what they are doing to help inner-city youth explore the world, be sure to check out their website.

If you know similar programs in other states or countries, please share!

If You Could Study Abroad Again – Part 2

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My earlier post got me thinking about my study abroad experience and if I were to study abroad again, not just where would I go, but what would I do differently. My time in Italy changed me for the better, but I definitely made some of the more common mistakes. If you’ve already been abroad, I’m sure you can relate to some of these. If not, than hats off to you…I’m impressed. For anyone preparing to leave, take my advice and avoid some of the most classic regrets.

In addition to avoiding Stuff Study Abroad Students Say, if I could do it all over I would:

Study abroad for a full year. I was very involved at my college and just couldn’t convince myself to go abroad for more than the two month program. Granted I did it three times, but I still wish I would have gone for a year when I had the ability.
Give up English. While my Italian definitely improved while I was abroad, I wish I had just stopped speaking English all together. I think my vocab would be a lot better today if I had.
Go by myself. The second time I studied abroad, I went with a friend who I had met on my first program. We started out great friends…we ended not speaking to each other. In fact we haven’t spoken since. While it’s fun to travel with friends, I always advise to study alone.
Consistently journal. I really wish blogging had existed when I studied abroad. Maybe I would have actually wrote more of my experience down. Now I just have faded memories of washing clothes in the bidet and my original impressions of seeing a Bernini for the first time.
Pack less. I am 4’11”. It is great quality on planes; not so much when carrying luggage. Plus, no one needs 8 pairs of shoes for 8 weeks in Italy.

Eight pairs of size 3 shoes still take up a lot of space.

If You Could Study Abroad Again

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In my job I’m frequently asked if I could study abroad again, where would I go. Of course, I would never give up my experience in Italy; as an Italian major, it was really the only place for me to go. However, if I could go some place completely different, these would be my top 5:

1. Bangalore, India with USAC

India is definitely on my short list these days. In addition to it being the most affordable tuition price I know of ($3,780 a semester!!), USAC’s program at Christ University in Bangalore has really interesting courses like Bollywood Dance, Women’s Issues in Indian Society, and Buddhism and Hinduism in Contemporary Society.

2. Lima, Peru with ISA

With its lively Latin culture and affordable living, Lima is one of my favorite study abroad spots. ISA’s program at University of San Ignacio de Loyala has a huge variety of classes in English (since my Spanish is pathetic) and offers home-stay options and a variety of excursions, including one to Machu Picchu.

3. Amman, Jordan with SIT

As seen through my book and movie choices, I really like the Middle East. The SIT program in Jordan focuses on modernization and social change in the region and includes a short and long-term home-stay experience. While a little pricey, the program requires a great deal of independent research – a huge plus for anyone interested in graduate school.

4. Cuenca, Ecuador with CEDEI

One of my student workers went on this program and LOVED it. Up in the mountains of Ecuador, this city has far less American students than Quito and allows for real immersion. For $12,900 students get their home-stay with meals, tuition, and excursions to Peru and the Galapagos. The program also works on the American calendar which can be nice.

5. St. Petersburg, Russia with AIFS

After reading Soulshine Traveler, Russia has been looking better and better. Another one of my student workers did the AIFS program in St. Petersburg last fall and she continues to sing their praises. In addition to intensive Russian, the program offers great courses like Contemporary Russian Literature and Russian History: from Kiev Russia to the Revolution. Another nice thing about AIFS is that it is all-inclusive and for $11,995 students get tuition, housing, meals, local transportation, and excursions to London, Finland, Estonia, and Moscow.

If you could study abroad again or for the first time, where would you go?

Missing Home this Father’s Day Weekend

Cup of Local Sugar

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With Florence being the top study abroad location for American students, I tend to try to veer my advisees as far away from it as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I think Florence is great, but I’m pretty sure the Florentines and the Americans would benefit if the city were a little less populated by U.S. college students. However, not all students heed my advice, and many still decide to go. Some isolate themselves to the American culture, but some really do engage and find a way of making Florence a true Italian cultural experience. Recently one student told me that she was able to really discover Florence through an organization called Cup of Local Sugar.

Cup of Local Sugar’s goal is to find knowledgeable and welcoming locals who can help the curious traveller better understand their culture. Started in Italy, the locals are mostly in Europe but are slowly spreading across the globe. Locals provide experiences in one of the following categories: coffee abroad, explore, move, play, or taste. These experiences go on the COLS website and then visitors can sign up to participate and schedule the time that works best. COLS does a good job of vetting both locals and visitors to make sure it is a positive experience for everyone.

When I heard about this organization, I was immediately intrigued and completed the application to become a local in San Diego. I didn’t hear from them for a couple of weeks but last Monday they contacted me to set up a Skype interview. In the interview they asked my reasons for applying, what would be some things I would recommend someone doing in San Diego, and then just asked me to tell something about myself. (I told her I was 4’11″…it was the most interesting thing I could think of.) The interview lasted about 35 minutes and was fairly laid back and comfortable. At the end, she told me they would get back to me soon. As of Saturday, I am officially a Cup of Local Sugar Local! Of course I haven’t actually met with any visitors yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

If you are interested in showing visitors your country or are about to travel somewhere and would really like the local experience, check out Cup of Local Sugar. And if you’re coming to San Diego, be sure to sign up for a coffee abroad with me, Elise B. (my sweet experience should be posted in a week or so).

Stuff Study Abroad Students Say

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For any of you that have studied abroad, this YouTube clip by Amizade will definitely bring back fond/embarrassing memories. I will admit that my first time studying in Italy I may have said a few of these…”Could you take a picture of me?” I hope you get a good laugh from it. I did.

Ceviche and Inca Kola

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In 2009 I ventured to Peru with 16 college students, 1 faculty member, and 2 tour guides for a 14 day study abroad program with the University of South Carolina. As the program assistant, I handled the finances, student concerns, escorted the group on all excursions and classes, and I counted to 16 a lot. Not a bad job, huh? It really was a fantastic group and an incredible program. The geography professor that taught the class had been a Peace Corps volunteer back in the 70s so he was up for all kinds of adventures.

Me and part of our group at Machu Picchu in May 2009

So last night when I was browsing Open Table for a restaurant and came upon the Cafe Secret Cocina Peruana, my hubby and I decided we should give it a try. Although the service was a tad slow, the food was authentic and savory. We agreed to go 100% Peruvian beginning with our beverages – a pisco sour and a diet Inca Kola. To start we had papitas and yuquitas, which were fried potatoes and yucas served with hard-boiled eggs and olives in a really yummy sauce. For dinner Hubby got ceviche with shrimp and sea bass, while I had pascado sudado, a spicy dish (my mouth was on fire) with snapper, onions, and tomatoes served with quinoa. The meal brought back fond memories of a great trip and it was great to share it with Hubby.

These are traditional Peruvian ingredients that Cafe Secret uses in their dishes.

Me eating pescado sudado

Shrimp and Sea Bass Ceviche

Diet Inca Kola – it kind of tastes like bubble gum.

Warm Glacial Memories: Friendship by food poisoning

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I’m one of those people who still use Yahoo! to get news. I know it is not the most worthy of news sources but for random stuff, they come up with some pretty entertaining tidbits. For example, last week they posted this video of one of the icebergs off of the Uppsala glacier in Argentina flipping over.

While slightly scary, the video actually brought back great memories of my all-time favorite trip to Argentina in December 2004. A good friend was living in Buenos Aires for the year getting a culinary degree so it was the perfect opportunity to visit South America for the first time. The plan was for her to show me around BA and then we would fly to El Calafate to hike the glaciers and go horseback riding.

BA was awesome. We ate the best steaks, saw Nora Jones in concert for my birthday, bought new leather jackets, and I even helped my friend celebrate Hanukkah with my own DIY paper menorah. The day came that we were going to fly south. But before we went, my friend had a sushi class that I was allowed to attend. At that point in my life I did not eat sushi. However, I wanted to participate so I prepared it and my friend ate both hers and mine. I mean it couldn’t go to waste, right?

This is the actual sushi I made…ok…I had a lot of help.

We rushed straight from sushi class to the BA airport, made our flight, and arrived at the El Calafate International Airport. We successfully picked up our shuttle which was to take us into the village to our hostel. But about 15 minutes into our journey, we had to make an unexpected stop. The sushi ended up not agreeing too well with my dear friend and instead decided to bond with my shoes. For the next 18 hours she lost her sashimi along with everything else in her stomach. We finally made it to our hostel (which thankfully had a bathroom in the room!) where she immediate went to bed and I left on the hunt for saltine crackers. Please remember readers, I was an Italian major in college. My Spanish is pretty terrible. So I bumbled around town with a Spanish dictionary and filled in with Italian hoping that somehow I could get the point across. Fortunately it worked and I came back with dinner for me and sick food for my friend.

The food poisoning did subside and we made it for our glacier hike the next day. Wearing our winter gear in the El Calafate summer, we put on our crampons and trekked for a few hours. Considering her condition my friend kept up amazingly well but she did skip the shot of Jack Daniels they served at the top of the glacier. Despite a little food poisoning (and an eaten ATM card), El Calafate and the glaciers were spectacular! Almost 8 years later, it is still my favorite location I’ve been to.

But more than the amazing glaciers, what I loved most about that trip was the friendship that was sealed. What began as a trip to see a college friend, ended up being an experience the forged one of the closest friendships I have ever had. Almost exactly two years ago this same friend was my maid-of-honor and toasted me at my wedding to this same story. Who knew that bad sushi in Argentina would be the catalyst for a life-long friendship?

I’m a serious hiker…look at my crampons.

Summertime at the Perito Moreno Glacier