Academic Programs International | Academic Programs International

March 14, 2012

On “Seizing the Moment”

By Kaitlyn Nolan, API Grenoble Peer Mentor

During my pre-departure meeting, the director of International Programs at my college went through a list of possible scenarios that could arise during our time abroad and what to do in each situation. She talked about what to do if we lost our passports, had our bags stolen, were injured, and any other very real possibility. I left the room, and then the States, feeling confident that if any problems arose, I would be well-prepared.

What I was not prepared for was the fact that life continues even after I’m gone. I can’t say for certain what I thought was going to happen with loved ones back home, but I had this vague idea that American life was put on pause for everyone once I stepped on the plane to France. I learned this lesson the hard way when I received a phone call from my mother three weeks after I arrived in Grenoble. I was excitedly telling her all the places that I was going to show her and the rest of the family when they came to visit that April. She cut me off then to inform me that they were no longer coming to visit as she had filed divorce papers from my father a week earlier.

I was completely blindsided by this news. Things were not well between them when I left, but filing for divorce was not even on my radar. When it finally sunk in, I realized I felt horribly, horribly alone and had no idea how I was going to get through such a devastating event without my usual support systems. I was living with a host family and ironically, the next day my host mom asked if I had received any good news from home. I burst into tears all over this gorgeous French dinner in front of people who were technically still strangers. I was still in the bonding stages with my fellow API students and didn’t quite know how to express myself to them and ask for their support. It seemed to me a terrible tragedy had struck and I was not going to be able to recover on my own. My dream semester of studying abroad was gone.

Throughout the next week, friends told me not to let the divorce affect my semester. I was frustrated with this advice as I couldn’t imagine it NOT affecting my study abroad experience. My life at home turned to shambles. How could that not have an impact on me? However, after I spent some time lost in grief over the loss of my parents’ marriage, I realized my friends were right. There was nothing I could do across an ocean. Regardless of my emotional mindset, I would not be able to truly deal with the situation until I had returned stateside and was back with my family. So I made the conscious decision to seize every opportunity that was presented to me while abroad.

This was already a goal, but it was now made with a fresh perspective. Life changes without any notice and sometimes you can’t do anything about it. All you can do is to make the best of it and try to not let the bad stuff overshadow all the good. I couldn’t exactly forget the fact that my parents were in the middle of a divorce even if I was on a different continent. I had plenty of unhappy phone calls and emails that reminded me of that fact. But I also had plenty of happy conversations in which I wowed my parents with all that I was doing and seeing. When I look back on my experience abroad, there aren’t memories of me wallowing in my bedroom in self-pity that part of my life had changed for the worse. Rather, my memories are of me taking risks, overcoming the challenges associated with studying abroad, and having the most amazing semester of my life. All because I decided to seize the moment.

Kaitlyn studied with API in Grenoble in the spring of 2011, and is currently studying psychology at Stonehill College.

Filed Under: Pre-Departure Tagged With: academic programs international, api, APIstudyabroad, Kaitlyn Nolan, peer mentors, study abroad 1 Comment

March 11, 2012

Egypt and UAE: Not Worlds Apart

By Felicia Baratz

Felicia Baratz is a young writer and wanderer living in Indianapolis, IN. As a contributor for CooksandTravelBooks.com, she’s writes about the hottest travel spots and cultural trends. When she isn’t writing, you can most likely find her drawing, gaming, or attempting to brew the perfect beer. Follow her on Twitter @SkepticalKitteh!

From the time I was a kid, I’d always wanted to visit Egypt, a land that seems stuck in history, while simultaneously moving forward. My dreams came true when I visited Egypt in January of 2009 for a school trip.

When I arrived in Cairo, I immediately felt overcome with a sense of adventure and awe. The trip lasted three weeks, during which time I visited many cities including Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. I climbed to the top of Mt. Sinai, ate dinner on islands in the Nile River, went on two camel rides, shopped at the local bazaar’s and even received several marriage proposals from street vendors.

I left Egypt feeling an affinity toward the country and an intense curiosity about the entire Middle East region. The history and culture keep drawing me back in whenever I start to plan my next trip.

The next time I have the chance to travel to the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates is the first destination on my list. While I’ve never been to the UAE, I’ve been told that if I enjoyed Egypt, I’d love the UAE. They’re pretty similar, so my experience in Egypt will definitely help me when I visit.

Clothing and Vendors

I was quite surprised at the blend of western clothing and authentic Egyptian and Islamic garments. Many women wore western style outfits of jeans and t-shirts, but with the hijab, the customary Islamic head covering. Some women wore full tunics with head coverings; some men wore full tunics as well, called a Galabeya. However, for every authentic garment, another Egyptian would walk by wearing jeans, a hooded jacket and sneakers. It was pretty surreal. I’m also a bit of a scarf-o-holic, and I bought more scarves than I could actually get home. I had to wear two on the plane. I imagine the Emirates will have just as many clothing vendors, so I’ll either have to bring a bigger suitcase or find cheap international shipping.

The attire in the UAE is quite similar. I’d be able to blend right in, especially given the Emirate’s growing expatriate population. I’ve heard that many Emirati males wear a full length tunic called a kandura and women wear an abaya, a black over-garment.

Food

My favorite the foods in Egypt definitely came from the street vendors and open-air cafés. Since it’s an Islamic nation, you’re out of luck if you want pork or alcohol, but you can find just about anything else. I ate a lot of grilled meats, veggies, shrimp, rice, breads and lentils.

Arab cuisine is pretty standard across countries, so the Emirates serve many of the same foods. Being situated between Iran, Saudi Arabia and Oman, much of the Emirati diet consists of a blend of those country’s staples including a lot of rice, fish and other meats. Coffee and tea are wildly popular, as they were in Egypt, and they are typically consumed during meal times or served to guests to a home or business. Many jewelry shops in Egypt even served tea to customers.

Museums and Monuments

Much of my time in Egypt was spent exploring its history. I saw The Great Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx and spent an entire day wandering through burial sites at The Valley of the Kings. I visited King Tut’s Tomb and saw temples, museums and ruins. I recorded my adventures in my travel journal to help me remember everything that I saw. I took countless boat rides on the Nile, visited a camel market and even went inside of an Egyptian’s home.

The Emirates offer many amazing museums as well. The Sharjah Heritage District has 17 museums alone. The Abu Dhabi cultural foundation supports many ancient art galleries and preserves relics. The culture, art and food of the Emirates sound rich and plentiful—and might just give Egypt a run for its money.