Balancing daily life affairs, classes, mandatory program meetings, and exploring my host country has proven to be a learned skill. During my first two weeks abroad it was easy to visit the local war memorials, art museums, and local hotspots such as Myeondong and Hongdae. Classes were still short, and it was highly encouraged to go and explore the city! But as my time here continued I realized…
Coming to S. Korea for the first time, I understood there would be ways of life to become accustomed to—obvious things, such as the language barrier, transportation, and social norms. Once I arrived, it became clear to me very quickly that I would need to change a lot more than the way I spoke, got around, and made friends. Koreans eat at different times of day and in groups not…
Embarking on my Semester At Sea journey, we were presented with an extraordinary opportunity—to travel from Belgium to Thailand, passing through the Suez Canal and visiting 12 diverse countries along the way. However, the course of our adventure took an unexpected turn due to an unforeseen conflict in the Middle East. Originally set to enter the Suez Canal and explore destinations like Jordan, Dubai, and India, our plans faced a…
Embarking on Semester At Sea is like stepping into a dream for any college student. The sheer awesomeness of traveling the globe on a cruise ship, hitting up three continents and thirteen ports, transforms us into true global citizens. Living among 500 fellow students and 300 staff members creates an incredible sense of community. We’re not just studying abroad; we’re coexisting, learning, and exploring together. This unique experience turns us…
After feeling like I had found my place in Singapore, I started planning trips. I first went to Bangkok, Thailand. I will be honest and state that I did not love it. Nevertheless, it was a great experience. It pushed me out of my comfort zone. It has made me more appreciative of the countries I have lived in or visited. It is a very dirty city where hundreds of…
I left my home in France to go to the small country of Singapore on August 5th excited to start a new chapter of my life. But, as the plane made its way down to land, I started to panic. I was absolutely petrified. I was looking directly at the tarmac completely shocked with what was about to happen. In approximately 30 seconds I was going to be landing in…
Name: Madison Caranta Major: International Business Minor 1: Global Logistics and Transportation Minor 2: Economics Host Program/Institution: TEAN – Singapore Management University (SMU) Why did you choose your program? I chose this program because I’d never been to Asia. I was born and raised in France, so I know Europe quite well. My mother is American, and I visit her side of the family in the US rather often. Therefore,…
I embarked on the World Odyssey, a 700-person ship in Antwerp, Belgium, bidding farewell to land, service and the familiarity of daily life. Thus began my life at sea school, Semester At Sea. In an unconventional classroom setting, we find ourselves aboard a cruise ship where lounging by the pool between classes is the norm, and running on the treadmills offered breathtaking ocean views instead of Sterling Center walls. Semester…
Hello, my name is Maikalani Peterson. I am majoring in Arts Management with a music concentration, and I am minoring in Film Studies. I am a junior who is currently studying abroad this semester in Hirakata, Japan at Kansai Gaidai University. I chose to do this program because I took two years of Japanese at the College of Charleston with Chikuma Sensei and Yamaji. They inspired me to study abroad…
Whenever we learn about World War II, Hiroshima is also mentioned due to what occurred there. I love learning about history and visiting historic places, so Hiroshima was on my list of Prefectures that I wanted to visit. When the opportunity arose, we made it happen. We went on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Osaka which was bound for Hiroshima. After about an hour and a half, we arrived at…
