My name is Alexander Abraham, a third-year political science student at the College of Charleston. I am currently studying abroad at the College of Charleston study abroad program in Trujillo, Spain. I arrived at this program for a number of reasons. First, I had previous knowledge of the Spanish language, so I wanted to ensure that I was going to place where I would be able to communicate in the…
The second meal I ever had in Italy was at a place directly under my apartment. It was very convenient and my new flatmates and I were attempting to shovel some food into our mouths before our first real tour of Florence. I was incredibly jet-lagged and exhausted not being able to sleep the night before. Looking at the menu I went for the first thing I saw: Margherita Pizza.…
Like stepping out of the American-Italian restaurants you’re used to and into Tuscany, with the views you’ve only seen in photos, my first meal in Florence was at Ristorante Accademia, in Piazza San Marco. Right away I loved the vibe of the restaurant; ambient lighting, bright enough to be welcoming, and low enough to be a little more intimate than say, the harsh lights in hospitals. From the scuffed brown…
On September 18-25, we attended a slow cheese festival as part of the Slow Food movement, people dedicated to food of all kinds being “good, clean, and fair.” It’s an international event in the heart of Italy´s Piemonte region, in a little town called Bra. There were aperativos (tastings), conferences, guided visits and tour groups, workshops, film screenings of a documentary, and live music and vendors. It’s led by Chef…
While abroad, it’s easy to travel to other countries for the weekend and explore a new culture, but it’s also fun to discover the other cities in your country as well. A part of my program entailed two excursion trips that allowed us to explore Spain in more depth. I was excited to partake in individual traveling as well as the excursions our program had in place for us. I…
In the beginning of 2020, there were many different cultural events I have personally witnessed and attended in Trujillo, Spain, where I studied abroad but the one that had the town talking was Carnival. Carnival is a special event that causes people to party non-stop usually from Friday until Tuesday. The children are usually out of school until the end of the week. Not only do the adults take part…
If you’re anything like me, one of your main goals of study abroad is to come back fluent in your host country’s language! Whether you’re just starting out or have been taking classes for years, making friends is one of the best ways to learn. Making new friends can always be a little intimidating but being immersed in a new culture and language makes the act feel insurmountable. Lucky for…
I believe the greatest opportunity of studying abroad is that I was able to see many parts of the world that I will probably never visit again. Living in Chile for three months, and visiting countries like Argentina and Peru, enabled me to experience new customs and activities. Although, leaving my home for three months was hard, what I was gained from my experience was worth it. I chose to…
Hello, my name is Eric Leon and I’m a junior this year at the College of Charleston attempting a double major with International Business and Spanish. This fall 2019 I have chosen to be a part of a program holding CofC courses in the capital of Chile, Santiago de Chile. This is where I have been immersed in a culture I have never known before, opening my eyes to a…
I knew that I wanted to make my very last semester of college special, so what better way than studying abroad? I had to study somewhere in Latin America because of my major, but Cuba is actually one of the places I had never really thought about visiting. I learned more about the country in a couple of my major classes and became interested in the complicated relationship between our…
