Monthly Archives: March 2012

Culture Shock 101 from Singapore

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Singapore is a beautiful, vibrant, and happening city. But beyond its tourist-friendly veneer lies a distinct culture that is difficult for foreigners to penetrate

One of the reasons I decided to study abroad was because I hated missing out on the dorm experience by living at home. Since my McGill tuition is so cheap ($1,500 a semester), figured it made sense to take advantage of the world-class education it could provide me in my hometown for such a low cost. However, despite the excellent education I was getting, I deeply regretted my decision, as I knew I was missing out on a fundamental part of the college experience. Continue reading →

What is Life on a Ship Really Like? Semester at Sea

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Standard post class activity on deck, can't complain!

I am sure that many of you are wondering what life is like living on a ship. Some would compare it to Suite Life on Deck (Disney Channel reference), but honestly it is BETTER!

Life on Semester at Sea is awesome. The ship is over 500 feet long and there is plenty to do while onboard.

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Do you have your passport ready? National Passport Day is Sat, March 10th!

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Is your departure date for international travel fast approaching? If you’re procrastinating the application or renewal process for your passport, you’re in luck. This Saturday, March 10th, the U.S. Dept. of State is hosting a National Passport Day! Area post offices and regional passport agencies are opening their doors to the public for this very reason.  Continue reading →

Misconceptions Of Greece As Seen On The Media

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Abroad101 is please to introduce Monica, a study abroad student with College Year in Athens. Here’s what she has to say about studying in a destination that has some negative press:

Demonstrations in Syntagma Square

It can be difficult to decide where you want to study abroad when numerous destinations await you. It gets even harder when you weigh in political, cultural, economic and many other factors. Greece is an amazing, historical and picturesque country. However, when families and students in America see Greece portrayed as a dangerous and economically unstable country, it can be one of the first to be crossed off the list of study abroad options. After being here a little over a month, I quickly realized how skewed the media portrays the situation here.

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MassChallenge 2012 is officially open!

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Governor Deval Patrick at MassChallenge 2012

Photos courtesy of Bostontweetup.com

Happy Friday from Abroad101! This was an awesome week, especially because yesterday afternoon was the MassChallenge 2012 launch!  Abroad101 was a winner of the first ever MassChallenge in 2010 and we’ve been reaping the benefits ever since. Yesterday, over 200 CEOs, entreprenuers, investors, start-ups and local politicians gathered for the 3rd annual MassChallenge kickoff event and warmly welcomed in this year’s hopeful applicants. With a drumroll and a ring of the gong, MassChallenge 2012 officially opened! There was much excitement in the air and we felt lucky to have been a part of the enthusiasm.

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Jake’s Top Ten for Taiwan

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Taipei 101 Tower

Go to the top of Taipei 101: First on my list is an undeniable tourist staple, the iconic Taipei 101. Opening at the end of 2004, Taipei 101 is now the world’s third largest skyscraper. With 101 floors above ground, this monster of a building reaches 1,670.6 ft at the tip of its antenna spire. Located in the Xinyi District on the eastern side of Taipei city, I believe this is a must see for any visitor to Taiwan. Although I have been in close proximity to the tower twice now, I am waiting for that perfect weather day to take a trip to the top. Continue reading →

How My Photography Class Became a Lesson In Italian Cooking

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I love photography, and when choosing my classes for Florence I made sure to pick a photography class. The class I chose, however, had the wrong prerequisites listed. It said that I needed to have taken an introductory class, and I have taken three. The problem was that I have done all of my photography in the dark room and had no previous experience using digital, which was needed. This is how I ended up in my Italian Cooking class.

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