Study Abroad with UNA
Destinations
China week 2
Week two in China has been great! It started off with us visiting a local high school and talking and answering questions the students had. The visit to the school was definitely a great comparison as to how different our education system in America is to that of China. Each classroom had about 40-50 students in it, all crammed into a small room with no air conditioning. It was about 85 degrees the day we visited, and it felt like 95 in the classroom. The students gave us a presentation about Chinese culture, dance, and food. After they did the … // Read more
The unexpected and expected
Needless to say, this trip has already been filled with dramatic sights and beautiful architecture. It is not surprising that the things my group has seen are extremely surprising. I know that all the UNA study abroad trips are one great experience after another, but why? The preparation for an excursion like this can be nothing short of taxing. As I sit on 5 a.m. seven hour bus ride from Lima to Nazca, I think about the logistics. Our time is filled with activities of all different types. Every day in the country has been mapped out so the … // Read more
The best part…
Today was the best part of the trip. I got to teach a freshman Geography class at Ng’Iresi Secondary school! Everyone else got to speak to a freshman class as well. I think everyone really enjoyed it and the African students were great. We shopped around town and learned about tanzanite, a gemstone only found in Tanzania.
Found Leo!
A lot has happened since the last post. We shopped at the Maasai market in Arusha and saw the tourist economy there – not my favorite part. Then we went on a safari in Ngorongoro crater. Kudos to our drivers – nothing like African back roads. We saw 4 of the ‘big 5’ – no leopard this time. The lions were very entertaining – sleep was their number one concern. National Geographic has nothing on this one. We also hike up to Engare Sare river gorge and waterfall. It was amazing. Apparently, Dr. Koti finds pirates wherever he goes – … // Read more
Tofu’d again
One of the benefits of our group doing self guided tours in China is the choice to dine where we want. With the help of our professor/translator, Mrs. Chen, we’ve been able to sample a number of chinese foods, some of which could only be best described as authentic. Before our group ever departed on its trip, we were warned to avoid street food venders. The first thing one is likely to encounter along the streets of China is some sort of skewered critter over a flaming grill, flanked by vegetables. Sidewalks are lined with carts of cooking meats, … // Read more
VIDEO: Peru, the first 4 days
Check out this great video montage of the first four days of the Peru trip! This video was put together by one of our student bloggers, Mack Cornwell.
China- week one
It’s difficult to believe a week has passed since our group landed in Shanghai, China. Were it not for lack of computer and up-to-date browser access, this blog would be quite a bit more interesting at this point. That being said, I will do my best to briefly recap our trip. Though our group is staying in Nanjing during the majority of our time here, we did spend two days in Shanghai, a huge, smog-filled metropolous. Having been sheltered by the quiet and mild city of Florence, AL. my whole life, it is safe for the reader to assume the … // Read more
Organized Chaos
Organized chaos. This is how I would describe Lima, the capitol city of Peru. Millions of people and what feels like zero traffic regulation. It was funny watching my classmates cringe on our first bus ride as our driver came within inches form the tiny little car in front of us. Cars in peru come standard with horn cruise control, I think, but I’m glad for it because my gringo self would have been run over numerous times otherwise. I made the observation while walking around the metropolitan city that there were few smokers. Most buildings and rooms had multiple “No Fumar” (no smoking) signs. When I traveled … // Read more
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