Save the Climate and BISC-499!
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Stressed out because you aren’t doing anything productive this summer? Want to study abroad in China? Want to do research on climate change and its impact on the ocean? Check out USC’s Problems Without Passports course BISC-499: Our Future Changing Ocean. Due to a recent last-minute student dropout, we need at least one more student for this course to continue. As someone who is really passionate about environmental conservation, I would really love for this course to continue. If you’re interested please keep reading!
The Beauty of Jujuy (And The Best Study Abroad Apps!)
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
It’s important that you know, both for accuracy of pronunciation and the sake of the rhyme scheme that Jujuy is pronounced “Hoo-hooey”. And our road-trip through the northern part of this province in Argentina was nothing short of breathtaking.
Graffiti in Buenos Aires
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
When I moved into my Casa Compartida in the Palermo barrio of Buenos Aires, I knew nothing about the house or the neighborhood- my friend Katy did all the hunting and I just showed up with cash for the deposit at the address she sent me. Of course, my parents immediately asked me about the location. “Is it safe?” I think so. “Is it clean?” I wouldn’t eat off the floor. “Are you close to campus?” Not in the traditional sense of the word…
Gracefully Abroad: El Calafate
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Last weekend I set several alarms for 3 AM Friday morning, strapped on my massive backpack filled to the brim with assorted snacks and jackets, double-checked I had my passport, and hopped into a taxi with my friend and fellow Trojan, Francesca, for our obscenely early flight (saving some moola, gaining some time) to El Calafate in the southern part of Argentina, a region called Patagonia. It may come as a surprise to some of you that your trendy-yet-functional-cold-weather-Patagonia-brand gear is named after a real place, but I can now officially confirm this fact first-hand and let me tell you, it sure is a beauty.
Waiting (ever so patiently)
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
When you’re adjusting to a new city, of course you need to give yourself some time to figure out how everything works. Waiting to feel comfortable and for some semblance of confidence is frustrating to say the least, especially when you can’t help making comparisons to how things work “so smoothly” back home.
When Hillary drops by while you’re abroad
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Last Thursday, I did what any productive exchange student would do in between classes- checked my instagram and ate yesterday’s dinner leftovers from my new tupperware. Such multi-tasking was dangerous and nearly caused me to choke on a spoonful of lentils because within the first few photos alone, I realized my fellow Trojans were with Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Gracefully Abroad: Asado
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Last week I went to my first asado, which is essentially what in the U.S. we would call a barbecue. After speaking with the Argentinian students present, apparently this wasn’t a “real asado” because it was more of a meet and greet (or meat and greet if you catch my drift) for the international students than the extensive sit-down affair that asados normally are. Still, I’m counting it as an asado because it had all the makings of one (chorripan, which is sausage on a toasted bun, a parilla, which is the big open-fire grill, and lots of sides and ensaladas, thank goodness.)
Gracefully Abroad: Lollapalooza Argentina
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Last weekend I went to Lollapalooza, a musical festival, that’s become quite global with locations in São Paulo, Santiago, Berlin, Bogotá, and of course, my home of Chicago, where I first experienced the magic. This time, however, I experienced Lollapalooza Argentina in San Isidro, a suburb of Buenos Aires.
Gracefully Abroad: Being the Exchange Student
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
When you study abroad you have a few different types of programs to choose from. You can go to one of the USC Abroad locations, which I did last summer in Madrid, where you are taught by USC professors but in a new city. You can also choose to go through a study abroad provider, like CIES or SIT, which I did last fall through SIT Nicaragua. The benefits to going with a study abroad provider are, in my experience, a strong relationship with the local community, reciprocity, authenticity, and well-organized group excursions included in program costs. Currently, I am doing a direct enrollment study abroad experience, which means I am enrolled as a student as this University and take classes alongside Argentinian students. During my time at USC, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a number of exchange students, and it’s been very interesting to now be on the other side of that.
Not East Nor West: On Asian-American Body Image
By: Judy Lee ‘17
It’s been a few days since Chinese (Lunar) New Year, and aside from all the festivities and vibrant cultural hallmarks, it has given me some time to reflect on my roots. I have no qualms about discussing (in great detail!) the amount of pride I have in being Asian-American. It is a source of strength and beauty I have grown to love more and more with age, but that’s not to say it is without its repercussions…
Not in Trojanland Anymore: 4 Things I Miss About USC
By: Judy Lee ‘17
I’m not going to lie—being abroad in London is already one of the most wonderful experiences of my entire life to date. However, there are things about this place that just isn’t…well, just isn’t USC. Here are several:
5 Things To Consider Before Taking That Day Trip
By: Judy Lee ‘17
Day trips anywhere are usually tons of fun. However, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and neglect a lot of small (but important!) details that can make or break your trip. Here are five things you should consider before leaving!
5 Places You Must See In London
By: Judy Lee ‘17
The London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge—all of them are beautiful. However, there are some places that are breathtaking and require a little more digging. Here are five!
5 Culture Shocks You’ll Run Into In London
By: Judy Lee ‘17
Being dropped into a strange place is great, I’ve found. It not only gives you an appreciation for something new, but something you may have had along. Studying abroad in London has definitely allowed me to appreciate the states while growing fond of the land beyond the pond. Here are a few things that struck me while I’ve been here this past week:
Out of SCight, Out Of Mind
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Before you go abroad this spring, you’re probably feeling nervous and excited, and maybe a little worried about leaving USC and your friends there behind. All of these are completely normal emotions, and as you learned in your Overseas Studies Orientation, there will inevitably times where you feel homesick not only for your family, but for your Trojans and the familiarity and comfort USC has offered you all these semesters.
The Happiest of Holidays
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
During my last few days in Managua, I had the absolute privilege of celebrating La Gritería with my amazing host family, our last hurrah. The holiday was described to us by our program director, Anita, as a mix between Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas, so my expectations were obviously high
Christmas in Hawaii - Expectation vs. Reality
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
It all started when my dad got his first teaching job in Oahu back in the 70′s. He was 22 and had $2,000 to his name. The simple life was all that interested him and the surf in Hawaii was spectacular enough to make my dad move out there for a year. He suggested that his mother check out Hawaii for herself. She fell in love instantly and today, over 30 years later, my grandma and her husband retired from teaching and live in Hawaii permanently. Naturally, I escape the Southern California “cold” (in my defense, it was pretty cold the days leading up to my departure) and spend my Christmas’s in Hawaii. This isn’t the most traditional form of Christmas considering Hawaii is the polar (pun totally intended) opposite of how Christmas is normally imagined.
Holiday Wish List For Studying Abroad
By: Judy Lee ‘17
If you’re studying abroad, you’ve got to be strategic this holiday season! Here are some things you can keep in mind in case someone asks you what you’d like this year:
A Nod To Modern Technology
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
I would just like to take the time to thank all the great inventors and big dreamers out there who made the world what it is today. Without you folks, I would have no choice but to continuously be at a loss for words with my host family’s hairless cats as my only companions.