Danielle - Danielle Johnston

The first portion of this blog is from when I spent my last semester of college abroad in Valparaiso, Chile at the Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, finishing up my requirements for my dual degree in Hispanic Studies and International Affairs. I lived with a host family in the neighboring city of Vina del Mar during spring semester of 2005.

July 2007- May 2008 I took off again, this time my travels took me to the other side of the globe - spending three months in Alexandria, Egypt studying Arabic and then 6 months outside of Accra, Ghana working at a UN Refugee camp for Liberians - with lots of travel in between (Jordan, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Togo).

August 2008 - June 2009 I taught English to kindergarten children over in Doha, Qatar.

Now it's August 2009 and I'm a graduate student at the American University in Cairo - obtaining my Master's in International Human Rights Law and Forced Migration and Refugee Studies. I'll be here for 2 years...

Contact me via this blog or at daniellej6@hotmail.com

Enjoy!
~D

"As long as possible live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county jail.... If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." -- Henry David Thoreau

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Joined on: December 30th 2004
Last Login: November 8th 2009

Blog Entries: 59
Photos: 230

TB Code: [blogger=1395]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Danielle, order by Date newest first.

By Danielle
September 4th 2009

Living Abroad Yet Again... Africa » Egypt » Lower Egypt » Cairo

Sometimes I don't know why I do it to myself but even with all the differences, the ridiculousness of some things, the crazy illnesses/upset stomachs, the misunderstandings and confusion, the "if you don't leave me alone I'm gonna hit you in the face" moods, I just LOVE LOVE LOVE being abroad. It is soo nice to come home and I had a great time this summer (thanks to all of you!) but when I'm abroad it's just like my whole soul is happy. There are definitely times when I wish I could just fly home, even for a day or two, [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
June 16th 2009

The year is up and I'm coming home! Middle East » Qatar » Doha

Leaving in 2 days and it looks like I'm "getting out" JUST IN TIME! I really don't know what's going on, well I do, and I definitely don't agree with it! Here is the current situation over here in the Gulf: Dubai has become this "vacationland" for adults (and children) but for both vacation and work it's been a thriving paradise. Foreigners have been moving to the UAE to work with excellent pay and full packages (return airfare home, ridiculous amounts of vacation time, no tax, luxuries - drivers, nannies, maids, etc.) until this economic crisis and in the year that [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
May 19th 2009

5 weeks and counting... Middle East » Qatar » Doha

So exactly 5 weeks from today I will be getting on a plane homebound....finally!! I really can't wait - I've already sent a box home, have a bag of clothes to give away and have packed 1 suitcase (full of long sleeve shirts, pants, etc. that I def won't be wearin from now til June 23). Have I mentioned how hot it's getting again - let's just put it this way - the water in my toilet bowl is boiling - NO JOKE/NO EXAGGERATION! I noticed this craziness last week when I lifted the lid and found the water bubbling away [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
April 24th 2009

10 Days in Sri Lanka Asia » Sri Lanka » Southern Province » Hikkaduwa

Last Night
Niamh B, Mary, Niamh C and myself in our Sri Lankan dresses ready for the last nite!

We left Friday early morning for Sri Lanka with a quick hour stop-over in Dubai before the 4 hour flight to Colombo. As soon as we got to Colombo we hired a taxi who drove us the 2 and a half hours to Kandy. With the current civil war going on in the north security at and around the airport is extremely tight with many checkpoints around. The trip to Kandy probably could have been done in about 45 minutes if the roads had been straight but there wasn't a single straight path the whole route. We all commented on the [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
April 2nd 2009

Off to Sri Lanka and My 26th Birthday! Middle East » Qatar » Doha

So we're off to Sri Lanka tonight (technically 3:35 am friday morning with a taxi pick-up at 2am) for 10 days. We come back on Easter Sunday. I'm looking forward to a relaxing week on the beach with some sightseeing and definitely a ride on an elephant! I'm also really looking forward to being able to be lying on the beach with a drink in hand and a whole lotta fresh pineapple! There are a lot of buddhist sites that we are gonna go to and there is a hike that I want to do as well. We are planning on [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
March 11th 2009

I got into GRAD SCHOOL!!! Middle East » Qatar » Doha

When I got home from work and I checked my email to find one from AUC (American University of Cairo) that congratulated me on being accepted into their graduate program. I was accepted into both of the programs that they have that I'm interested in... Center for Migration and Refugee Studies http://www.aucegypt.edu/ResearchatAUC/rc/cmrs/Pages/default.aspx Masters of Arts in International Human Rights Law http://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/dept/law/majmin/Pages/InternationalHumanRightsLawMA.aspx It's possible to get a dual diploma of sorts so until I figure out how that works and if [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
March 4th 2009

I could cry... Middle East » Qatar » Doha

I just received an email from George Mason University stating that it wouldn't be until the end of March or early April until I hear back from them as to whether or not I have been accepted. I've literally been coming home every day from work checkin my account to see if there is an answer and now only to find out I'm still gonna have to wait another month, ugh! I won't hear back from AUC until the end of April or early May...I just feel as if I have been waiting forever already and am sooo anxious to know [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
February 5th 2009

Update on my life in Qatar Middle East » Qatar

I know, I know it's been...months since I've written. It's just it only took months to get internet and then I just never really had the time to write a blog and when I did have time I just didn't feel up to it. It's just that there isn't much going on over here to write home about. I'm working...not nearly as fun as last year's year in Africa. So I figured it was probably time since my mom hsa nearly threatened my life for not having written one sooner! My kids just had their 2nd term exams this week and [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
September 19th 2008

Greetings from Doha Middle East » Qatar » Doha

I know I know I have been here for 5 weeks now and have not yet updated my blog but I'm not gonna lie - my social like is nuts here and I hardly ever have the time to check email because we are always off doing something! I don't really have the time now either but I definitely plan to write a long blog with pics (though they mostly consist of us drinking or eating!) this week. But I just got my address so I wanted to send that out to people - would love love love to receive some [View Full Entry]

By Danielle
August 15th 2008

Here and absolutely love love LOVIN it!! Middle East » Qatar » Doha

So I arrived well after 11 pm on Wednesday night here (7 hours behind the east coast). Didn't get to sleep til after 1 and then woke up around 5. We had to be ready to get picked up at 7:30 am where we had to go to medical checks to get our residence visas and identity cards! So I met everyone around 7:30 - 8 Irish, 2 Scots, 3 South Africans, 2 Lebanese, 2 Australians, 1 Canadian and 1 American (yep, that'd be me!). I don't understand how I'm the only American though I don't really mind - I just [View Full Entry]

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