With my luck, week 3 started with a visit to the University of Ghana's Public Hospital... as I twisted my ankle on my way to register for the traditional dance class. Ironic, I know. After going through the typical system of an outdoor hospital and telling myself that I was totally fine, as I looked at my swollen foot. I was sent off with a $1 (USD) icy-hot cream and $10 (USD) 2-angles x-rays. So, as I got back onto campus with my U-Pal, Atsu (pronounced: "Ah-choo", like from Robin Hood Men in Tights...but actually means twin in Twi) I went and registered for the dance class. So I had one class registered and set at the University, I was still waiting on one more, but for some reason out of the hundreds of classes being ... read more

I landed in Accra, Ghana on Friday, January 11th 2013. Stepping off the plane from my lovely upgraded business class seat (where you get real silverware and hot towels), a rush of humidity hit my face. Remembering to not pull out my camera to take a picture of the plane, like I did in Russia...I jumped into the shuttle bus as quickly as I could to avoid the mosquitoes. Then the line to get through customs grew and grew...making what I expected to be a fast trek through, more than an hour long wait. Once through and my luggage pulled off of the conveyer belt, the quest to find the hopefully still waiting there CIEE sign to take me to their safe haven began. Weaving through men asking to take my luggage for me and if ... read more

Dublin: First Time for Everything: So…my friend and I ended up not being able to meet up the entire time I was in Dublin, but the most antsy time for me was I first landed in Dublin and could not find her at our meeting place that I was already late to…yes…I guess there’s a reoccurring theme to me being late…I’ve been bad about time and planning since a month into BRIC, why these posts were never written…so I’m just getting back into my usual course of overprotectiveness on everything-which causes me to be somewhat obsessive about my plans and calendar that I used to keep…I should probably take that out of my suitcase that it’s been hiding in since the first plane took off back in Boston… Anyways, yes, so I could not find my ... read more

The Wall: Oh, how I’ve missed my 2nd home- Beijing: (My 2nd home because of the amazing Liu family, my 2010 host family). So, I’m biased…a little…but I just absolutely love Beijing. Not only because of my host family but because of the rich culture and history that you can find on every street corner…well for the most part…every corner… The Great Wall hike and overnight stay that the BRIC group did this semester was worth every painful- almost life-ending step that we took on the empty wall path. I have been on the Wall 3 times now, and this last time was the most memorable and breathtaking because it was the longest hike and the best least used path I have been on. Even if it was exhausting, to have a family who was just ... read more

The entire day before the long early morning was eventful. I witnessed a celebration of The Day of Knowledge (The first of September when all students start school), saw Van Gogh and other amazing artists paintings up close at the hermitage, walked around St. Petersburg a lot, took a nap (luckily), ate at Stolles (and tried the cabbage and the white fish perogies and borsch of course), and got to hang out with the majority of BRIC students before I decided to be "independent". I do think that this sums up my time in Russia thus far. I never know what's going to happen so I just have to go with the flow and keep my fingers crossed, my pockets in check, and wait to see where the day takes me. Even if that means sitting ... read more