Wharton Women

Goodbye France & Happy Holidays!

2011-12-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, filled with family, friends, and good food. I've been back in Boston for about a week now, and I find myself reflecting on my semester abroad.

There are many aspects of life in France that differ from life here in the US. For example, I wasn't used to how everything was closed on Sundays (& even Mondays in many instances), I felt there were many examples of bureaucracy and inefficiency, and I didn't particularly enjoy the handful of times I was affected by the public strikes. As time went on, however, I discovered that these experiences were a part of a style of living that was in some ways worse than in the US but also in many ways much, much better. Towards the end of the semester, I really learned to enjoy the slower pace of life in the suburbs of Paris, spent more time with hall mates instead of in meetings, gained more patience, and learned so much about the rest of the world. Those are lessons and experiences that I am so thankful for, and will never forget.

I think the greatest takeaway I have from my semester abroad is that before this semester, I feel like I had been living in a bubble of college applications, then joining clubs & enjoying college life, then the stress of finding internships and jobs. I paid attention to American politics and current events, but I really didn't keep up to date about what was going on in other countries. From countless conversations with my exchange classmates who came from all over the world (literally), I've learned so much about their respective countries and cultures and I hope to bring this expanded worldview back to Penn. After all, there is a whole world out there, beyond club meetings, OCR, Penn, the US...

It has been truly an amazing semester abroad, from traveling all over Europe, to trying all sorts of foods, to meeting wonderful people from all over the world. I arrived in France in August not really knowing what to expect from the entire thing, but I'm so grateful to have had this experience. I am glad to say that I have missed Penn & I can't wait to be back on campus in a couple of weeks! :)

Hope everyone has a fabulous rest of break and a Happy New Year!

My Week in the French Riviera

2011-10-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

I got back to Paris yesterday after a week-long vacation in the French Riviera. It really was the vacation I had been dreaming about in the back of my head for a while - something I thought would happen really far off in the future - but instead happened sporadically when a few friends and I realized that we didn't actually have any exams during the exam week...

Days 1 & 2: Nice (pronounced like "Niece")
We stayed the week in a hostel called Saint-Exupery (apparently the best hostel in France), right next to the beach in Old Nice. Although I don't feel entirely comfortable with the hostel culture here, I'm starting to get used to it and even went out with some people we met that first night. At Penn, I feel like people are going along more or less similar tracks of life - we're all getting our Bachelor's degrees, have aspirations for graduate school or some career path afterwards - but in hostels it's really cool to meet a wide variety of people with whom I'd never cross paths with otherwise. For example, that first night I met a guy from Ireland who just finished a season DJ-ing in Ibiza and now is on the hunt for his next gig and a girl from Canada who just decided to up and leave her job to travel all over Europe for a few months.

The next morning, we got up extra early to see the Cours Selaya, which is the biggest fruit and flower market in France. There were so many tables for handmade soaps (someone should introduce The Body Shop to these!), spices, candies, and of course fruits and flowers. Afterwards, we took a stroll along the beach and I realized just why the area is called the Cote d'Azur - the color of the water is so beautiful! We went up to the ancient Chateau of Nice that the French destroyed when conquering the city, had a beautiful lunch of mussels and crepes, got lost around the windy alleyways (getting lost is truly the best way to explore), and explored the Contemporary Art Museum.

(Some sweets at Cours Selaya)

Day 3: Grasse
Only about an hour north of Nice, Grasse is the perfume capital of the world and produces about 2/3 of France's perfume. We toured one of the largest perfumeries called Fragonard, learned about how much the perfume industry took root in Grasse and prospered, and smelled hundreds of different extracts and perfumes. This is the real stuff - I sprayed my scarf with one scent, and it lasted the entire week!

Day 4: Villefranche-sur-Mer & Cannes
Villefrance-sur-Mer literally translates to "French town on the water" which is precisely correct. We lounged at the beach and swam in the Mediterranean Sea for a good part of the day in 30 degree (Celsius) weather, unheard of during this time of the year at Penn, and then had lunch literally inches from the water. That night, we went out in Cannes, home of the famous film festival, did some window shopping, and had the best pasta I've ever had in my life, seriously.

(View from the gardens at Villefranche)

Day 5: Eze & Monaco
This was kind of bad planning on our part, because we had to dress up mildly for Monaco and the Monte Carlo Casino in the evening, but first had to hike down the famous Nietzche path in the daytime. We were five girls in skirts and flats trying to hike through a mountain, it was definitely a sight to see. Eze was a beautiful little village and the hike was quite nice, especially the view from the top.

(Us about halfway through the hike)

Monaco, on the other hand, was entirely opposite from the peaceful and natural setting of Eze. Everywhere were just expensive apartments, expensive yachts, expensive cars, expensive stores...well, you get the point. The famous Monte Carlo casino was beautiful on the outside, but on the inside it seemed that honestly, no one was really having any fun. Other than that, we enjoyed touring the Palace and walking around the ports.

(There it is, THE Monte Carlo Casino)

Day 6: St. Tropez

(@ St. Tropez, we plan to return in 10 years together no longer as college students)

We completely lucked out with our trip to St. Tropez because it happened to be the weekend of the Jumble Sale 2011, which is a HUGE annual event at the end of October where pretty much all the stores have huge discounts on the streets. MAC makeup at 50% off, Gucci sunglasses for 120 euro (~160 USD), Havianas at 50% off...Unfortunately, we had not planned for this and none of us had any space left in our luggage for the flight back, so our purchases were kept at a minimum. Still, it was a great day just shopping and wandering around the beautiful city.

Day 7: Home!

After that week of sharing a shower with so many girls and doing nothing but eating and sightseeing, it feel refreshing to be back on campus. I hadn't anticipated missing the campus and the people here, but I guess my dorm does feel a bit like home now :)

Shaolin Kungfu, Anyone?

2011-10-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

All the exchange students at Peking University are allowed to take "cultural immersion" classes: calligraphy, Chinese painting, Chinese seal-making, or my pick--martial arts. Unfortunately, we didn't get to learn Shaolin Kungfu (though that would have been really cool), we did learn one entire set of taichi.

Every day at 5pm, I would join my friends in a small park on campus to learn taichi. We had two teachers, both of whom did taichi very differently. We learned a couple steps every day and reviewed them with the Chinese method of teaching: constant repetition.

We were terrible.

At the beginning of every class, our teachers were appalled at how much we had forgotten. One of them was so concerned he hurriedly ran us through reviews until the other teacher stopped him and told him we had to move on (we still didn't know it). Of course, there were the few exceptional students who caught on quickly and were able to remember. The rest of us, however, definitely were doing our own improvisations until we remembered.

Towards the end of the session, one teacher tried to show us how taichi applied in terms of self-defense. Our teachers "fought" to show us which of the moves we learned could be used in what context. Having always thought of taichi as a peaceful morning exercise in the park, I had a lot of fun watching our teachers in action.

It was this "taichi experience" that made my trip to Henan this past weekend even more interesting. CIEE took us on a weekend trip, complete with stays at a 4-star hotel (of course, this was all in the program fee). Our trip included the famous kungfu shrine, Shaolin Temple, and the Longman Grottoes.

At Shaolin Temple, we couldn't go into the mountains, but we did see the temple and watch a show. To get into the show, we had to shove our way into the small auditorium and watch from wherever we got stuck (anyone who's been to China before knows that to get anywhere, you have to push and shove). It was worth it. We watched Chinese teenage boys perform their various kungfu tricks. They had grown up in kungfu schools around the shrine and were impeccable in their performance. There was even a child who could not have been over ten years old! He did a trick called the "monkey" and was the crowd favorite.

: This is where we fell in love with mango ice cream!

After the show, we saw some of the performers sitting around outside the auditorium. The oldest boy was sitting, with the others crowded around him. The youngest one crawled into the oldest boy's lap, smiling. It was such a wonderful sight: to them, they were family.

Later, at the Longmen Grottoes, we were able to see the Yellow River. The view was beautiful (I had learned a while ago that looking into the water in Chinese scenery was not a good idea). The Grottoes are a massive set of Buddha statues set in limestone caves. They were all made at different periods of time--some dated all the way back to the Wei period, 500AD! It was amazing. What made it bittersweet, however, was that most of the buddhas were missing their heads. There were some caves with hundreds of tiny Buddhas carved into the walls, but each one of their heads had been meticulously carved out during the Cultural Revolution.

We had a great time in Henan, finishing it off with an amazing meal at a hundred-year-old restaurant. CIEE planned it really well. Now that I know taichi, maybe I can try Shaolin Kungfu?

Central Europe and turning 21 in Milan

2011-10-19T04:24:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have felt like a whirlwind. I haven't had much "downtime", but somehow my higher level of activity has not consisted of an extreme amount of studying for midterms like many of my peers on campus in Philly. Instead my "learning" has come from exploring European cities and frequent discourse with my Italian hall-mates about the Italian lifestyle and learning new recipes.

The first weekend of October, I stayed in Milan for the first weekend of the semester. I went to one of the most famous markets in Milan, hosted every Saturday. Although most European markets consist of regional food, drink , and spice specialties, Milan's consists of clothes, shoes, and accessories! (There were a few produce and meat booths set up off to the side that I enjoyed, too.) This focus reminds its visitors and residents that Milan really is one of the fashion capitals of the world. Men and women of all ages, shapes, and financial standing arrive for the cheaper knockoffs and discounted labels, although I don't know how they sell Lacoste sweaters for about 45 euro. Shoes run from 5-65 euro. Cheap perfumes are available too. As a side note for those of you planning to visit Western Europe, I encourage you to stop at your local Abercrombie & Fitch to pick up a few items to wear here if you really want to fit in with the fashionable. A&F is hard to find in Italy and is a way of bragging that you have been to the United States; it took a while to get used to seeing 30-year-old men in tight-fitting A&F shirts.

I spent the evening with my Italian friends, one of whom made his favorite Spaghetti alla Carbonnara and then we walked to a local gelateria that fills your cone with liquid white, milk, or dark chocolate 1/2 way before loading it with gelato- genius!

The following weekend I went to Prague and stayed with fellow Penn students who are studying there. The city is stunning. It's culture is contagious and the presence of old buildings, cathedrals, a castle, and Jewish Quarter has afforded this city to stay true to its roots, more-so than Milan. I was surprised by how safe the city was at night, even on some more dimly lit streets (although I do not encourage you to walk in a small group at 3am in a foreign city!) There were many tourists, but the locals often were not perturbed by this. Like many countries, a simple "hello" in the native language is always welcomed. Then you can switch to English. There also is a strong youth nightlife, which contrasted the historical sites I visited by day. Prague was the first time I wore my winter coat this semester and I can't imagine being there in December. The residents prepare themselves for this through their delicious cuisine, which focuses on roasted ham/pork, kielbasa, potatoes, cheeses, and heavy stews. They also have strong influences of foreign cuisine such as Italian, Indian, Middle-Eastern, and some Chinese. I was surprised how popular these restaurants were, and how good they smelled.

When I returned to Milan, I celebrated my 21st birthday in the middle of the week with my Italian hall-mates. This experience was quite enjoyable and probably the biggest difference of being in the US and being in Italy this semester. I know my celebration at Penn would have been much different, but here, the Italian students don't get as carried away as American students. They find our college party-style rambunctious and nonsensical. I settled for a night of homemade pesto sauce with gnocchi and caprese salad. They did "toast" me after dinner with some champagne and a chorus of "Tanti Aguri" (the Happy Birthday song in Italian). We celebrated like a big family, very appropriate for my semester abroad in Italy.

I left the next night for Budapest, Hungary by bus. I was joined by 50 other exchange students from Bocconi University. The trip was organized by 3 Hungarian students who attended Bocconi's exchange program last fall. They have now graduated and 1 works in Milan while the other two have found jobs in Budapest. The group was given a more "local's" perspective while still seeing the major tourist spots. The highlights included a river boat dinner tour at sunset down the Danube River, a 3-course Hungarian buffet dinner with Hungarian Folk Dancers and lessons, and spending an afternoon in the famous Budapest thermal baths. The more famous buildings: the Castle, Parliament Building, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Hero's Square, and St. Matthias Church reminded visitors that the city has experienced quite an impressive and perhaps glamorous history at times. My impression though was that the city and country is still recovering from a harsh and long period of communist rule. They did not seem to benefit from many of the luxuries that so many western countries take for granted. However, I am hopeful that they are determined to improve their quality of life and the next 10 years will bring about as much change as the last 10 have (as long as they keep their entertaining Folk Dancing!).

There are no classes the next 2 weeks at Bocconi due to the midterm exam period. However, none of my classes offer me the opportunity to take a midterm. I am pleased to have this time off but my grades are essentially 100% based on the final exam, which is going to make for a stressful December. I hope to learn more about the Italian culture here in Milan and visit other "local" cities in the coming weeks! I'll do my best to keep you informed with my unique experiences. Thanks for reading. Ciao, bella!

The Real Reason Why French People Are Thin

2011-10-14T08:54:00.001-07:00

For the six weeks that I've been on campus so far, I have literally yet to see even a slightly overweight French student. Coupled with the fact that the bread here is delicious and I can't seem to stop munching on croissants (there is a consistent stash in my room), I set out to discover the reason why...

At Penn, doing a sport is pretty exclusive. It's like, either you're really good at a sport and you play for a varsity or club team all the time, or you're left with a perpetually guilty feeling about not going to Pottruck. I was of the latter group.

Here at HEC, however, doing a sport is pretty much mandatory. Not that everyone is super athletic or you have to sign up for athletics like you do for classes, but just because there is absolutely nothing else productive to do on campus. As I mentioned in my last post, we're about 14 km south of Paris in actual farmlands, fenced in by 200-year old stone walls around the entirety of the campus. We don't get half as much work as we do at Penn, so what's one to do after class (I only have 9 hours a week) aside from running around the expansive grasslands of the campus?

To date, I have joined the rowing team and the aerobics class. During the first week when you can try all these different options without obligation, I also tried salsa dancing and zumba, but there are enough other options to fill up your entire week. I don't even compare with the local French students, who seem to be constantly going from sport to sport. This is why, I have deduced, they can eat massive amounts of pain au chocolat and baguette and whatever else they wish without gaining an ounce.

If only we could have such leisure at Penn!

My thesis is incomplete thus far as I haven't had the chance to observe Parisians in depth, but I'll keep you guys updated! :)

Adventures in Inner Mongolia

2011-10-07T19:15:00.001-07:00

Gobi Desert!

October 1st is Independence Day in the PRC, or the day that the monarch fell and communism began. To us international students, that means a 10-day break from school (and the only break in the fall semester). My friends and I took advantage of this opportunity and decided that we would go on a 5-day tour of Inner Mongolia.

We went with a Chinese travel agency that organizes tours for foreign students. Our tour included students from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University, and a few other colleges in Beijing. The tour included train tickets, room accommodations, and 3 meals a day. With all that we spent on the trip itself, the total came out to be about $280 for three days of fun (2 nights on the train). The tour was very disorganized, the food was pretty bad, and we spent a good half of the trip on the bus… but all in all, it was great.

Day 1: The Gobi Desert

Having slept on the (not-so-sanitary) train the night before, we arrived in Huhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, a bit disheveled. We met up with the tour group and were herded onto a bus. We actually stayed on that bus until around 2pm that afternoon when we stopped for lunch. Then, finally, at about 4pm, we parked outside the expansive Gobi Desert.

Boat-like Jeep

It was gorgeous. I had never been to a desert before and was immediately impressed. We took a chairlift from the parking lot into the desert and changed into cloth boots so as not to get sand in our shoes. There were three attractions and there was a different method of transportation from one attraction to the next. From where we landed, we took a boat-shaped jeep ride down to the second attraction site. The ride was like a grounded roller coaster–we had a lot of fun standing up when the jeep was speeding downhill, holding tightly onto our hats and sunglasses.

The second attraction site had two “rides.” One was riding on a motorcycle or driving your own jeep and the other was a mix between ziplining and hang-gliding. They hooked you up to two lines and you shot across the desert. I was scared to death.

CAMELS!

From there we rode camels to the third attraction, where we rode a train back to the cable car. Unfortunately, they were closing so we didn’t get to desert board but riding camels was a lot of fun!

Day 2: Temples , Lamb, Yurt

We spent Day 2 roaming around the outskirts of Huhot, first at the Genghis Khan Mausoleum and then at the Wudang Temple. Both were beautiful and so different from each other. Genghis Khan was more like a museum: beautiful frescos, gold-painted ceilings, and places to pray and sacrifice for Genghis Khan. The Wudang Temple was in the mountains. It also had beautiful frescos but also a library, prayer dolls, and endless prayer flags.

The Girls at Genghis Khan

What was more interesting, though, was what we did that night. We spent the night in the Mongolian grasslands. Driving another 4 hours from the temple site down a bumpy mountain road, we ended up in the grasslands at around 11pm for dinner. Starving, we huddled in a large dining yurt and had the best meal yet. With Mongolian women singing and waiters bringing us celebratory alcohol, we had a true Mongolian dinner of various dishes, including the famous lamb. Amidst the chaotic dinner, a couple of our friends took part in an Erdos wedding ceremony. They put on wedding clothes and drank cup after cup of baijiu, or Chinese alcohol. With the wedding came an entire whole roasted lamb, which my friend said was absolutely delicious.

Erdos Wedding Ceremony

After the dinner we went to our personal yurts, where we were staying for the night. It was hard to move in the dark because of the clumps of horse dung that decorated the entire field. Our yurts were of great quality. They looked like igloos and had beds and a toilet. Unfortunately the heat was solar so we could not shower that night. Going outside, though, we were able to see so many stars that they made up for the lack of heat. We stood outside, shivering, looking up searching for various constellations and shooting stars. Later that night, we pushed our beds together and snuggled together to keep warm.

A defeated Sarah walking from the yurts telling herself "it could be worse"

Day 3: Mongolian Grasslands

We spent the last day in the grasslands. It was not as scenic as hoped but we were each thrown on a horse, who took us to each of the 5 scenic spots. The horses were gorgeous! We were able to switch from time to time. They walked, trotted, and galloped. My last horse was a beautiful white horse that went crazy. He or she galloped and shook his/her mane around fervently. I was honestly pretty scared but it was fun. When the horses trotted, however, we just didn’t know how to ride them well so we bumped up and down on the saddle (and went for massages right when we got home!).

Having fun before horseback riding

After the ride, we watched Mongolian horse-racing and wrestling. Then we headed on a bus back to Huhot for a bit of shopping and the train ride home.

Silly picture at one of the "scenic spots"

Like I said, the trip was disorganized, the food was bad, and we spent a good amount of the trip on the bus. But we kept telling ourselves “it could be worse”– and it really was a great trip after all.

Thank you guys for a wonderful trip!

Irish Beauty

2011-10-05T18:08:00.001-07:00

Dia dhuit, is ainm dom Lucy, which in Gaelic (or Irish, as all real Irish folk would call it), means 'Hello, I am Lucy.' It's also pretty much the only thing I know how to say in Irish so far, although hopefully I'll pick up more throughout the rest of my semester here at Trinity College Dublin. Thank goodness everyone here speaks English (and in such cute accents!).

While those of you at Penn are now entering the mad season that is midterms, I'm only in the middle of my second week of classes, and am still not officially registered for any of them yet. In fact, I've now just finally had time to introduce myself to the WWAW blog because I finalized my course decisions today! While you might be completely stressed out about midterms, at least you can take comfort in the fact that you know what your classes are; I've now been stressing about that for the past 6 weeks that I've been here. Since I chose not to go to a Wharton-approved program, I can't get credit for any Wharton classes here, so gen ed requirements, here I come! However, in the UK and Ireland (which is not part of the UK, something many people don't realize--Northern Ireland is, but the Republic of Ireland is not), students only study one subject, so as a visiting student from America trying to fulfill general distribution requirements, it can be difficult to find classes that don't conflict with each other. Plus no class registration is online here, so for every class you take you have to go directly to the department and have someone sign a piece of paper saying you're registered. Needless to say, I'm missing PennInTouch just a little right now.

However, aside from all that, my past 6 weeks here have been amazing. Trinity offers a program for abroad students called the Semester Start-Up Program (SSP) in order to introduce us to Irish history, literature, and art & architecture before the semester starts, so my first 3 weeks here were spent learning about Ireland and taking field trips to places like Trim Castle (c. 1000 AD), the Hill of Tara (where the high kings of Ireland used to reside), Croke Park (Ireland's national sports stadium), Kilmainham Gaol (jail), the Abbey Theater, and the Guinness Storehouse. An interesting fact about the Guinness Storehouse: in 1759 Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease to the storehouse land for £45 per year. While it probably seemed pretty ridiculous at the time, he's looking like a genius now...only £45 per year!

What's struck me the most in touring around Ireland is how historic it is--it never really hit me until I got here just how old everything is compared to in America. In Philly we revel over the 18th century buildings of our revolutionary leaders; here they have castles that were built in the 11th and 12th centuries that were used to protect against Viking invasions. But at the same time I'm amazed that a place with such a unique, historic culture has only been independent for less than 100 years (Ireland gained independence from Britain in 1922).

Aside from the SSP trips, I've also been travelling around Ireland as much as I can. I've taken day trips around Dublin, to county Wicklow (where parts of the movie P.S. I Love You were filmed), the city of Howth, and the town of Dun Laoghaire (Dunleary), all of which have been beautiful. So far I've seen a lot of the exact things you'd expect from Ireland: rolling green hills, heather, ocean, crumbling rock, and old castles. Quite majestic. This weekend I'm heading to Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, to visit the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands, so more majestic scenery is ahead!

I could go on and on about the beauty of Ireland, but I don't want to spoil the fun if anyone plans on coming here. If you have any questions about Ireland or Trinity or if you're thinking of coming to study abroad here, feel free to email me at lhesby@wharton.upenn.edu. I couldn't recommend it enough!
Sláinte (cheers)!

Being an Iconic Chinese Tourist

2011-10-01T02:35:00.001-07:00

The CIEE program has been wonderful (albeit expensive) in that they plan lots of trips for us while we’re here. Almost every week, we have a place to go. We’ve been to the Peking Opera, an acrobatics show, Tiananmen Square, the summer palace, the temple of heaven, and the Forbidden City. We still have trips planned to the Great Wall and even out of town, to Henan for Shaolin Temple. They get us a bus and a tour guide so we are all set. It’s a lot of fun.

Beautiful girls! Annie, Susan, Allison and Erin

Yay for photo ops!

My favorites have been the summer palace and–as of this weekend–the Great Wall. I’d been to the summer palace last summer with my dad, but my friend told me that if there’s one place to go over and over again in Beijing, it’s the summer palace. He was right. I had an even better time. The weather was great and the palace was beautiful.

What’s crazy about Chinese tourist attractions is that there is just so much to see. The summer palace, for example, fits 44 full-length soccer fields. (That was the emperor’s equivalent of a “cottage up north”!). While there, we decided to be adventurous and climb up a little ways up a mountain–and ended up at a beautiful temple. How much greater can mindless wander get?

Then there are the random cultural acts that we see touring around. Senior citizens are the best examples of those. What to us is the Temple of Heaven is to them the park where they exercise every morning. Going into the entrance of the temple, we saw people writing water calligraphy on the ground. Inside the park, there was a large group of old women dancing (some of us joined in!) and an elderly couple playing ball. Some of us decided to practice the taichi we had just learned in front of the temple. Cultural immersion!

Since my dad came for a couple days’ visit, we decided to go to the Great Wall on Thursday (no classes). We went to Mutianyu, a part of the Great Wall that is a bit less touristy. It was a great call. The weather was amazing…there was even blue sky! There were a number of tourists there but definitely not too many. Some were intense hikers. They wore complete climbing gear and were part of an 8-day excursion. They climbed the wall every day and at night would climb down into a nearby mountain village to spend the night.

My dad and I were not quite so prepared. We had thankfully remembered to wear tennis shoes but we were both in jeans and a t-shirt. I had mistakenly assumed that most of the wall was just walking. Most of it was actually steep climbing on stairs! It was actually quite scary. We didn’t end up making it all the way. We stopped with about 2 towers left. There was a dance team climbing it together (next Wharton Leadership Venture, maybe?). My dad wants to bring the rest of his Logic staff here to do a teambuilding exercise. The view is definitely impressive. The higher you go, the better it is. Each next tower really was worth it.

Ciao a Milano

2011-09-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

"Ciao, Bella!"
I remember the first salesman who said that to me as I checked out in a small Italian store. 'This is really Italy', I thought, and I was suddenly thrilled about the upcoming 4 months. It is daunting to move to a new country when one only speaks the language "un po'" (which translate to 'a little'). But the welcoming atmosphere of most Italians, who are pleased with any effort you make to speak Italian, and the idea of learning from numerous cultural experiences energized me even in my recovery from jet lag.
The stores are smaller in Italy and I discovered that it takes a couple weeks to find the local places to buy a hairdryer or an American-style bath towel. But take some casual strolls down the sidewalk, as cars and motorcycles zoom by on the pebble streets, and let your curiosity guide you into various stores. This also is good for finding the best gelaterias, pizzerias, and pasticcerias (shops that specialize in hundreds of pastries and brioche!).
I am still finding my way around the city after almost one month of living here. At Bocconi, students can choose to live in dorms maintained by Bocconi University, Wharton's partner school in Milan. My dorm is literally on campus and I feel spoiled with my 3 minute walk to classes. Many international students live in a dorm that is about a 25 minute tram ride from campus. However, they have a much different social experience as everyone is looking to travel on the weekends and enjoy their weeknights in Milan. My dorm is primarily Italian students but 9 Penn students all decided to live here too. I hope to learn some good Italian recipes from my peers who cook in the dorms almost every night! The other night was legitimate spaghetti alla carbonara followed by an evening walk to one of their favorite gelaterias. I was almost surprised by the speed at which my full and aching stomach managed to gobble down the crema mediterranea and pistachio combo. Yum!
Milan is different from other Italian cities; many equate it to the "New York of Italy". However, don't be fooled into thinking this isn't Italy. The Milanese are a proud and passionate bunch. Although discussions may be less centered around a post-church dinner with the extended family, they still grow defensive of their culture, sports teams, fashion-sense, and city.
I took a brief tour of the city's main sites my first weekend here. It included the Duomo (Italy's second-largest church),
Galleria V. Emanuele II (a 5-story open building with luxury shops, business offices, and a 7-star hotel), La Scala (one of the best opera houses in the world), and Castello Sforzana (built in the 1300s during Milan's dynasty period). Seeing these sites reinforced that Italy is a country still very much rooted in its culture.
Milan is a bit different from other Italian cities and regions. Its northern position has caused it to be ruled by numerous countries and empires throughout its history. It also was the nucleus of Mussolini's fascism movement during WWII. The bombing raids damaged many historic buildings of their beauty and Milan's Italian culture it is still working to repair.

I have been fortunate to take weekend or days trips the past 4 weekends, but I will share more on them in another post. I hope you enjoyed my intro post and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. My thoughts thus far on deciding to go abroad: it wasn't the easiest process to get here but so far, it was worth it!! :)

Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival

2011-09-24T04:22:00.000-07:00

: Moon Cakes!

Everyone familiar with Chinese holidays knows that with the mid-autumn festival comes moon cakes. They are thick cakes of red bean paste, lotus seed paste, or green bean paste with a brown floured coating. Indeed, even a month before the moon festival was supposed to happen, every store from the nearest 7eleven to the high-scaled Soho Department Store was selling moon cakes. Bakeries stopped selling many of their other products to focus on these moon cakes. The day before the moon festival, every floor of the Lotus supermarket had salespeople shouting out markdowns on moon cakes as well as customers lining up to grab them. It was like the day before Christmas, everyone scrambling to buy gifts they had forgotten.

In Ann Arbor, I had celebrated this holiday with family. We would go out to a Chinese restaurant, come back, and eat moon cakes. In Philly, I'd done the same thing but with friends. My parents would send me moon cakes so we'd eat them in the dorms and then go out to Chinese. This year, I was excited about spending the holiday in China - the "real" way.

: Zha-jiang mian!

The night before, my host family and I had dinner. They made zha-jiang mian, a Beijing specialty (they pointed out to me that Biden had eaten it when he had come to Beijing). When I asked about their holiday plans, they told me that they always watch the CCTV celebrations on television and look out at the moon. They also told me good places in Beijing to watch the moon.

: Annie, Jay, Sue, and DH at Weiming Lake

So my friends--Jay, Annie, Sue, DH, and I--decided we would celebrate the moon festival by watching the moon at Weiming Lake, the lake on Peking University's campus. Prior to that, we had a lot of fun buying boxes of moon cakes and gifts for our host families. DH's nai nai, or grandmother (host), had her birthday on that day, so we went and bought her a bottle of baijiu (Chinese wine) before his family dinner. Sue was invited by her host family to play dice games in order to "win" various moon cakes. Luckily, she won a couple expensive ones!

It also happened to be my grandfather's birthday. All of our family members always scramble to find a phone on the mid-autumn festival because luckily, none of us forget that this holiday means my grandfather's birthday. I called and spoke with him and it seemed that he also had a great holiday, surrounded by family. Yay!

Once we had all finished our dinner celebrations, my friends and I met up to walk over to the lake. Unfortunately, there was no moon (clouds + pollution), but it was still a beautiful night. It was great to see the lake at night and we had a fun time!

: I love these people

From Paris, With Love

2011-09-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Just thought I'd do a quick post to introduce myself before blogging for the rest of the semester. I'm here at HEC Paris, one of the Grande Ecoles of France, but it's kind of a misnomer because I am most definitely not in Paris, but instead in a sleepy little French town called Jouy (the picture shows the main street in the town).

The campus itself is beautiful, and a nice getaway from all the craziness that is Penn and Philadelphia. Students here like to have picnics by the lake, go jogging around the woods here, and just relax outside.

I've been here two weeks, and I've met about 95% international students and 5% French students. I've even met people from Serbia, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Tunisia, and a Penn alum here for his Master's!

Currently, I'm dividing my time between making travel plans (it's my first time in Europe), taking trips to Paris and Versailles, and trying to figure out how I'm going to survive my classes (they're all in French). It's been fantastic so far and I will definitely write more in the coming months! Feel free to contact me at tesun@wharton.upenn.edu if there's anything you'd like to me write about or if you have any questions about HEC! Bisous~

Population Crisis in the Chinese Classroom

2011-09-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Just finished my first week of classes at Peking University and have definitely realized the limit of my Chinese ability. It’s one thing to be in a classroom learning Chinese, in an office speaking with Chinese people, or at a dining table gossiping with Chinese relatives, but listening to 3 hours of a professor speaking on a specialty topic in a foreign language?

Peking University has a shopping period for classes. For my school (international studies), the period is two weeks. So I have been going and listening to a bunch of classes: Chinese diplomacy, international strategy, “New China”, China-Taiwan relations…even one that was called “Mao’s philosophy and strategy.” Yes, I am in a communist country.

It was a lot harder than I had expected it to be. Our program is structured so that we take most of the courses in our international studies major while studying abroad. Before studying abroad, we only take the language requirements and a comparative history course. So when I stepped into my first lecture last Monday, a 3rd-year course on Chinese diplomacy, I was a bit shocked. I had no idea what the professor was talking about.

That wasn’t the only shocking find in the lecture. When I got to the classroom 20 minutes early, I expected to find a lecture room maybe half full. I even thought that I might have to wait until an earlier class was over. That was a huge mistake. Every seat was filled. People were dragging chairs in from the classroom next door. Some had given up and were sitting on the floor. There was still a swarm of students, coming in, looking for seats. A small amount of students–probably international–looked shocked, just like I did.

China’s population crisis in the classroom?

The same thing happened in each of the rest of my classes. No matter how earlier I went, the classes were full.

Apparently there are tricks. People buy sticky notes and write “Class Times 1-3, XXX has this seat reserved”, then stick them on the desks they want. Others have friends come 45 minutes earlier to save seats. This way, by the time the rest of the people come, most seats are reserved and the rest have been taken.

Maybe I should invest in a couple sets of colorful post-it notes?

Belgium so far: Brussels, Brugge, and Leuven

2011-09-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hey! I hope everyone's summers were fantastic, and that your returns to Penn were easy (and super fun once you got there). I have been so jealous reading this blog over the summer as Emily, Esther, Kate and Val graciously posted about their incredible experiences (both intellectual and culinary, my favorite). That being said, I anxiously awaited my departure for Belgium...but now I'm here! I have been extremely impressed with Belgium so far, and would love to tell you more about it :)

My dad (thankfully) came over with me. Otherwise, there's no way I would have been able to bring all my clothes, cosmetics, and bedding. Even with space saver (read: life saver) bags, my stuff took up 3 full suitcases..

Once in Europe, my dad and I spent the weekend exploring Brussels and Brugge. The amount we accomplished in those two days was mildly absurd.. we went from place to place to hit all of the main tourist attractions in each city. Brussels was a very cool, modern day city, but so many of the buildings had survived from the 1400s or earlier, or were replicates of what they used to be. It was awesome to see

an H&M next to a 12th century church..and the chocolate was literally amazing. Also, one thing that I loved about Brussels that has been a recurring theme since then: the outdoor tables and restaurants. Outdoor seating is definitely a favorite for Penn students, but the three tables outside Metro and the (former) Marathon don't even compare to the squares Brussels, Brugge and Leuven all have.

Brugge was also incredible. I had never heard of the city before abroad, but I really recommend

anyone traveling through/to Belgium to go there. It's incredibly charming, as most of the olden-day-esque feel has been preserved. Hopefully the picture on the left gives a bit of a sense about what I mean.

In terms of Penn study abroad options, to be honest, I felt pretty limited as a Wharton student who didn't speak another language. I kind of landed on Belgium by process of elimination- it's the easiest to travel from. So I wasn't sure what to expect. Once I arrived int he city, I was blown away. Leuven is an unbelievable college town, if I can't call it a city. The city is super charming, filled with old, beautiful buildings that now function as city halls and other centers. For example, the university library is an incredibly impressive structure that was actually donated to leaven by American universities after World War II.

Besides the older buildings, every single street is filled with side-by-side shops or restaurants. The entire city is basically retail and food, which I will definitely not complain about. The cobblestone streets have tables pouring into them from all sides, and there's actually a ton of international cuisine. I'm convinced the city is one big restaurant owned by the same person because there is zero chance that with so many restaurants in one city, any one

of them is profitable. It's a lot like Philadelphia in that sense- a million places to eat, and not near enough time to explore all of them. What's unlike Philadelphia: there's tons of public parks, on the left you can see a picture of me (middle) in the botanical gardens. The waffles are also a lot better, as is the gelato. Also, they speak Dutch. My first academic experience in Leuven has been the 10-day

Dutch course all Penn student take together. In addition to it being a great bonding experience, I actually feel like I am learning the language a little. We had our first test today, and although it was a lot easier tha

n I expected (and a lot easier than anything I've taken at Penn..) I was surprised by how much material we have covered so far. Who knows how much I'll use it, since everyone speaks English anyway, but it's definitely a great way to ease back into an academic semester after a summer off.

As I explore Leuven more, I'll be sure to keep updates coming! Please feel free to contact me on my personal e-mail if you have ANY questions about the Leuven program at any point during the semester, especially if you are considering studying abroad here (or anywhere else), it's rmeyers@wharton.upenn.edu. Tot ziens!

SNU International Summer Institute

2011-08-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

I’m taking two courses at Seoul National University this summer — “Economic Geography” and “Understanding East Asia through the Prism of Disputes”. Respectively, they’re taught by an American expat with extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of economics, policy, geography, and statistics, and a Korean SNU law professor (SNU’s School of Law is widely renowned) who is quite insightful and enthusiastic when it comes to matters regarding international politics, social policy, and history. Classes are three hours each, but only held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, leaving ample time for us to get out, have fun, experience the culture, and explore the city. That said, the subject matter has completely and successfully captured my interest. This, combined with the quality of the teaching, and the rather laid-back feel to this summer session in Seoul, has produced an avid leaner out of me, despite it being summer (with its usual connotation of sitting-with-your-toes-in-the-water, ass-in-the-sand for three months out of the year).

Fun in the City Without Sun

2011-08-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

"The storm over London should be passing sometime in the next decade..."

That's the general consensus of how the weather in London has been -- rainy, sunless, a constant source of material to complain about. For me, however, it could not be more perfect. A native New Yorker, I cannot begin to explain to you the horrors of New York City in the summertime. The sweltering subway platforms; being drenched in sweat two seconds you leave your house; the constant near 100% humidity that makes it so you ~~rarely~~ never have a good hair day. And, of course, the tourists. Always the tourists, who step on your feet, sweat on new shoes, and always ask you questions like "How do we get to Green Witch Village?"

Now, although there are plenty of tourists here in London, and I take the tube pretty much every day, the lack of intolerable heat and constant feeling of being in a sauna makes it, well, tolerable. Even the rain thing, which, though also a killer for hair (there's a theme starting to develop here...) can be easily remedied. (See photo below).

Although this is a great look for me, I do get some funny looks on the street, but that is the beauty of being in a big city without knowing, well, anyone. Speaking of not knowing anyone, I've gotten pretty good at being by myself here in London. Granted, I am not by myself that often, but living by myself -- after going straight from home to Penn, where I've always had room/flatmates -- has been an adjustment. At first I was a bit scared of going places alone. A museum, okay, that's not too bad. But a restaurant? A bar? Never. That is, not until last week. Last week I braved the pub nearest my house, forced myself to order a glass of red wine, and sat myself at one of the many tables. Purely by chance, there happened to be a jazz "jam session" going on, and it was honestly some of the best jazz I've heard in a while. I ended up staying at the pub, listening to the music, for over 3 hours -- yes, completely by myself. I of course made some acquaintances that night, but overall this night was about me, and it was probably one of the best nights I had in London.

Street food in Seoul

2011-07-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

My experiences with food and different cuisines were some of the highlights of my backpacking trip this summer. It's been no different in Korea, where the food has yet to disappoint.

Closest-furthest: tempura, odeng, dukbokki, dukbokki w/ sundae (photo cred)

My first night in Seoul, we flew into Incheon Interational Airport at 11pm. We hopped on the last subway headed for the Hongdae district in downtown Seoul . First sight upon exiting from the subway station: STREET FOOD STANDS (I was starving because apparently Air Asia doesn't believe that passengers require anything besides drinks on six hour flights). Stands are UBIQUITOUS across the city and typically operate well into the AM hours, with many of them running 24 hours. You can usually expect the same mix of foods at every street food stand in Seoul. You've got your run-of-the-mill...

Dukbokki (떡볶이): A staple street food, and by far MY FAVORITE. Dukbokki is a dish made with sliced ddeok (rice cake), gochujang (hot pepper paste), odeng (fish cake), and green onions. I love it for its spice and for the distinctly chewy texture of the rice cake. You'll see food vendors here constantly stirring a huge rectangular pan of gochujang sauce with ddeok, so as to prevent the ddeok from sticking and burning. They simply refill the pan with more ddeok pieces once they run low on ddeok. Mmm...

Odeng (오뎅): Odeng is fish cake, made from pureed fish and wheat flour. It's an ingredient in dukbokki, but you'll often see it threaded onto sticks like kebabs, simmering in a salty broth (vendors will usually give you a small cup of it with your order of odeng). It's mild and savory, and sometimes it really hits the spot for a small snack!

Sundae (순대): Err, there really isn't any way of describing sundae in an appetizing manner, but I promise it tastes better than it sounds. BASICALLY, sundae is pork intestine stuffed with cellophane noodles, barley, pork blood, and seasoning. Yummy, right? When you think about it, it's pretty close to your average sausage, probably the Korean equivalent of the American hot dog. It's savory, satisfying, and pretty tasty when done right! Street vendors usually have a long length of this "sausage", and when you order sundae, they will cut off pieces using scissors, then provide you a tiny pile of chili salt to dip the sundae in. It has a chewy texture because of the noodles, and when I had it, it was good dipped in the dukbokki sauce.

Tempura: Deep-fried potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn dogs, potato-covered corn dogs, a million varieties of sausage, shrimp, even kimbap! I've only had the sweet potato tempura, which is delicious :9

Food ranges from ₩500 - ₩5,000. Pretty ingenious/convenient how they serve the food, if you ask me; most stands use small, reusable plates that are simply covered in a thin plastic bag. They pile up your order on the plate and after you're finished eating, just the bag is discarded and voilà - a clean plate ready for immediate use.

Seoul searching

2011-07-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

A bit on my experiences with transportation and getting around Seoul, South Korea:

I'm currently studying at the main Gwanak campus of Seoul National University, located in the southern part of Seoul. Though there's a subway stop called "Seoul National University", it's actually 1.5 km away from the actual campus. The sprawling campus is situated in a rather mountainous area, close to Mt. Gwanak (don't think I'll ever get used to the 25 minute uphill treks to class...I bust my ass every morning). The student dormitories are actually located near the back gate, closer to the Nakseongdae station than they are to the Seoul National University station. Still, getting across the Han River and into other Seoul neighborhoods requires a bit of effort.

With classes only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I find myself heading into the city frequently to hangout, shop, and eat. This usually involves me taking a 5-10 minute bus ride from the dorms to Nakseongdae Station, then taking the subway. As with most public transportation systems in Asia these days, the Seoul metro is hugely efficient, and has multiple lines spanning the entire city, with more lines being constructed as we speak. The subways are clean, smooth, and fast (even offers wifi if one is a paid subscriber), but given the density of the population here, one will usually be hardpressed to find a seat.

A trip across the city of Seoul, consisting of multiple transfers, can easily take two hours -- this gives you an idea of how expansive the city is! One can usually estimate about a two-minute ride between each station. Once having arrived at one's destination, the trick is then to figure out which exit to take out of the subway station. Subway exits are numbered, with some stations having as many as 13 or 14, and one may end up at complete opposite ends of a neighborhood, dependent on the exit taken. Sometimes an exit will determine which side of the street one emerges from upon leaving the subway. This is important, because in some cases, a busy street is cross-able only via the underground subway station, unless one is willing to walk quite a distance to reach the occasional pedestrian intersection. Jaywalking is a pretty bad idea in this city, considering that vehicles have priority over pedestrians, meaning they don't have to yield to you!!! If you're struck, you're held liable...

Of note: the entire Seoul public transportation system ceases services at approximately midnight every day, and does not resume service until nearly 6am. This is surprising, and almost counter-intuitive, given Seoul's infamous nightlife! Late night is prime time for taxi services in Seoul - it keeps the industry in business. 3am is an especially profitable time for taxi drivers, who swarm the Apgujeong, Gangnam, and Hongdae neighborhoods (filled with bars and clubs) to negotiate with drunken clientele and demand exorbitant rates for trips (they are not always inclined to use meters during these hours).

I experienced this first-hand one night when my friends and I, after having boarded the last sub from Hongdae headed to Gangnam, were suddenly forced off the train at a random stop when it halted service. At nearly 1am, we found ourselves in Shindorim, a neighborhood devoid of nightlife and yet quite far from the SNU campus. Some taxi drivers were demanding ₩50,000 (nearly $50) for the trip back to the dorms and others refused to take us altogether (drivers will readily decline passengers if they are not interested in traveling in that particular direction). Black taxis in Seoul are designated "luxury cabs" (from what I can see, they just offer a couple extra inches of legroom) and charge a good deal more for their services, so those vehicles were out of the question. We gave up on getting to Gangnam, but it didn't help that the SNU campus area seems to be a hugely unpopular destination for cab drivers due to the relative lack of stranded people to be found once in the Gwanak neighborhood. We were resigned to kill time in a "chicken and beer" restaurant, rather popular establishments in Seoul. It was past 2am when we found that the taxi drivers had finally chilled out a little and were willing to make the trip to Nakseongdae station at a much more reasonable rate.

On another occasion, I wrapped up some late-night shopping at Dongdaemun market at around 3:30am, at which point my two friends and I decided it would be a brilliant idea to forego the expensive taxi rates and just wait it out until the subways began running again at 5:40am. We killed two hours eating street food and loitering in the seating area of a cafe, exploiting their wifi. Let me just say, that was probably the most random way I could have spent my first ever all-nighter (yeah, I tend to prioritize sleep over much else...like studying...). I arrived back at my dorm at 7am and, even then, forfeited sleep because I had to leave for an 11:00 lunch appointment. A high-strung, awake-for-30-hours Esther was a grumpy one.

One Week, Two Articles

2011-07-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

So when I said the first day that I was being given a lot of responsibility, I had no idea what an understatement that was. I didn't know that I would be given an article to be written--and published--on my third day. Yup, you read that right. My third day on the job and I already wrote an article, published later on Thursday afternoon. The article is about the EBA stress tests. Don't know what those are? Don't worry, I didn't either until I wrote the article. If you want to learn something (or just read it because it's 2 AM and you have nothing better to do) you can check it out here. My next article will not, unfortunately, be online, but will be published in the August issue of the magazine, a subscription to which I won't even bother plugging since it's $750. (!!!!!)

As exciting as being a published author (who, me?) is, it's also exhausting. After spending 8 hours a day at a computer screen reading the news and then writing about it, the last thing I want to do is come home and write about writing about the news I've read. But hey, now that I'm a seasoned professional, I think I can handle blogging a little more frequently (I hope). Not that there's much going on in my life outside of the sovereign debt crisis. Now, if you don't know what that is, it's actually NOT okay, and you should read this video, which, not only will it teach you something but it's also hilarious. Also the accents give you a little taste of what my life is like.

Besides the accents, my other favorite thing about London are these:

If it looks to you like that bus is freakishly tall, then you're actually right: it is! It's a two-decker bus that, no matter how many times I take it (every day, twice a day), never fails to make me happy. It's just so...tall. My favorite thing to do is to sit on the top floor, in the very front, and stare out the window at the London streets, which in the City (where the Euromoney offices are) look more or less like this:

Yet, as much as a tourist as I feel in London, and as much as I feel self-conscious about my American (Brooklyn) accent, I can't help but feel as though there's something familiar about London. I think it's probably this:

The waves and waves of people walking to the ~~subway~~ tube after work, all rushing to get home for a hot shower ~~and an episode of Gossip Girl~~ and the evening news. Which is actually what I have to get back to now, since I missed the season finale.

London Calling

2011-07-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

After arriving Saturday night to my apartment (a glorified dorm room) in Old Street, London, I have officially begun my new life as a self-sufficient adult. Except for the part where I'm not self-sufficient at all, and am actually completely failing on my own. With no credit card to speak of (long story), I have 30 pounds to last me through the next 3 days, which is how long it will take my parents to wire me money. And considering the fact that the average lunch costs 8 pounds and I still have yet to buy things like a phone or a hair dryer (absolutely necessary in the working world), my survival here seems unlikely.

Today was my first day at the office of Euromoney Magazine, which is, for you Americans who don't know, like the WSJ or Economist of England, but a monthly. It's a publication about finance and everything that goes along with it (politics), and you can check it out at euromoney.com if you really want to. Even though the magazine is about finance, working here is not like working at a bank. No, people here aren't staring for hours at computer screens in cubicles. No, they're not walking like zombies around the office in perfectly pressed suits. Here, the boss wears jeans and is sitting next to you at the same desk, asking you every so often what you think about this and that world crisis. The office is one giant thinktank, loud and lewd, and people are yelling things to each other like "Are you working on the article about how #$%&ed France is?!" and "This $#&@ must have some epic @!%* on Gordon Brown." And yet, despite all the cussing (yes, they say that here), everyone is a million times smarter than you.

I learned the hard way that everything we learn in Wharton is utterly useless. Now, before everyone attacks me, let me explain. We learn stuff at Wharton. A lot of stuff. More stuff than at most schools, in fact. And while everything we learn is applicable to the real world, it's not enough. It's not enough to know the IS-LM curve like the back of your hand, you also have to get what's going on in Greece and Turkey and Brazil and everywhere else in the world. Needless to say, I don't. I don't know what a credit default swap is. Or a rollover. Or the difference between a SD rating or a D rating by private credit ranking agency. (FYI it's selective default and default). Over the course of 8 hours, Investopedia has become my new best friend, with Finance for Dummies a close second. Never once was I forced to remember something I learned in Finance 101. To my great disappointment, not one newspaper mentioned IS-LM.

Rounding out Malaysia

2011-06-22T01:23:00.000-07:00

The Cameron Highlands is an extensive hill station in Malaysia known for its natural scenery, rolling hills, tea plantations, and vegetable/strawberry/insect farms. Clusters of small towns/villages scattered. We arrived at one of them, Tanah Rata, by bus from Ipoh, and randomly settled on Twin Pines, the cheapest and most dilapidated, mosquito-infested hostel to date. Andrew was dead set on seeing the tea plantations of the surrounding hillsides, so we threw our belongings down and figured we could make the estimated hour-long hike up Mount Batu Brinchang and check out the Boh tea plantation just before closing time at 4:30pm.

Wrong.

We started by taking a short bus ride down the road to get closer to the base of the mountain. We headed up what appeared to be a promising path, before we realized it led to a series of housing units. We were directed back down the path, and down the road. We spotted yet another path and hiked up, through a random village, before we reached the edge of the village and found ourselves face-to-face with dense forest cover. There didn't appear to be any clear path leading up the mountain, so we asked for directions, and were again told to turn back around and walk further down the main road.

Fast-forward two hours and we had hiked 12 kilometers by the side of the highway and up the mountain in the baking heat, with cars and motorbikes breezing by us heading to the same location. We ended up arriving at the plantation at 4:32pm...just as everyone was leaving and the staff had begun cleaning the cafe. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery on our way walk and had time to snap pictures at the actual tea plantations before immediately trudging back down.

I half-jokingly made the suggestion to hitchhike down the mountain, because we were the only idiots walking alongside the road while other tourists were whizzing down in cars. 30 minutes into the walk downhill, my exhausted-self decided that there was actual merit to my idea, and tentatively/still-half-jokingly stuck my thumb out at random passing cars (who knows if that signal is universal?). More than a few passed without much sympathy...BUT THEN an awesome young couple from Kuala Lumpur happily offered us a ride to the base of the mountain, amused that they had also passed us making the trek up as well. So grateful for good people.

Once back into Tanah Rata, there was really nothing much left to do, considering its tiny size. We checked out the night market and grabbed bites to eat. Worth noting was the amazing diversity we found -- Malays, Chinese, Indians, and many other ethnic groups. The cultural makeup is also reflected in the variety of food options - we had delicious Indian dosas in the night market, but also saw pad thai, cakes, skewers, tempura, etc. Sadly, the banana lead platter we had at a local Indian restaurant did not live up to its looks. In general, the gastronomical highlights of my trip were Penang and Ipoh, hands down.

Malaysia's Cameron Highlands were interesting enough, but let's just say my two days spent there would probably have been better served elsewhere. My backpacking trip is winding down with a few short days divvied up between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Then onto SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

Worth the walk

2011-06-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

Finally, a beach day. We were actually so excited at the first sight of clear blue water that we hopped off the public bus a few stops early (and by a few, I mean many). To get to the actual beach area, we ended up having to walk five kilometers in blazing heat on the side of the highway, essentially dodging cars as they came speeding around turns because there was no sidewalk. Still, it made the beach all the more better. Laying out, parasailing, sipping on some coconuts… I had been disappointed that we ended up not having enough time in Thailand to hit the beaches on the gorgeous islands of Koh Phi Phi or Koh Samui, but I guess the beaches of Penang Island will just have to do ;D

Gotta make do with iPod snapshots. Andrew left my camera on a songthaew in Hat-Yai, Thailand. Story is: I paid a dude from the bus company an exorbitant USD 20 to be driven all across the town to track down the exact vehicle we had ridden from the airport to the bus station (this guy spoke absolutely no English…in hindsight, this was probably a terrible idea, especially since I went alone while Andrew waited at the bus station). It didn’t help that every single song-thaew looks the exact same and is painted the same shade of blue. It was actually a stroke of luck that we found the vehicle after 20 mins of circling the city; the driver had parked at a rest station with a bunch of other song-thaews. I searched the vehicle but didn’t find my camera. SAD PANDA :’( $700 bucks right thurr. Gone. Boom. I’m actually probably going to purchase a new one here in Malaysia (splitting the cost with Andrew). I want to keep documenting this trip, and the electronics here in George Town are purportedly cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

I’m staying at an awesome hostel called the Red Inn, on Love Lane. There’s a great little hawker district down the street at the intersection. All the stalls are congregated along the streets and alleyways, and there are tables and chairs set up on the sidewalks. It’s pretty amazing – you can order from any stand and sit at any table, you can even order from multiple stands (food from one, a drink from another, dessert from yet another). Meanwhile, the stand owners are able to keep track of which customers ordered what from them, and where they sat. Money is collected at the end, and it seems that they have “general cleaners” employed — people who clear out and wash the dishes and utensils, which are then returned to their respective stalls because the plates and bowls and such are all differentiated by shape, or even COLOR-CODED! Fascinating system.

Dipping out now to grab some delicious Hokkien mee / char kuey teow / grilled kebobs + fresh fruit juice in a bag!!

P.S., Food blogging is HUGE here in Malaysia. Rasa Malaysia is one of my favorite food blogs; check it out! Drool…

The Art of Eating Tapas

2011-06-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

The great thing about tapas is that it's everywhere. And it's cheap. Especially in Salamanca, and especially on a street close to my apartment (Calle Van Dyck, if anyone ever comes here!).

The first time I went to eat tapas, it took my spying on customers at 4 different restaurants to figure out what was going on. Was I supposed to sit down? Wait to be seated? Call a waiter?

Slowly I figured out that 1. you go up to the bar and tell them what you want, 2. things on the menu were usually for lunch - and not part of the tapas deal, and 3. there are more options than what they lay out for you at the bar.

Every tapas bar is just that--a bar. On the counter there are platters of what look like hors d'œuvres and trays of "main dishes", as if at a buffet. Usually there are tons of people, standing around the bar, sitting at small hightop tables, and lounging outside on the terrace.

Somehow you have to get the waiter's attention. Then he will say, "Que quieres comer?" (What do you want to eat?) You either point at one of the platters or order some specialty. He'll take a tiny plate and fork on some of whatever you ordered. If it's served cold, he will most likely put some sauce on it and hand it right over. If it's served warm, he'll pop it in the microwave for a bit. And if it's still raw, he will grill it right in front of you before handing it over.

"Y beber?" (and to drink?)

Most likely, there is a combo deal (ie 1.50 euros for a plate and a drink) or the plate is free and comes with the drink, which is what you actually pay for. In any case, there is never much difference between getting a drink and not getting a drink. The most common is "con una cana," which is a beer, or "con un vino tinto," which is red wine.

After your plate--one is never enough--you can either order another one or pay and leave to go to another tapas bar! After all, it's called "ir de tapas," which is to go for tapas. You have to go to at least two.

The great thing about tapas is that you never have that "Crap, what should I order? I can't decide!" type feeling because you can have a taste of all that you want. If it's bad, you've only paid a dollar anyway and there isn't much of it. If it's good--and it usually is-- you can always have more or try something else.

If you're ever in Salamanca, here are my favorite tapas bars (an awesome German woman who's been here 16 times showed us around): La Oficina, La Galetea, Blanco y Negro, Momo, and any of those in the Plaza Mayor (a little more expensive). Enjoy!

Oh My Buddha! (Day 2)

2011-06-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Woke up and smelled the coffee! (I actually had a romanticized idea of the coffee that would be served at breakfast, because we were in an area known for the locally-grown coffee…turned out to be Nescafé -_-). I scarfed down toast, stuffed my still-damp clothing that had been hanging on the line into the backpack, and then…just stared at my filthy, damp, mud-caked sneakers and socks for a while. Terrible idea to not have brought extra socks, but I had no choice but to put on my grimy socks and shoes again for the hike down.

The trip down would usually have taken just an hour, but it was raining again, which made the steep hike down longer and much more precarious. Flavio alone wiped out at least four times (I counted). Each fall elicited a “Oh my Buddha!” exclamation from Johnny. He probably would have been a goner had his falls not been broken by…trees (just slightly better, I guess).

We finally made it to a waterfall, where everyone splashed around for a bit. SO refreshing after the hike. Next was the whitewater rafting portion of the trip, which may have been my favorite part of the trip because of the awesome drops. We continued down the river on bamboo rafts, and ended our trip at the riverbank.

Conclusions: I got so much out of the trekking trip because of the awesome physical factor of it and the sights and experiences packed into it. No doubt the trek was formulated for the touristy-type, but by no means was it "tourist-friendly." It definitely catered more towards the young, backpacker types. Our group, Team Mental, formed an awesome dynamic over the course of the trip through the shared experience and through sharing stories. We actually all met up again and went for drinks last night after we all got some rest at our hostels in Chiang Mai. Good times, with good people.

Sorry, but the full magnitude of the past two days can’t be captured by my less-than-gripping blog posts.

Oh My Buddha! (Day 1)

2011-06-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

TREKKING THROUGH THE JUNGLES OF THAILAND: this post cannot begin to capture the epicness.

We got picked up from the guesthouse at 9:45am by a creaky songthaew, we piled into it, then shot off introductions to the three others that were already aboard. The songthaew finished its rounds through Chiang Mai, and we had our complete team assembled.

Introducing, Team Mental: Pedro (Portuguese, resides in Turkey), Brice (French, reminds me of Andrey, has done plenty of traveling), Lara (Swiss, had this amazing, raspy French accent…slight girlcrush, I can’t deny), Flavio (dude was nice but kind of weird, no lie), Ji Seon and Eunkyung (best friends, from Korea), Gary and Jacqueline (awesome European couple…though I initially incorrectly labeled Gary as Eurotrash because he showed up to a jungle trek wearing a collared button-down and preppy pink shorts), Andrew (meh :b), and finally, meeeee.

We drove about half an hour out to a small market to pick up supplies (water, bug spray, etc.), then headed northwest for the mountains. We dumped our packs, and then hopped on elephants. ELEPHANTS. Lum and I actually got seats on an elephant without a safety bar in the front…and the ride is a lot rockier than one would expect. There were a couple times as the elephant was going downhill during which I was clutching onto the sidebars pretty hard. There was some highly-choreographed camera exchanges between pairs on elephants over the course of the ride, so as to ensure everyone would have shots of themselves. The views of the green countryside and valley forest canopies were amazing on elephant-back, though I felt sorry for the beasts at times

While we had been parading around on elephants, our guide, Johnny, had been cooking…we scarfed down a simplistic meal of fried rice, before grabbing walking sticks and commencing a three-hour hike up the mountainside in the stuffy heat.

We had all come into it assuming it was going to be a tough, but still rather tourist-friendly hike. NOPE. We trudged through dense undergrowth, over huge boulders, and hopped random streams, all over a constant, steep incline. Being that it was rainy season, there were areas thick with mud, and one wrong step could easily have sent someone tumbling down the mountain. These were by no means paved paths through the forests; they actually seemed rather untraversed, but that made for an amazing experience. People fell behind once in awhile – Johnny actually laughed at the Eunkyung and Ji Seon because they were struggling and always lagging way behind – “빨리, 빨리,” he’d always shout. I’m disappointed I couldn’t take pictures during the hike, but there was simply no time to whip out my camera, and no one could afford to even tear tear their eyes away from the ground in order to plant his/her feet. It also rained at multiple points throughout our hike, and we were all grimy and soaked by the end.

The reward really did come at the end, when we finally arrived at a tiny remote mountaintop village. There were very few inhabitants (interestingly, all of whom were Burmese, not Thai), and they lived in relative squalor. There was a separate, two-room, wooden hut set aside for our trekking group: one side with sleeping mats and the other side serving as a common area, complete with a firepit. There was even a deck-type installment with an amazing, foggy mountainside view. We were all ecstatic to have arrived.

I came to realize that the village was completely dependent upon tourism as business and income. As the night progressed, we were visited by a woman selling souvenir trinkets, then women offering massages (some of these girls looked to be much younger than I), then children who put on a cute little song and dance performance. For the rest of the night, we all sat by the firepit, drinking, talking, and playing cards. Paying for beers and other drinks was based on the honor system – they had us write our names down and tally up the number of drinks we each had as the night progressed. People in our group got plenty drunk over the course of the night, at 50 baht (~USD 1.70) per beer.

"Chiang Mai good. Bangkok no good."

2011-06-12T23:47:00.000-07:00

…was the opinion offered by the dude giving me a Thai massage on Khao San Road. Point taken, but only now fully understood.

Having finally arrived in Chiang Mai by sleeper train, I am left shaking my head and wondering why I didn’t get the hell out of Bangkok (crawling with tourists and gimmicks) sooner than I did. I was an immediate fan of the quiet beauty of the small city; the streets were narrow and clean, not bustling with cars, people, and activity as they were in Bangkok. The city is only about one-square mile, and has remnants of a defensive wall surrounding it. We wandered around in search of a guesthouse, and in doing so, slipped into a number of the numerous, gorgeous Buddhist temples throughout Chiang Mai.

We crossed the little moat running through the city to check out the marketplace – a daily occurrence in the main square – and snapped up some hawker treats (“ancient ice cream,” anyone?).

Sunday night of every week, a huge pedestrian night market pops up, extending through all the main roads in Chiang Mai. It takes quite a while to peruse everything, but it really was a sight to see. Vendors set up shop with everything from jewelry, paintings, lanterns, clothing, fabric, tools, carvings, candles, the list goes on. Musicians could be found every block or so, hoping to collect some spare change (I was in awe of the talent of a group of four blind singer-musicians). Entire portions of sidewalks were set aside for massage operations. Hawkers at their stands were pretty persistent at getting people to buy up fresh fruit, soups, noodles, smoothies, snacks…there were even extensive pop-up “food courts” in each temple courtyard (these were actually the death of me; everything is so cheap, I just made a loop and loaded up on mussels, phad thai, curry, sushi…).

Rainy season is a total downer. It actually started pouring at one point in the night. It was amazing to see how the vendors were completely prepared. As soon as a few fat drops came down, they were rolling out tarps, awnings, and umbrellas…then it REALLY started coming down and everyone on the streets ran for cover, either under storefront overhangs or under any coverings of street vendor displays. Maybe lame of me, but I got a fun sense of camaraderie from it all. Individuals were helping vendors dump out rain from the tarps because the water collected so quickly, we helped cover up the table filled with candles which we were standing by, and Lum was holding up the umbrella at the center of the table. I got a kick out of getting everyone who was standing under the overhand just across from us to wave for the camera.

We finished up rounds at the night market, and decided to grab a drink at a chill bar. Alcohol is so pricey here – and by pricey, I mean comparable to prices of drinks in the U.S. Lum had a small beer for 60 baht ~ USD 2, and my cocktail ran me 110 baht ~ nearly USD 4.

The roads of the night market were entirely packed with people (this holding late into the night), but I love the peace and dark you experience once you slip into the side streets and walk down the narrow pedestrian alleys that wind through all the residential areas (as we made it back to guesthouse).

I LOVE CHIANG MAI.

ลาก่อนกรุงเทพฯ!

2011-06-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I took full advantage of Bangkok’s efficient elevated rail system to travel around the city. Besides Khao San Road, we also explored…

The Grand Palace & Temple of the Emerald Buddha - gorgeous Thai architecture, doused in brilliant gold. My favorite was the temple, with its ornate decor and detailed, extensive gold-leaf murals.

Sukhumvit – a bustling commercial area catering to tourists, filled with bars and restaurants. We kept within Soi 1-10, of which the sidewalks were jam-packed with vendors (selling cheap trinkets, clothes, knockoffs, sex toys, condoms, Cialis), and plenty of ladyboys were lining the streets. The signs of a thriving sex tourism industry is highly visible in this district, especially with the numerous old, white men we spotted with escorts hanging off their arms…

We met up with Min Kim (here doing a sweet internship) on Friday night, but by no means was that an easy task. We arranged to meet on the corner of Soi 10 (think of it as block numbers) at 10:00pm. Lum and I hung out looking super shady for 40 minutes, with no Min in sight. Without phones, we resorted to stealing wi-fi from whatever nearby bars and cafes that we could. Turned out, there had been a miscommunication about the soi, but we finally were able to meet up at 11pm. #PHONE-DEPENDENT.

We rolled out to Bed Supperclub, allegedly the hottest nightclub in town, frequented by the “rich & beautiful.” I couldn’t get in, because though the drinking age is 18, the clubbing age here is 20. Actually, we couldn’t have gotten in anyway, because Lum was sporting shorts and flip-flops. Cover was also a ridiculous 800 baht (almost $30)!!! We headed to a chill shisha bar with awesome decor instead.

Siam Square - shopping and entertainment central! Lum, Min and I took an afternoon to explore the Square and Paragon Mall Paragon Mall is a behemoth mall complex that includes, among many other things, an aquarium, luxury import car dealerships, a gym, a tech floor, a massive movie complex on the top floor, and your run-of-the-mill lineup of luxury brands. We drooled over the Lotus Elise and grabbed seats to watch X-Men First Class. Not the best idea when you have plenty of other options as a visitor in an exotic city…but X-Men was ON POINT. SUCH A GOOD MOVIE. What I found interesting was that, before the movie began, the theater showed a montage on the life and contributions of the current King of Thailand. It seems to be a standard practice in movies. Everybody stood up in respect and the entire audience clapped after it was over. It came as a complete surprise to us three, but it reflects the importance of the role of the royal family in this country. If you’re heard talking negatively about the royal family, it could spell a jail sentence…

Really goes to show you how different lifestyle extremes can all be encompassed within a single city, and I’m lucky to have been able to experience much of it.

The Legendary Khao San Road

2011-06-11T11:46:00.000-07:00

Khao San Road is essentially a tourist ghetto and backpacker haven in central Bangkok. We checked into the D&D Inn (which, mind you, turned out to be NOTHING like how it was depicted online) and hit the streets to familiarize ourselves with the area.

Right off the bat, the most prevalent sights on Khao San Road:

1) Street vendors peddling their array of touristy wares and cheap apparel (tanks and tees, each literally featuring one of the same tree designs — Red Bull logo, Singha beer logo, Chang beer logo).

2) Food hawkers with their carts, offering phad thai, tom yum soup, fried rice, fresh fruit, fruit smoothies…

3) Tattoo parlors. Nearly one every other storefront. Many Thais here are tatted and pierced to some extent, and the same is reflected in the type of foreigners staying in Khao San: plenty of hippies and free spirit-backpackers with tats, piercings, gauges…

4) Massage parlors, which fill in all the storefronts between the massage parlors. They specialize in oil massages, Thai massages, and many feature those fish spas — tanks of dead-skin-eating-fish that nibble on your callused feet… I opted for a Thai massage, which I would advise be done before a meal rather than after, because the dude was pressing down so hard on my ribcages and stomach. An interesting experience, though I daresay I felt more sore afterward than I had been coming in.

Patting myself on the back for making it through a day of exploring in stifling heat and humidity after a long day in Düsseldorf and a sleepless flight to Bangkok, AND managing to hand-wash all my laundry before collapsing into my bed the first night in Thailand.

Allo, Düsseldorf!

2011-06-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am backpacking through southeast Asia with my friend Andrew, because we both happen to be in the Penn-in-Seoul program, and figured it was a good opportunity for some globe-trotting.

Our ten hour layover in Düsseldorf was well spent; we immediately hopped on the U-bahn (subway) from the airport, and headed directly to the Altstadt ("Old City") district, by the Rhine River. Think: cobblestone streets, historic buildings, businesses set up in styles reminiscent of the past. Bars and brauerein (breweries) are a focal point, and we enjoyed a glass of the original Schumacher Altbier. We also got led into paying for an extravagantly-priced local lunch spread when we fell for our waiter's pitch without asking about the price (amounted to USD 75 between the two of us. The only thing running through our minds was, "OMG that's a lot of baht..."). Among other things, Aldstadt had a shopping district and a fresh farmers' market tucked within its winding streets.

Königsallee, a major upscale fashion boulevard, was just a few U-bahn stops away.

I'm rather grateful, impressed, and dead tired by the amount of exploration we crammed into ten hours in Germany. Next stop: Bangkok!

(Wo)man with a Mission

2011-06-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

The (Wo)man: Esther Huang, a rising sophomore in Wharton. I'm Chinese-born Canadian, but have lived stateside in Philly for the last ten years.

The Mission: packing for my backpacking trip through Southeast Asia, an experience that will lead up to my time studying abroad at Seoul National University in South Korea! I will backpacking for a nearly three weeks, making my way from Bangkok down to Singapore, then flying into Seoul for my coursework in July.

I am currently staring down my empty backpack and wondering where to begin.

I made the jump in deciding to go with my 45-liter pack over my 35-liter pack – something I am admittedly not enthused about, given that a smaller pack would suffice for the backpacking portion of my travels this summer. Unfortunately, I do have to take into account the fact that slummin’ in free swag tees and track shorts probably would not fly in Korea. The original plan was to ship Korea necessities from Bangkok, but I’m not willing to pay USD300 for a 15-lb package. So here, I am, stuck with the bigger pack in order to accommodate for two different lifestyles during my travels...

Still, I plan on keeping packing to a bare minimum and buying things as I need them. What has made me put off packing is anticipating having to wear (and consequently, wash) something that will eventually have to be packed. Grrr. When the time finally comes, I’ll end up having to hurriedly mash everything in (or possibly experiment with supposedly super-efficient bundle-wrapping).

I have New York JFK in my sights for my 5:25pm flight tomorrow. The gameplan: land in Thailand on the morning of Wednesday, June 15th, *improv my way through Thailand and Malaysia* (playing it by ear...I am going with a friend, and we have absolutely no itinerary), hopefully end up in Singapore by June 24th, and then fly into Incheon. I lucked out in getting an eleven-hour layover in Düsseldorf on the way to Bangkok — I am not passing up this opportunity to hit up and explore Deutschland, though I'm hoping to lay off the e.coli.

My summer travels kick off tomorrow! Stay tuned...

Hello Summer!

2011-05-29T17:35:00.001-07:00

Hey guys!

My name is Rachel Meyers, and I'm working with the Wharton Women Around the World blog this summer and fall. I have been an active member in Wharton Women since the start of my freshman year, and served on the board as VP Publications my freshman spring and sophomore fall. I'm so excited to stay in touch with all of our members through this blog!

We've got some really excited Wharton Women members who cannot wait to share their abroad experiences with you. They are going all over the world and are in for some awesome adventures. I'll let them introduce themselves and tell you more about what they'll be up to!

Be sure to check out the blog when you can, and feel free to comment on anything you see! There's a lot to learn from these girls, and they're really excited to share everything!

Can't wait to get started!

Bye Bye Belgium

2010-12-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Realizing that I have 12 days left here put me in a state of shock. Where did the last 4 months go? Everyone always said that study abroad would fly by, but geez, I'm not ready to go home yet. I am in the sense that I'm ready to spend a chill night on the couch with my family, I'm ready to not have a 6 hour time difference with my boyfriend, I'm ready to eat a huge, juicy bacon cheeseburger with onion rings. But I feel like I still have so much to learn from Europe, from Belgium, from the people I've met here.

Last weekend I went with the K.U. Leuven swim team to a competition in Karlsruhe, Germany. It was probably my favorite weekend since I've been here. Don't get me wrong, I've had lots of wonderful exploration trips throughout the semester, but Karlsruhe was more than seeing a new city for the first time. I really bonded with the Belgian students and felt like I'd made life-long friends. And THAT'S why I studied abroad. For those moments when you learn about the different experiences others have had growing up in a different country, yet you bond on a level above any sort of cultural barrier. It just seems unfair that I really begin to feel a connection with the Belgians in my last two weeks here. The swim meet itself was unbelievable- I've never been to such a fun event. It had teams from all over Europe and we were laughing and joking in different languages with a common sports interest. Cheering and winning doesn't have a language, and it was cool to see that competitive swimming isn't so different across the ocean.

I'll be sad to leave here. And I just know my last two weeks will be filled with studying that I won't get to thoroughly enjoy the end like I should. Oh well, I'll do my best to mix studying with all the experiences I want to have before I leave. I will return to Penn different than when I left in May. Studying abroad has been a truly unforgettable and irreplacable experience that's made me grow up in a lot of ways. Ik hou van jou, Belgie. Bedankt voor vier maanden van het leren. Tot straks- ik zal terugkeren.

Extremadura, Spain...not so extreme

2010-11-21T03:06:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I went on a 3-day excursion to Extremadura, Spain, a province about 5 hours outside of Madrid. It was a mandatory school trip (part of our cultural curriculum), but Penn comps the whole thing, so no one complained about going...that is until we read the description of Extremadura in our guidebooks. Direct quote: "Of all the Spanish regions, far-flung Extremadura is the most remote from the modern world...the fourth largest, yet least populated autonomous region in Spain, Extremadura is also one of the least visited... the result is that this part of Spain still feels like a place with hidden corners to discover: remote villages where locals stare and there's no signal for your phone…In winter storks nest on their spires and chimneys...Ideal for nature lovers and those who want to get off the beaten path." Well if that doesn’t pump you up for a trip, I don’t know what does! Considering that none of us were looking to get off the beaten path for 3 days, in town where the main attraction is birds nesting on spires, we didn't exactly have the highest expectations going in to the trip.

Maybe it was just me, but I actually thought the trip could end up being pretty comical. 15 kids, 2 eccentric old men for our tour guides (Pablo and Manolo, aka our "Cultural Directors" as Penn calls them), and an all expenses paid trip to the middle of nowhere (notice how the picture on the left looks pretty barren..well, that's the town's main plaza). I figured if anything, at least we’d come out of it with some good inside jokes.

As it ended up, the trip actually wasn’t that bad. Some of the highlights included visits to: ancient castles, a medieval fair, some of the oldest roman ruins in Spain, a winery…AND we got to meet the mayor of Mérida, Extremadura. Albeit this was the equivalent of meeting the mayor of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but it was still a pretty cool experience to learn about how the town is run--can't get much more immersed in Spanish culture than actually chatting with the mayor in his office. Besides that, the winery was very cool. We learned all about how wine is made and got to taste it, as well. Although Extremadura isn’t as renowned for its wine as other regions in Spain like La Rioja, the wine was still very good. And the best part….it was incredibly cheap; I bought a bottle for my dad for 1.60 euros!

Looking back, I did learn a lot in Extremadura, and saw a side of Spanish culture that I hadn’t yet been exposed too. While we still would have preferred to go to Barcelona, none of us would probably have ever visited Extremadura if we weren’t required to go on this trip; whereas all of us have plans to see Barcelona. One thing I’ve learned while abroad is to try to soak up as much as I can from every experience. That’s what abroad is about, having experiences you otherwise wouldn’t have, and taking as much as you can from them. At the end of the day, you are still in Europe. And while we may have gone to the middle of nowhere, it was still the middle of nowhere in SPAIN. There’s something to be said for that.

Thank you, Colin Farrell for Making Bruges, Belgium Popular

2010-10-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

I randomly find that the vast majority of college-age people are familiar with the city of Bruges thanks to the movie called 'In Bruges' starring Collin Farrell. I'd never heard of the city or the movie before coming here, but I highly recommend it (the city I mean...can't pass judgement on the movie). I spent the weekend there and in Knokke, a town on the coast, and both were absolutely lovely. Brugge was a quaint, medieval city with tons of character and history. It somehow escaped WWI and WWII destruction, so everything there is authentically old. Knokke was very posh and clean. Apparently it's known as "The Hamptons" of Belgium, and I certainly saw my fair share of Jaguar's and Rolls Royce's.

I guess I should mention my classes here in Leuven for people interested in actually "studying" abroad. I'm taking International Marketing, Innovation Management and Strategy, Capital Investment Policy, and (prepare yourself for the longest class title ever) International Relations and Integration of the European Union since World War I. Whoever said studying abroad would be "easier" than Wharton lied. The workload is just divided differently than at home. I have not had/will not have anything due until the last week in December. No mid-terms, no pop quizzes, hardly any reading assignments, nothing, until the exams and papers that constitute 100% of my semester grade in December. Scary, really. I prefer the American system. It's hard convincing myself to research and start working on a paper due in 2 months. But I like all of my classes, and it's very interesting to compare the differences and similarities with Penn.

Other random but fun Belgian sidenotes: 1. I've discovered my new best friend yet worst enemy in Speculoos. Strange name, but don't be fooled. It is the most delicious, gingerbread-type cookie you've ever thought about tasting. And to make matters worse, they've ingeniously created Speculoos ice cream and Speculoos butter (think Nutella, but better). I've probably gained 10 pounds on that alone. On the same note, I had the most delicious waffle I've ever eaten in Brussels last weekend. I ordered it with brown sugar, whipped cream, strawberries, and chocolate sauce. To die for! 2. I went to a legit conference in Brussels on "Growth Through Innovation Strategy" instead of my Innovation Management class last week. The speakers were professors and politicians from around the world. Did I mention extensive, complementary buffet post-conference? 3. I took a hot air balloon ride over Brugge on Thursday. SO cool. That is all the explanation needed, it was that awesome. 4. My dorm doesn't have a washer/dryer, so doing laundry here is a pain. And expensive. I paid 10 Euros today to do two loads of laundry and to dry it all. With the exchange rate as terrible as it is now, that's $14!!

Alright, I'm off to work on my Dutch tonight. It's hard to practice the language here because everyone speaks English fluently. Belgians automatically revert to English as soon as they see me struggling with Dutch. I just need to try harder, I suppose. Welterusten, iederen!

Fort Breendonk & Eupen

2010-09-27T04:24:00.000-07:00

Imagine being maliciously shoved forward (in what you think is a group of people) with a bag over your head to an unknown destination. You hear angry shouts in German, of which you understand not a word, and a man crying on the ground to your right. The men herding you stop you suddenly and remove the bag from your head. Your first emotion is terror. You see a large, foreboding cement structure welcoming you to the worst 18 months of your life. Probably your last 18 months.

Last week I visited a Nazi prison camp in northwestern Belgium. For the two and a half hour tour, our tour guide took us through the typical day of a prisoner. He treated us as a German SS would have treated a prisoner (minus the physical abuse), and really engrained in me a sorrow for the terrible history here.

Ok, now for a happy impression: chocolate! I also visited a chocolate factory in the southern region of Belgium, and came away from the experience a solid 5 pounds heavier. I'm going to be completely honest with y'all- my Wharton antenna were perked, and I couldn't help but take note of the business aspects of my favorite comfort food. Did you know they purposefully put more sugar into milk and white chocolate to induce consumers' brains to eat more than they want? In other words, buy more than they want. That's why it's healthier and cheaper to buy dark chocolate! Also, chocolate makers changed the packaging for chocolate so you can't properly wrap it up after you've opened it to make you buy more (think of Hershey's). Those sneaky little chocolatiers!

Now I'm off to figure out my classes and plan some more trips around Europe. Tot volgende tijd!

Hola from Madrid!

2010-09-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hi I am Marissa, and I am studying at ICADE in Madrid. I am so thrilled to be here and feel so fortunate to have this opportunity. I can't wait to share my experiences with you. I encourage any of you who are freshman or sophomores and are considering (even slightly) going abroad to go for it! I promise you won't regret it.

I just arrived in Madrid 4 days ago. Although I have yet to be here for a full week, my experience so far has been wonderful. I've already met so many other students who have finished a semester here and want to move here, or have done just that. For instance, the other night I met a guy from Connecticut who studied abroad in Madrid for a semester and loved it so much that he is now pursuing his masters at a university here. The quality of life here is just extremely high. The madrileños truly enjoy every moment of every day and it makes living in this city such a pleasant experience.

I am living with a host family during my time here, rather than in dorms. I live with a señora, whose children are both grown, so basically it is just her and me sharing the house. Her house is very tiny, as are all houses in Madrid, and we share one bathroom. The washing machine is in the kitchen and there is no dryer. However, I don't mind it at all. The house is always immaculate and my señora fixes me breakfast and dinner every day. She doesn't speak any english at all, so I am forced to speak spanish with her at all times. This was very difficult on the first day when I was exhausted from flying and didn't have two brain cells left to rub together; however, with each passing day communication becomes easier. I really hope to be fluent by the time my semester ends.

I spend a lot of time outside of my house, as do most madrileños. This is partly because houses are so small, and also because madrileños tend to be very social. It seems that rather than spend their money on grand houses and huge cars, the people here prefer to spend their time shopping, going out, and socializing. People dress very well here, and the women especially always look put together. I don't think I have seen anyone wearing sweatpants. Madrid is also definitely a walking city, with few cars and a lot of pedestrians. Every morning the streets are packed with men and women walking to work in their suits. All of the walking ties into the healthy lifestyle mentality that is prevalent here. The portions served at meals are small and light, and prepared with the freshest ingredients. For instance, my breakfast the other day consisted of a small toasted baguette drizzled with olive oil and fresh crushed tomatoes. A little odd for breakfast (I am used to sweet oatmeal or yogurt and fruit), but it was delicious. For dinner, I have had chicken and vegetables, cold bean soup, and fruit for dessert. With all the walking and such light meals, I definitely understand why there are very few overweight people here. America could take a lesson, ha.

I haven't started class yet, but Monday marks the start of our semester. More updates to come!

Ciao!

België, Dag Vijftien

2010-09-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Cristina Masson, and I'm a current junior concentrating in Finance and Management. I'm spending this semester abroad in Leuven, Belgium. All I can say is: study abroad if you can! It's so worth it!

Ok, so this is my first blog post, but I've already been in Belgium for a few weeks. Where to even start!?! I love it here. I'm in Leuven, which is a small city about 20 minutes from Brussels. We're located in the northern, Flemish region of the country, which means the official language here is Dutch (in the South- Wallonia- they speak French). I took an intensive Dutch language course for 10 days, but I'm still no where near where I want to be with the language. My goal is to come back to Penn conversational in Dutch. It's actually pretty difficult to learn- it's a mix between French, English, and German, and there are only a handful of countries around the world who speak it. Great...I'm learning a new language that no one uses, haha.

A brief synopsis of the greatest differences I've noticed between the U.S. and Belgium: 1. No one here uses mirrors. I don't know if you're a girl like me, but I definitely don't mind a full-length mirror on a Friday night. But everyone here is always dressed to the T, but they don't seem to care to look at themselves. I stayed with my "Belgian Buddy" for 4 days near the border of Holland, and I noticed quickly that she didn't have one mirror in her entire house! I don't know, that thought blew my mind when I reflected (no pun intended) on my own house, my dorm room, even the bathrooms at Penn. 2. Milk is not refrigerated and there is no such thing as "skim". My first trip to the grocery store was a surprising one when I bought whole milk that had never been refrigerated and would supposedly last for 4 more months. I drank it and it tasted fine (and by fine I mean fantastic- it's whole milk!), and I never got sick. Then why in the States have we not discovered how to not waste energy and food like that? 3. The education system here is virtually free for all students. Talking with the Belgian kids on my hall, I learned that they pay 500 Euros/year to attend one of the best schools in the world! And not just selected students- all 40,000 students are subsidized. Granted, their government is more socialist than ours, but that system encourages so many more kids to stay in school, make something of themselves, and be productive members of society. It seems so easy, but I know it's not.

I have so much more to tell, but I'll save that for another post. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about studying abroad in general, or specifically in Belgium. Bedankt voor leest mijn post. Goedemiddag en tot ziens!
Cristina

Wharton Women in Argentina #2

2010-08-07T14:31:00.001-07:00

So, I'm actually back in the states now. However, I think being home provides me a great opportunity to reflect on my experience abroad. I was not the best at updating this blog. However, one thing I learned is that you really need to enjoy your experience while you are in a place, rather than jumping to technology to document it. I had an absolutely amazing time in Argentina. It is so strange to be back and to speak in English. This blog website is actually still in Spanish for me, which makes me happy. I learned many things abroad, including to appreciate what I have, and truly experience the culture and lifestyle of a foreign country. The greatest advice I have for all future Wharton Women traveling abroad is to take every experience to the fullest and try new things. This really made my trip memorable and worthwhile.

For example, five friends and I went to Iguazu Falls in Argentina. This area has one of the greatest amounts of water falls in the world. It is absolutely breathtaking, The trip took a fair amount of planning, but it was definielty worth it. First, we needed to decide what method of trasnportation we were goig to use: bus or plane. At first we really wanted to take a plane; we could get to the falls in under three hours and have more time to enjoy them. However, as I have noticed it is common in South America, airline tickets are very cheap for local citizens, but about $100 to $300 more for foreigners. Thus, we decided to take a 20 hour bus to Iguazu. Taking the bus there really made the xperience unique. First, we went to the bus station and found out there was a transportation stirke. None of the bus drivers were driving for at least 12 hours. I spoke with an older couple from the US. The wife told me that she spoke Spanish and could not get much information from the bus company. While the woman did speak a little Spanish, she only spoke basic Spanish, so I decided to try my language skills and find out more information. However, I received zero information. The man told me there was a strike and he did not know when it would be over. So we were going to have to wait. Strikes in Latin America are fairly common, especially in Peru and Argentina, two places I have traveled to this summer. Yet unlike the United States, these strikes usually just last one day. In fact, while I was in Argentina I witnessed two strikes: one with the airline baggage men and one of the bus company.

We left the bus terminal to return an hour or so before our bus would depart.

were thankful that the strike had stopped. However, the bus terminal was an absolute mess. If anyone has taken BoltBus or China town bus you are probablly thinking that the bus terminal has at max 3 buses. However, the bus terminal in Buenos Aires was like a mini airport, with at least 60 buses waiting to depart every hour. Sincce the bus strike had just finished, the terminal was swarmed with anzy passangers waiting for their buses and buses waiting to park and find their passengers. After waiting about two hours and meeting a nice PHD candidate from the province of Missiones, where we were going, we finally boarded the bus. When you think of a 20 hour bus ride, you probablly think of a hellish experience. However, the bus and the bus ride was anything from that. It felt as if we were in a first class cabin in an airplane, but on a bus. Our seats were amazing, very comfortable, and able to recline till about 180 degrees. In addition, we each received a pillow and a blanket, were able to watch two movies on the bus, and had a "bus" attendent serving us dinner with optional champagne, as well as breakfast. My friend with whom I was traveling watched the movies and had some champagne. However, after eating my dinner, I passed out completely and slept on and off for almost the whole bus ride! By the time I knew it, my friend was waking me up to get off the bus. I am really glad we took the bus, and have a story to tell because of it.

Arriving in Iguazu falls, we needed to make it to our hotel or in this case actually our hostel. Four of our other friends were planning on meeting us a few hours later that day. They had booked a later bus. When looking at accomadation we were all reluctant at first to book a hostel. None of us had stayed at a hostel before, or anything like it. We thought, "Why not just pay $20 to $40 more for one night and stay at a hotel?" However, we decided to pay the $13 and stay at a hostel. Going outside our comfort zone was a little nerve wracking; however, being able to do so, as well as find out that doing things differently you can have an even better experience, proved worthwhile.

Arriving at the hostel we had requested a room for the 6 of us only. The woman at the desk gave us our room key and we went to our room. Lo and behold, there were two semi-naked 25 or 30 year old guys in our room. They had made a mistake and given us the wrong room. However, while we were trying to sort out this mess, we made friends with the guys! They were from a northern province we had visited and VERY Argentinian. Later that night, we all hung out, as they played the guitar and sang Spanish love songs. Although our first encounter with them was very awkward, I am glad we met them, and were able to become friends with them. Thus, we truly could experience another part of Argentine culture. The hostel was very nice! We were really surprised. There was wi-fi and about 12 computers in the lobby, a travel "concierge," yummy food, very cheap happy hour, and ping pong, foosball, and pool tables. In addition, there were so many people are age there, which we met. We met a girl from Liver Pool in the UK, as well as two girls from Australia. Thus, that night the 6 of us, plus our three new friends went out to an amazing restaurant in town. Before the other 4 of our friends arrived, my friend and I went on our first adventure in Iguazu! We went zip lining, which was absolutely unbelievable, repelling, as well as on a nature walk. Our tour guide, as we have found most Argentine tour guides to be, was very friendly and very funny. In many parts of Argentina, individuals walk around with thermoses of hot water and special cups to constantly drink "mate," a type of bitter tea, which really grows on you. The greatest thing about mate is that it is a social experience. It is a communal drink that is often passed around in groups of people. We enjoyed the tea, as well as the bonding experience over the same cup.

The next day we went to the Iguazu falls. We left the hotel at about 9am and stayed till almost 5pm. It was raining and fairly cold, but the falls were absolutely breathtaking! The day before we had spoken to our "concierge" who recommended some excursions for us to do at the falls: a boat ride (more like a raft), a jungle jeep ride, and "La Gran Aventura" or the Great Adventure, which was a boat that took us beneath the waterfalls! We wanted to do the raft and jeep rides, but we were very skeptical of the boat ride beneath the waterfalls. Not only was it cold and rainy, we would become completely soaked going under the waterfalls. On the jeep ride, I almost made up my mind that I would not, under no circumstance, go on the boat ride. However, my friends reassured me, and I went. I am so glad that I went! While I thought this was going to be the worst part of the trip, it was actually the best part! Yes, I did get wet; however, it was worth it! On the boat we saw up close many huge waterfalls, the coast of Brazil, and going under the waterfall was so exhilarating. I am glad that I went outside my comfort zone, and did this experience to the fullest. The trip would not have been the same, if we had not gone on the Great Adventure!

When studying abroad, I recommend taking advantage of the city or town you live in. However, I also recommend visiting other locations, to get a better feel of the diverse culture and people in your country, and in your region!

I absolutely loved my time in Argentina! Two vocabulary words I learned were "che" and "linda". Che is the equivalent of "hey or man/woman" in Argentina. When addressing anyone or a pet you can say "Che, Roni (my cat's name)" or "Che, Stefi". In addition, linda means pretty or beautiful, but can also mean nice. In Argentina locals do not use the word bonita, which means pretty. In stead, they call everything linda, basically anything that has a positive connotation, such as a "linda" television, "linda" food, a "linda" person, or a "linda" house!

Hasta luego!

Cindy

Bienvenido a Argentina! Welcome to Argentina!

2010-07-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hi! My name is Cindy. I will be a Junior at Penn next year. This summer for 5 weeks I am studying in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am taking two courses at Torcuato di Tella University: Argentine History and Argentine Literature. I am also living with an Argentine family. So far, I absolutely love Buenos Aires!

My host family is great. I live with a mom, a daughter (Mariana) who is my age, and a cat named Roni. Apparently, inflation is high in Argentina. Thus, most families who host students usually are doing so to receive an additional source of income. However, they treat me as if I were part of their family, and I love that. In my home, we watch a lot of soap operas, as well as the futbol or soccer games.

(I wrote the following part when Argentina was still in the World Cup...)

I came to Argentina the perfect time because of the World Cup. Everyone here is a HUGE soccer fan! I watched the Mexico-Argentina game with my host family. We were cheering so loudly with our Argentina mini flags that our pet cat became scared and hid under the bed. After Argentina won the game, all of Buenos Aires and Argentina went absolutely crazy. People were in the streets shouting, waving flags, beeping their car horns, playing drums, and dressed in every type of soccer attire. After the game, I went to meet up with two students from Penn, who are also studying at the university with me. We walked many blocks and came to a huge crowd of people celebrating the win by the Obelisk of Buenos Aires (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelisk_of_Buenos_Aires).

There were easily over 1000 fans there screaming and jumping in celebration. My friends and I joined the crowd and even made it onto two Argentine TV stations! The location where we ended up looked like Time Square with a huge monument in the center, around which everyone congregated. The monument, the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, was built in 1936 to celebrate 400 years after the first founding of Buenos Aires. Apparently, after major sport games, Buenos Aires' citizens (or porteños) all celebrate here.

This weekend our group, about 20 students, the majority from Penn, will travel to the North of Argentina to a province called Salta. The next soccer match will be Saturday. I bought face paint on the street yesterday, as well as a flag of Argentina, which I will proudly display during Saturday's game. I am crossing my fingers for Argentina! I have never been such a soccer fan, but I am really enjoying it! It is definitely a huge part of Argentine culture and national pride!

Regarding classes, I have had three days of class. My classes are very interesting. One of my classes, the Argentine History class, is great because the professor wants us to learn not just the history of Argentina, but also the politics and present day economic issues. I am very excited to do so. My Argentine Literature class is a survey of the major 20th century writers of Argentina. So far we have read works by Girondo and Borges. The class is discussion based, which provides a great learning environment.

As for now, I am going to take a siesta, or a little nap. In 1.5 hours, about six friends and I will be taking our first Tango Class in Argentina! I am extremely excited to do so because I love dancing and trying new things. We even convinced three of the boys on our program to join in on the lesson. The price is $5 for a lesson because of the amazing conversion rate here! Therefore, if I enjoy it, I will likely be taking classes a few times a week. In addition, the dance studio offers salsa classes, which I hope to take.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summers! Each entry I will post a few facts or vocabulary words or phrases that I learn. For example, in Buenos Aires the people say buen día (good day) instead of buenos días. In addition, a bus is called a colectivo, and a croissant a medialuna. In addition, like many South American countries, the government maintains a news station. I am interested to watch the station and compare it to what the local, non-governmental stations say about politics and the present day situation in Argentina. Lastly, while it is summer in the United States, in Argentina it is winter! The temperature averages between 50 and 63 degrees, which really is not that cold. However, Buenos Aires citizens think it is freezing here. If only they witnessed Philadelphia winters!

Ciao.
Cindy

Back in EEUU

2009-12-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's weird to be back! I'm already missing the medialunas (little really good croissants) and the city of Buenos Aires in general.

Interesting Differences:

Time-they don't really do the whole "get it done now" thing. It is all flexible.
Here, it's food advertising, there it's lingerie
Sauce on foods here, salt or mayo only there
Prices on electronics: it's sooo expensive for bad quality there!
Not getting catcalled all the time here in the States (it's a great change)
I was a "Yankee" there, now I'm back to being American

Things I loved about BA

How awkward greetings are impossible cuz you kiss EVERYONE hello and goodbye
Cafes everywhere
The friendly people
Reggaeton music and boliches and being out until 8 am

But it's good to be home!

C'est la greve...et la vie francaise!

2009-12-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

I've only been in Lyon for 3 1/2 months and the British Airways holiday strike is my already my third transportation greve experience. Socialist Europe is a completely different world than the U.S.! The quality of life is better in so many ways (universal health care, delicious food, easy access to amazing travel destinations) but I'm excited to return to what I believe are non-union basic rights: coffee in at least 12 oz cups, printing at the university (studying for finals is a nightmare), bagels, and unlimited phone usage.

Bar these rights, I would gladly stay in Europe through the airline strike and for much longer. I love it and I've had quite some adventures while studying abroad: Oktoberfest, ice bars, London double decker buses, French Chinese food, Christmas markets, light festivals...

The host family experience was especially interesting. After a rough start, I switched families and now have this adorable one. It was great to be able to share a cultural experience with a true French family. For example, I cook them a "American" meal every week - burgers, Pod-style wasabi salmon, tacos - and they pair a wine from their cellar. But, living with a family definitely a change of the very free lifestyle we're used to Penn. It's like they're your parents...but not really. The other day Tristan (host brother, 16 years old) was caught smoking a cigarette in the yard. Marie (host mom) freaked out and I was the witness of the carnage. 11:30 at night and he's still out? Another freak out. I keep thinking to myself, I'm so glad that when I lost their keys or overcharged their bike share thing or have come back at 6:30 am that I've only been privy to a nice discussion over breakfast and coffee.

Overall, I say the Lyon program is an experience. Strikes, host families, French culture, the episodes here never cease to amuse and open your eyes to another world and "facon de vivre." So the union goes on with the strike? Good for them...they deserve a better pay anyways and I can stay in Europe. For a little longer, at least.

Done with classes!

2009-12-01T04:21:00.000-08:00

Whoop I am officially done with all of my work! I am free! So, to celebrate, I'm flying down to Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world) after visiting Calafate (with glaciers) and Rio Gallegos (just a pit stop). I just got back from Uruguay. It was great to lie on the beach after being in my room writing final papers and studying for finals for the last week and a half. According to the locals there is a hole in the ozone right above Argentina and Uruguay so the sun is stronger, so I'm going to use that as my excuse for burning a little bit!
On a side note, apparently study abroad is supposed to boost your GPA, but I'm not sure that's going to happen here. With the grade conversions of the program, you basically have to get a 10 to get an A in a class, and NO ONE gets 10s. So I'm not really sure how that works, but I've adopted the Latin way of thinking about it and am not super stressed. Or at least I won't be until I get back to the US and have to do OCR!
Its kind of funny how relaxed things are here. Arriving 20 minutes (even an hour) late to class is completely normal, and the kids are concerned more with passing than with getting high marks. Apparently its due to the fact that there isn't really a reward for hard work. All of the professions earn roughly the same amount of money and have the same degree of prestige now. According to my host mom, this all started with Menem in the 90s with his "pizza and champagne" campaign. Not sure I get how it started completely, but its an interesting difference.
In the program I am in you can enroll in classes at 4 different universities plus take classes at the program office. I ended up taking 2 classes at UBA, the giant public school, and 1 class at UCA the Catholic private school, in addition to the required "Spanish maitenance" class at the program office. My favorite was Argentine Political and Economic Geography, but Latinamerican Politics was pretty good, as was Communication, Mass Media, and Social Movement.
I can't believe that I'll be home in less than 2 weeks. I've really started to fall in love with Buenos Aires and it feels like home. Things I'll miss, besides my friends, are the sky (its soooo big here), the "beso" greeting and farewell, cafes, the blue flower trees, the ridiculously late nights, the relaxed attitude, being able to buy a 5 course meal for under 15 dollars, public transport (odd I know), palm trees, reggaeton, and choripan. I'm going to have some major culture shock when I get back!

Shalom From Herzliya!

2009-11-21T05:07:00.000-08:00

Contract Law – Assignment No

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the long delay in my posting. The blog website here is entirely in Hebrew and since I don’t read or write Hebrew, it has taken me a little time to figure out how to post.

I am all settled into my student apartment and have had five weeks of classes at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya Israel. My apartment is about a 20 minute walk from school and I am living with three American girls (two from Chicago and one from Florida) who are completing their entire undergraduate degrees at The IDC.

So far the way of doing things here differs a little from what I have been used to at Penn. I came to the school with no schedule and no list of the classes offered and was told not to worry about it and that “this was the Israeli way of doing things”. After I was finally told that I could take any class offered in the school, I then had to begin the search for classes that are offered in English, fulfill my Wharton requirements, and are not overlapping. After going through each course offered and consulting with older students I am enrolled in 6 classes (students here take a heavier course load than we are used to since the undergraduate programs are only three years). I am currently taking Organizational Behavior, International Financial Reporting, Contract Law, Theories on the Study of Terrorism and Guerilla Warfare, Israel’s Foreign Policy, and Personality. All my classes have been great, especially the government classes since I don’t have much time to take those types of classes back at Penn. It’s interesting to learn about a place while actually be there as is the case in Israel’s Foreign Policy.

In addition to the academic element everything about the school has been really good. The first week was orientation week for all the new students, so I got to learn about the school and meet a lot of new people. We also went on an overnight camping trip to the Negev Desert and the Dead Sea which was a lot of fun. Herzliya is a small city located on the water only 15 minutes outside of Tel Aviv so it is a great location to study in Israel. We can easily get to Tel Aviv which has all the conveniences of a major metropolitan city not to mention great nightlife on the weekends and during the week we can focus on our classes. The school’s student union also plans parties in and around Herzliya for the student body to attend which are fun and a great way to meet new people.

Today is Saturday which means that is Shabbat and so public transportation doesn’t run and everything is closed until sundown. Since I’ve been here I’ve learned that it is the perfect opportunity to get some homework done since there really is nothing else to do. It’s a different than what I’m used to (I have to stock up on groceries on Friday afternoon), but slowly I am getting used to it and beginning to like the quietness of Shabbat. If anyone has any questions at all about Israel or Studying abroad please do not hesitate to ask and I will try to answer your questions as best as I can!

Lyon, je t'aime!

2009-11-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

If Philadelphia is to New York, then Lyon is to Paris. More hometown, less cosmopolitan, less famous monuments, more hidden gems. It was made for discovering and savoring...one neighborhood, one adorable cafe, one vintage store at a time.

I hated it when I first got here. It was little things that made each day overwhelming and exhausting - not having a AC converter, not liking my host mother, not liking the initial intensive French classes, not understanding the public transportation system required to go to school, and I admit, not having my Blackberry.

But France does this thing to you where everything about the way of life in the U.S. or especially at Penn is completely changed. Classes? Two days a week. Emails? I check once every other day. Instead of the hectic, productive and amazing Penn lifestyle, here the cliches of a slower rhythm and learning about another culture hold true and make for another kind of amazing experience.

Our daily commitments consist only of two things: going to class and having dinner with our host families. The rest of the time is spent...discovering. As a group (of Penn kids in Lyon) it quickly became ritual to meet at a status of Louis XIV at Place Bellecour every night and go from there. Anywhere. We walked around, we had dinner, we went to parties with French boys who also happened to be at the statue...

Lyon, je t'aime. Beaucoup.

Ni hao from Hong Kong!

2009-10-28T01:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Wharton Women!

It's a little late for my first post, as I am now half way through my time in Hong Kong, but I figured I would start from the beginning (this is taken from bits from my personal blog).

I've been busy getting myself acquainted with Hong Kong and the University. HKUST is located in Kowloon, which is about 40 minutes away from the city of Hong Kong. Kowloon and Hong Kong are actually on separate islands. You can travel to Hong Kong Island by way of ferry or through the MTR -- the Mass Transit Railway -- which is one of the best subway systems in the world. And it definitely it is. It's ridiculously clean and very safe. Hong Kong, the city, in general, is extremely safe and has a very low crime rate. I've already gotten pretty accustom to the MTR and it's pretty easy to navigate in and out of Kowloon and HK. Here's a little video of the MTR for your amusement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrucnP1NPFc

Everyone gets by using an Octopus card which is pretty much all you need to survive in the city. You just scan it to pay for fare on any bus, van, subway, and most vendors, restaurants, vending machines, and photocopy/printing machines accept it as well. It's all you really need.

HKUST is breathtaking. The room reminds me of Hill but we have AC and that's all that really matters. It's EXTREMELY hot and humid here, for now. Temps in the high 90s. I got to my room late on Thursday night and couldn't see anything around but woke up around 5AM from jetlag and opened the blinds and was AMAZED by the view. We can see the school's turf/track right in front of us, the Olympic sized pool, and best of all the water and mountains are gorgeous. The campus is built on a hill, so everything is really steep and you take an elevator to get from one area of campus to another. Hall IV is at the bottom of the hill and we take 3 long elevator rides to get up to the academic area of campus. The campus is really open and kinda has a resort-like feel. When you walk on the bridges that connect all the elevators you actually feel like you're walking on air because all you see are the mountains and water around you and because of the hill, it feels like there's nothing past the building. I honestly can't believe the scenery around me. So while being outside the city is a pain, the breathtaking view is well worth it.

We took the MTR to Central (Hong Kong) the other day and explored around the city. We went to the financial district and went into the huge HSBC building, and saw the skyscraper that's in Dark Knight, which looks sweet.

Besides all that, the Cantonese people here are sooo nice. Honestly, everyone here is soo friendly and says hello and everyone is really helpful. It's not like a lot of countries we've been to. Everyone says hi in the hallways. More than once I've asked the stupidest questions about where to find things and what to order and how to order and people just go ahead and do it for you. Our host buddies are really nice too.

There's 186 exchange students in the business school and 50-60 Engineering. About half are from the U.S. but a HUGE amount of kids are from Europe--particularly areas like Germany, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.

-----

Since this was written nearly 2 months ago, things have changed quite a lot. I've grown to love Hong Kong and Kowloon and am not at all eager to leave. I have been doing a lot of traveling: Philippines, Vietnam, China, Macau, Thailand, with more trips on the way.

If you're reading this and thinking of going abroad to Hong Kong (or anywhere in Asia!) I'd be happy to answer any questions =)

Richa

Mendoza and Colon

2009-10-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

So I finally got the chance to get out of the city a little bit during the last month and we ended up going to Colon and Mendoza.
Colon is a little town about 5 hours away by bus that is famous for its thermal springs. Funnily enough, that ended up being the least cool part of Colon. They were these outdoor pools with white stuff floating in them...sketchy! But our skin did feel great afterwards, so maybe I could go back to some "termas" in the future.
Our other adventures in Colon included going to a Palm tree park and going horseback riding through the palms, going to the most luxurious private residence in the country where Urquiza was assasinated and you can still see the bullet holes, and hitting "Dia del Estudiante/Dia de la Primavera" festival with a bunch of high school kids who were burning an effigy and then having a giant outdoor concert. Kind of nuts.
Mendoza was two weeks after, and is a 14 hour bus ride. So we left Thursday night after I got my Visa (yay I'm almost a resident!) and had my last class. The buses here are great! You can get "cama" or "semi-cama" which dictates the reclining-ness of your seat and the size, as well as whether you get a blanket and pillow. But there are movies (although sometimes the "movie" is a reggaeton/rap megamix music video that we couldn't believe they were showing in public) and the 3 course meals with wine, champagne, and coffee.
Mendoza is wine country, so we decided to bike through the vineyards, do a tasting, hit a house party, go on a midnight wine trek that included the best food and wine I've had in a while, and then horseback riding. Malbec (a kind of red) ended up being our favorite. You can get a great bottle here for under $10. As in 25 pesos. The horseback riding in Mendoza was tons of fun because we got to ford rivers and trot/gallop a bit. My horse actually listened to me, so that was great! The mountains were beautiful, and we took tons of pictures.
Some of the girls are heading to Salta/Jujuy for the salt desert and other attractions this week, but my parents are coming tomorrow and I have 2 midterms (my first grades-aah!) so I'm staying in BA.
The weather is finally starting to get warm here, but portenos (people from BA) have such disparate concepts of the temperature that we went to the Ecological Reserve the other day and saw people in bikinis etc on one size and winter coats and scarves on the other.
In short, BA is a little crazy.

Bonjour les filles de Wharton Women!

2009-10-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Before we started our semester abroad at HEC Paris, France (not really in Paris, but we'll get into that later) we decided to go on a little excursion.

After meeting up in Milan, we flew to Fes, Morocco which is the spiritual center of this North African coutry. We ended up staying with a wonderful host family where we were able to practice our French and eat traditional Moroccan food.

The first day we visited the Old Medina, the only living UNESCO site in the world. The medina is a massive market dating back over 2000 years where you can find anything from pottery to spices, leather goods and even freshly caught fish.

The second day we visited the new city and the palace of the King. Unfortunately since it was Ramadan, all the cafes were closed. Only after 9pm was the city bustling with activity. Our first picture is of Smitha at a cafe where we drank traditional mint tea. The second is us in the medina.

We continued our journey to Tangier where we visited the Northern most tip of Africa at Cape Spartel (see Ariana's picture in front of the lighthouse). It is a beautiful place on the Mediterranean, only a ferry ride away from Spain.

After our four day adventure in Africa, we finally arrived at HEC Paris. HEC is actually in Jouy-en-Josas, a town near Versailles. We were surprised by our dorm rooms, which are spacious and even have a small balcony. However, without a fridge or microwave in our rooms, we've learned the ways of the restaurant, or sit down cafeteria, on HEC's campus.

The first week there was "Welcome Week" for all the international students. With events every night, the Europeans love to party. We had dinners, outings, trips to Paris and other social events to make everyone more at ease while classes were starting.

Unfortunately, classes did begin on September 21st. Here's what we're taking:

Strategie (like mgmt101)
Gestion Juridique de l'Entreprise (Corporate Law)

Marketing International

Wine Marketing

Weekend Seminar in Teamwork

Doing Business in Europe Today

Regulating Risk in Europe

Emerging Countries and Capital Markets

French Grammar/French Oral Expression

French Language Class

The hard thing is that most of the courses are taught in English. However the Wharton exchange requires us to take 4/5 cus in French. Overall, classes have gotten better and we're getting used to taking our business classes in French, but it's still hard to figure out what's going on if you zone out.

Currently, we're sitting in our Bed and Breakfast in Sevilla, Spain. After a presentation last week for Strategie, we thought it would be nice to get away, relax and explore.

Hope everyone's semester is going well and feel free to contact us with questions about HEC, traveling in Europe or Penn!

Ariana and Smitha

aireland@wharton.upenn.edu

smithas@wharton.upenn.edu

WW Around the World - Melbourne, Australia

2009-10-01T01:52:00.000-07:00

G'day Wharton Women!

My name is Debora Olsson and I'm a junior spending the fall semester at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia.

The semester at UniMelb actually started in July since that's when Australians get off their winter vacation. We've had 8 weeks of lectures and at this very moment, I am on a two-week spring break - yes, my second one this year!

For our spring break, my exchange friends and I decided to go to Thailand for 10 days and Byron Bay, a beach town in New South Wales, Australia, for 5 days. In Thailand, we went to Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi (the most beautiful place I've ever been) and Koh Samui. The food, beaches, culture, people and shopping were just incredible - the sex industry was the only disturbing part of our Thailand experience. At Byron Bay we have been surfing and tanning - we've been badly burnt even though we use 30+ SPF, I guess it's true what they say about Australia having holes in the ozone layer.

University has been going great.

All Around Europe

2009-09-30T14:36:00.001-07:00

Hello Wharton Women,

My name is Chloe Caan and I am a junior who will be participating in a Wharton exchange program at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. Although my study abroad program has not yet started (University in Israel doesn’t start until after the Jewish holidays), my travels and adventures abroad have already begun. I left the United States in early September and travelled to Madrid, Barcelona and Paris with a friend whose abroad program also started late. Since it was our first time to these cities, we tried to see and do as much as humanly possible (tons of museums, churches, monuments, eating, and of course shopping). We also got to see friends from school and home who were studying abroad in Europe. Before this trip I hadn’t done much traveling (aside from family vacations), so the whole experience has really started to broaden my perspective…there is a whole world outside of Wharton.

I am currently writing this blog entry from my cousin’s house in the south of France where I have been staying for a few days before I fly to Israel. My mom came to meet me here, and we have been exploring the Cote d’Azur and enjoying the warm weather. We have visited the small towns and villages along the coast line in addition to seeing the famous landmarks and attractions. The south of France has wonderful local food markets so we have been eating delicious fresh fruits and vegetables and of course lots of cheese and freshly baked bread.

Everywhere I have been so far has been absolutely gorgeous…it’s hard to imagine going back to school and actually doing work! I will write again once i get to Israel and start my classes. Hope everyone is having a good semester at Penn!

2 Months in BA

2009-09-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe I'll have been in Argentina for 8 weeks tomorrow. The time has been flying! Buenos Aires is enormous, and one of the best things about it is that there is always something new to do. The only annoying thing is that it can take FOREVER to get there, depending upon whether you take the Subte, the bus, or a cab.
On the transportation note, everyone has to use monedas, or coins, to ride the bus. The problem with this, besides that fact that I find carrying change annoying, is that there is a moneda crisis, and everyone is hoarding the monedas! Businesses will literally not give you back change to keep monedas, and I'm always asked, "Do you have 20 cents?" and have to lie and say no because I need my monedas! I have found that the Subte and Asian grocery stores are really good places to get them, but it seems ridiculous. You'd think the government would change the system.
One thing that surprised me was that although BA is huge, there aren't that many skyscrapers. The buildings are about the same height, except for in the Microcenter, or financial district, and go on for miles. Apparently this is because there used to be a law that no building could be taller than this oblelisk monument in the city center, so all the buildings are just a little bit shorter than that.
About the food: I think every restaurant here has the same menu. There is the cafeteria stuff (aka coffee, hot chocolate, tea, croissants), sandwiches, pasta, pizza, bife (steak), and salads (which consist of lettuce, tomato, egg, and shredded carrot in there most complex form). It is so weird! We went to an Armenian place with belly dancing last night, and in addition to the Middle Eastern cuisine was the stereotypical cafeteria, pasta, sandwich etc. menu! The meat is great here (its what Argentina is famous for) and hopefully I'll be going to an "asado" or Argentine barbeque later today to celebrate a Brazilian friend's birthday.
I'll keep you updated!

First Day in France

2009-09-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

I had some time on my hands so I thought I'd reach out to my fellow Wharton Women. (Welcome freshman!)

I think my blogs will be much more exciting as time goes on and I travel, but for now here's my story.

I flew out of Philadelphia last night after an amazing two weeks at Penn during NSO. Got to London (my connection) and almost missed my flight. So long story short, my luggage is floating around somewhere in Paris and I hope to get it back by 11pm tonight.

Erica can probably relate, but I didn't realize the campus was that... far in solitude. Don't get me wrong, the campus is spacious and I have a decent sized room, but I think I was expecting something more like the campus I was on last summer. Last summer I did the Penn-in-Compiegne program, which I recommend to all those ladies out there who want to study abroad in France for the summer. It was a lot of fun, and now that I look back I'm glad I hung around Compiegne. I know I'm definitely going to travel every weekend. There just doesn't seem like a lot to do.

2009-08-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

Awesome Things About Shanghai:

1. Glittery things. Walk through any cheap market and you'll see stands

Not So Awesome Things About Shanghai:

1. Internet filtering.

What a Rip-off

2009-07-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Stuff I Miss: Baking, cold weather, American retail shopping.

To clarify, there are actually a lot of familiar brands around here. I just haven't been able to bring myself buy much of it since a discovery at the Club Monaco in Taipei 101. There's a cute pair of sailor shorts there retailing for over $3000 NT, something around $100 USD. I saw that exact pair in the Philly store in May, specially priced at $29. That's a 200% mark-up!!!

I blamed import taxes (and distribution costs), but now I'm not so sure.

Taiwan has been a huge manufacturer and exporter of netbooks since Asus rolled out the Eee PC a few years ago. Taipei is also the annual host of Computex, a ginormous electronics exhibition, where I must have seen over a hundred models of netbooks. Despite this, even among the Taiwanese brands, it's still much cheaper to buy netbooks in the U.S. than it is here. It's easy to get big rebates at Staples and Office Depot in addition to instant discounts, while electronics sell mostly at retail price over here. And keep in mind those lower prices are despite import taxes and distribution costs that I'm assuming are comparable to those incurred shipping goods the other direction. It's also despite much higher discretionary income in the U.S.

So as both importers and exporters, the Taiwanese pay more. The only way I can explain this is the size of the two markets. A bigger market -> more competitors -> lower prices. That's not news-worthy, but it is interesting that market size seems to play a much bigger role than cost when it comes to pricing.

Work Culture in Taipei

2009-07-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I'm writing from Taipei where I'm working at a bank for the summer. I've been in the area for almost two months now trying to get a grasp on what a career in Asia might feel like. Even though the company is headquartered in London and a has a large international presence, the office feels incredibly homey and local. Everything in Chinese/Taiwanese culture seems entered around the family, and the workplace is no exception.

Employees in the same division literally refer to each as family members, calling one person a big brother or in my case, a little sister.

There are quite a few who don socks and slippers around the office, often while still wearing a power suit. A small thing, but it really adds to a less aggressive work environment (for better or for worse).

The company structure is standard enough, but it seems like the signs of hierarchy are much subtler. Managers and Directors and VPs, as far as I've seen, might have a little more desk space but sit in the same open area as all those who report to them. No private offices! On my first day I thought the tiny cubicle walls (little desk dividers, really) and open space looked incredibly impersonal, but now I'm pretty sure that these touches were not accidental; they encourage interaction and more of that familial feeling.

Though some of my tasks haven't been the most pleasant, I've never been disgruntled which I attribute to a great company culture. A firm with a really incredible culture, then, could make its employees do all sorts of menial things. Or inspire them to challenge themselves in all sorts of ways. It's a great alternative to simply higher salaries and inspires much more loyalty.

Alice

UPDATE: oh fudge there was just an earthquake!!!! nothing serious but I'm literally clinging to my sheets.

Leaving Madrid

2009-07-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! The past six weeks have passed by so quickly, and before I even knew it, I'm getting ready to leave Madrid. Surprisingly, I feel quite ready to go back home to America - maybe because it was the 4th this past weekend.

This weekend, I spent some time exploring the city -- which, despite what you might think, was not a frequent past-time of mine while I was here, because my program involved lots of weekend trips to Segovia, Seville, and Toledo (and I went to Barcelona for 4 days during Corpus Christi as well). In Madrid, I explored Gran Vía and the Plaza Mayor, did a little shopping (didn't buy anything... I'm not much for shopping), and ate excellent food. Spanish restaurants always have menús del día or similar specials; for example, Saturday night, I had an appetizer of sauteéd squid in onion sauce, main course of grilled bacalao (I think that's cod?), and dessert of blueberry cheesecake, all for 15€! That's one thing I will miss about Spain: all the fresh foods!

I have definitely learned a lot from my trip to Madrid, from working at the nonprofit to sightseeing around Spain. My Spanish has certainly improved immeasurably. For everyone considering studying abroad in Spain, I would definitely recommend it. It had its ups and downs, but that's the way it ought to be with every new experience. I hope everyone's summers have been going equally as well! See you all back at school soon enough...

WW Around The World -- Hong Kong, China

2009-06-12T20:13:00.001-07:00

Hello all! I'm actually not officially studying abroad, but I went on a Wharton International Program (WIP) to Hong Kong for ten days, and just got back recently. The trip was focused on retail/supply chain management, and it was amazing!

The most exciting part of the trip was running into Marc Jacobs himself at Joyce Boutique in HK! Of course we took a picture, much to the dismay of the manager, but you only get one chance so you might as well take it.

The most eye-opening experience was visiting a factory in Dongguan, China and seeing workers make Payless shoes from scratch. Call me ignorant, but I was always under the impression that machines make everything. But in reality, they only cut and assemble the parts. In the factory we visited, there were thousands of workers putting together shoes and working in an assembly line; it made me truly appreciate everything that I own. They're not just shoes, but like fifty different parts that multiple people put together in one sitting. It's definitely a site visit that I will never forget.

Hope everyone is having an amazing summer!

-Sally

WW Around the World - Madrid, Spain

2009-06-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I'm Barbara, a rising sophomore (does that mean I'll be a sophomore in the fall? I don't know, my English skills have been dropping remarkably rapidly after two weeks -- the other day I said 'the grand majority' instead of the 'the great majority' because the phrase, in Spansh, is 'la gran mayoría') in Wharton! I'm in Madrid for 7 weeks this summer, and thus far, I have really enjoyed it.

I studied Spanish for 7 years before coming here, and this past year, took Business Spanish at Penn to meet my requisite 5 semesters of college Spanish ("or equivalent") in order to be accepted to my program. The program that I'm in is run through Boston University. It involves an internship component in the morning and a class in the afternoon.

The organization that I work for is called Mundo Cooperante, a non-profit that helps women and children in impoverished countries in various aspects of their lives. It has a number of projects in different countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. I really enjoy my work thus far, and the office really tries to incorporate me as one of the staff (it isn't hard, there's only 6 employees!). Plus, it's always great to know that in some small way, when I leave every day, I've done something to help their cause.

The class I'm taking is called Contemporary Spain and covers the historical, political, and social elements of Spain in the last century. It's pretty interesting, but no word if I'll get credit for it at Penn yet... :-)

This weekend, my program and I traveled to Sevilla. A couple friends and I went to a flamenco show, which was amazing. I also had some gazpacho, an Andulucian specialty.

Life in Madrid has also been exciting. I live in a penthouse apartment with my señora, her husband, and for another couple of weeks, two girls from Appalachian State who are also here on a summer study abroad. The food is always great at my house -- I'm always disappointed when I have to bag a lunch instead of eat it at home because I'm usually missing something tasty (also notable: lunch is the most important meal of the day in Spain).

Speaking of lunch, I better get back home soon. I don't have wireless in my homestay so I'm in an internet café. This afternoon, I'm going to the Prado -- something I definitely couldn't say if I was spending my summer back home in Arizona!! I'll write more about my life... sometime later. I also need to take a picture of me in a cool place in my WW hat. Cool places in Madrid aren't hard to come by so expect that sometime soon too. Hope you all are having excellent summers wherever you are!

WW Around the World - Leuven, Belgium

2008-12-26T05:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! I can't believe the semester is over already-- it flew by. I got back to the US just a few days ago. Can't say I am a victim of reverse culture shock (yet) because it feels so good to be home. There are little things that I have returned to with a newfound appreciation, like using wireless internet and driving my car. And I now realize how much I missed my mom's cooking during the semester.

Sadly, I didn't get a chance to post here as often as I would have liked because I was lucky enough to be traveling about four out seven days a week. It really was one of my best decisions of college to study abroad. I got to visit nine countries (thirteen cities) this semester, and I can't even say that I have a favorite because every place had its own unique culture.

Just a few things I was able to do in four months:

- drink champagne atop the Eiffel Tower overlooking Paris
- ride a gondola in Venice
- stand in the presence of Picasso's "Guernica" mural in Madrid
- harass a Buckingham palace guard in London
- complete the Classic Athens Marathon in Athens
- go spelunking in Budapest's cave system

Even just staying at home in our tiny town of Leuven, I had fun meeting people in our program whom I would have never met otherwise from Penn or from other schools around the country. It was a student-centered town with charming cobblestone streets and I will miss it.

Like I said earlier, I would be more than happy to talk about the Leuven program with any potential participants. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I would love to try to convince you to do it. =]

Connie

WW Around the World - Hong Kong, China

2008-12-11T04:41:00.000-08:00

So now the semester is finally coming to a close and it is now finals week. The past four months in Hong Kong were unreal. It was so nice to be able to experience a new culture and meet some amazing people at the same time.

The past couple of months, I spent a lot more time taking in the Hong Kong life. Since I will be traveling to Thailand and China after the semester ends, I wanted to be sure I had time to get a true taste of Hong Kong. One thing I really enjoy about Hong Kong is that it is such a multicultural city. One glance around you and you will see Chinese, European, and even Americans wandering the streets. And while it was nice to have some authentic Chinese food, I am thankful for the Outbeak Steak Houses and Pizza Huts scattered around the city.

I am so happy to have spent a semester abroad. It was a great experience to be able to live in a foreign country and experience so many new things. This semester abroad taught me things I could never have learned at a semester at Penn.

I would highly recommend Hong Kong for those looking to study abroad!!

Michelle

WW Around the World - Madrid, Spain

2008-12-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope finals went well or are going well! It seems like the semester flew by for all of us. I've had such an unbelievable time in these past 3 months and I have such mixed feelings about going back. We're just in the midst of our finals season, which means a lot of papers, presentations, and exams but before I get back to writing my literature paper I just wanted to catch you all up on my abroad experience.

I have been living in Madrid since the 3rd week of September. I live with the most unbelievable house mom who has honestly made my live in experience perfect. She is an unbelievable cook and has an amazing sense of humor. She has very liberal opinions about just about everything. My friends that have met her absolutely adore her. Not only has she helped me learn Spanish, but also taught me a lot about Spanish history, culture, and society.

Though we don't live in the center of the city with a lively night life around us, we have great shopping areas and metro/bus stops that can bring us to just about anywhere in the city. My travel to school is about 30 minutes with walking and metro, which is totally not bad, unless you compare it to rolling out of bed and walking 4 minutes to class at Penn.

I haven't gone to too many restaurants in Madrid, just because meals are included in our homestay, my schedule isn't entirely conducive for it during school days, and on the weekends I end up traveling a lot. However, I have found that Madrid has barrios that reflect neighborhoods in New York (my hometown). There are endless local restaurants serving bocadillos and typical Spanish food, but Madrid's trendy and ethnic eating is definitely up and coming! I have been able to eat decent sushi, great pad thai, and amazing kebab.

Finding places to go out in Madrid on most days of the week, but especially on Wednesday through Sunday morning is not at all difficult. In addition to the big 3- Kapital (read: 7 floor discoteca with different music on each floor), Pacha (in Chueca, a young and trendy barrio), and Joy (in Sol, the center of the city)- there are a lot of discotecas with different themes and crowds. However, going to these discotecas is definitely not the only thing you can do on the weekends, in fact it's not that traditional to go everyday of the weekend either. We have found a ton of local bars and lounges, especially around those areas I mentioned. We have been able to find some places that have made our nights really fun :)

Like I said, I'm usually out of the city on the weekends. This semester I have been to a lot of cities in Spain (Barcelona, Sevilla, Grenada, Cordoba, Salamanca, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Bilbao... the list goes on...). There is so much to see in Spain and I feel that I have really gotten to know the country and its history a TON this semester, which I am really grateful for. I would have to choose between Barcelona and San Sebastian for my favorite Spanish city (other than Madrid, obviously). I can't even make recommendations for people that come to Spain though, because I would honestly say you would have to see all of them. They each had remarkable features that made them distinct from the others.

In addition to my traveling in Spain, I visited Paris, Amsterdam, and Lisbon. I had an AMAZINGGGGGGGG time in all of these cities. They are all filled with culture unlike anything we can identify with back in the states. It was especially nice to see something different from the traditional churches/monastery scene in Spain. Not a ton of international traveling, but I would recommend you do that before arriving in Madrid or after. As for me, I will make coming back to Europe a priority. Specifically, I want to visit UK, Ireland, Italy, and Germany.

So, in the midst of all of this traveling and fun in Madrid, I actually have school! Each class has 4 hours of class a week and I am in 5 classes, so 20 hours a week, but only Monday through Thursday. Our classes are conducted in Spanish and all our work is obviously done in Spanish. Our school really reminds me of high school in the states. Our university has a couple of buildings, but almost all the professor’s offices, administrators, auditoriums, and classrooms are in the main building we are in. We stay with the same kids throughout the day and the teachers are the ones that come to our classroom. Our semester has been relatively short, but the work has definitely not been consistent. In most of our classes, the work piled on for the end and now all of us are working on our final papers, presentations, and studying for exams. I had four presentations in the past two days and handed in three papers. Next week, I have two more papers (6 pages max. each) for history and economics, as well as three exams, two of which are traditional writing/case style for language and management and a group oral exam for economics.

Well I hope you enjoyed reading this summary of my abroad experience. If you are considering going to Madrid next semester, feel free to email me (cuesta@wharton.upenn.edu) with any questions or concerns you have! Enjoy the rest of your semester and I look forward to seeing you next semester!

WW Around the World - Leuven, Belgium

2008-12-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

Can't believe I only have a few weeks left in Belgium! The semester passed by so quickly! Though I don't have much time to reflect in the middle of finals week, I know that this was probably my favorite semester of college so far. Over a span of about four months, I traveled to 9 countries in Europe! We were going somewhere new almost every weekend! My favorite trip by far was Paris. The city is absolutely beautiful. My 2nd favorite spot in Europe is definitely Santorini, Greece. The beaches, coastline, people, etc were gorgeous!

Not to say that Belgium hasn't been exciting! I've loved living in my co-ed house of 27 university students. So many different backgrounds and interests are represented. We've grown really close as a unit and I've learned a lot from them.

Deciding to study abroad and absorb the European culture was a great decision but 4 months away from home has been more than enough. I'm definitely excited to go back home to Indiana and then back to Penn to see all my friends.

WW Around the World - Coventry, England

2008-12-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

My time abroad at the University of Warwick has finally come to a close. I can't believe it went by so fast! I finished classes last Friday but since my family always goes to Ireland for Christmas, I'm just finishing work and travelling before I head to Ireland on December 20th till January 2nd. This week, I am in Edinburgh, Scotland, visiting my older sister who is doing her Masters at the University of Edinburgh. Next week, I am going to London and Prague as well as trying to finish up 4 papers so I can rest and relax for the rest of break. Let me quickly tell you about the rest of my semester since I last blogged back in September. Below is a picture of the town where the University of Warwick is located:

I had about 10 hours of class a week. I had a 2-hour lecture and a 1-hour seminar for 2 of my classes: Finance in New Ventures and Managing Organizations. Then, I had a 2-hour lecture for Equality and Diversity and a 3-hour lecture for Corporate Strategy. (Seminars are like recitations. They are smaller than lectures and are usually with a graduate student). All my grades are based on one assessment for each class. Most are 2000 word essays, except for Finance in New Ventures where I had a 2-hour essay exam last week. I submit my papers electronically on a website, similar to webcafe. They are all due within the first two weeks of January. It gives me a lot of time, but I want to get them done earlier so that I can relax and spend the rest of break with my family. Also, I had to get a lot of my research done while I was still at Warwick since I would have limited access to libraries afterwards.

Each week, I had generally had one assigned reading for each class and occasionally a question to prepare for the seminar. Unlike at Penn, there were no textbooks that the class directly followed so my readings would come from electronic journals or random books in the library. In addition to the one main assigned reading, there were also lists for suggested further reading. It was up to you as the individual student whether you would take the time to read the further reading. As I said back in September, university in England is based on "Self-directed" study. The professors give you the basics and it is your responsibility to do outside research if you want to learn more. For the most part, during the semester, I did not read much on the further reading list. Now, as I am working on my essays, I'm reading more so I have more knowledge for my essays.

My favorite class was Corporate Strategy. For each class, we would be assigned a case to read and prepare. We were split into teams and each week, a couple of teams would give a presentation on the case. Also, during the lecture, after team presentations, we would watch a video on a company going through strategic problems and our professor would teach us frameworks to analyze strategy. For my final paper, the assignment is to pick a company that has a strategic problem and analyze it. This class was so valuable, especially if you're interested in consulting.

In addition to classes, I joined the Warwick Business School Society, Warwick Banking and Finance, and Warwick Strategy and Consulting. The Warwick Business School Society had socials at bars in the nearby town where we had a chance to mingle with other members and have subsidized drinks! All three clubs gave me the chance to meet local students and attend professional and networking events.

As Erica described in France, the internship craze is just as intense in England as well. Multiple companies would visit campus each week and give information sessions. Also, companies offered workshops and seminars to help career preparation. For example, one week, I participated in a trading game held by Deutsche Bank in which we were split into teams and simulated a trading floor. Another week, I attended an interview workshop with Merrill Lynch. On Friday, I am going to the Women's Open Day at the Morgan Stanley office in London for a day of panels and networking. University degrees here are generally for 3 years, instead of 4 in the U.S. so most students do their summer internships or "placements" as they call it, after their second year. Surprisingly, accounting seems to be much more popular then finance!

In regards to travelling, I went to London multiple times, Oxford, and Rome, Italy. When I was in London, I did some sightseeing, shopping, and met up with some of the other Penn students studying abroad the University College London (UCL). They seemed to be having a great time, but had lots of essays to write. Another weekend, I took the train to Oxford. It's such a cute city! The university dates back to the medieval times!! I also saw Christ Church, where Harry Potter was filmed and where Alice in Wonderland was written. Below is a picture of me and some girls with the guards of Buckingham Palace in London.

During Halloween weekend, I went to Rome, Italy. It was one of my favorite cities in the world. There was just so much to see! I was there for 3 days and just about saw everything. I went to the Colliseum, the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and of course ate so much pizza, pasta, and gelato. I don't understand how the Italian women stay so skinny with such good food. I bet it's because Italians walk everywhere! Rome was a great example of all the history there is to learn about in Europe! Below is a picture of me at the Colliseum. Now that I am in Edinburgh, I have been seeing the sights here too and spending too much time at their Christmas Market. I just can't resist the chocolate crepes and mulled wine!

For Thanksgiving at Warwick, we had quite an international meal! I lived with one other American and there was another American across the hall from us so the three of us cooked a big turkey dinner which we shared with our flatmates. There were people from Holland, Germany, Mexico, and England at our meal and we all discussed different traditions in our country, especially during the holiday time. Not only did I have the chance to experience English culture while abroad, but I met so many international students that I was able to learn about other cultures as well!

Unfortunately, as I'm abroad, the UK economy has been on the decline. Luckily for me, it has led to an increase in the value of the dollar relative to the pound. When I arrived back in September, 1 pound was almost equal to $2! Now, 1 pound is only about $1.50! It's still not cheap but it's definitely much better than what it was!

I can't believe this semester has gone by so quickly. I had an amazing experience and feel so lucky to have been given this opportunity. I learned so much about the world around me as well as have met amazing, interesting people from all around the globe. I also have learned more about myself and have become much more independent. If anyone is considering going abroad in England in the future, feel free to email kellynm@wharton.upenn.edu and I can answer any of your questions.

Enjoy the rest of your time abroad girls and good luck with all your work! See you back at Penn!

Natalie

WW Around the World - Paris, France

2008-11-20T06:12:00.000-08:00

My last post was about a month ago when I just began classes and I have many experiences to share.

The rest of October I spent settling into my classes. Although the topics are similar, like Strategic Marketing and Strategy (one facet of Management), the course structure is very different. There is hardly any text book reading; we analyze a case each class from which the professor draws the theory. I also have teams for every class, so there is less individual work. Grading is much more unstructured too - I don't even know how I'm doing in my classes! That being said, I think Wharton's course-load is much heavier compared to that of HEC. It's definitely a nice break!

Though the classes may be easier, the internship craze is just as intense. There have been job forums on campus, recently a finance forum and a consulting forum (just yesterday). All the students were extremely well-dressed and prepared. I didn't attend either (I am not interested in careers in finance and I was sick yesterday for consulting) and I'm dissapointed that there won't be a marketing forum before I leave (I'm concentrating in marketing).

As for my travels, I've visited Barcelona, Amsterdam, and London so far!

La Sagrada Famiglia by Gaudi, Barcelona

Anne Frank House (her orginial diary was there!), Amsterdam

Trafalgar Square (I had just visited the National Gallery Museum), London

Within the next few months, I plan to travel to Nantes (Western France), Rome, and then skiing in the French alps for winter break.

As Amanda mentioned in her last post, the most incredible aspect of studying abroad is the ability to meet students from all over the world. I have never met so many cultured, well-traveled, multi-lingual people in my entire life! It is truly rewarding to know that when I visit Europe in the future, I will know someone and have a place to say in every country I decide to visit!

Class ends around December 20th - what a short semester! I have to say, I am excited to return to Philadelphia. I am a lot less involved on campus here than at home (obviously, because I'm not here for very long). It has been such a pleasure staying involved in Wharton Women through organizing this blog and I sincerely hope you have enjoyed reading about the fantastic experiences of your peers!

Best,
Erica

WW Around The World - Sydney, Australia

2008-11-13T01:38:00.000-08:00

Amanda has been traveling and sent an email update to me through her phone to share with Wharton Women! :

"Wow, time has surely flown by! I feel as if it were just yesterday that I wrote my first post about how excited I was to begin my adventures here in Australia. Now, three months later, I am packing my bags and getting ready to depart this weekend.

"Being abroad has been one of the most life changing and eye opening experiences I have ever had. Not only has studying abroad introduced me to many new cultures, but also has helped to mature me as an individual.

"As I conclude my time here I look back at some of the most incredible experiences I have had. I fully explored the city of Sydney and was even able to venture throughout many other parts of Australia. To name a few, I scuba-dived in the Great Barrier Reef, visited the racing grounds in Melbourne and surfed in Byron Bay. I was also privileged to take a 10-day spring break trip to the south island of New Zealand in which the scenery was absolutely breath-taking! In Queenstown, New Zealand (and yes I still can not believe it) I bungee jumped from the 3rd highest platform in the world. It was absolutely incredible. I also got to whitewater raft down level six rapids, take a helicopter ride over the mountains and climb a glacier. I will now end my time abroad with a five-week long trip throughout Southeast Asia that begins this Saturday. I will spend time in Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and then travel to Beijing and Shanghai before making my way back to the states. I can only imagine what types of adventures this trip will bring and I can’t wait to share stories with all of you when I return!

"Although all of the traveling has been astounding, what really made my abroad experience so incredible were the people I met. I had the opportunity to meet many other students studying abroad from all over the world as well as many native Australians. These relationships allowed me to learn many new things about myself and will definitely be what I remember first when looking back upon my time here.

"Academically, I was fortunate enough to be enrolled in courses without any final exams and have therefore been done with school since October! Nevertheless, the courses I took here were eye-opening and rewarding. I was able to use my interest in business to enroll in courses that combined Australian sport and business as well as Australian law and business. Since the classroom is much more laid back then we are used to at Penn, I found it quite easy to establish very strong relationships with my professors. Many will even e-mail you and ask you to go out for a drink!

"Overall, I can honestly say that the past four months have been some of the best in my entire life. I will forever remember my experiences here and will be happy to share more stories with you all in detail next semester. If anyone is looking to study abroad in Australia please do not hesitate to contact me!

"I wish you all the best of luck finishing up the rest of your semester and I will be sure to share stories of my travels in Southeast Asia when I see you all in January.

Kind Regards,

Amanda Bensol"

WW Around the World - Hong Kong, China

2008-11-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hello from Hong Kong! I am currently studying at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology which a school mainly for business and engineering students. The campus here is amazing. It is situated on a hill on the coast of Clear Water Bay. It has some of the best views of any campus I have ever been to as we are surrounded by mountainous islands and the ocean.

I have been taking classes for a couple of months already and the schedule is very similar to that at Penn. All the classes I am taking here are taught in English, though all my professors first language is not English. It sometimes becomes a challenge when you have to try to decipher what the professor is asking on a test!

Although Hong Kong was previously a British colony, the extent of the locals’ English vocabulary is very limited. Cantonese is the predominant language here (though it is extremely hard to pick up!). However, it is very easy to get around here because of the efficient MTR or Mass Transit Railway system and the English signs everywhere.

Hong Kong is a very multicultural city dominated by shopping malls and restaurants. Basically no matter where you get off the railway system, you are bound to end up at huge mall that is packed with people. The one downside to our campus is that is takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the main malls or hangout places. Therefore, the most part, the weekends are confined to campus or the mall that is about 10 minutes away by bus from campus.

So far, I have traveled to Macau, Shenzhen, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Macau is known as the Las Vegas of China as casinos are the predominant attraction there. Macau was both the first and last European colony in China and hence, signs are in both Chinese and Portuguese. Go to Macau if you like Portuguese food or gambling!

Vietnam was quite an experience. We stayed in Ho Chi Minh City and took day trips to the beach in Phu Quoc, the Mekong Delta, and the Chu Chi tunnels. Ho Chi Minh was dominated by motor bikers who could care less about road rules. In order to cross the streets, you couldn’t rely on any sort of traffic light. Rather, you had to cross slowly with confidence so that motor bikers would be sure to see you and be able to swerve around you.

Malaysia was an amazing place. We spent time in Kuala Lumpur, Penang island, and Langkawi island. In Penang we went to a tropical fruit farm with over 100 different types of fruits, a snake farm, and had delicious seafood. In Langkawi, we rented motorbikes and drove along the remote roads, went to the beach, and went snorkeling. One of the coolest things about Malaysia was the abundance of monkeys roaming the streets!

Being in Hong Kong has given me the opportunity to study at an amazing campus, explore Southeast Asia, and meet exchange students from around the world. Despite the crowdedness and constant hustle, the locals here are extremely nice and always willing to help you out. Overall, it has been such an amazing experience to live abroad for the past two months!

WW Around the World - Zurich, Switzerland

2008-11-01T01:36:00.000-07:00

Hello from Zurich, Switzerland, one of the business and biotechnology (my other main interest) capitals of the world! I have been here about two months now and am thoroughly enjoying everything about this beautiful city and wonderful country including the people, the academics, the fondue, the travelling, the outdoor sports (I have gone skiing, climbing, whitewater rafting, swimming, or hiking at least once a week), EVERYTHING! One of my favorite trips inside Switzerland so far was my trip to Scuol with is in the Romansch speaking part of Switzerland (in Switzerland they speak four dominant languages-German, French, Italian and Romansch, the last of which has Italian roots) closer to the Italian border. I went with the Erasmus Student Network which is a group of Swiss students that organize dinners, events, and trips around Switzerland and abroad for exchange students and Swiss students to get to know each other and see Europe and Switzerland together. I had never been rafting before and we had perfect weather so the trip was an awesome experience. You can see my newly acquired whitewater navigating skills below(I am in the middle up against the rock with my paddle in the air)
as well as a picture of me skiing (for only my second time ever in my life!) in the glaciers of the Alps at 10,000 feet above sea level which is a little more than one third the height of Mount Everest. My next excursion in Switzerland will be a chocolate tour with stops at all the fine Swiss chocolate factories and the chance to make my own chocolate next weekend!

Because Switzerland is so centralized in Europe, and because the country has one of the best train systems in the world, I have been very easily able to travel both within the country and abroad a fair amount since I got here. In the beginning of September I went to Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Venice for a six day trip that was a whirlwind of sites and amazing food and general splendor at the beauty that emanates from so much of the country. The first day of the trip we were in Rome and we saw 12 sites in 10 hours (!) including the Colliseum and the Forum (see below) which were both amazing. Though I loved Rome, however, I think my favorite city was Venice, with its boats for subways, rivers for roads and a charm that truly captivated me.

In addition to Italy I have also travelled to Prague. Walking around the city is almost an other-worldly experience, the pastel facades and ornate decor of the majority of the buildings reminiscent of a sort of play or toy city. The clash in this city between its ancient Eastern European roots and the remains of its closed communist era (only having ended in the late 80's, early 90's) and the rapid commericialization (think Lacoste stores and beautiful new malls full of Western stores on every other corner) that is currently ongoing was fascinating. The face of the city is under quite an upheaval and I was glad to get there now, as I think that soon many of the authentic remnants of the city that I was able to enjoy including gulash (see below) in a local restaurant not swarmed by tourists and a trip to one of the lasting markets that mostly locals alone frequent will soon be caught up in the increasingly everpresent tourism business that has taken hold of the city. Now that I am home from Prague, some of my other travel plans for the semester include Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and Norway to stay with some friends I have met while here.

Here in Zurich I have loved exploring the city as well as really taking advantage of the wonderful program offerings and courses of my exchange University. The school is predominantly engineering and business which suits me extremely well as a double major in these fields and the caliber of the students and the courses is extremely high. Since I am in a biomedical engineering and business combination masters program the courses are very application based and I have begun to go beyond general chemistry courses into the science behind the development of new drug delivery techniques (think a cure for a tumors) coupled with the assessment of the market for these treatments and their current status in the pharmaceutical industry. Learning both the science as well as the to-market aspects of bioengineering has been fascinating and I feel like Penn put me in a really good place in terms of background knowledge to be able to take on the challenge of integrating business and bioengineering at this higher level while I am abroad. Many of my courses have also often involved company visits and lectures by company representatives that are doing research, development, or investment in the biotechnology realm which has been very exciting and provided great networking opportunities as well.

See the view of Zurich from the Terrasse of my school below with the Alps in the background!

Both at home in Switzerland and abroad in Europe, my experience over the past few months has been SEHR GUT (very good in German), and I would be happy to give more details about any of the above (just email me at sarahed@seas.upenn.edu) in case anyone else in Europe is planning on visiting any of the places I have been or those still at Penn are interested in looking at coming to study in Zurich! Guten Tag (have a nice day!)

WW Around the World - Paris, France

2008-10-13T05:17:00.000-07:00

Bonjour Wharton Women!

I write to you from HEC Paris, one of France’s most prestigious business schools. Don’t be fooled by “Paris” in the school title – HEC is actually in Jouy-en-Josas, a suburb of Paris (about 20 min by car, 1 hour by train). This was a little disappointing when I arrived, but it’s really easy to get to Paris. It’s also a huge change from my urban lifestyle in Philadelphia. There are many programs, and I am enrolled in the MS in Management track for the semester, along with over 100 international exchange students!

(Me in front of the main class building)

A few facts about HEC:
• HEC stands for “Hautes Etudes Commerciales” or “High Studies in Business”
• HEC was founded in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCIP)
• Campus is 130 hectares (approx. 320 acres)
• Campus is 25 kilometers from Paris (approx. 15 miles)
• There are 3,000 students total, 30% of which are international

As for classes, I just started on October 1st! Our semester was supposed to begin in September, but construction of main buildings on campus pushed back the start date. Wharton requires 4 out of my 5 courses to be taught in French! Because I’m not fluent (yet), this is definitely a challenge, but I’m up for it! The semester is split into two halves, called “bimestres.” The first bimestre I’m taking Marketing, Strategy, Fiscal Management, and French (about 14 hours/week) The second bimestre I’m taking the above courses plus International Marketing and Negotiations (a weekend seminar in English!) – this amounts to about 17 hours/week, but longer with the 2 weekends of the seminar. My Marketing and Strategy courses resemble MKTG 101 and MGMT 101 with case work, but the content is different, so I don’t necessarily feel like I’m taking the same classes over again. And I’m learning all the French vocabulary to go along with those topics!

There are many student dorm buildings all over campus. The typical living situation is two single bedrooms joined by a shower, with co-ed bathrooms in the hallway. Students here don’t have “roommates,” they have “shower-mates”! Pretty cute. I was lucky enough to be placed in a mini-apartment. There are 4 single bedrooms joined by a common “kitchen” (no utilities) and we share a shower and a bathroom (so we don’t have to use the co-ed bathroom down the hall). I have 3 female roommates, one is from New Zealand, and the other two are from Vancouver. I am close with a family in France that is lending us a microwave and a coffee machine for the semester!

I spent the week before classes started in Paris with my father to do some sight-seeing. We’ve both already been to France several times, so we planned some “out of the ordinary” events, like seeing Rigoletto (Italian Opera) at the Opera Bastille and touring the Catacombs of Paris:

(Inside the Opera Bastille)

(Yes, these are real skulls!)

This past weekend, my friends from high school who are studying in Spain came to visit. We visited the Chateau Versailles – currently there is a Jeff Koons exhibit (American modern artist) – and his pieces are featured in the historic rooms of the castle. The contrast is incredibly interesting (and funny). We also took a bike tour of Paris, which I have never done. It was a beautiful day for a bike ride!

(Jeff Koons exhibit in Versailles)

(Me and my roommate Kate on the bike tour)

(Classic picture in front of the Eiffel Tower)

In the coming months, I plan on visiting Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Itlay, other places in France, and the French Alps (for skiing).

Regarding finance, all of Europe is feeling the financial crisis. This past week, France’s stock market, CAC-40, fell 9.04% in one day – the biggest drop since the creation of the CAC-40 in 1988! Moscow also hit a record drop of 19.1%. Crazy!! Despite the haphazard markets, the dollar is doing well against the euro right now! $1 USD = 1.36€ versus almost 1.60€ this past May.

A bientôt!
Erica

WW Around the World - Madrid, Spain

2008-10-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I hope classes are going well so far and you are learning a ton from the Wharton Women events, or even just reading the Wall Street Journal day to day. Even though I'm in Spain, there is absolutely no way to escape the US elections or news about the economy. It's definitely a great time to be a student studying economics/finance and political science!

I am currently enrolled in the ICADE Program at the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas in Madrid, Spain. I arrived a few weeks ago, but our actual classes only started yesterday. Clearly, our term is much shorter than the standard semester at Penn- but our program started off with an abbreviated orientation, followed by a two-week intensive course in Spanish to prepare us for our classes. The ICADE Program is an "island program," as opposed to an exchange program- meaning we are not directly enrolled into the host school, but rather we are taught by ICADE professors in classes exclusively reserved for Penn students. While we are not with the Spanish students, our professors teach in Spanish, as do our textbooks.

In addition, all 18 of us live with host families, or in my case, a host mother. I have been extremely lucky with my living situation. I have a tremendously welcoming and accommodating host mother who I absolutely adore! She is extremely in touch with what's going on in the financial market, as her son worked at Lehman Brothers, so it was great to talk to her about all the news I was missing in the states. I practice my Spanish with her (obviously) and she suggests books I should read, music I should listen to, and movies I should watch to immerse myself in Spanish culture. On weeknights, I usually watch TV with her to work on my listening comprehension. She cooks dinner for me every night, but I make breakfast for myself and pick up lunch in the cafeteria or outside the school after classes. My apartment feels like home at this point- I have my own bedroom with a bed, desk, and all that I brought. I also have my own bathroom.

Many Penn students traveled around Europe before arriving in Madrid, which I would definitely recommend doing if possible. Before orientation started, I ventured around Madrid to get to know the city and practice my Spanish. I learned the metro pretty quickly and really enjoyed riding on the buses, to catch a glimpse of the rest of the city. The extra time I had allowed me to do a lot of the touristy things that I might not necessarily have done after classes had started. I really think Madrid is definitely an underrated site to see in Europe. Not only is the city rich in culture and personality, but it also has a ridiculous night life that everyone should experience at least once in their lives.

As I said, my classes just started yesterday. I am taking four classes- Spanish Language & Culture, Spanish Contemporary History, Management, and Spanish and the European Union Economies. My Management class fulfills a Business Breadth, while the others fulfill Social Structures, Global Environment, and my minor's requirements. In Spain, they don't have the schedules that we are used to in the US- as classes don't meet on Mondays/Wednesdays and Tuesdays/Thursdays. Rather, they completely depend on the professors' personal schedules. We have about 18 hours of class a week (for four classes). However, we have breaks in between our two hour classes, for about 15 minutes. We use this time to run to the bathroom or grab a coffee/lunch from the cafeteria. Because I am enrolled in the more popular courses, they are in small lectures style, with about 14 students each; while some of the less popular courses have 4 to 8 students enrolled in them. The grading style varies- while some of my classes just have a final, others have 3 papers, and participation and attendance always play a role in your final grade.

Though Madrid isn't the center of Europe, we still have the opportunity to travel outside of our host country's borders. This weekend, our group split up to travel to London, Paris, Munich, and Barcelona. In the coming weeks, I will likely stay in Spain... but that's not at all a punishment. There is a ton to do in Spain!! Most of the country is accessible by bus; however, sometimes traveling by air is preferred and paying that extra money is just worth it. I will keep you all filled in on my travels and classes as they come along... but in the mean time, feel free to email me with any questions (Cuesta@wharton.upenn.edu)!

WW Around the World - Coventry, England

2008-09-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I hope you all are having a great semester at Penn--is it midterm time yet? I can't believe Fall Break is only in another week!

I just arrived in Coventry, England on Saturday to study at the business school at the University of Warwick. Previously, I was in Brighton, which is just south of London--at the University of Sussex participating in the "Sussex in September" Program. Penn requires some students studying in England to attend this September program in order to get an extra credit as most English universities start later than Penn and so the term is much shorter. I was there with 5 other Penn students and while there, I took one course titled "British Popular Culture". I had 6 hours of class each week for 3 weeks and had a presentation and 8 page paper at the end.

While I was in Brighton, I travelled to London on the weekends and saw all the usual tourist sites--Big Ben, Westminster, London Bridge, the Tower of London, Covent Garden, the London Eye etc. I took a river cruise down the Thames and also went to the Tate Modern Art Museum and the National Gallery (art museum).

I also went to Berlin, Germany for a weekend in September. I had a fantastic experience there. It is a city that is so rich in history! I visited the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag, and the Brandenburg Tower. I also walked around some trendy shopping districts and went to the largest department store in Europe, Wadewe! I really had a fun time--the people were so friendly and it was so cheap! It's so interesting to see the combination of an old city with new constructions.

Now that I am at the University of Warwick, I am taking 4 business classes to fulfill Business Breadths. I am taking Managing Organizations, Finance in New Ventures, Equality and Diversity, and Corporate Strategy. Each class meets once a week as a lecture and occasionally again as a seminar (which is equivalent to recitations at Penn). Hence, I only have about 8-10 hours of class and no classes on Monday or Tuesday. The reason for this is that in the UK, the students are encourage to do more "self-directed study". The lectures and seminars teach only the basic principles and then the students are expected to read and research further on their own. The assessment at the end of term for these classes will mainly be either 1 exam or paper. Like Saara, I'm nervous to see how this turns out. It's definitely a lot of pressure at the end! I haven't started classes yet but I will definitely discuss in a later blog how it compares to Penn.

My accomodation here is really nice. I am in a 5-person apartment-style dorm similar to a Penn high-rise. There are 5 individual bedrooms with a sink in each and then a communal bathroom and kitchen. I live with 2 girls from Germany, another American, and one British student. All but the British student are exchange students as well. Students here tend to cook a lot and rarely eat out, generally only at lunch in between classes. There is one other Wharton student studying here with me so we are taking similar classes and have been spending a lot of time together. We haven't met many local students yet but hope to meet some when classes start and by joining clubs.

The university is about 25 minutes by bus outside of Coventry and also about 20 miles from Birmingham which is the second biggest city in England outside of London. Coventry is 70 minutes by train from London and is in what is called the "West Midlands" of England. Most students live on campus here. The student union is incredible! They have a club that holds 2000 people! There are also various smaller clubs, bars, cafes, and restaurants. Each night, the student union holds a different theme night in the club with cheap cover, drinks, and music changing each night. Also on campus is an arts center with its own movie theater!

Next weekend, I am planning to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland and perhaps another weekend I will catch a football (soccer game)! I also hope to travel to other continental Europe cities as well.

As of now, the only bad thing I can say about my abroad experience is the weather-always raining!--and the exchange rate (the pound is almost twice the dollar). Nonetheless, I am excited to take business classes in a different environment and meet more international students!

I will write again soon! Enjoy the rest of the semester!

Natalie

WW Around the World - Leuven, Belgium (2)

2008-09-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

Like Saara, I am also writing from Leuven (its gorgeous town hall pictured on the left) in Belgium at the Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven. I've been here for almost a month and so far it's been amazing. We've yet to start classes, so most people have just been travelling in groups to various parts of Europe.

The Leuven program is nice because most of the Penn people are living together in houses along with other US study abroad students as well as people from countries such as Chile, Japan, Korea, and Spain. It's been great to meet new people and to still have a bit of Penn familiarity, especially when I am missing my Gia Pronto salads and Greek Lady gyros.

Not that I am complaining about the food here. I was surprised to find so many ethnic restaurants here including Thai, Chinese, and Ethiopian. Of course, the chocolates and the waffles are amazing-- I thought they wouldn't be able to live up to the hype, but they definitely did not dissapoint me. Ice cream and gelato are also very popular here among the locals, no matter how chilly the weather. I really don't know how the Europeans here are so thin when they always have an ice cream cone in their hands.

I've spent the last week and a half on various daytrips around Belgium to cities like Ghent (picture from our boat tour below), Antwerp, and Brussels. The architecture is gorgeous, and it is pretty crazy to think we are walking on streets that predate the oldest buildings in America. Like Saara said, this is the perfect program for those who want to travel to different countries on the weekends. So far I have trips scheduled to over 10 countries this semester, and I still have a couple weekends to fill if I don't get too travelled out.

Will write more when classes start. I'm very excited about the classes I'm taking this semester. Some classes are to fulfill the Wharton Business Breadth requirements, but some I'm taking purely for my own enjoyment, including a course about the Policies of the European Union as well as a course on European Art, Literature, and Religion.

As the Flemish would say, Tot Ziens!

Connie

WW Around the World - Leuven, Belgium

2008-09-10T05:48:00.000-07:00

Hallo everyone! I'm writing from Leuven, Belgium, which is a small town outside of Brussels.

I can't believe it, but I've already been here for two weeks. I won't lie, though, it wasn't that easy to adjust at first. I'm living in a dorm that's similar to Hill but with twice the rules. I've basically just realized how privileged we are in America. Europeans are so much more environmentally conscious. For example: you have to pay for bags at the grocery store. This policy encourages consumers to reuse bags, which is good for the environment, obviously, but a bit of a pain to remember. Also, there are definitely fewer cars here and most people bike to work/school. It's definitely something to get used to.

I actually just completed my intense Dutch final which was surprisingly difficult. I think Penn students generally view Study Abroad courses as a joke, but that definitely wasn't the case, at least not in regards to Dutch. Everyone was basically studying non stop for the class. Hopefully the rest of my classes aren't as difficult. I don't start till the 23rd, though, so I don't know yet. Also, unlike Penn, grades here are based solely on one exam at the end. Definitely nervous about that, but we'll see how it goes.

I think the best thing about studying in Belgium is the opportunity to travel. Belgium is definitely the heart of Western Europe so I look forward to many weekend trips.

Here's what my next few weekends look like:

Sept 13-16: Madrid, Spain
Sept 19-21: London
Sept 26 wknd: Munich for Oktoberfest
Oct 3 wknd: Greece
Oct 10 wknd: Paris
Oct 18 wknd: Amsterdam
Oct 25 wknd: Dublin, Ireland
Nov 1: Possibly Barcelona
Nov 9 wknd: Possibly Italy

Very excited about those!!

-Saara

WW Around The World - Sydney, Australia

2008-08-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

G'Day everyone! As the first member of Wharton Women to go abroad I am very happy to be the one to start off this blog! I hope everything is going well for everyone back at Penn with moving in, classes and the like. You all have so much to look forward to and a wonderful, exciting year coming up.

I began my studies in Sydney, Australia just four weeks ago and I have truly been having the most amazing experience! I am currently living in Coogee Beach, a suburb just 15 minutes outside of downtown Sydney. The Australian culture is a truly unique and incredible one to have the opportunity to experience. Many of the locals share a common laid-back spirit and are always so helpful, which has been quite a refreshing experience after living in New York City! As the weather gets warmer and we enter the summer months on this side of the world I have started to see the Australian's true love for surfing. I am excited to continue to explore the city and really make myself part of the Australian culture.

First, I would like to share some fun and interesting things I have accomplished in my few weeks here including: Visited the Sydney Opera House, climbed the Sydney Bridge, fed kangaroos and held a koala at Sydney's famous Taronga Zoo, took a trip up north to Byron Bay and took a surfing lesson, visited Sydney's botanical gardens and the government house, saw a film at the famous IMAX theater, visited the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, and so much more! Looking forward I have plans to travel up the coast to the Great Barrier Reef, visit Fiji, a spring break trip through New Zealand and finally end my semester abroad by backpacking for a month throughout Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore and hopefully Hong Kong!).

I am currently enrolled in 3 classes at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) including Marketing & Distribution Law, Business Ethics & Law, and Australian Sports & Law class. The classroom culture is very different from the one back at Wharton. Most interesting is the way that the Australian students interact with their professors by addressing them by their first names. Much like Penn, there is a Lecture and a Tutorial (recitation) each week in which we discuss some of the main issues. I have found it very interesting to compare and contrast what I have learned in Wharton's Marketing and Legal Studies courses with these courses. Some of the basic material has been very similar but it is quite interesting to hear the Australian perspective of the American legal and financial system. For instance, we compare and discuss many of the rules and regulations of the SEC with those of the ACCC.

For my fourth course, UNSW & Penn have set me up with an internship in Sydney! I have not yet started my internship program, but I plan to begin next week at Commonwealth Bank. After completing a 10 week Sales & Trading Program in New York this summer, I will be happy to comment on the similarities and differences of the trading floor as soon as I begin. From what I have heard so far, the business culture is very different then the one in New York. I look forward to experiencing the business environment first hand here in Sydney and will be sure to update everyone on my findings!

As I prepare for my internship, I would like to share some interesting facts I have researched and discovered in the recent weeks. Just last week the market saw the Australian dollar, or Aussie, the worst performer among the 16 most-traded currencies in the past month, fall from a 25-year high of 98.49 cents on July 16th. The Aussie fell as prices of commodities slid and traders bet on lower interest rates. The New Zealand dollar, however, posted its first rise in five weeks. Research analysts from New York firms such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. revised its forecast for the Australian and New Zealand dollars, saying they faced challenges on the ``domestic front from slowing activity.'' Goldman now expects the Australian currency to buy 86 cents in three months, compared with a pervious forecast of 96 cents, and the New Zealand currency to trade at 68 cents compared with an earlier forecast of 73 cents.

To close, I would like to wish all of you the best of luck as you start an exciting new semester. I will continue to keep everyone updated on my travels, studies and business experiences here in Sydney, Australia. If you have any questions about studying abroad in general or would like to hear more about a specific comment please feel free to e-mail me at bbensol@wharton.upenn.edu.

Best of Luck,

Amanda Bensol

The Wharton School, Class of 2010

University of Pennsylvania

bbensol@wharton.upenn.edu

Welcome to the New Wharton Women Blog!

2008-08-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome Wharton Women to our new blog!

We're so excited and proud to unveil our brand new site. In an effort to make Wharton Women more interactive for our members, we've decided to create a blog. (No, not a professional website, brochure, or newsletter... a blog!)

You might be asking yourself , "Why?" You're thinking this blog in no way fits the image of our organization. Our organization is always growing, always changing, and always striving to be better. Our mission is "to facilitate the personal and career development of females in business by building a network of exceptional undergraduates, professionals, and faculty." Of course that might sound a bit ...empty? dense? But there really is more meaning behind it! We're always trying to accomplish our mission and a blog could do just that!

Through frequent updates, we can provide valuable information that interests our members, yet still has a business-oriented focus. For Wharton Women, the possibilities are endless!

While our bloggers will be working to make our site as informative as possible, we want you to help! We want you to provide input. We want you to submit entries. We want you to actively participate in the future of our organization! The blog is not going to be just board members submitting posts they find interesting. Our aim is to make the Wharton Women blog collectively owned by our entire membership base! Feel free to submit tips, photos, or entries to laurenrf@wharton.upenn.edu as often as possible!

We hope you enjoy the new blog and please return to see just how much Wharton Women can do for you!