Archive for 2011Page 5
The Situation in Japan
As northern Japan is the scene of disaster and destruction, here in Hirakata we wait to see what we can do to help. As everyone has no doubt heard by now, northern Japan was hit by an incredibly […]
Earthquakes and such
So if you’ve been keeping up to date with the news in the past 24ish hours, you’ve probably heard that there was an 8.9 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Japan. The Tohoku region (northeastern part) of the country was affected the worst, and the Tokyo area is also in pretty bad shape the last […]
Culture Shock!
Turkey is another country, which is easy to forget when I am on an English-speaking campus and I hang out with mostly Americans or Western Europeans. I have the luxury of almost always being able to use my first language, and when I can’t I can often ask a Turkish friend or fellow student to […]
Maceralar!
The title of this post (pronounced: majeralar) translates to “adventures”. Every day in this foreign city is an adventure! From speaking with my hands and terrible Turkish to trying new foods to meeting new people, even the mundane here is exciting. We went out to eat on Wednesday, and this past-time that we all are […]
Sooo Turkish.
The morning of Saturday, February 5th I had my second dramatic airport goodbye with my boyfriend, this time in the Dusseldorf airport, and in the evening of Saturday, February 5th I was sitting in an empty dorm building in Istanbul a state of mild panic. I am a little more settled now, and can finally […]
Winter break and Exam break!
Well. It certainly has been a while, Gustavus Blog. It’s time to start posting again! I sort of dropped off the face of the planet back there in November. Classes were ending and things were getting a bit hectic and I guess I can just say I sort of forgot. I don’t have much an […]
What’s so Hard about Riding a Bike?
The cliche phrase that immediately comes to mind when talking about Japan is inevitably “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” After arriving in Japan and learning some of the do’s and don’ts, I’ve come to realize that this is not only a comment on conformity, but also an enlightening thought on the nature […]
I thought I would get skinny in Europe
It’s a well-known fact: all people who study abroad in the U.S.A. gain twenty pounds and those who go to Europe lose about twenty pounds. It’s proven, trust me. Google it. Anyways, so I thought I would magically come to Europe and lose some weight. I have to walk everywhere, they don’t have fast food, […]
Hamlet: Reason Behind the Madness
Madness. It is the age old, yet continuously disputed, theme in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and it was clearly present in tonight’s production of Hamlet, directed by Nicholas Hytner for London’s National Theatre. Gazing at the audience with stern eyes, Hamlet, played by Rory Kinnear, glared upon his cohorts, at least at times, with mad intentions. […]
The Globe Theatre: A Step Back in Time
If the world is a stage and we are all merely players, then I played the role of a tourist today – a tourist on a mission. After countless hours of reading Shakespeare, watching Shakespeare, and studying Shakespeare, I wanted none other than to be transported back in time and experience the works of Shakespeare […]