Another term has come to an end. It is nice in some ways but also alludes to starting and finishing the last of coursework assignments. Additionally, it is starting to be more spring-like here which is exciting. I look forward to seeing campus in full bloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite being here for six months, people\u2019s reactions to realizing I\u2019m from America still kind of surprise me. Most people get very eager which is interesting. Meeting new people feels like being interviewed or playing 20 questions. (To be clear, I take these interactions in a light-hearted way.) It\u2019s funny because some of the people I\u2019ve met seem to know more about American politics than I do. I also don\u2019t necessarily mind talking about my experiences in an American school or as an American living abroad. I think American culture is sometimes glorified here, but personally, I think it\u2019s like anywhere else: we have pros and cons, and to “outsiders,” things may seem nicer or worse than they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another funny reaction I receive is when I explain my personal university experience. I\u2019m from the South and then move to Columbia for the academic year. The time it takes to travel around the United States always catches English people off guard and I\u2019ve received many \u201cyou don\u2019t sound Southern,\u201d which I don\u2019t, so that\u2019s fair. Back in the States, since I live further away from home, I stay on campus during breaks. There are more people who stay on campus, but some of my English friends were kind of thrown off knowing I\u2019d be staying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are a few of the many circumstances where my friends and I learn from one another and explore how we process things differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n