My exchange journey at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, marks an exciting new chapter in my academic career. Shanghai, my hometown and a global economic hub, offers a vibrant multicultural atmosphere that perfectly complements Fudan’s renowned academic environment. This exchange provides an opportunity to not only further my studies but… read more
College of Liberal Arts
From Tuscany to Amsterdam: A Global Journey
“Hallo! Mijn naam is Diana, aangaan!” No, that’s not a typo. That’s how you say ‘hello’ in Dutch. The second part means, “My name is Diana, it’s nice to meet you.” Interesting, right? In between clusters of syllables, the hard gs, soft js and vowels that stick together, Dutch has… read more
Lessons from the Metro in Kazakhstan
Growing up in Austin, I avoided public transportation at all costs. I am notoriously directionally challenged and tend to get on the wrong bus every time I try to navigate Cap Metro. So naturally, I was nervous about using public transportation in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where I would live for a… read more
From Copenhagen to the Swiss Alps: Chasing Wanderlust
The giddy excitement reverberating through me stemmed from a decision that had finally come to fruition after weeks of contemplation. I had just booked my first flight of the fall semester to my dream destination – Switzerland! For 119 euros, I’d secured a round trip from my Copenhagen, my new… read more
Reflections on a Month in Copenhagen
My first impression of Copenhagen was the iconic colorful buildings of the Nyhavn Harbor and the countless rows of bikes that commonly adorn postcards. Within a week of arriving, I used my affiliate school’s student discount to rent a bike for the semester and immediately integrated myself into traffic (after… read more
Growth and Exploration in Seoul
I have been in Seoul for less than two months, and it has already been a whirlwind experience. I started my classes and have almost fully adjusted to the lifestyle here. Each day, I get to experience something new. Although I have experienced some homesickness, the joy of studying abroad… read more
Annyeonghaseyo from Korea
Pre-Departure As a first-generation Texan Korean American, I can’t count how many times I’ve said the word “Annyeonghaseyo.” Balancing two cultures has always been “normal” for me. Within the community at the University of Texas at Austin, many people are unfamiliar with Korean culture. I had the unique opportunity to… read more
Building Strong Democracies: Elections, Lawmaking and Civic Education
Since early June, I’ve had the privilege of carrying out my fellowship with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in Panama City, Panama. Working closely with the Institute of Democratic Studies (INED) at the Electoral Tribunal of Panama, I have collaborated with some of the sharpest… read more
How Interning Abroad in Spain Changed My Life
If someone had told me, a Mexican immigrant, that I was going to intern abroad in Barcelona, Spain through Absolute Internship last summer, I never would have believed them. Fast forward a year and I’m now interning in Spain for the second time as the Program Coordinator in Madrid for… read more
An Unexpected Market Find
Compared to the whimsical Art Nouveau buildings making up most of Riga’s Old Town, the five arched, metallic structures lining the bank of the Daugava River seem out of place. However, a closer look inside these buildings reveals one of Riga’s hidden gems — the Riga Central Market. Riga Central… read more