Before arriving in Sydney, I was honestly a little scared about studying abroad. I was excited to explore what my life would be like in Australia for the next few months, but I was also hesitant about being all by myself 8,000 miles away from home. Many people asked why… read more
Sociology
Bridging Academics and Culture: My Journey at Fudan University
Hi, I’m Xiuqiang Deng, a dual major in economics and sociology from The University of Texas at Austin. I’m currently studying at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, as part of the Texas Global Education Abroad program. In this post, I’ll share thoughts about my journey and what it’s like to… read more
President’s Award for Global Learning: Galápagos Islands
The President’s Award for Global Learning empowers students and faculty to examine real-world interdisciplinary topics while incorporating in-country learning into the classroom experience. This guest post recaps the experiences of the 2021-2022 team that explored sustainability in the Galápagos Islands. Students are invited to apply for the 2022-2023 projects in… read more
Be Where Your Feet Are
There is something to be said about the slower-paced lifestyle in Mexico. Time passes differently here. Opposite to the U.S where everyone has a go-go mentality, “ahorita,” which translates to “now,” never actually means “ahorita.” Punctuality is somewhat less of a priority here. Downtime is valuable in Mexico, so when… read more
This Isn’t Goodbye, But It’s a Bis Später
As I’m writing this, my time in Freiburg and Germany is quickly coming to an end, and honestly, it’s the last thing I want to think about. The reality has slowly started to creep in that in less than three weeks, I’ll have to leave this place that’s become home… read more
Bajo el Sol de Mexico (Under the Mexican Sun)
The golden light from the setting sun illuminated the city built on the mountains, and I fell in love. I have to admit, even though it was a short flight from Texas to Mexico, I was nervous about traveling alone for the first time in my life. The thought… read more
Mein Neues Zuhause (My New Home) — Freiburg
Forty days. Forty days since I left the U.S. for Freiburg. Germany. Forty days of adjusting, adapting and acclimating. Forty days, and I think it’s safe to say that Freiburg is starting to feel like home. The realization hit me one weekend when I was returning from a chaotic trip… read more
My Last Month in Shanghai
I can’t believe my exchange journey has come to an end. June had arrived before I noticed. Looking back on my four months in Shanghai, happiness and satisfaction are two words that can best sum it up. As at UT, Fudan University often hosts a wide variety of activities on… read more
May in Shanghai
Unlike my relatively relaxed intensity of study before, I am beginning to feel the pressure in May. My final exams begin in June, and papers and presentations are due in May before them. Thus, May is one of the busy months in the semester as I have two papers, two… read more
Busy in Bustling Shanghai
I have never felt time flying by so fast — one month passed by in the blink of an eye. If I had to choose one word to describe my life this month, I would say “happiness.” Fudan University’s club fair happened on the last day of March. Hundreds of… read more