Introduction and Identities

My name is Pierre Tran, and I am a recent finance graduate currently interning in Vietnam. As someone deeply interested in finance and eager to immerse myself in Vietnamese culture, this opportunity represents a significant step in my professional and personal development. My identities as a finance professional and a Vietnamese expatriate shape my perspectives and experiences as I navigate this journey.

Pre-Arrival Considerations

As the study abroad trip in London slowly came to an end, I found it really important to reflect on all the experiences, especially with the amount of things we did throughout the trip. Overall, the London in a Global Context trip is one of the most special school trips I have ever been a part of, and the people are really what made the experience so great, apart from being in such a cool city like London. During the return to the U.S., it was hard to just pack up and leave especially after being so adjusted to the people and lifestyle in another country only after a month.

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I envisioned being a student doing a study abroad in a developing country as a non-traditional student who doesn’t

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Ciao!

Ciao! My name is Mallory Kent and I am a soon-to-be graduate here at UO! As a former student-athlete at UO, I had the privilege of competing on the Acrobatics and Tumbling program. Upon completing the Siena program, I will earn my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and will begin my MBA at UO this Fall. In addition to my athletic pursuits, I've been heavily involved in campus activities, and staying actively engaged has been a remarkable privilege. Balancing work, academics, social life, and sports was challenging but immensely rewarding.

Oh be still my heart, my life is being blessed and full of culture, authentic food (including beans, the musical fruit), new friends, life lessons and my heart continues to grow and expand in so many ways.  

Throughout the first two weeks of studying abroad I have had so many different experiences throughout the city of London. Being able to experience so many variations of museums, attractions, and for me architecture especially has been the most special aspect of studying abroad. There is never a dull day with the amount of exploration that is possible. For me it has been difficult to navigate the amount of exploration alone because it is hard to understand what is easily accessible and affordable while entertaining at the same time.

I got depressed a few days before leaving San Cristobal. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t feel like I had seen enough, experienced enough, or done enough research. My trip passed in a dream like state and the assignments were so time consuming that I didn’t have the opportunity to process enough. On the equator the days are divided in half with sunlight: 12 hours of sun, 12 hours of darkness all year round. This lends itself to a dreamy, out-of-time feeling.

My name is Elise O’Brien and I am a multidisciplinary scholar, a masters student in two programs: Folklore studies and Landscape Architecture. I am also a nontraditional student and a student parent. I love to work internationally and I am involved in global research: one of my student jobs has been as a student worker working for APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes.

Hey everyone! I'm about halfway through my study abroad in Japan, and I just had to share the incredible adventure I'm having. From the moment I landed in Tokyo, I knew I was in for something special. 

First off, let's talk about the food. I thought I knew Japanese cuisine from sushi nights back home, but I was not prepared for this flavor explosion. Slurping up authentic ramen in tiny, hidden shops, savoring melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, and don't even get me started on the convenience store snacks – I've probably tried every flavor of Kit Kat in existence!