Allegheny College Study Abroad Spring 2009

Being at Duke Marine Lab is very similar to Allegheny in many ways. I mean we are all College kids :-) The more rewarding aspects of the Lab would have to be the closeness... we all eat dinner together (there are 20 some of us... :-) ) When we go out we go as a group or if we stay in we just hang out. However, with close proximity other challenges present themselves. Challenges such as personal time. For me I enjoy getting out and having time to myself. To solve this problem I have found a perfect running route which ends at a beautiful beach. I run everyday and it is a great way to collect my thoughts. The photo I have attached portrays the fun loving side of my new friends. It snowed for the first time since 2004 a couple weeks ago and we all reacted like children... running outside, snowangels, snowball fights, and snowmen :-)

Finalmente estoy en España. After a full day of traveling by train to Newark International and then by plane to London and Barcelona, I finally arrived in Sevilla. However in Barcelona I had quite then language immersion with Ashley where we had to use our entire vocabulary to try to find her luggage which was lost. Listening and comprehending native Spanish speakers is difficult enough at the pace which they talk but when you throw in all the Spanish dialects which I am not used to it becomes very interesting. You can truly begin to appreciate how slow our professors at Allegheny talk to help us fully understand everything they say. However the guy at baggage did not slow down. My host mother here is absolutely wonderful but at times the el accento sevillano from Anduluca is very had to understand. This dialect of Spanish, like french, has lost its s sounds (en español ese is the sound of the letter s) so words like siesta or fiesta (pronounced here as ieta and fieta) sound completely different. It took me 20 min the one day at lunch to figure out that we were discussing the siesta and not some obscure thing I knew nothing about. Anther observation of mine is that a formality such as a handshake or a kiss on both cheeks is almost always expected when you greet someone that you know where ever you are and whatever you are doing and when you leave them, whether you are male or female greeting either of the sexes. The last observation is the passion I have seen in the people for each other, for their sports, and for their political views which we do not even comprehend in the US. Of this subject I will discuss thoroughly and in depth for my next blog since I think the context of the question is more appropriate.

I have been in Mexico for four weeks now and there have been many things have reminded me that I am foreigner. Because we look so different it is obvious to Mexicans that we are not from Mexico regardless of whether we speak Spanish or not. Queretaro is not a town with much tourism so for them, to see people from other countries is rare so when they come across foreigners they really want to talk to us. For example, in order to get to the central part of the city late at night I need to take a taxi. Most times I have been a taxi the first thing they will ask me is do I speak Spanish. Once I tell them I do they are really interested in why I am in Mexico, what I am studying and if i like the city. Most of them were born in Queretaro and have lived here all their lives so when they meet someone who is from some where as far away as New York they really want to hear about it. I have probably learned more about Mexico from talking in Spanish to the cab drives then I have anywhere else.

One negative thing about not being another face in the crowd is tourist traps. My friends and I went to the beach for the weekend in Ixtapa which is a lot more touristy then Queretaro and we really had to watch out for being overcharged. For example, my friend Frederic wanted to buy necklace from a vender on the beach but the woman who was selling them was charging 50 pesos for it when it should have cost about 25. Federic told her that he wasn't going to pay anymore than 25 so she left, but in about 5 minutes she came back and sold it to him for 25. Also, because we look American, venders will come up to us a lot more than they will to the Mexicans because they think we have more money. One way to avoid these tourist traps is to use our Spanish. We figured out that when venders or waiters spoke to us in English it would usually be more expensive becuase foreigners are their main business. When we left the center of Ixtapa to eat dinner it was a lot cheaper because Mexicans are the main source of business and they all know what the prices actually should be. It is a lot easier to avoid tourist traps if you can speak Spanish because we aren't limited to only going to the English speaking places.

I've been in Costa Rica for a full day now, and already I feel like I'm beginning to understand the basics of the culture here. After a long day, (I woke up at 5:30 after forgetting to adjust my alarm for the time change), the school organized a soccer game with some friends in the community. We all piled out of our Mitsubishi passenger vans onto a makeshift basketball court that doubled as a soccer field. We were the only ones there for a short time, awkwardly passing the ball around in our U de la Presa jerseys (yes, I'm serious, they gave us jerseys), but it didn't take long for everyone around the town to start showing up. From what I gathered, our opponents were made up of the children and friends of people that worked for or closely with the school on projects in the community. What was really striking to me was how well everyone knew one another. Young and old alike, each new person that rode up on a bike or slowed down in their cars to catch a glimpse of the new batch of students getting annhilated by the locals was greeted in the same way with familiar pats on the back and shouted nicknames. Not only was the tight-knittedness of the community alien to me, but the fact that we were granted some of the same treatment after only a short time was as well. It seems like everyone here is just a lot more friendly and open than in the States. Maybe it's just the smaller town atmosphere, but I feel like people here are just generally nicer and more approachable than even in my home town. It's very welcoming.

Since I am living in Washington, D.C. there are not any national cultures things that I can share with my fellow peers. However, I was able to share Steeler Nation on super bowl Sunday. A few other Pittsburghers and I dressed completely in black and gold. Most of the people here did not care about what team won and others just hated the Steelers. As you know from Allegheny, Steelers fans are very serious when it comes to football. We had a small party in one of our rooms. One of the guests was from France, so we explained the game to him and I’m sure he left knowing that Steelers fans are very passionate. It was interesting to watch everyone’s reactions as I was screaming at the television. Most of the looks were of confusion. They were probably thought I was insane. Everyone there experienced Steeler Nation first hand.

One of the things I learned that was non-touristy was that Washington is all about making “appearances” and getting reelected. Appearances is in quotes because most of the time it is an illusion. One of our speakers talked to my class about his job working for a Senator. He told us a story about the Senator asking him to complete the job at that morning’s breakfast. Confused he asked another in his office what the Senator meant. He meant that when you pick up your name tag as you enter the breakfast simultaneously with your other hand pick the Senator’s nametag. That way it “appears” that the Senator had attended the breakfast when the staff looks over the name tags left at the end of the event. By “appearing” at the breakfast, it also shows that the Senator cares about the event and will gain him votes in the next election.

I have shared a lot about where I come from with my host mother. These conversations usually occur at meals around the table. We have talked about many differences between Spanish and American culture such as food, weather, and habits, but we have also talked about topics such as politics and gender differences. For example, in the US it is common to have both a working mother and father. However, in Spain, this is a fairly new thing. The women work, but they are still expected to cook, clean, do the laundry, and other tasks. The equality between men and women in the household is something that is new and minimal in Spain. When talking about US politics, democracy and the recent election, I told her that every citizen in the US has a right to vote and have a say in government. Also, we hear a lot through the media about both good and bad things that occur in government. This is different in Spain. She told me that it´s not like the democracy we have. In Spain, they never hear about the bad things that happen, the leader of the country is good and they have to support him.
Another cultural difference was one that I learned while out with my roommate. We are both soccer players at our home universities, so to stay in shape, we run around the city streets together. Everyday, wherever we go running, we are stared at by everyone we pass in the streets and everyone that passes us in cars. We couldn´t figure out why everyone was staring so we finally asked our host mother. In the United States, people run and workout everywhere. It is not a rare, or strang thing to see someone running on the streets, men or women. Apparently in Spain, women don´t run in the streets. If they work out, they go to a gym, and men run in parks or join a gym as well. Therefore, we look strange to the locals because running around the city streets isn´t a normal thing for them to see or do.

The Indian family I am staying with has hosted 15 sets of American girls before me and their son is currently living in America. So they are already well aware of “American Culture”. Though my roommate did bring them a block of Velvetta cheese and they’re pretty unsure of what to do with that and they were a little surprised that both of us wanted to own cellphones. Since they are very aware of how Americans commonly do things and waste things they were very quick to inform us to be mindful of our energy and water usage. Personally I’m learning how to get around the city, from asking directions to arguing about prices with auto driver’s in Hindi.

Because of the location and schedule of the institution here, I haven't really had the opportunity for any kind of cultural exchange with the Costa Ricans much beyond the superficial. However, yesterday the center director explained to us a crucial nuance of Tico culture. By nature and by custom, Costa Ricans are nonconfrontational. Since the the last draft of their constitution in 1948, the army has been officially abolished, for example. This avoidance goes beyond diplomacy, however, and extends into every aspect of traditional Tico social behavior. Quite literally, they can't say no. If you ask them a question or somehow impose yourself, they won't directly turn you down, simply to avoid being perceived as rude. What usually follows is a strange duel of half answers that are made even more complicated by the language barrier. As a foreigner, you eventually learn that if you walk away feeling confused about why a local basically ignored your question in favor of a more positive, but altogether unhelpful answer, the answer was probably no or something negative.
This lack of confrontation further complicates social interaction in that, when you do something wrong, they tend to avoid telling you about it. Instead, they rely on an intricate and tightly woven web of gossip, trusting that eventually the story will get back around to you and you will change your behavior. I haven't experienced this one personally, but I'm told it's as frustrating as it sounds. This whole social framework is really taking some concentration to learn the ropes and keep up with the verbal deflections and other social intricacies that characterize this country's very unique style of interaction.

Being at Allegheny has helped me recognize the importance of forming a community and trying to integrate the various identities and cultures. I have introduced this community building attitude into my new school environment by coming together with a group of girls in my class and forming a “meal-time group”. We all know how lonely it is during the first week of school. This program consists of individuals from various universities and colleges around America. To most of us it feels like freshman year again, and I am sure most will agree that this feeling is not great. My friends and I formed the group, hoping that we will be able to get to know members in our class and also to meet other students doing this program. So far so good, we have been able to meet new Washington semester students and also other students from the main campus, through our frequent visit to the main campus cafeteria. This may sound nuts to some people, but to my new friends and I, community is not only limited to states or regions, but rather, communities can and should be formed even at the dinner table.

A lot of history is being made in DC – America having its first black president, the introduction of the new slogan, We Are One, and finally the embracing of diversity in some segregated DC areas. All these are awesome achievements for American, and one feels the atmospheric excitement by just walking around the DC area. However, unless you happen to take the time to stop and talk to people, either on the streets or in higher developmental institutions, one will miss out on both the racial and the economical issues that still prevail in the DC area. I attended a discussion on post- racial America at the Hudson Institute. Not only did this discussion educate me on the various views that people have concerning President Obama’s success, but also on America’s fate in relation to this success.

The American culture, I find, follows me wherever I go--which is sometimes both a blessing and a curse. On a very basic level, my life in an English university is very similiar to life at Allegheny. Students listen to American and English music , read American and English authors, and watch American and English films. What isn't similiar and sparks a good deal of interest in my fellow university students is American politics, especially the recent presidential election. There are some days, to my surprise and near chargrin, in which I believe they know more about our current president than I do. They were certainly surprised when I told them that I did not watch the inauguration (as my class schedule that particular day did not allow it). However, on one of my first days here, my hallmates and I were sitting in the hallway, chatting. Obviously curious about our politics, they asked me questions about the election, the voting process, and the significance of political parties in our daily lives. Of course, I don't claim to be a political expert, but their interest in our national affairs has been a continual topic of discussion between us.

On the whole, my explorations with their culture have been terribly practical. How do papers and assignments in England differ? How much of American history and literature is studied here, and how is it understood? For American literature, a few of my acquaitances and I have discussed The Great Gatsby and its place in American canon. On perhaps a less intellectual level, many of my cultural explorations and discussions have focused around my stomach. I attend the campus church on Sundays, after which we eat lunch together. Through these meals, I've had some extremely British food, such as meat pie, mushy peas (which are exactly how they sound), and cake with hot custard. Of course, while all of this is quite familiar to them, the idea of mushy peas actually being offered as a viable dining option is quite foreign to me. As well as expanding my palate, my Sunday afternoon lunches have enabled me to talk about some of these food differences (asking the big questions like, why do you need to put vinegar on fish and chips? Really?) as well as become better acquainted with the people who live the culture I'm in. I believe through these interactions both with my receiving culture and my giving culture, I have become more aware of myself as an American. But I also can appreciate myself as a foreigner in a place that seems much like home, but still can offer some wonderful surprises.

I have explained to some people already that because of Anger's hilly terrain, I feel like I'm at home. The reason for this is that I have to walk up a hill to get to school every day, and in Pittsburgh, it is impossible to go anywhere without going up a hill, down a hill, over a bridge, or through a tunnel. In return, I've already seen that my professors, especially my language professor, are VERY laid back. The lifestyle in France is much more relaxed than our lifestyle in the U.S. Another important thing I've noticed is that when you are at a sit down restaurant, even if they take the order at the counter, you don't pay until you've been given your food. If it's a sit-down restaurant, you may even have to go ask for your check at the counter and pay when you exit. I am definitely not used to that. I'm used to a restaurant like Denny's appearing to be in a rush to get you out because they bring your check as soon as they've brought your food. The French also take more time for lunch, hence the reason dinner is so late at night. One final note, French drivers are very impatient.

Washington DC itself is a hub of activity. However, while on campus, most of the students concern themselves with class, homework, and planning for the weekends. When I first arrived on campus, I felt like a freshman all over again. I had to branch out and make friends. This was not a difficult thing to do since everyone on campus and in my program is in the same boat. We are all experiencing the same feelings of adapting to a new environment and to a new schedule. Now that we are more than a month into the program, I feel confident in saying that I have created a support system here. The students in this program are from all over the country and from various places throughout the world. I learn something new with each conversation I have. My roommates are both from California and attend a small, private college in San Francisco. Wow - what a difference from Allegheny. We have had such fun trying to relate our college experiences. It amazes me how we can live in the same country and yet have such different lives.

One thing I love about the program I am in is the direct contact it gives me with the real DC. Through this program, I have seen the real people of the city. I have seen the bones and muscles and organs that run it. I have interacted with these people. I have witnessed the lofty heights of downtown and the impoverished neighborhoods in Annacosita. These interactions have helped me to forge a deeper relationship with the city and with the people in it.

While I did promise a specific and different story in my last blog I felt that this one was more interesting. Last night I attended Spain vs England, an international friendly between two world football powers at El Estadio de Sánchez Pizjuán. The final score was 2-0 in favor of Spain with goals by David Villa of Valenica and Fernando Llorente of Athlético Madrid, however this is not important. What I found out last night can only be felt by and lived and never really told or reacted. The day began with mobs of English descending up Seville clothed with the attire of England. I meanwhile wore the red of Spain ready to partake in the madness. One hour before the game the street around the stadium was full of police, drunken supporters, hooligans, die-hard fans, venders, and the air smelled of the passion of the fans ready to bleed. The police were mounted, on foot, and defending more than a mile of barricades around the stadium; there was also at least to helicopters in the sky. This is passion for sport like we only hypothesize, dream about, or maybe even hallucinate actually exists in the US. The 25 gates into Sánchez Pizjuán were a mob of 100 people or more pushing, shoving and screaming in Spanish. One thing I have learned is that the true learning is in the streets, never in the classroom; this is where I have learned new vocabulary and pounded out my accent as to blend into the flow. Inside the stadium was sold out and overflowing; the aisles are seats here. The chants began before kickoff: the flamenco clap, Arriba España and later Arriba Villa after his beautiful remate (finish), several vulgar chants directed at Beckham, and Yo Soy Español (I am Spanish with and arrogant touch). The wave was the best video I filmed during the game the both levels of the stadium and EVERY person on the feet for two repeated full circles. The loyalty, togetherness, pride, passion, and love for the footballers shown through the region conflicts that have always divided Spain last night. This explains the customary kiss on both checks that all Spanish do whether they are meeting an old friend or a new acquaintance, it’s expected. The Spanish people I have met have shown me what passion, love, faith, and family truly is and well as teaching their beautiful language. This is a madness I will never forget.

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Javi, Me and Josh in El Estadio

One of the biggest traditions of national America culture is the super bowl. During the weekend of the super bowl we were in Ixtapa at rented out mansion with about 10 Americans and 15 Mexicans. One of them brought a projector and we were able to watch the game. We had to explain all the rules to them because most of them had never watched a game of football before. They didn't really understand most of it and thought it was really boring because of all the pauses and all the commercials. We tried to explain to them that it was more about the tradition of the game and the atmosphere that goes with it in America. None of us really cared who won or lost it was more the act of watching the game. We explained to them that in American the commercials were just as important as the game because all the companies spend huge amounts of money making elaborate commercials because of the huge amount of people watching the game. By the end of the game we had all picked which team wanted to win and all of the Mexicans and the internationals got into the excitement as well. By the end of the game they were cheering as loud as we were and admitted that they had a lot of fun watching the game and one girl told me that she was going to be a Steelers fan for life now.
The biggest element of Mexican culture I have learned is the concept of Mexican time. In Mexico everything takes a lot longer than people say its going to. When my host mom says dinner will be ready in “diez minutos” she really means about forty-five minutes. In fact, in colloquial Mexican language, the Spanish word “ahora” which means now, could mean any time between now and possible 3 hours! “Ahorita” which is a Mexican slang word, is used when you want something to actually be done at this moment, and even then it could mean thirty minutes from now. In Mexico, punctuality is not as important as enjoying life. Things will get done when they get done and people do not worry as much about being on time or meeting deadlines. In America, when we say we are meeting at 4pm, we actually mean 4pm. In Mexico it is just not that important and it is very hard to get used to.

The British tend to know a good deal of American culture and politics. Thus what I have usually ended up teaching about my home culture are the little entertaining things.
One piece of info I end up exchanging with them are the differences in fencing culture here compared to home. From little things like the style of wires used in your blade, to bigger things like basic strategy and training the sport changes when you cross the ocean. This seemed a bit odd to me at first because the rules and regulations of fencing are international so you would think the same goals would lead to the same sport. But in spite of this logic I have never seen less offensive sabreurs than in England. At my old fencing club we had a motto of 80% attack, 20% defence, here it's more like 60-40 and this changes how you have to fence them. Further there are some moves they use which I have never heard of and the same is true for them with me. It's been fun relearning my sport in this way and it has made me come to a few realizations and ponderings.
First I realized even in the states the types of fencers changes from club to club and state to state. When fencers get good their fencing styles can be extraordinarily different, a sign of their training, personalities, and opponents. Here it's just even more obvious. The reason I think this is so cool is because it's pretty well how everything in the world works. In the end even countries have the same goals, but their culture, education and the opponents they must face leads to a distinct strategy of how to live. It just makes me happy to be able to see this on a small scale and be able to follow why it happens.
Now I have spent most of this entry discussing some extremely small bit of English American cultural exchange but it's how it is for just about everything. Other topics which have come up a few times for a bit of a culture trade are, rugby vs. football, America stealing British patriotic songs, government, tourist attractions, and drinking. It's all good fun and you find out about as much about your own culture as you do about theirs so simple conversations can really make you feel like you've grown a bit.
Ha, besides these trades of culture you also will sometimes just have to trade the most insignificant cultural items to understand each other. An example would be when it was remarked that one of the lines in my poem reminded a student of cough syrup. Apparantly you can accidentally slip into the cliche word use of a comercial even when it isn't cliche in your own experience, heh, more knowledge gained.

The above photo is the view from my front door. I live in a dorm with 21 other people... I just had to count them out too (by name). :-) Living on an island alters your perspectives on life because you live in close quarters with only a handful of people. Spending everyday with the same people forces you to be open minded about everything from serious to goofy topics. For instance most people here are very environmentally aware. Some people are more aware and cautious than others which can lead to passionate disagreements. Other times confusion arises because one persons calls an object by another name… for example some people call puppy chow, “mud buddies” and parking spaces, “a park”.

We have created a community here where everyone brings ideas and stories from their pasts. It is a lot of fun to share stories about our pasts and find differences and similarities. Try this one of for size. This is for those of you who attended elementary school in the late 90’s. Do you remember warheads the sour candy? Well if you remember them then you must remember the warhead challenges to see who could eat the most without crying or without spitting them out… we weren’t alone  It seems as though kids all over the U.S. had warhead competitions haha.

Living in a tourist area provides us with plenty of touristy things to do, but when you go to the beach for 30 minutes in the afternoon before class … I wouldn’t say that is touristy. We live our lives here and meet people everyday that live here permenately… they are just like everyone else. Everyone here loves supporting the community so anything local is always first choice over anything commercial… except perhaps wal-mart, but the local shops get a lot of business from us as well. Beaufort is classic… it’s beautiful. Just your typical small town with lots of smiling faces and the occasional wierdos .

There is also a foreign exchange student here named William. He is about the biggest culture change we have all experienced, but he fits in perfectly. We were able to take him bowling for the first time and I found out that he is better than me… though that is not much to brag about. William enjoys telling us stories about his home country Papua New Guinea (PNG), but mostly he loves asking us why we do things. He is an amazing person and we all love having him here. Honestly though as for being so different the experiences we have here daily have brought the group of us closer… think LOST!!!!

What have I intruduced in my time here?

As funny as it sounds, I've mostly introduced different types of food.

My flat mates cook, a lot. We basically spend most nights in the kitchen, all of us just making dinner, laughing talking- which is something I'm not really used to. Typically in America you go in, make your food and leave- or, most often, you make it with some friends but you don't offer anyone else a place in that intimate little space you've created.

It's interesting, but here, unlike back in the states, it's actually quite rude to leave a person on their own. You just don't do that. If it's in the computer lab or in the kitchen, or sitting next to someone in class- you start up a conversation, even if it is to only say hi.

But cooking, there is where it comes in. You just don't leave someone to cook alone, if you are around. If someone is making food, you are invited to pull up a chair and have a chat.

It's very nice- I really like it. It isn't as cut off as it is back home- where everyone is expected to stay out of everyone elses space. Here, someone always has time to talk- or have a cup of tea (which I've been invited to a lot- and to 'have tea' with someone usually means to just spend time with them, or maybe have dinner- neat eh?).

For my part, I've been intriducing them to the wonderful world of mac and cheese and other instant meals. They've been getting a kick out of all the stuff my mom and grandmother sends me- especially the snack foods that they don't have around.

So, my Culture Trade has centered around food- as funny as it is, since most people in America don't think that they have a national food to share. But its true- all of our little quirks in the food industry don't travel overseas.

An experience that I often think back to as a truly pivotal moment was
when I bought my first train ticket, from the Manchester Airport to
Lancaster. I had a cart of luggage with me, a purse full of coins that had
very little meaning to me, and absolutely no clue what I was doing. I
managed to walk for about twenty minutes from my terminal to find the
train station (only to find out that there was a bus I could have taken),
to read the board and see no trains headed to Lancaster in sight. I felt
completely and utterly alone. Not being the most outgoing person in the
world, I was content to stand around and hope that I would eventually
figure out how to get myself to Lancaster. After awhile, I finally decided
to just get in line buy a ticket. That, however, spurred the problem of
the fact that I never took the time to study the English currency to
figure out what any of it meant. So when I finally asked for my ticket to
Lancaster (by way of a train to Glasgow, Scotland--I never would have
thought I would be looking for a train that was indirect) I had no idea
how to pay for it. Searching through my coins with no luck, I attempted to
pay with my credit card. But no, I would have to get into a totally
separate line. So I handed the ticketmaster what I thought to be the
correct change . . . just for him to laugh in my face. Not quite the way I
wanted to start my trip, to say the least. The man then informed me that I
had given him a pound coin that was forty years old and worth a decent
amount of money--definitely more than a pound. This made sense,
considering my aunt gave me money she had kept from her trip to Europe
more than thirty years ago. So, tired, embarrassed, and totally lost, I
finally asked for help. And with a smile and a "of course, my love," help
is just what I received. The reason that I so often think back on this
experience is not just because of the retrospective humor, but also
because I learned to swallow my pride and ask for help when I needed it. I
came here not wanting to be the obnoxious American tourist, but I know now
that I am not. Everybody just needs a little help, sometimes.

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My studies in Kenya are quite different than Allegheny in numerous ways. I spend six hours a day in class however the academic portion is ending in two weeks to make way for my internship. A few weeks ago I went to the University of Nairobi Library to collect materials for my three term papers and was shocked at the quality of research available. There was not a single computer for use and the limited books were twenty years old. I found this to be a frustrating experience because I am use to organization and quality materials.

The students nonetheless had their papers to write but were without the access to information that I am use to. This was the first time I realized that some schools do not have the appropriate funding to furnish a library. The experience reminded me that I am an outsider and that students in Kenya must work twice as hard for their research. I respect the students for making the most out of limited resources and now I am more appreciative for what Allegheny has to offer.

Having spent some time in my English surroundings, what my English friends
and I have exchanged as unique to our own cultures seems to focus around
eating and drinking habits. As there is not as huge a cultural difference
between America and England as there would be between say America and
India, what I find to be cultural differences are really just little
nuances. For instance, it would be quite obvious to say that I have learnt
about the importance of football here (or as we in the States would call
it, soccer) and that I have taught my English friends about American
football. However, I don't even really consider that a cultural
difference. In fact, the majority of the English are very up to date on
American news, gossip, politics, etc. So for me, what my cultural trade
involves is food. Perhaps this is because I live in a flat where 13 of us
share one kitchen . . . but for me what has truly stuck out is the English
disdain for peanut butter. They just don't eat it. The only way I can buy
it here is in a tiny little glass jar for almost 2 whole pounds. This is
jarring to me because I find peanut butter to be a staple in the American
diet-or at least of the American college student. At Allegheny, when I run
out of food and don't have the money to buy more at the moment, I snack
directly from a jar of peanut butter. Therefore, I was truly shocked when
one day at Lancaster I was eating peanut butter on celery and several of
my English flatmates were truly disgusted. I was surprised for they hadn't
even heard of this combination existing. I insisted that they try it
themselves, and everyone flat out refused. However, after several weeks of
persistence one did try it. And hated it. In exchange, the English have
instilled in me a new appreciation for baked beans. Whereas I see peanut
butter as the American staple, baked beans seem to be that to the English.
I've seen them put beans on just about everything, from just eating it on
toast to putting it on their pizza (ew). While I haven't gone so far as to
make my own disgusting combinations, I have definitely changed my eating
habits in deference to English custom--but I still eat peanut butter.

Though I have only recently arrived in Australia, I have picked up on one very interesting difference between American university students and those I am currently studying with. This realization did not come about as a result of a singular experience, but from many experiences linked together. University students here at James Cook seem significantly more worldly and adult than students back in the USA. Perhaps this is because JCU is a relatively good university, or because, unlike in the USA, only the more successful high school students continue on to higher education. Regardless, my peers know an incredible amount about their country’s politics, economics, healthcare, etc. I often find myself embarrassed about how little I know about how my own country functions, and even more embarrassed when my new companions know more about some aspect of the USA than I do.
I have never been interested in politics or the inner workings of American society, but I find that I am now inspired to learn more about what is going on back home. Even if it is just so that I can contribute to conversation at the dinner table.