Sustainable student (and teacher, at times)

Coming from Hawaii, sustainability, or at least the push for sustainability, is the status quo. We have banned plastic bags. We have readily available water fountains for using refillable bottles. Most of our single-use plastics have been replaced by biodegradable alternatives, and using your own metal straw is all the rage. 

Although Europe may be thought of as safe haven of progressive and liberal ideals, it isn’t on the same sustainable wavelength as Hawaii quite yet. Recycling bins are easy to find, which is an awesome place to start, but I found that many other eco-friendly lifestyle habits were not a social norm yet. 

For example, here I have “Exhibit A”: bananas put in a cardboard box thoroughly coated in plastic wrap (as if the natural coating of the fruit wasn’t good enough). 

Options like these felt absolutely repulsive to me, but to many European consumers it was something completely ordinary. 

At first, it was quite disheartening to know that the positive changes happening in Hawaii were so minuscule in comparison to the larger trends of consumption across the globe. The more I considered the issue though, I realized that this was merely an opportunity. Europe had shared so much with me—how to properly make coffee, the efficiency of public transportation, the Spanish language, the intricacies of fine art—and now it was my turn to share something with them. Even though I stood out, I did what was sustainably friendly, and when people asked me what I was doing, I shared with them why. 

And now I’ll share what I said with you too:

• Bring your own bag to the grocery store! This isn’t as normal in some parts of Europe (especially Spain) as it is in Hawaii, but that doesn’t mean it should stop you. I would always leave a small cloth bag in my backpack that way I always had one for quick grocery store runs after class. 

• Stick the sticker directly on the produce! Some European grocery stores may function differently than in the US. Sometimes you are supposed to weigh your produce at a special scale that prints off a sticker barcode for you to bring to the cashier. Normally, people will put their apples in a small plastic bag, and then weigh it, and then stick the sticker on the bag. To save plastic, skip the bags and weight your apples directly on the scale. When you have your sticker, stick it directly on one of the bunch, and go to check out like that. Problem solved. 

• Don’t buy the plastic wrapped bananas! Even if they are cheaper, fight with your wallet and buy the more eco-friendly option. 

• Bring your own water bottle! Warning: this can be a dangerous task sometimes. During my time abroad, I encountered several restaurants and cafes that were not a fan of my Hydroflask (even though I had already paid for something else from their menu). Most food establishments in Europe will not bring you tap water in a glass, or if they do they will bring it quite hesitantly. They REALLY want you to buy bottled water, which is not exactly the greatest option in terms of waste production. In the few instances that I encountered some rudeness, I would simply explain my point of view and they would usually simmer down…. but be prepared. 

• Bring your own reusable container for take out! You will definitely get weird looks, but it’s worth it nonetheless. 

• Keep a set of silverware on you & use it for your take out!

• Ask for NO straw every time!

Every day we make choices that can make an impact. The more people we can convince to make these same choices, then the better off we are as a world. 

Always stay conscious, my friends! 

Brooke Gottmeier

Comillas University

Spring 2019

What to do without Walmart?

Brooke Gottmeier 

Spain - Comillas Universidad 

Spring 2019 

I don't even shop at Walmart that often back home. Occasionally, I make a trip to Target, but both superstores are somewhat of an oddity for me. I go there if I need a new charger for my phone, or cheap plates for my kitchen, or new bed sheets—every time whatever I’m looking for is completely random and I always tend to find it. 

However, shortly after I got to Spain I realized that there was no superstore here. I needed all of these random things like tights, and nail polish, and kitchen utensils, and stamps, but I had no clue where to find them. 

One of the first situations that I encountered with this dilemma was with my great journey to find tights. Being that Spain is cold and Hawaii is not, I owned none of these elusive articles of clothing. 

I went to buy some at the Zara near my house and left empty handed. Next, I went to the underwear store—nothing. I tried the closest thing we have to a department store here in Spain, El Corte Inglés, but I only found handbags and watches. 

Yet, on the streets all around me were girls were wearing tights! I had absolutely no clue where they were getting them! Being that I was in Spain, Amazon could not save the day this time. So, I spent the rest of the week frustratingly trying different stores and keeping my eyes out for the secret tight superstore. 

Finally I broke down and decided to ask the “stupid question”:

So, I asked my host mom, “¿Dónde compras medias?”.

She replied, “A la merceria medias”. 

After she gave me directions, I headed over to the merceria medias and was surprised to find the cutest little store jam packed with tights in every inch of it. So this was were everyone was getting them… 

I got a pair and headed home feeling relieved and slightly accomplished for figuring out the mystery. 

Though my great journey to find the elusive Spanish tights, I learned several things that I’d love to share with you guys so you don’t run into the same situation:

1. JUST ASK FOR HELP! No question is stupid. You are in a new country where everything, including the language, is foreign to you. Don’t be afraid! Most people are more than willing to help you out, so even if it’s a stranger just ask. 
2. We are very spoiled in the U.S. with giant superstores and Amazon to answer our every need. 
3. In Europe if you can’t immediately think of where to buy something, it’s likely being sold at a tiny little specialty store. To find it either (A) ask for help or (B) try translating the name of what you are looking for and then google it. If you just google it in English, you likely won't find the best results. 
4. Try not to get frustrated! You will find everything in time, and adjusting to these difference is just a part of life while abroad. To me, I found the tights situation hilarious. The fact that they have a whole merceria just for tights here I found to be so cute and funny. Try to take everything lightly! It’s all a process. 

Thailand Adventures - What I loved and what I didn't

Keili McEvilly

Mahidol University, Thailand

Thailand Adventures - What I loved and what I didn't

The pictures bellow are from Koh Chang island. This place is quiet, cheap, and beautiful! The first is a giant golden buddha temple ( you have to wear sarongs if you have a revealing top and/ or shorts) that over looked a fishing harbor and a long, sandy white beach. The second is at a beach on the pier side (aka: where you get off your ferry) at low tide with some tide pools during my first sunset on the island. I stayed at this hotel last minute (we bought it that day) called win or winning hotel right on that beach... and it was only like $10 a night! The third is an old fishing ship at low tide further down the beach that same night. There are so many fun beaches on this island! Rent mopeds and try to get to the 4 seasons hammocks for me, because I tried long and hard.

 The picture below was taken at my favorite island of the chain off Krabi. Koh Samui Island. This place was amazing. Mostly because I love to dive and stayed at Big Blue Diving hotel where everyday that I dove (everyday) was a free night stay at the hotel! This beach had the BEST sunsets I have ever seen in my life and the best iced tea I have ever tasted. From this beach you can get a personal boat with a few of your new diving buddies and head over to a smaller island, the second picture bellow. It gets crowded after 9 am so go early or expect a crowd and burn your feet. I forgot shoes and got hella blisters.

These are my crazy friends. It was a super weird dynamic here, maybe you will experience this as well, I never felt so close to so many interesting individuals so quickly. We bonded SO incredibly fast. I mean we all just had no friends and no service to people back home so much that we only had each other to depend on and lean on for support. One of my friends fell in love on the trip, more than one of my friends had a heart break, many were traveling for similar reasons as I and some had anterior motives like discovering themselves, mentally restarting, or using it to escape a bad situation back home. Bottom line, these humans are the best and I hang out with them a lot still or FaceTime weekly at least and the all time best adventures of the trip were solely due to their craziness.

This is those great people again at Songkron: THE WORLDS GREATEST HOLIDAY 

You have to go.

 This was my favorite adventure, Song kao Rai National Park ( I think that is the right name). I camped for one night 💞💞 with my boyfriend and everyone was very upset I did not invite them/ stay longer because it is beautiful and there are at least 6 waterfalls (did them all in one day), a beautiful elf temple forest garden, and hot springs. It is super cold and a dangerous drive. Only ride a moped if you are comfortable and experienced, we saw two accidents while we were driving. It is super cold so layer up and tents are more expensive than at other national parks so bring blankets and your own sleeping bag. And bring food, there is very little up here.

 Hope you enjoyed!

PS: here is my youtube I share more of my adventures around Thailand and beyond! 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdPwGGju5MbvVUvUf-ITCjQ?view_as=subscriber

- Keili McEvilly

Moving to Thailand

Keili McEvilly

Moving to Thailand.

When I first began looking at housing in Thailand for my study abroad, I did NOT know where to begin. So I will try to help you out. The two main housing units (for both local and international students) were Bundit Home, Crystal palace,  and The September (which I stayed at). The most expensive was the September, and the least expensive was Bundit home. The picture below is one of the closest friends I made while at MUIC, Aanchal who was born and raised in Thailand. She taught me to shop the street markets like a local, eat fun places like Anyas (which I highly recommend), and she helped me get through Chemistry. Now we txt all the time and plan on traveling together again soon. The best part about living here was how integrated I became with other students from Thailand and around the globe!

Getting around: You do not need a car, or a moped. If you want, you can get a bike because they are very close to campus, also theft is VERY low so a lock is, for the most part, unnecessary. What I did most everyday was take a "bike boy" aka the back part of a local guys moped. I also took taxis (they are like 50 cents more expensive, but way safer. If you do take a taxi, try to carpool and make sure the guy puts the meter on. That goes for every part of Thailand, if they say no ask for a price and try to bargain down or quickly ask them to stop. Ask a local hotel or worker for usual rates.

PS: Here is my youtube channel, I go over a bunch more tips and tricks I discovered from way to many dumb mistakes lol.


Good luck!
- Keili McEvilly

Arriving at the AGU I-House Dorms

Finding my way to the dorms for the first time was quite the adventure. It was my very first time traveling to another country alone, with little to no internet upon arrival at the airport, and limited vocabulary when it came to the Japanese language. I was honestly scared that I wouldn’t know where to go and what to say, but luckily I was given a guide on how to get from Narita Airport to the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) International House (I-House) dorms in Musashi-Kosugi through my welcome package before departing for Japan-- in both English AND Japanese. This guide was literally my best friend from point A to point B because, although there were many employees in the Airport that spoke English, once I stepped foot outside of the airport, not many people were able to understand what I was saying. And after dozens of questions on what trains to catch and giving my taxi the address to where I need to go, I had finally arrived at my destination… At about 9pm… approximately 6 hours after landing ^^; Once I had arrived at my dorms, I was assisted by another student who lived in the building, which was very kind of him because I later found out that he didn’t go to the same school as I was going to. When I took my first step into the building, I was in awe at how modern and new the building looked. It made me really excited to see the rest of the dorms, though I was a bit nervous to meet everyone else. Within a couple minutes, a Residents Assistant, or RA, greeted me with open arms and welcomed me to what I was going to call my home for the next 4 months. Her name was Giwon, and let me tell you now, she is literally one of THE BEST RA’s I have ever met in my LIFE (and that’s including my experience dorming at HPU, too!). Giwon, with her happy and uplifting spirit, gifted me with a welcome package from the university, my room key card, and documents of important information I needed to know while living in the I-House (such as WiFi, my mailbox combination numbers, etc.). Then, she helped me with my luggage and guided me to my room. I was honestly shocked when I entered the room. It was not what I had expected, AT ALL. There was one desk, one bathroom, one closet, and one bed… This room was obviously made for just one person, and I found it hard to believe that it was all mine. I didn’t know that these dorms provided us with our own private rooms beforehand. I had assumed that I would be given a roommate, just like how I always did back at HPU. I don’t know if I missed that information or wasn’t told this at all about the AGU I-House in advance because this was literally a jaw dropping moment for me. But I honestly don’t want to complain since it was my first time having my own room, which I was really blessed to have. After getting a feel for my room, Giwon had suggested that I went down for dinner before they ended serving food at 9:30pm. I had barely made it in time, 9:28pm, and I was SO thankful because I was actually pretty hungry after all of that traveling. We had some sort of ramen, and it was really nice to have something warm in my stomach on a cold March day.

My first dinner at the dorms after a long day of traveling!

Classes at Soonchunhyang University

Classes at Soonchunhyang University

        Happy Holidays Everyone! The fall semester has ended and exams finished in Mid December. Attending this school under the Asian Studies program, you have a minimum of 12 credits and a maximum of 19 credits to be a full-time student. I took 6 classes that summed up to a whopping 19 credits!

Academics:

        Here is a rundown of how the classes work. So you are not required to take any certain type of class, but be a full-time student. Below are the classes I took and how it went:

        Cultural Internship Discussion class. This is where you would discuss the journey of adapting to a new environment. This is the class that is 6 credits but would be transferred as a General Education in Global Crossroads and Diversity.

         A Korean Culture Class - Calligraphy (1 credit). A time where I would come in for 2 hours and just distress as you practice your calligraphy on phrases the teacher wants you to write.

 

        The two business classes that are the only two offered that semester. Global Entrepreneurship was a class where you learn about powerful business leaders and you would make group presentation and group work. The other class, International Trade and Finance are more of a lecture class with the only midterm, final exam, and a small presentation. Also, these two classes took us on field trips to Samsung Innovation Museum and Hyundai Motors Factory, two of Korea's biggest businesses or conglomerates. (The picture below is a group picture on a souvenir mouse pad from Samsung company tour)



        Korean Speaking and Writing (2 different classes). Even though they are on two different days, you will have the same teacher and will cover both subjects simultaneously. Before entering, you take an entrance exam at orientation. You would either be automatically placed in Level 1 or your place to a higher level. Usually, you need to have taken professionally taught class previously before SCH to get placed into a higher level. If you are self-taught, you would need to make a request. If you have taken Korean class before, do not be afraid and take the test to place higher.

        Ultimately, you will not have a hard time learning as most of the classes are taught in English. The community of people are great so it is manageable to do the class work. Keep in mind that most classes, only 30% of the students can receive an A in the class. I worked hard, made sure to participate in class and ask suitemates for help. My transcripts are out and I’m proud of my grades.

       Next time I will talk about student life and how to manage your money in South Korea! Enjoy the Holidays :)

Israeli cuisine is amazing!

Aloha everyone!

There are so many delicious dishes here in Israel to try out, largely due to Israel being a huge melting pot of cultures and religions, and I have already started trying them out. These are some dishes I have fallen in love with, and I strongly suggest you try them out whenever you are here!

Falafel // Hummus // Shwarma // Tahini // Baba Ganoush // Bourekas // Rugelach

Plus seafood and shabbat dinners! Oh, and a traditional Israeli salad! And shakshuka! Israel has so much to offer when it comes to food, and the best part is that most of it is actually healthy - its full of fresh veggies, fruit dishes, fish instead of meat, etc etc. Definitely worth trying out. And if you want pastries and the like, then don't worry, the Israelis have a sweet tooth too ;)

Shalom Israel!

Hello HPU students! And shalom :)

My third week in Israel is coming to an end, and I am starting to adapt to my new life here in Haifa. From my relatively short flight to Tel Aviv, and the ensuing travel to Haifa by train and bus, to dorm- and student life at the University, I am hoping to give you guys a short glimpse into life here in Israel as a visiting student from HPU :) I hope this will help with some questions you might have regarding a study abroad experience here in the Middle East!

A view of Haifa from the university

First of all is travelling to Israel. If you wish to study at the University of Haifa, one of HPU's partner universities, remember that Haifa is situated north in the country, about 90 kilometers north of Tel Aviv - and 90 kilometers north of the Ben Gurion Airport; the main international airport of Israel, and the airport you need to land at (as it is the closest international airport to the city of Haifa). From there, the easiest way to get to Haifa is by train. But don't worry! There is a train station at the airport :) Take the train to the Hof HaCarmel station in Haifa, and take either a bus or taxi from there to the university. And again, don't worry. Almost everybody here speaks English, and they all know of the university and where it is located. Getting to the university is not as difficult as people make it seem.

View of Jerusalem from a hostel I stayed at

Second is the dorm life and the student life. The campus is located on the historic slopes of Mount Carmel, with a view overlooking Haifa (as seen on one of the pictures above). The view is amazing! And so are the dorms. While I chose to live at the Federman dorms, where we live in double bedrooms, you can also choose to live at the Talia dorms, where you live in single bedrooms. Both are located right next to each other. You share an apartment with other international students, but are surrounded by apartments with Israeli students - a great way to get to know everyone on campus!

Furthermore, the student life here is very including. There is an amazing staff at the international school who are organizing all kinds of parties and excursions for us, while the Israeli students also organize several parties and events for the university students, just like at HPU. And everyone is welcome to join! I can't wait to explore more of what life here in Haifa has to offer :)

One of the beaches in Haifa

Vanessa Cortes Summer Abroad

My summer abroad has come and gone quicker than I am happy to admit. Words truly can't describe what an incredible experience traveling has been for me. Everyday mundane activities become so significant when you experience them in such a different place. I feel that I have learned so much about myself and other countries while on this journey. One piece of advice I have for those who are preparing for their journey, take advantage of every opportunity presented to you. No matter how bad your jet lag is, if you've never had a certain type of food, or maybe your curious about this new cultures style, just go for it. Each experience will leave you with a few pictures and a good story to tell. I am forever thankful for my own experiences, and would definitely recommend traveling to anyone who is even considering it. I would definitely study abroad again next summer, or at least just visit a few of my new international friends. :)

Vanessa Cortes Week 3

Week 3 has come and gone, man this experience is going by quickly! I can't believe I only have one more week left in this beautiful city. Although I can say that I didn't waste any time out here. Through fellow friends at HPU I have managed to not only see East Germany (Berlin), but I also spent a weekend in the south (Nuremburg), as well as the West (Duisburg)! On my free weekend I went to Amsterdam, and that definitely met all of my expectations. I had told myself at the beginning of this adventure that I would try to venture out and eat more exotic foods, but that really hasn't happened all that often. But I am very excited for our last week of classes because we will be visiting the Volkswagen Headquarters, and we are being led through a V.I.P. tour. Can't wait to see how this next week goes!

College Life in Tokyo

Hello everyone,
The first month in Tokyo, Japan was awesome. I definitely love the hustle bustle in Tokyo. Especially, the location is right in the district of Shibuya which is known for its pop culture and fashion. Strongly suggest you do not just go back to dorm right after school if you got some time I recommend you to walk around Omotesando, Shibuya, and Harajuku there are tons of things to explore. For example, Line store that has so many cute characters, and Calbee Store that you can try their freshly fried potatoes.


Aoyama Gakuin University is great. Their International Center and tutor are really helpful. From where is ATM, where are the classrooms to how to get discount half-year pass for train etc. Also, there is a job on campus that we can apply for as an exchange student which is the chatroom leader. A chatroom leader at Aoyama is someone to help local Japanese student with their English speaking skills and it is a good chance get to know what are the trends among Japanese students. Moreover, the welcome party held by the student life office was awesome because it is free for new exchange students and dinner is included. The welcome party is the best timing to meet other students like exchange students and degree-seeking. 

Caption: Shibuya Crossing

The class size at Aoyama is quite different compared to what we have in Hawai'i. Many lectures in Japan have around at least 100 students so as you can see in the picture below they got multiple projectors to make sure everyone can see the slides clearly.

6 weeks in Madagascar.3 the end.

Week 5: This week, I have the best time. We go to Vakoana Forest Lodge Lemur Island.  I have so much opportunity to take photos with lemurs and camelinas. 

 Everyone in the program loves this island because of the lemurs.  They come to play with us very closely.  We also have opportunity to visit the national park.  We see one Indri lemur, a few common brown lemurs, and birds.  It is hard to say goodbye to my homestay at Andasibe.  They have tried as best as they can to take care of me.  I love my little five months baby boy so much and wish to steal him back to US with me.

 

Week 6: This week we are back to Antananarivo and our homestay for two nights.  My homestay family has made me feel warm to be back home at Tana.  We have a great dinner talk and laugh about my Andasibe trip.   

We also go to Morondava where we stay at the beach hotel.  I cannot explain how happy everyone is, including me.  As I come from Hawaii, Morondava has relieved my heavy homesick feeling. 

 We visit the baobab avenue and the love baobab.  It is such amazing experience.  Everyone has beautiful sunset baobab park photos to take back home. 

 I cannot take enough photos of the baobab. 

 They are so amazing.  I finally can do all my assignments here as well.  I am not sure if it is laziness or the cold that has made procrastinate so much at Antananarivo and Andasibe.  

Overall, I enjoyed the varieties of the course materials that Dr. Nat planned.  The course provides a great deal of lectures and field trips.  I learned history, culture, language, and traditional medicine in Madagascar.  In addition, the program provides lectures on health care policies and modern medicine in Madagascar.  I like that we have a chance to interview and interact with both traditional and modern medicine professions.   

 These interviews have shown us the difference between the theory and practice of health care in Madagascar.  For example, the doctor at the primary care center at Andasibe tells us that the center and himself do not charge patients for consulting.  However, the people and healers tell us that the center and doctor charge patients for consulting.  In theory, public health care should be free for the people though in reality corruption makes the system not work as well as it should.  I appreciated all the wonderful materials that the dedicated team provided.  I have learned and experienced so much and I will still keep continuing to learn as Dr. Nat says, “It is in listening that we hear, in hearing that we know, and in knowing that we understand.”

6 weeks in Madagascar.2

Week 3: This week starts on the Madagascar Independence Day.  I take this long holiday weekend opportunity to work on my homework.  It is very interesting that Malagasy celebrate their independence day with bird-type animals such as chickens, ducks, etc.  My host family cooks geese.  There is the funniest moment at dinner table as well.  My host father is trying to cut the geese for me on the plate – surprisingly, my host family do not have or use a cutting board at home.  When he is trying to chop the meat and the bone, the liquid from the geese is spreading into my face.  I am trying very hard not to laugh and just keep eating.  This story could be one of my favorite moments that I will share when I go back to the USA.

We have great in-class lectures the same as last week.  I am so glad that Dadabe sent us the files of the lectures because I would like to re-read when I get back home as well.  For the field trips, we visit the traditional healer up on the mountain and the research center.    

As I am very out of shape, I feel tired a lot when we walk up the mountain.  Every time I want to stop, Dadabe’s quote from Martin Luther King come into my head, “If you cannot run, then walk.  If you cannot walk, then crawl.  Just keep moving.”   I feel my legs are shaking but I still want to keep moving as Dadabe has taught us.  I like how Dadabe’s team lays out the class material.  We have learned the traditional medicine and then back to learn modern medicine.  So, we can learn from both sides.  

Week 4: We come to stay with a new host family at Andasibe.  My host family is a young couple with two boys.  The houses at Andasibe are very different than Antananarivo because it is a more rural area.  We also have Malagasy pharmacology students as our brothers and sisters.  We have our lecture at the conference room at the Park which are about the health care policy, laws, and the history of traditional medicine in Madagascar. 

 We have a great chance to interview Traditional healers who live in Andasibe and are still practicing.  It is very interesting to realize how important traditional healers are in a rural area.   The most common challenge for traditional healers in Andasibe is the access to the medicine plants in the protected area.  The traditional healers, who are registered with the national association, have permits to access the protective area while those who are not registered cannot get into the forest.

We also visit the primary health center.  The facility has only 5 medical professionals while they have an average of 30 patients every day.  The biggest challenge of the health center is the lack of equipment. The most wonderful finding at Andasibe is how the traditional healers and the doctors at the primary health center are willing to work together. 

 They refer one another when there is the best benefit for the patients.  I am happy that both doctors and the traditional healers promote the prevention of sickness. As Mamabosi and Dadabe always say, “Prevention is better than cure!”.  While we learn so much with health care system, we learn how to cook Malagasy food and dessert at our home stay as well.