10 pieces of advice for studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain

1.     Do not pay for a phone plan in the states!! You can buy a sim card from a phone company in Barcelona that will allow you to have 10 gigabits of data for one month.  For every 10 gigabits of data it was 20$. Overall I ended up spending 40$ compared to some of my friends who payed around 400$ to be able to use their phones abroad. Look into the best options before you leave!

2.     Don’t waste days! There were too many times I came home to my apartment and my roommates had been inside all day watching Netflix. I always thought it was crazy. Take advantage of everyday because it’s over before you know it and you do not want to look back and wish you had explored more.

3.     Theft isn’t just a rumor. Many people in my program had their wallets and phones stolen, some even twice. In my experience as long as you’re paying attention and aware of your surroundings theft won’t be a problem. I personally never had a problem with theft. Make sure to always keep your phone in your purse. NEVER put it in your back pocket or sitting on a table. This is the easiest ways people will grab your phones and run off. Before coming to Barcelona I would suggest buying a purse that zips or closes tightly and does not have easy access for people to slide their hands in. When going on the metro hold your backpack or purse in front of you.

4.     Be open to new experiences and get out of your comfort zone. Do things you wouldn’t normally do. You won’t regret it. J

5.     When you first take the metro you will have to make the choice to buy a 10 rides metro pass or the month pass. Buy the month pass! You will be riding the metro a lot. I took the metro everywhere I went whether it was to my friend’s apartment, the beach,  school, shopping, or site seeing.

6.     Have a travel journal! You are going to want to remember everything you did each day and the experiences you had. I ended up writing a brief description of each day in my notes on my phone but I wish I had brought a journal and written everything out.  

7.     Try to speak Spanish as much as possible. A lot of people in Barcelona do know English so you might think it’s just easier  than trying to speak Spanish but speaking it throughout the day will help you improve the language and you will also gain more respect from locals.

8.     Don’t be afraid to ask your program leaders and teachers for advice. Some of the best places and restaurants I went to around Barcelona were places I learned about from them.

9.     GO ON THE EXCURSIONS. The excursions I went on were some of the best experiences I had. We traveled outside inside and outside of Barcelona and saw beautiful architecture, art work, views, beaches, and cities.

10.  And finally…..EAT LOTS OF GELATO J

Finding friends!

Finding friends! 

Going to a new country by yourself can be very nerve racking and if your anything like me, finding new friends could be one concern. Finding friends isn’t always easy and it’s understandable to be worried. In my experience, I was completely worried for nothing. Once I met everyone In the program I realized that we are all in the same position. No one studying abroad knew each other from before and we all were looking for people to share adventures with. I also realized that we were all very similar to each other. We all were there to experience something new and had an interest in other cultures and seeing the world. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be thousands of miles from our home studying in another country. Everyone I met was so friendly and wanted to be friends with everyone. In the first week I had become very close to two girls in particular and by the second week we were traveling to another country together. It was amazing how close we had become after only knowing each other for a short period of time. It felt like I had known these friends my whole life. By the end of the experience I felt so close to everyone in the program. I am so glad to have met these people and experience once in a lifetime opportunities with them.

Semester in Japan Spring 2018 - Video Compilation

Studying in Tokyo, Japan was such an amazing experience, and I would not trade it for anything else in the world! I got to experience traveling to major sites I had always dreamed of visiting since I was child, I made great connections that will last a life time with people from not only Japan, but other parts of the world too, and because I was so immersed into the culture, I was able to learn more about the Japanese lifestyle as well as enhanced my language speaking skills. 

While studying in Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in particular, I was also able to work as an English "Chat Leader" in their Chat Room (one of the language practicing services that AGU provides), lived in the international dorms in Musashi-Kosugi, joined circles (extra-curricular activities) such as the Aoyama Christian Fellowship circle, Gospel Choir, and MBS A Capella circle! Through all these different activities, I was able to experience what it was like to go on an overnight retreat with a Japanese university circle, perform an a capella solo of the famous Japanese song "Everything" by MISIA  in front of students of 4 other big universities in the area, visited the AGU Sagamihara Campus (in which international students rarely get the experience of going to, and most of which don't get to visit at all), and as a Filipino Christian, I was introduced to a small international church, not too far from my dorm, that had Sunday Filipino services. 

I am still quite shocked with all of the extraordinary experiences that I had while studying abroad in Japan, and I am so grateful to have been able to go on such an amazing journey there. 

Also, below is a link to a video compilation of my different experiences in chronological order from Day 1 in Japan, all the way to my very last day in Tokyo! I hope that you enjoy watching~ 

https://youtu.be/-cglUBzlr6c

Wrapping Up My Time at PUC in Rio de Janeiro: Final Thoughts

I think it's almost always sad to leave the place you are studying abroad in.

However, when leaving Brazil, I was more happy than upset because I know that I established as many connections as I could to be able to possible come back. You also have to remind yourself that every single thing you faced abroad-- good or bad-- was meant to teach you a lesson. It's all a learning experience.

So, when it comes to Brazil and Rio de Janeiro and particular, here are my tips and take-aways:

1. Don't be flashy. In other words, don't carry around your iPhone or go-pro or beats headphones in your hands or anywhere visible.

2. Be open to learning Portuguese and actually trying to adapt. Many I knew stuck to their crowd of foreigners or people from their home countries, so all they spoke was English or Spanish or French etc. but never Portuguese. Brazilians appreciate it when you at least try, especially since English isn't widely spoken.

3. It's easier to get scared especially by what others say, but don't be. Any where in the world can be dangerous. It's easy to see through the media that Brazil appears to have lots of politically and racially charged violence. Though this obviously exists, you just have to take the necessary precautions such as talking to people from school, going to the ATM with others and not at night, don't walk alone at night especially in unfamiliar places, etc.

4. It's very hard to upkeep a vegan diet here. There are places in Rio de Janeiro that cater to vegans and vegetarians, however, at the buffets (which are the most common there) the options are limited and often still have meat products in them. This goes back to learning Portuguese so that you can communicate that you are a vegan/vegetarian. Rice and beans are a go to here (although sometimes beans contain ham so beware)!

5. Be open and talk about things that make you uncomfortable. I'm not saying to be okay with things that you do not morally agree with or make you feel uneasy-- but to reach out to someone who can help. I often found myself uncomfortable with the machismo that plagues Brazil (and most of South America). I always kept those feelings bottled in until I was back home. Looking back, I think it would have helped to tell my Brazilian friends or people at my school so that I could have overcome some of my subconscious fears about simply going to the store or beach alone without being worried that I would receive unwanted and menacing attention from men. Identify your resources and use them.

Traveling Outside of Rio While Studying at PUC!

It's common for students to travel outside of their designated city or countries while studying abroad. While i'd usually recommend that students should spend time getting to know the area they're studying in, it could be a very rewarding experience to travel to a different city, state or even country.

I travelled to the state of Bahia towards the end of my study abroad experience. My thoughts were that Brazil is so huge that I at least have to see one other state aside from Rio de Janeiro. Bahia is a three hour plane ride from the Rio Galeão international airport. Bahia is a place rich with culture as Salvador, the capital, was the first slave port established in the Americas and makes Bahia the center of Afro-Brazilian culture.

Salvador is much more laid back than Rio de Janeiro-- it almost reminded me of the laid-backness of Hawai'i. There is much to do there: beautiful beaches, trying traditional foods like Acarajé-- a bean and shrimp fritter, and going to check out the historic towns of Pelourinho and Rio Vermelho. Pelourinho is known for its colorful buildings and old cobblestone streets. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, as it is was here that the first slave market was established in the "New World." Here you can also buy trinkets and souvenirs to take back home. I loved Pelourinho because the streets are so colorful and often filled with street dancers and musicians playing traditional instruments and dancing or performing capoeira, an Afro-Braziian martial art. 

One memorable experience in Salvador was going to a traditional Candomblé ceremony. Candomblé is a very old Afro-Brazilian religion that came over to Brazil with African slaves. By no means do you need to be religious to attend or enjoy the ceremony, though. At first, my friends and I sat down and waited in a very small church in a poorly lit neighborhood, not really knowing where we were or what to expect. As the church pews filled, a man who seemed to be a priest dressed in all white came out and made an announcement (all of the ceremony was in Portuguese, so it was hard to catch everything). Then what seemed to be the matriarch of the church or community came out, also dressed in white. Members of the church started to chant and dance around her. Then, one by one, they all came back out dressed in ornate and beautiful costumes representing the orishas or saints of the religion. The whole ceremony lasted about 4 hours-- to me, it was one of my greatest experiences in Brazil.

I guess the moral of my story is to plan to travel outside of your city especially if the country you're in is as big as Brazil. Do your research! If you're interested in a particular subject or time period, chances are there's somewhere in your country that offers something cool related to whatever that subject is. 

Blog #3: 5 tips for traveling while abroad

1. Plan out your weekends/travel dates well in advance (about a month or two), if you want to get the best deals. Flights from country to country can be SUPER cheap (I’m talking like $50 roundtrip cheap!) in Europe but you have to book about 6 weeks in advance to get those kinds of deals.  
2. If you plan to study abroad during spring and want to travel a lot during spring break, definitely plan that well in advance (before even arriving in Europe) to avoid paying tons of money for air/accommodations.  Many Europeans vacation during Easter which drives prices up like crazy, especially last minute.  My friends and I really wanted to go to Amsterdam but we waited to long and flights rose to about $600/roundtrip and hotels and Airbnb’s sky rocketed! It cost me way less to fly to Philadelphia for Easter than it would have to travel last minute throughout Europe.
3. Pack lightly!! Most budget airlines only allow a carry on bag and are very strict about it.  I’ve had airlines tell me I had to put my small purse inside my carry on just because I wasn’t allowed to have a personal item.  I’ve also had airlines tell me I had to either put on my jacket or to put it in the overhead bin for take off and landing.  Remember, no one in these other countries/cities are going to know you so no shame in repeating outfits! Also, wear your heaviest clothes/shoes onto the plan to save room in your luggage :)
4. When booking a place to stay, make sure you use maps to know the location you are in and that you are nearby to things you want to see.  If you plan on using public transportation while there, use the maps to find metro stops.  My friends and I used Airbnb for most of the places we travelled and we found that they had the best deals.  Hostels are a good option too but if you are traveling in a group it’s usually cheaper to split an Airbnb. 
5. If you are going to another country with a different language, learn some basics before getting there! I found it helpful to learn how to say “hello,” “thank you,” “please,” and “sorry” in whatever language for the country I was visiting.  The reason I chose these is because even if you are struggling with other words and phrases, these words show that you are polite and that usually goes over well with everyone.  Obviously you can’t learn the language of every single country (unless you can, that’s awesome!), but just practicing some of it on the ride there does a lot.  Just attempting the language is appreciated by most foreigners (although you’re the foreigner in this case) and they are more likely to help you if they see you are trying.  You may feel a little silly sometimes but it’s definitely worth it!