Probably one of my biggest fears when going abroad to study in the US 3 years ago and again upon my arrival in UK was that I would not be able to stay true to my culture and values held by my people. Kazakhstan, being a country of only 17 million people, does not have … Continue reading Retaining my Kazakh identity while studying abroad – Bakdaulet Baitan
Recently, I spoke with several male friends studying in London, either full-time or with IFSA-Butler, to discuss how masculinity is interpreted and presented here, and how that differs from where they’re from. I was surprised to find so much overlap in their responses! Alex, who attends Pomona College in California but is studying at University … Continue reading Does Toxic Masculinity Exist in London? – Sierra DeAngelo
One of the main intentions I set for 2019 was to find home in my body. I vowed to make ‘home’ a state of mind rather than a place. As I departed my loved ones and hometown on January 1st to study abroad in London for five months, I knew this hefty goal would be … Continue reading 5 Tips for Staying Centered While Abroad – Sierra Deangelo
I always knew that I was an introverted person, but I did not know that I have social anxiety until the second year of college. I realized that had felt stressed and anxious in almost all social settings: from a theater rehearsal room, a Friday night party, or the cafeteria resounded with American small talks, … Continue reading Living with Social Anxiety Abroad
I’ve finished my second year of QM now and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Well, technically I haven’t finished but I don’t have to come back to campus for classes any more- so in my mind that means I have finished; even though I still have three assignments to go… It’s sad … Continue reading March – Shola Lee
I have always felt uncomfortable about the phrase “coming out” because of the inherent implication about there being a “normal” or “standard” sexuality, while others are regarded as “other” or “strange.” This past summer, I had to wrestle with this concept. I spent a lot of time thinking about my own sexuality. After many conversations … Continue reading Coming Out: The Abroad Edition – Rachel Godfrey
“There will never be a place where I can fully belong.” This is what I wrote down on Facebook, right before the plane took off to London, the city where I would stay for the next six months. All kinds of anxieties started to upsurge into my body, and one of them is the fear … Continue reading Embracing Discomfort: Studying the Arts in London as an East Asian – Unique Wenxuan Xue
And just like that, first semester was gone. Four amazing months with amazing people in amazing places. I remember the first time I woke up in Sweden thinking to myself ‘what on earth have you gotten yourself into?’ I didn’t know anybody, I didn’t (and still don’t) speak the language and I certainly didn’t feel … Continue reading Semester Two – Kyran Penny
Studying in a foreign environment, as exciting as it is, can be a little daunting. For students who identify as members of marginalized groups, transitioning can be even more difficult. As I was preparing to study abroad, I remember hearing that only 5% of Black students travelled abroad, and I found this statistic to be … Continue reading Being Black and Muslim in London – Rachel Godfrey
"I have lived and studied abroad almost my entire life, yet going to Hong Kong was a new adventure for me" When I left London to start my exchange semester in Hong Kong I had no idea that it would so quickly become my favourite place in the world, nor that it would be so … Continue reading A semester abroad from studies abroad – Natasha Peters
Lights up. A hit to the face from my right. Attempt to escape. No -a hit from the left- I fall to the ground. Attempt to get up but they’ve zoned in on me. One last hit and I’m on the ground… And scene. That was my second Broadway debut as an alien in a Western space musical, ‘Written in the … Continue reading Small Town Girl Takes Over The Big City [Part 3]
By January of my sophomore year, I was feeling emotionally and physically drained. It was almost as if all of the energy I had mustered over a lifetime had been sucked out of me by my academic and social situations, as well the political climate. I had been working over twenty hours a week, spending … Continue reading For the Student Activist abroad – Rachel Godfrey
Queen Mary Global Bloggers 