Thanksgiving feast with Corn Island

When you think Thanksgiving you probably think along the lines of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. But, as you know, Thanksgiving is an American holiday and since I was abroad I missed that traditional holiday.

To make up for this, my friends and I decided to celebrate in a new way. We hopped on a (really small) airplane in Managua and flew to Corn Island after making a stop on Nica’s Caribbean coast in Bluefields.

The Corn Islands (both Big and Little) are islands just a short boat or plane ride off the coast of Nicaragua in the beautiful Caribbean sea. Not too many people know about them yet, so it’s a great way to have that relaxing Caribbean vacation without all of the congestion of tourism that has flooded much of the rest of the Caribbean.

Some of our activities included a boat tour around the island, tubing, a trip to Little Corn, and renting a golf cart to take a tour of the island on our own. On Big Corn, the only cars on the road are really taxis for tourists like us, and on Little Corn there aren’t even cars since everyone just walks everywhere. So, our golf cart ride was a big treat, even when it got stuck in the mud and flooring it meant that it might move.

The tour book described Corn Island as, “the perfect vacation spot where you can sway in a hammock, read books, walk white sand beaches, enjoy spectacular sunsets and snorkel in clear turquoise waters" I’d have to say, they weren’t lying.

The best part of each day was definitely the sunsets. So if you want to lay out on a hammock under a little hut looking out at a pink and purple sunset while sipping a pina coloda to end each day, maybe next year for spring break, Corn Island is the getaway you’ve been looking for!

- Jenn Zocco '10

party-time in Londontown!

So, if you’re thinking about studying abroad in London, you’re probably wondering where the best party spots are and how you get there. Well, if you like

live music, good beer, and friendly Londoners

than I have some perfect spots for you to check out.

My favorite spot to go was in Camden Town, which is the home to Camden Market, a fabulous marketplace that has everything you could want at great prices. Souvenirs, vintage clothes, new trends, jewelry, accessories, shoes, and other awesome stuff.

The pub I went to was called the Camden Lock Tavern. The Lock Tavern serves a variety of beers, wines and spirits as well as traditional English dishes. They have 2 bars one which has a more modern feel and the other which boasts a more traditional one. DJ's and bands play sets during the week. While I was there I saw two awesome bands The Wild Wolves and Frederick Stanley Star. When it was nice out, you could go to the sun terrace and or the cobbled beer garden.

Right across the street from the Lock Tavern is Proud, which is a club and bar that was created in an old horse stable! Each stable has a private sitting room that you can rent out and then the largest stable houses the bar. There is also a huge dance floor and the environment is really relaxed and friendly.

Also, Picadilly Circus has tons of bars and clubs, one in particular being Zoo Bar, which is always a good time. If you are looking for a classy night out try going to The Gardening Club in Covent Garden. Covent Garden is a really nice area where you can find shops, markets, and good food.

Right on Baker Street, where Regents is located, you will find tons of pubs including the Metropolitan Bar and The Volunteer. These bars are in walking distance to Regents and are always crowded. The bars in London do close early though, around 12 or 1, but then all the clubs open so you just hop on the bus and go wherever you want.

Of course there is the Absolut Ice Bar, which is a bar where everything is made completely out of ice, even the furniture. You can only be in there for a designated period of time and you have to wear these sort of Eskimo suits, but it is definitely somewhere any study abroad student should go.

The subway system or the Tube, which is the primary source of travel, is super easy to understand and very clean. But, it does close at 12:30, so start to use the bus system. The buses run all night and go all over London to every destination. You just find out what stop you need to get on and off and your all set.

If you end up studying in Londontown, trust me, you’ll find tons of great places and will discover your favorite spots.

-Leigh Blickley '10

Dorming at Regents

If anyone is thinking about studying in London, it is the place to go!

Not only is the culture and history unbelievable, but the living situation isn’t bad either! When I first arrived in London I was so nervous to see where I would be living. I heard there were dorms in the center of Regent’s Park where the college I attended, Regent’s College, was located. I was sort of bummed that I would be living in a dorm again, but who really cared… I was in London!

When I first saw the park I would be living in for the next three and a half months I was blown away. There were 

big gates surrounding it, 

rose garden’s everywhere, 

a huge lake, 

a bike path, 

a walking path, 

little cafes 

and ice cream shops. 

It was beautiful. 

Regent’s College was made up of four buildings which shared a yard in the center. All of the buildings were connected, so that you could go from your dorm to class, to the cafeteria, to the gym without even stepping outside. On those rainy days, it was pretty convenient. And yes, it does rain in London, but not as much as you think!

When I got to the reception, I found out that I was rooming with the only other Fairfield student who was going to Regent’s, so that made me a little more comfortable. We got our key and headed to our room, which overlooked the park. The room had green carpeting and yellow walls. The color choice wasn’t so great, but the room was a nice size. The best part about it was the vintage bay window. There were two beds, two desks with desk lamps, big closets, and communal bathrooms. The school offered sheets and a bed spread, which the maids would wash for you weekly.  

Regent’s Park is located right near Baker Street, which is a wonderful area that has every store you could ever need. It is also right near Baker Street Underground Station, which connects directly to the Bakerloo line- taking you to great areas like Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus. Overall, Regent’s College’s accomodations are very lovely and convenient. Cheers!

-Leigh Blickley '10

HIpa Hipa Wha?

If you go to Nicaragua, be sure not to skip Hipa Hipa or Moods...especially on Wednesday nights! 

Now you're probably wondering what a club in Nicaragua is like.  Well, in the capital city at least, the answer is - it looks and feels like New York (without the strain on my bank account).  It was very clean and very modern looking.  I never felt unsafe there.

The first weekend in Nicaragua we walked into Hipa Hipa and payed our $7 cover charge to enjoy free drinks the whole night.  We soon learned that Wednesdays meant no cover charge AND free drinks for ladies.  Good thing I didn't have class until 3pm on Thursdays!  

When we walked in on that first Friday, we were first surprised at the number of people we already recognized and second at the fact that we knew all of the songs.  The music was at leat 75% U.S. pop music...just a few weeks / months delayed. In fact, on our last Wednesday before leaving, we requested for the DJ to play some bachata and he said they don't play that music there...same answer for salsa and merengue.  

Helllllo globalization and U.S. influence.

The best night at Hipa would have to be the night when a few really tall guys walked into the club and we kept talking amongst ourselves about how we thought they were American (excuse me, "United Statesian" - estadounidense, because Nicas are American too - Central American).  Then, an hour or so later, one of my friends just walked up to them and in English asked, "Where are you from?"  Turns out they were from Houston and New York and were in Nicaragua for some sort of basketball tournament.  We proceeded to take shots and dance to soulja boy with them the rest of the night, creating the typical obnoxious American scene!

-Jenn Zocco '10

Ireland over Australia? Your Kidding, Right?

My friend Katlyn was recently trying to decide between studying abroad in Ireland or Australia. Of course I’m a bit biased, but I told her to go to Australia and then proceeded to tell her all the ways that Australia is amazing. 

The truth is when I was deciding I had a hard time deciding between Australia and Ireland. 

I have tons of family in Ireland and visited once or twice and always wanted to stay for an extended period of time. But then my curiosity got the better of me and I decided on Australia. 

I have always had a fascination with Australia, it being halfway across the world and all. I’ve always wanted to go and thought this was the perfect opportunity to visit. 

The flight from New York to Brisbane can sound pretty daunting (approximately 24 hours from my house in New York to my apartment in Brisbane) and I thought if I’m going to spend all that time on a plane, I want to stay there for a while. Studying abroad was the perfect solution because when else would I get to spend a long time in another country on mostly my parent’s dime? 

Also, I figured that Europe was so much more accessible than Australia and I would have my whole life to be able to travel around there. My mom on the other hand wasn’t so convinced because of the distance so I had to come up with other ideas. The internship program that is offered in Brisbane turned out to be a great selling point, and a terrific experience. 

Finally, I wanted to go somewhere people spoke English. I know it’s probably totally unadventurous of me but I am not good with languages. I took French for about 7 years and still couldn’t pull off a normal conversation. 

Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to go to Europe but not for a minute do I regret the decision I made. 

-Lauren Doran '10

inside view: nicaragua host family

When I arrived in Nicaragua it was about 8pm on Friday, August 29th.

We waited for one more flight of students to arrive, and then got into a van with all of our luggage to drive straight to our host homes. My roommate Kristen and I were dropped off second. We rang the doorbell and went inside.

Once inside, I was shocked to see our living conditions. I guess I expected something a little more modest. Though we didn't see the rest of the house right away, there was a main house with a living room, kitchen, bedrooms, etc. In the back where we stayed, there was a 2-story "dorm-style" building with 5 rooms for anyone who might be staying at the house.

I soon came to learn that my "host-mother," Alba is a business women, and very good at. She had about 5 other Nicaragua students living in her house during the week while they attended classes.

Adjusting to life with a new family was difficult for several reasons,

the first being the obvious language barrier. I could understand and speak Spanish when I got there, but I didn't have the confidence to strike up a conversation. It was a little easier with my host brother who was closer to my age at 27 years old, especially when we could talk about baseball! But, my roommate was a little more outgoing in the beginning and I think that helped her adjust better than I did at first. The family definitely responded to that, so..

if you're going abroad, don't be afraid to be yourself!

It didn't take long before that house felt like our home. "I want to go home" came to mean "I want to go back to Alba's house and turn on the fan because it's so hot" rather than "I want to go back the U.S."

My host mother, or her Aunt Chila, cooked us breakfast and dinner everyday. It was nice when sometimes we got to eat with the rest of the family or other students staying with us. I never would have guessed that I would ever be sitting at a kitchen table in Nicaragua, eating rice, beans and plantains as part of a family!

nica nica nica ! ! !

Hello fellow stags! For any of you considering Nicaragua, I thought I'd give you a glimpse into my environment down there. More description and all the juicy stories to come in future posts so keep reading :)

Nica looks like...
La tierra de lagos y volcanes (Lakes, Volanoes), children on the street, black & red FSLN (Sandinista) flags, sunsets (setting the world aflame!), geckos, clothes drying on the line, men sitting on the side of the road, beautiful, green nature everywhere!

Nica sounds like...
SPANISH/SPANGLISH, yet way more English that I ever imagined, car alarms, reggaeton, salsa, hip hop, "dame un pesito, necesito zapatos" (children saying "give me 1 cordoba (aka 5 cents) i need sneakers), "Ya chavalas" (as our host mother calls us for dinner), men yelling at the bus station to try to get you on their bus, honking, music from the political rallies, loud speakers/mega phones, fireworks, intense political debates, bells from the eskimo ice cream cart, whistles, geckos chirping

Nica feels like...
stiff clothes from washing by hand, freezing cold showers and room temperature drinking water, bugs biting, crowded buses, excessive HEAT, Nica kisses, riding in a bumpy pick up truck @ walking speed through rock piles and rivers

Nica tastes like...
rice & beans (gallo pinto), delicious fruits & juices (my favorites - pitahaya & arroz con pina), eskimo ice cream, various varieties of fried plantains, splurging for pizza, refried beans & french fries @ school

Hasta luego!

-Jenn Zocco '10

Aussies vs. Stags?

Welcome back to Fairfield everyone! 

I hope you all had a wonderful break and holiday season. 

I wish I could say that I was overwhelmed with joy to be back at Fairfield but, when I keep hearing about how all my friends are excited to study abroad in the spring all I really want to do is pack my bags and get on the next flight to Australia. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love Fairfield and the townhouses are a BIG step up from the dorms, but I actually have to do schoolwork here. That’s no fun. I’d rather be sitting by my apartment pool wondering where I’m going to go out that night. Alas, here I am back at Fairfield sitting at my desk and writing this blog instead of reading. 

It’s funny because everyone tells you what a shock it will be when you first arrive in your host country but they never say anything about what a shock it is to come back. To be honest, being at home took a lot less getting used to then being back at Fairfield. 

I think that the college culture here is so different from Australia that I am not used to being back in a traditional American college setting. In Australia most students commute to school and they don’t have nearly as many activities on campus as we do at Fairfield. This means you actually have to meet people in class, and not just drunkenly at a party. 

In fact, one of my friends from Australia is planning on visiting next summer and is making sure she’s here to experience a “real” college party because she’s so curious to see how different it is. Another one of my friends was here for the John Legend concert and could not get over how much we had going on on campus. 

Another weird thing about being back? I want to brag to everyone that I went abroad. Terrible, I know, but it was the coolest thing I’ve ever done and I loved it so much that I want to tell everyone. Don’t worry though, I’ve been restraining myself. 

However, if you see me at a study abroad fair don’t be surprised. I’ll be the one telling you to go…to Australia of course!

Lauren Doran '10

This Isn't Nica Anymore...

Being back at Fairfield after a semester abroad has been one of the toughest things I have ever had to do. Everyone always talks about culture shock, and it something that is sort of expected when one first leaves home to live in another country, especially when you live in a developing country like Nicaragua. However, what has been my problem every time I've traveled, and what is often overlooked is the sort of "reverse" culture shock that is often experienced upon return.

For almost four months, I lived in Managua, Nicaragua where a full lunch cost 1.50 USD and ride to the nearest city 1 hour away was only 1USD. It was 90 degrees every day and a few blocks from my house were some of the poorest barrios I have ever seen.

The whole time I was there, while enjoying myself and having the time of my life, I always missed Fairfield in the back of my mind. I missed my friends, the clubs from whom I got emails about meetings that I couldn't attend, and the greater Fairfield community I had grown to love.

Upon my return, I was distracted by the holidays and the chance to see my family for the first time in four months. However, after my first day back at Fairfield, it really hit me. This isn't Nica anymore.

Most of my friends probably won't believe me when I say this, but I miss "Nica time". There, I had time to develop relationships and learn about myself in a way I simply couldn't have done here where life is so fast-paced.

While I still love Fairfield, I'm still adjusting back to life in the United States, something I'm not sure I will ever be able (or want) to fully do because Nicaragua will always have a special place in my heart.

-Jenn Zocco '10

Studying Abroad: Life after Australia

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York.”

As I looked out my window and heard those words I felt a rush of emotions. I had been studying abroad in Brisbane, Australia for the past 4 ½ months and finally being home felt good. I was excited to see my family and friends, be in my own home, and not have to take public transportation everywhere. At the same time I became really sad. As soon as I stepped off the plane I felt the cold air hit me and I thought, “I left sunny Australia where its 80 degrees to come back to cold New York? Yeah, this is a great exchange.”

Brisbane was my home and I was sad to leave it. It’s weird how quickly you can adapt to a new place. By the time I left Australia, I had made some friends and knew Brisbane better than New York City, a place I had lived within an hour of my entire life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to be home, but getting used to one place and making it feel like home only to have to leave a few months later is hard.

Luckily, Australia and America are pretty similar, which helped with the culture shock. Coming back home was still a bit of a shock though. I thought that lots of things would have changed since I had been gone so long, but over the next few days, as I was seeing my friends and doing stuff around town, I realized nothing really had changed. In fact the only thing that had really changed, aside from the weather, was me.

It’s been a bit hard getting used to but now that I’m back in my home routine and have seen more and more of my friends it’s getting easier. I still miss Australia a lot but now I’m excited to travel to other places and I’ll always have the pictures to look back on.

Lauren Doran '10