Rosemary Dorsett>Junior>Journalism>University of Maryland
Name: Corley Bell
School: Bucknell ’11
Major: Anthropology
Country traveled to: Egypt
Favorite sightseeing spot:
On the top of Bab Zuwayla, the tallest minaret in Cairo, you can see the whole city beneath you. The best time to go is during the [Islamic] calls to prayer at sundown. You can hear the city echoing each muezzin’s voice while the sun sets.
Craziest night:
Coming home to the little island of Zamalek, a residential district of Cairo, to find mobs of Egyptians rioting and attempting to attack the Algerian embassy. This was after the tie-breaking game in the Egypt-Algeria World Cup Qualifier that advanced Algeria to South Africa, leaving many Egyptians very upset. Little did I know when renting apartments, I should have steered clear of the Algerian embassy. I am glad I wasn’t wearing green that night!
Three things you shouldn’t leave home without:
1) Diving equipment. I did not want to miss the unbelievable scenery below the surface of the Red Sea!
2) Any kind of scarf – this article of clothing permitted me to enter some of the most beautiful mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools)
3) On that note things to leave behind are shorts, low-cut tops, tank-tops and any clothes that expose more than three-quarters of your legs or arms.
4) An additional thing not to leave home for my female friends is a large box of tampons. If you are traveling through rural areas or conservative cities, you will only find pads.
What you miss the most:
Efficiency! Many things are a long, enduring process in Egypt. Not to mention everything is based on the will of God. Add “Insha’Allah” (God willing) to any sentence and you will exemplify a perfect Egyptian.
Best Experience:
Teaching English to pre-professional university students and volunteering in a convent supporting Sudanese refugees in Cairo.
Name: Leadra Medine
School: The New School ’11
Major: Journalism
Country Traveled To: France
Three things you shouldn’t leave home without:
1) Your passport.
2) A hair brush.
3) A great pair of red shoes.
Biggest cultural difference:
People living to enjoy life, not to work.
Thing you miss the most:
Access to food 24 hours every day.
Future travel plans:
Back to Paris in March, [and] eventually settling there!
New favorite phrase:
Tu n’as vie qu’un fois. You only live once.
Name: Joe Deane
School: Loyola University Maryland ’11
Major: Finance
Country Traveled To: New Zealand
Favorite sight seeing spot:
Queenstown, New Zealand, is considered one of the biggest adventure sports spots in the world. There are opportunities to bungee jump, skydive, take ATV tours, ski and snowboard.
Favorite souvenir:
My skydiving video. I did my skydive in Queenstown looking down at a giant lake surrounded by huge snow-capped mountains. This video captured the craziest and best thing I will ever do.
New Favorite phrase:
One phrase you will hear out of every Kiwi’s mouth is, “Sweet as bro.” It’s the same as saying “That’s awesome” in America. For example, if someone went to the beach one day and the surf was really good they would say, “Oh, that’s sweet as bro.”
Biggest cultural difference:
The native Maori people are very proud and honor their ancestors continuously. The most popular ritual celebrating their ancestors is the Haka dance. Each tribe’s Haka is different, and the national rugby team performs their own version before playing.
Best experience:
My semester break road trip across the entire length of New Zealand. I saw everything from giant mountain ranges to remote beaches with wild seals 10 feet away. I hiked a glacier in the middle of a rain forest, went bungee jumping and skydiving. Living out of a suitcase driving from hostel to hostel with 14 friends is an experience I will never forget.
Name: Tom Keefe
School: George Washington University ’10
Major: International Economics
Country Traveled To: Spain
What you miss the most:
Authentic Spanish cooking. I lived with a Spanish family and was pretty spoiled.
Biggest cultural difference:
The night life. Spanish city-dwellers of all ages enjoy a robust and late night life that stretches well into the morning.
Best bar:
The Cave Bar – El Chapandaz
What you’re happiest to come home to:
The U.S. dollar – my bank account was empty when I got off the plane in Philadelphia.
New favorite phrase:
No pasa nada. Loosely translated: No big deal.
