Category: Europe

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The Swiss Christmas Spirit

Swiss Christmas Spirit Joyeux Noel

The Christmas vibes in Switzerland are completely different than those in the U.S.  Back home, there are Christmas lights on every building and Christmas music playing all the time.  In Switzerland though, if any place is completely decked out in lights and blasting Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” it’s very “American”.  But don’t get me wrong – the Swiss definitely know how to get into the Christmas spirit.  They have a place so filled with Swiss Christmas spirit, it feels like Santa and his elves are right around the corner: the Montreux Christmas market.
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Off the Beaten Path – My Trip to Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden Off the Beaten Path

Usually when people think of travelling around the world, they think of travelling to major cities: London, Paris, Tokyo, New York. And I’m not going to lie, that’s where I usually go too. But while those cities have amazing qualities of their own, many times the pure culture of an area is found off the beaten path.  When I took a trip to Amsterdam, I took a day trip to a small town called Leeuwarden to visit some friends that lived there. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it turned out to be amazing.

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My First Fall!

My First Fall

We all know that my time abroad in Europe so far has been full of surprises – that’s what this post is all about.  But the season of fall was another big shocker.  Growing up in Hawaii, I had never experienced the season of fall before. The leaves don’t change color and fall off of the trees, and I had never travelled anywhere at that time of the year – until this year. Going nineteen years without having this experience though, made me have some expectations about fall that didn’t really turn out to be right…

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The Art of Haggling

Greece Haggling Parthenon

This week I went to Greece, where I tested my haggling skills.  Now, there was a major mental barrier that I had to conquer before I could actually haggle.  I actually felt bad thinking about arguing for a lower price with people who might need the money.

Then I realized that the vendors were prepared for people to haggle.  They probably previously raised the price to compensate.  And let’s be real, I don’t have a ton of money to be throwing around either – thank you, college.

I ended up successfully haggling for two of my souvenirs…well, I got them down to two-thirds of the original price.  Obviously, I’m no means an expert, but here are a few tips that I learned on through my experiences.
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Week One: The Surprising Swiss Customs

Surprising Swiss Customs Sunset

I’ve officially started my study abroad experience. I’ve been in Switzerland for six days. Six whole days.  I’ve officially been studying abroad in Switzerland for six whole days. And it’s been amazing. Lake Geneva, locally known as Lac Léman, is one of the most picturesque areas I’ve ever seen. The food here, especially the bread, is amazingly delicious. However, there are still some cultural differences and surprising Swiss customs that take a little getting used to. I’d been to Europe before and noticed the obvious cobblestone streets and ubiquitous smokers, but there were a few aspects of the culture that I’ve only noticed now that I’m living here.

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