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The Top 5 Things I Will Miss While Abroad Tuesday, June 22, 2010 Certainly there are a number of people I will miss and it will be strange to not be able to wake up in my own room (at home or in a dorm), but this list is dedicated to the things I will miss the most while in Quito. Plus, this is a good way to get me in the habit of actually writing in this online journal.5. Terrible food I don't mean food that tastes bad since that is missable wherever I go in the world. Rather, I mean the heart-stopping, stomach-churning, sleep-inducing garbage that makes my home country so famous. Burgers, hot dogs, chips, anything from a Paula Deen cookbook, etc. I don't eat a whole lot of these foods as is, but when I do I go all out...  4. Seasons Quito is a balmy 45-70 F year round (source: Wikipedia. Take that, college education.). It is in a plateaued valley and experiences cool and pleasant weather most days. Nevertheless, I will be missing fall this year, which just happens to be my favorite season. Spring and fall are about the only things Pennsylvania's climate does well, so it is somewhat of a shame to not have that even for only a year. 3. Transportation I have the luxury of being able to walk, bike, or drive anywhere I need to go. This will not be the case in Quito. I am going to be relying on buses, taxis, planes, and other assorted mass transit options to get around. Since Quito is a city this won't be as frustrating as if I were studying in a rural area but still...I like to be in control. 2. My Stuff Packing light is mandatory. Everything I could possibly need has to fit in one suitcase and one backpack. That said, I'm going to miss some things that won't quite make the cut, such as a bed or a bike. Luckily, I'll have a computer, so most intellectual property will be available to me, but I have a feeling the program frowns upon packing a Nintendo "just in case." 1. English This entry would have taken about an hour if I had to write it in Spanish. Obviously I very much enjoy speaking and reading and writing and learning in Spanish, but it does take significantly longer to accomplish anything than if I were utilizing my native tongue. I also won't be able to quickly deploy some of my favorite colloquialisms and expressions because they just wouldn't make sense. I'm sure I will find plenty of time for English even in a Spanish-speaking country, but there will be something lacking when I can't seamlessly go through my day as I would at home.
Sam / 0 comments |
About the Adventure Student: Sam Grigsby '11 While abroad in Quito, Ecuador, Sam will interning with a grassroots nonprofit organization dealing with human development. Through this work, he hopes to identify areas of further study and possible career paths. Sam also intends to greatly improve his fluency and conversation skills in Spanish while staying with a host family and working in his internship. Blog Archives
• June 2010 |