Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The Five Senses: New York

I came to New York knowing that the city would be filled with nonstop stimuli, and I was right. Everything is intense and all at once: the sounds, the smells, the sights, and especially the people. The lights are unnecessarily bright so the sky never completely goes dark. The smells are wonderful or horrible with no middle ground. The  sights are massive to the point that any one person may be made to feel small, but this is balanced by the people who build you back up again with their insistence and  drive.

I did have a rare opportunity this past weekend during the winter storm Jonas. The city, the  streets, and even broadway were shut down due to the weather, and it allowed for a unique look of New York without the noise it is so well known  for.
At first, there were a few cars on the road, however by midnight there were none to be seen. So my roommate and I decided to walk the ten  blocks to Times Square to see what the bright streets there looked like without activity.  When we got there, we were surprised to come upon hundreds of other people who  decided to do the same thing, except now people had replaced cars  on the street. It was a combination of relaxing chaos, with the bright artificial light  shining down on  those just curious enough to venture out during  the storm. 

I would agree that I am still in the honeymoon phase of my journey, especially since I've been meeting so many inspirational people who I can really connect to. I don't get much sleep, and I am constantly  working on myself as an artist in conjunction with the  internship I  hold, but I  couldn't be happier to have no free time. At this moment I am, at least.

I work  with a singer-songwriter named Carol Lipnik, and this past Sunday night I worked my first show with her. She is so much more than just a singer--she is a performer. Her pieces have an air of connection with the audience that could bring you to tears should the song so imply.  Her uniqueness shines through and creates a safe space for creativity and love for the arts. Her act even included a "uniccordion".

That is, a unicorn playing the accordion. Through Carol I have met so many other amazing artists in all different fields already, and  the best part is that no matter how well respected they are as an artist, they respect and support me as an artist and encourage me to continue my passion.

New York can be seen as abrasive, in-your-face in  the  way that you just want to be alone, but what I have found is that if you have the right  people standing in front of you and being in  your face, then what they say tends to be exactly what you need to hear.

The Five Senses: Bangaluru

Arriving in Bangaluru at 1 am I experienced a warm and somewhat humid climate with tall palm trees. Driving to the hotel that we called home for a week the other study abroad students and I experienced erratic driving, closed store fronts and garbage strewn roads and walk ways. Before going to bed I could not help but ask what had I gotten myself into.
 
However, the next morning I woke up to a bright and dynamic city filled with a plethora of colors and sights that I had never seen or experienced before. Each building here is painted in vibrant colors far from the brick, stone and panel siding that is the norm at home. The architecture itself is amazing, buildings are molded in all fashions with different shapes and amenities far from common at home. Each structure also has a balcony that its inhabitants can use to view different parts of the city. Even the auto rickshaws are colorful here decked out in green and yellow they weave in and out of traffic as they take their customers to their destination. 
If you want an accurate experience of what traffic is like in Bangaluru all you need to do is look to the auto rickshaws. It is a transportation experience like no other, in the chaos and congestion of traffic the auto drivers speed through cars, motorcycles and buses. During my first ride we narrowly missed three collisions on our way to our destination.
One of the most surprising things about Bangaluru is the constant symphony of sound that the city emits around the clock. At any given time you will hear cars honking (this is considered courteous driving here), dogs fighting in the streets, people conversing, birds singing and calls to prayers. As I am writing this the muslim call to sunset prayer is being played across the city. I have never experienced this call and it is really interesting especially coming from a home where many are so closed minded to Islam. Which leads me to another surprise, the integration and acceptance of all faiths and beliefs. In Bangaluru one experiences Hindus, Christians and Muslims among other religions and each regards the other with respect.
I have never met a more loving, caring and accepting group of people than the citizens of Bangaluru. My host father told us that God is in everything and everyone and that one must be willing to help and give to others even when they have little or nothing to give because that is the right thing to do. The people of Bangaluru truly live this in their day to day lives which has already helped make my visit here wonderful.



Monday, January 25, 2016

The Five Senses: Washington DC

The air is thicker than Allegheny's. The sound is louder than Allegheny's. Surrounded by cars, buses and metro, I realized I'm going to be in a city for this semester. The feeling was unsettling. I've transitioned from a city into rural, now I'm back to the city. Yet, the city wasn't bustling as I expected. There was a sense of calmness in this city. I've spent two weeks in American University. My numb senses have began to heighten and I would began to notice the began the differences between my home school and my new surrounding here, in American University.

Whether I am walking to the main cafeteria or one of my seminar classes, I am constantly hearing English spoken but in varying accents. This is due to the high velocity of international students, not only within the Washington Semester Program, but also throughout the entire university. I was delighted to smell and taste all sorts of ethnic food that I can only assume are served in order to accommodate the international environment.

PS. I have yet to meet another Malaysian.

Upon arrival, I began to notice a change in the professionalism of AU compare to Allegheny, and I have also adapted my own tendency and clothing style in order to fit such an environment. In the morning while getting ready for class, I looked for clothing with more solid colors that would not be distracting. I often observed how people dress up here which has caused me to gravitate towards mix matching interesting texture and patterns in order to look more professional and stylish.

I'm currently under the Journalism and New Media concentration where I have the opportunities to meet high profile journalists on a daily basis. The possibility of networking and creating long-lasting connections with people from all around the world is exhilarating.

PPS. Washington D.C just got hit by the blizzard. Everything is shut down. Back in Allegheny, we still go to class no matter the snow condition, but everything is closed even for tomorrow. This is really bizarre.

CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT JIM SCIUTTO







The Five Senses: Paris (LT)


View of the Eiffel Tower from Pont
de Bir-Hakeim
A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life. -Thomas Jefferson

It has been two weeks since I arrived in this beautiful city and ever since I first stepped off the plane I have been overwhelmed. I have done a lot of walking around the city in my time off. On my first day, after sleeping a few hours forced upon me by jetlag, I woke up and proceeded to do a walking tour of Paris with a family friend. She took me first to all the touristy places in Paris; the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Champs-Elysées, and then to all the more well known Paris secrets like the Opera, the Printemps, etc... I feel like walking allows you to enjoy the place you are visiting better. While in a car, a bus or a boat, you zoom on by too quickly to appreciate a monument's grandeur. So I walk everywhere and I return to my room almost everyday with feet that protest the abuse, and extremities that are frozen from the cold, but in walking I have found a truth in Thomas Jefferson's words. Paris is a city full of rich history, beautiful monuments and everyday pleasures, such as a good baguette, cheese and espresso, that help explain what is important in life.





Graffiti on the streets of Paris
You can feel the history that fills the city. The architecture of the buildings that loom about the streets, is basically the the mastery piece of years of stories. Even in the more modern quarters of Paris you are still privy to the tales that are painted on the faces of each building, in the form of graffiti. In some neighborhoods the little old buildings of long ago are still present, kept as a souvenir of the artists, politicians, and philosophers who walked their halls. Even at in my room at the University Dorms, with its marble floors and old but sturdy furniture, I can easily imagine the hundreds of students who must have stayed here my room over the years. I enjoy feeling connected to this history, in a way I feel a part of it and can appreciate it more.

Piano in Hotel-Dieu de Paris





Another treasure of Paris that I have experienced in my two weeks here has been the music heard in the metro. In my daily rides I am sure to hear some, it is my favorite thing about the metro. Musicians take advantage of the cavernous walkways to amplify their music and man can they play. I have listened to the rhythmic beating of drums, to guitarist playing and singing and to the songs of a Spaniard singing what sounded like a love song. But I believe my favorite is the music of a harpist that I have heard a few times now but have never seen.








Wine tasting at the Wine Museum
I can't talk about France and my time here without also talking about French wine. When my program started, one of the seminars that we participated in showed us how to appreciate French food and most importantly French wine. Our first organized school outing was to a wine museum followed by a wine tasting. During this excursion we learned all the tricks about wine tasting and got to taste 5 different wines from 5 very different regions of France. Unfortunately, at the time of this visit I was well into a cold that was brought on by not being properly dressed for a walking exhibition and therefore was unable to taste much and was only able to smell the strongest scents.
Having been here for two weeks now, I am still awed every time I see the Eiffel Tower. I still find myself wanting to take pictures of all the buildings in Paris. I am keeping a mental note of all the places I want to return to and so far everywhere I have been is on that list. At the moment Paris hasn't lost its magic, and I don't think it ever truly will. But what I do foresee potentially happening is that it will probably begin to dull. I will Nevertheless continue my walks and torturing my feet in an effort to gain a fuller and better understanding of this city's history, art and way of life.

Beautiful skies of Paris

The Five Senses: Paris (RLN)

Le Sacré-Cœur
After spending about two weeks in Paris I have come to appreciate the fact that it is the city of monuments and impressive buildings. It is hard to go any part of the city without finding historical and impressive sites, big and small. It may be overwhelming at first to find oneself in the midst of the tumult of daily Parisien life especially with such awe inspiring buildings looming over you wherever you go but within a week it begins to almost seem normal when you suddenly see the Eiffel Tower poking over some buildings on your way to class. 



Kebab Shop
Though it might not be the most French food it is impossible not to be enticed by the seemingly omnipresent smell of kebabs as you will have to be hard-pressed to find a neighborhood without a plethora of them. They are essentially Parisiennes go to food whenever they don't have much time to stop and eat or for younger Parisiennes not looking to spend much money while out. They are also a sterling example of the mix of cultures that you will find in Paris as Asian restaurants abound as well. You are just likely to find a foreigner as a Parisienne in one of these shops and if you begin to frequent one you can become fast friends with the generally friendly workers who may end up giving you deals for customer loyalty.



Les Invalides
As for touch, almost everything that you touch or walk on in Paris gives you a sense of touching part of history as most things, from the simple to grandiose, have their own unique bit of history attached to them here in Paris.



The Traffic
As for sounds as most big cities Paris can occasionally have a traffic problem and the drivers here are never scared to let their grievances be known by honking their horns profusely. This can become particularly cacophonous when the French workers decide to faire la Grève which essentially means to go on strike which they do relatively often. This can cause loud problems as everyone from farmers to taxi drivers love to do the "slow drive" strike where they get into their vehicles, anything from a tractor to simple taxi, and drive very slowly throughout an area essentially creating a standstill traffic wise and therefore also a seemingly never ending blasting of horns.



Patisserie
Baguette



Last but certainly not least is the amazing French food. I'll stick away from anything too fancy and talk about the incredible everyday food that you can get at one of the hundreds of boulangeries and patisseries. They are a one stop shop for incredible baguette sandwiches and the best pastries that you will ever have and best of all, you can find many of them have decent prices! You'll be surprised by how good a sandwich can taste as they are made fresh everyday with fresh ingredients and complicated recipes that will leave you wanting more!







The 5 Senses: Lancaster, UK (MN)

View from the Castle gates, Lancaster

Ok, so first I will begin with sight. Everything is a bit misty here, but that's just because it rains approximately every 3 hours. However, you stop noticing it when you are wearing a rain jacket. Everything in England is pretty grey, with the occasional burst of red and green, but that's about it. The other thing I did not expect to notice is the age of the area I am living in. Everything in England looks like a historical monument and has probably been standing for 600+ years. So far I have visited a variety of cities in the UK. Fist, I explored the city of Lancaster where I am attending school, which is a quint little town filled with castles and old memorials. Old cobblestone roads, stone buildings, and multiple clock towers sum up the general feel of the city. The people are also incredibility friendly, and always fascinated to hear why some one like me, an American, is exploring Lancaster. The next city I went to with a friend of mine is Liverpool.

The Yellow Submarine, Liverpool
I didn't expect this city to be much, but boy was I wrong. Liverpool was surprisingly full of culture and energy. Most of the town is fueled by the popularity of some of it's residents, like you know...THE BEATLES. Even though we did not put out for the 26 pound Beatles tour (because I am broke), we got to see lots of Beatles memorabilia such as the bar that usually hosted the band, the Elanor Rigby Statue, and, of course, the Yellow Submarine. Liverpool was also home to several old buildings that were absolutely stunning. Another fun surprise in Liverpool was that it had a China town. We went in for a bite because we were feeling, as a Brit would say, "a tad peckish" and we had wanton soup that was heavenly. My favorite part of the trip though was walking along the pier because everything was lively and bright.

Clock tower, Chester
The next town visit was organized by the Study Abroad Society at Lancaster. We went to the old city of Chester, which is still surrounded by a wall built when the Romans controlled the city. This down was so charming it hurt. Here, I saw lots of ruins and old buildings. My favorite thing to see in Chester was the old clock tower. I thought it looked like something that only existed in fairy-tails. Chester was filled with lots of local shops and boutiques which made for some excellent shopping. Since we are talking about sight here I guess I should point out that everyone looks fabulous in England. The women here are pulling off turtlenecks and ponchos that I know would just make me look ridiculous. Oh well, a girl can dream. Also, the men are so much more well dressed than in America. It took some time adjusting because they all looked so nice I though some kind of event must be going on haha. I was not mentally prepared for so many men who had tighter pants than I did, so its certainly been an experience.
GOMA, Glasgow

 After our first week of classes we took our first trip up to Scotland in Glasgow. After studying the Modern Art in school I was excited to go to Glasgow, which was a hub for modern art, especially with the Art Neuvoe movement. When we went it also began to snow, only a light dusting though compared to what we get in Meadville. However, the snow did make for a very chilly trip. Since the weather wasn't nice, we ended up going to nearly every museum in Scotland. As an art fanatic, I was very happy about this visit. First we visited the Modern Art Museum, where there is a statue that permanently has a traffic cone on its head. I thought this statue embodied Glasgow as a city; traditional roots with an avant-garde edge.


 This past weekend I spent in Edinburgh which is my favorite place to visit so far. I cant believe we were able to see so much in just one weekend. We climbed to amazing heights to capture some spectacular views of this city. Also, we are having surprisingly good weather here, this weekend int was 55 degrees and sunny. We visited the Palace where Mary Queen of Scots used to live, in addition to the Abbey that was connected to the palace.

We were surprised to find this hidden gem and had a great time running around finding old passage ways and small alcoves. Then we hiked to King Arthur's Seat, which is a very hike-able mountain that takes you to the highest point over the city.  This city is incredibly old and in great condition for its age. We wondered from

major monument to major monument, and on the way learned a lot about Scottish history. One thing that I did see in Scotland that I haven't seen anywhere else is a devotion to Scottish heritage. Where as sometimes Americans are too patriotic and just come off as arrogant, the Scottish people are united under a similar history. Coming from a state that teaches the "war of northern aggression" instead of the Civil war, it was delightful to see how proud and united the Scottish people appeared during my visit.

Moving on to sound, during my travels there has definitely been a mix of sounds. Being a music buff however, I will focus on music and less on the calls of seagulls in the distance or something like that. If I had to compare Lancaster and Northern England to a band it would be Coldplay or Kodaline (the Irish equivalent to Coldplay). The land is so bright it perpetuates a happy mood. At the same time this region is rather mellow, seeing that little has changed in many of these small villages since the 1700s. Obviously, in Liverpool when you are walking down the Pier you can just here "I wanna hold you hand". It's a strange phenomena, but it happens to everyone. However, this sound is very different from the grungy vibes of Scotland. We saw this band our first night in Edinburgh. The sound in Scotland is defiantly more raw and rough than England to the South. Maybe this is due the intense weather or the harsh influence of bagpipes.

Whats Next? Feel...well its pretty damp here. It's never pouring rain really, just an eternal mist of rain. However, under lots of layers and mostly covered walkways, I have kept pretty warm during my stay. Looking at emotional feeling, I'd say I am very excited for upcoming trips and events on campus such as War of the Roses. I felt a little homesick with sorority recruitment and run out (my favorite day of the year) being this past weekend. However, my sisters have been incredibly supportive and kept in contact the entire time I've been away. With all the excitement of new experiences, I find little time to feel homesick.

Smell. I will tell you that I have one of the worst senses of smell. However, since Lancaster University is surrounded by livestock farms, sometimes campus smells like manure. My first day of class, the smell almost knocked me off my feet. What's funny, is that only the international students seem to notice this smell. All locals seem completely unaware of the stench. Now that I have been here for a while, I am beginning to notice this less and less. This did make me wonder what my hometown in Louisville, surrounded by horse farms, must smell like to visitors?

I saved the best for last, and that is TASTE. Ugh I just love food. It's all so good here, I have yet to have a bad meal. So far some of the best meals have been afternoon teas. Every time I have afternoon tea I am surprised that it's so filling and enjoyable. Weather it's accompanied by trays of sweats or with sandwiches, tea is always a great go to. The other thing I love to order is Fish and Chips. Cliche, I know. But Fried fish with fries covered in vinegar and salt is just too good to pass up. It tastes especially good after walking around in the cold for a long time. A pleasant surprise has been the great quality of Chinese food in England.

Looking back at these last 3 weeks I have been here, I don't know if I have become more creative or open minded. The article definitely made a good point that traveling will expose you to a new range of ideas. The biggest change I have seen in myself is that I have gained more confidence while traveling. Even if something goes wrong, I can usually work through it and still find an alternative. Overall, I am enjoying my time here and I am looking forward to more trips in the future.

Signing off, till next time. --Ellie Najewicz

The five senses: bangalore



Bangalore, India can never be described authentically without being called the land of sensory overload. As soon as one steps off the plane the often contradicting sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells of India hit the visitor. This blog will be an overview of many of them that I have experienced in just my first week in the country.

Cave Temple in one of the oldest sections of Bangalore, India
Bangalore is a city with no homogeneity in landscape, that is because the city constantly expands itself adding new villages with distinct histories and architectural designs. One of my favorite sights of India so far has been the Cave Temple in an ancient part of Bangalore City. The first feast for the eyes at the temple takes the form of the vibrant and bright colors that greets the visitor. Reverent visitors still visit the cave to give tapas to the gods as they have four nearly 400-500 years. In that manner, the large number of Hindu

practitioners is another sight that becomes overwhelming to the visitor. Especially overwhelming is the space available inside the temple. Because in Hinduism prayers to the gods come in the form of circling idols the Cave Temple has the practitioner circle around in a narrow, cramped cave that brings the visitor to their knees in order to circumvent the idols.

Dairy cow grazing on trash near a road in Central
Bangalore


Perhaps the biggest shock to the senses comes in the form of the stark stank of the trash found all over the city. India has only a contemporary history of trash because for much of its history it did not have any concept of use and throw items. Now that Indians have more expendable money than ever, people have begun to buy use and throw items creating a trash problem that has never existed within the subcontinent resulting in piles of trash. It is not uncommon to see women in auto rickshaws covering their noses with sari's in order to keep the smell away from their nostrils. For the male visitor there is no escape from the horrid smell of the city which provides the dairy cows nutrition as they graze the now developed city.





Stray dog



Perhaps the cutest addition to the city is the number of wild dogs seen roaming the parks, streets, and walkways of Bangalore. Providing a soft touch in a concrete paradise petting and playing with the dogs -- although unadvisable --  are a great way to drop the stress of a long day.







Some 'light' traffic seen in Bangalore




Waking up early in Bangalore is never a problem thanks to the chorus of honking heard everywhere in the city. Plagued with ferocious traffic, with one car accident per minute occurring in India, honking is a means of survival for cars which often stop only inches away from each other. That is to say honking is a method of alerting other drivers of your presence on the road. Honking, described as the general ambiance of the city, is a cruel reminder of the perils a country faces when it comes to rapid urbanization.






                                             
Traditional southern Indian cuisine on
the traditional banana leaf plate





Perhaps the most delicious and my most favorite part of India is all of the amazing food. While in the United States it is common to eat a single course meal, meals in India are always at least two courses (the first with what the second with rice). Also, many curries and gravies are provided as things to eat with the rice and wheat. Further, another cool part about India is being able to eat with your fingers. Eating with your fingers lets you use more senses in a mean (you smell the food, taste the food, feel the food, and see the food).












Sunday, January 24, 2016

The Five Senses: Querétaro, Mexico (LRW)

" New sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations, and sights spark different synapses in the brain."
-Brent Crane, in the Atlantic article "For a More Creative Brain, Travel"

As a Neuroscience and International Studies double major, this sentence made me smile. First of all, I love reading articles that attempt to describe brain function to the general public. "Sparking synapses" makes forming new neural connections sound like lightning bugs mating, or the shock of a faulty transformer on any electric device. In reality, inter-synaptic communication is much more complicated than a simple spark, but I won't get into that description. It's a lot less firefly-ey, and a lot more chemistry.

A church in the countryside
The other part of this sentence that made me smile was that it's absolutely true. Why wouldn't exposure to a completely new environment cause people to become more creative? If you're introduced to a whole new world of thought, you have access to twice as a much information to create original ideas and combinations- and life in a completely different culture is the ultimate sensory exposure.

Living in Mexico has certainly introduced me to a whole gambit of new sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells. I've been here for almost twenty five days now, but I still remember having trouble falling asleep my first night here. Across the street, someone was playing salsa music, and the bells of the church down the block rang every hour. The whistle of the train near my colonia seemed to fill the darkness in my room, and I tried to drift off to the sound of the churning of it's wheels...

The cobblestone streets of San Miguel de Allende
Now, these sounds are just as normal as the crickets at my house in Pennsylvania in the summer, but the first week was an overwhelming barrage of discovering just how different life here could be. When I entered Dulles International Airport the morning of January 5th, it was less than ten degrees outside. Here, the coldest it ever gets is in the low 30s in the early morning or late evening, and around midday I can sit by the fountain in my school and do my work in the sunny 70s. I am still not entirely used to seeing palm trees everywhere, and I realized my first day here that I hadn't seen a cactus since my family visited friends in Arizona when I was about 8 or 9 years old.

My taxi drive from the airport showed me what my textbooks in Spanish class back at Allegheny called a "mixture of traditional and modern." Paved roads lead right off into dirt roads, and I passed houses with some walls made out of old doors and other recycled wood to enter shiny new complexes with fancy signs and high walls. There's uber here, but there's also old VW bugs that chug down the street right next to sleek
Audis.

My street in Colonia Hercules
I love all the brilliant colors and the street art, and seeing the flowers of the trees on my street bloom in January. There were definitely times my first week when I felt like I was walking through the "Mexico" exhibit at Epcot in Walt Disney World- everything here seemed too vivid to be real.

I am so glad that I am living with a host family here- the full immersion part of this experience was really important for me to learn both the language and the culture. Best of all, my host mom's cooking is amazing! "Mexican food" in American is not really what Mexican food is like- Americans are used to eating Tex-mex. Here I have eaten everything from cactus to mole sauce, an elaborate dish made with chili and chocolate.

The most delicious food

No matter what I experience, or smell, or hear, or taste, I am constantly realizing there is so much left to discover. I have been here in Mexico for twenty five days now, but I am looking forward to what the next four months will bring!



Wednesday, January 13, 2016

The Five Senses; Duke Marine Lab



   I just arrived at the Duke Marine Lab yesterday. Not much has happened other than move in and orientation. I leave Monday morning for a travel course to the Virgin Islands until the end of January so my next few days are pretty packed.

   It's hard not to state the obvious touristy draw of my host destination. Its on Pivers island with ocean views from most of the campus buildings. Not so typical is the environment on the island. I look out across the water and see a bustling fishing community on one side and high rises and vacations home on another but looking behind me I see the remote community I'll be apart of this semester. It's necessary to deem a region of pier for swimming rather than research and equipment can be found anywhere you look. A multitude of marine environments can be seen right along the piers. They are readily available places for hands on research. Next to the Duke Marine lab is the NOAA Lab at Beaufort. These are the only two residences of Piver's Island. To enter the road that leads to these two facilities there's a gate requiring an access card.

       Currently at the Lab it's pretty quiet. You can here the waves crash throughout the day but so far the most consistent sound is the wind. At night you can here it rush against the buildings almost sounding like a storm. Taste is only experienced three hours of the day. There's one cafeteria that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at 8-9am, 12-1pm, and 5-6pm. Because the community dinning there is so small choices are slim but the foods been delicious. If a large group plans to go off campus for a meal its encouraged we let the dinning hall know so they can cook accordingly.

      I'm anxious to leave and start my courses at St. John's. It'll be another new environment to experience and take in but so far I'm excited for whats to come and loving the smell of sea water overtime I step outside.