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Arizona State – A look back on ASU
I feel some things are just rightly assumed about the long-run advantages of doing a year abroad – yes you become more cultured, yes you’ll gain confidence, yes you’ll view life differently, yes there’s new opportunities… but what actually are some examples of these? A (by no means exhaustive) post on how my year abroad impacted my life.
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CHI-TOWN
By Benjamin Spencer, Arizona State University, USA Chicago – making the most of being stateside! I hadn’t even considered the fact that I was in a whole new country with 50 states to explore before arriving in Arizona, but now I see why so many students pick to move stateside. Chicago, or as my friends exclusively refer, CHICAGO BABY! is a truly magnificent city, especially for those looking for some rest bite from the culture of the West Coast. THINGS I LOVED: The price. We picked up flights for only £56 direct return from Phoenix and sharing Airbnbs with a large group saw 3 nights’ accommodation over the weekend only…
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A bit like high school
Even though COVID-19 put an end to my experience abroad I’ve been thinking about how Arizona State University is quite different from Manchester. First of all, there is a designated week for final exams while the rest of the semester has different deadlines. For example, only in March, I had to write three papers, one poster and an oral presentation, a group project report, and an online quiz. All these assignments are worth between 5-20% of the course. This changes my time management quite significantly because rather than having one long paper that is worth 100% of my course and four months to write it, in this case, I have…
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Before Leaving…
It’s been a while since I last thought about moving to the States. I was 17 when I decided to become an exchange student in a Canadian high school, and since then, I thought my experience abroad was over. But now, once again, I’ve been given the opportunity to travel, to discover a new culture, and to get to know myself a bit better. Isn’t this extraordinary? In eight days I’ll be on the plane. Destination? Phoenix. No turning back. Me, my luggage, and all my expectations and fears. What if I won’t like my housemates? What if I won’t like the courses? But c’mon, think about all the opportunities…
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Coming Home
Hello all! I am officially back in Manchester, and back into my studies back at uni here. I thought I’d write a little blog about how it feels to be back studying in Manchester, when i’ve not been back here for quite some time! In many ways, it feels like I never left Manchester. Memories of my time spent in Arizona almost feel like some kind of distant dream, like something that never actually happened. It’s hard to believe that a few months ago my average week looked like sunbathing by my dorms pool, preparing for a weekend away in a cool city, and of course a few classes in…
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The Highs and Lows Of Studying Abroad
For my third study abroad blog I thought it would be appropriate to consider the highs and lows of my experiences. What better place to reflect on them, than where I am right now. As I write this, I’m cruising at a steady 650mph, 11,000 ft in the air over Canada. I’m half way into my 12 hour journey home from Phoenix, and headed back to my favourite Northern city of Manchester. As I sit here in my cramped economy seat, I have plenty of time to reflect on the past 5 months in Arizona, and come to terms with the fact that it has come to an end. What…
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20 Cultural Differences: UK vs US
The number one question I’ve been asked since living in the US for the past four months from both Americans over here and Brits back home, has overwhelmingly been “so, what are the differences over there then?”. My response is always “where do I begin?!”. It’s become somewhat of a running joke between myself and my fellow Brits on exchange over here, the sheer confusion on where to start when trying to explain how different the two places really are. The fact of the matter is, the cultural differences are endless! So I’m going to attempt to shed a little light on the matter, and maybe it’ll answer some of…
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Go Devils! My first two weeks in Arizona.
Hello all! This is officially my first blog post. I’m two weeks into my international exchange experience. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks, and I’m just now beginning to catch up with my life outside of here, and have the chance to reflect and take it all in. Where to begin with what has happened so far?!
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A Sun Devil Welcome
There is a reason Arizona State University (ASU) students call themselves sun devils, and I realized it as soon as I landed at the end of my 11 hour flight from Heathrow to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport; the heat. I have been here now for just over a month and the weather never ceases to amaze me. Bright sunshine and clear skies encourage you to make the most of everyday, which is handy as my time so far has been packed with new experiences and meeting new people. The first two weeks of my year abroad at (ASU) was spent on holiday with my parents, they came with me and…
A study abroad journal by students, for students.
