Tag: advice

Away From Home for the Holidays

Published on by DU Abroad2 Comments

Since most DU students go abroad for fall semester so as to miss only one quarter not two, a lot of people will end up experiencing what it is like to be away from home for some traditional American holidays.

Even though I studied abroad in Copenhagen, I ended up being in Zurich for Halloween night at the Youth Hostel Zurich. My friend and I spent all day in transit to get from our housing in Copenhagen to the hostel in Switzerland. By the time we got there we were absolutely exhausted and ready for a good night’s sleep before starting our exploration of Switzerland. I had totally forgotten that it was even Halloween.  I remember I was getting ready for bed in the shared floor bathroom when I heard two giggling girls come in. All of a sudden one of them jumped out at me from behind a door! She was wearing black and white face paint but very little else that would suggest a costume. I admittedly jumped a little bit and she laughed. Her friend came out and they started joking in a language that I did not recognize. I smiled and left the bathroom when I was finished. In retrospect, I kind of wish I had tried to talk to them and ask them their plans for Halloween, especially since they evidently were not American and probably would not have grown up with the same traditions as me.

Thanksgiving is another holiday that most people studying during fall semester will miss. I remember talking to a number of Americans at my school about this, and many people were very distressed that they were going to miss out on their usual traditions, as well as traditional Thanksgiving food. Canned pumpkins are apparently not something that all countries like to carry in their supermarkets, nor are whole turkeys. This started getting people a little bit worried about what food they were going to have for Thanksgiving. I admit that I had a special advantage in making my Thanksgiving dreams come true. I had a thing called a visiting family which is a Danish family that I hung out with a lot but did not live with—mine was a couple named Lars and Lilly. Lilly was a former caterer; so needless to say, I ate like royalty when I was at their house. Come Thanksgiving, Lilly took it upon herself to prepare an entire Thanksgiving dinner for just for the three of us! It was spectacular! Even though there was no pumpkin pie, and the turkey that we had was just a part of a turkey and not the whole turkey, all the other elements of an American Thanksgiving dinner were present: cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans and more. And like with American Thanksgivings, we ate until we could barely walk.

My recommendations for other people who are abroad for Halloween and Thanksgiving is to make the best of what you’ve got. It may not be exactly the same as your American traditions, but that is okay. On the one hand, it is a shame that I did not have the opportunity to dress up for Halloween, but on the other hand it was interesting to see something reminiscent of Halloween in a completely different culture. As for Thanksgiving, not everyone will be as lucky as I was in being able to replicate American traditions, but finding a new way to celebrate can be just as rewarding whether it is making food and celebrating with a group of Americans, or having a nice sit down meal with local people and local dishes. In the end, I found that the holidays were an interesting way to observe a culture differently, and to experience something new out of something old.

–          Rosa Calabrese, DUSA Peer Advisor

Hostels- uncomfortable but cheap!

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Hostels can be a very interesting way of travelling, especially since most of us are used to hotels.  In the United States, we commonly pay for a whole room, bed, bathroom, and possibly kitchen.  A hostel typically is set up with a bunch of beds in one room with shared bathrooms elsewhere. Essentially you are renting the bed, not the room. There are pro’s and con’s with travelling in the hostel world. It can be a very inexpensive way to travel, and usually while travelling, there is no need to be in the hotel/hostel for a lot of time.  However, sleeping arrangements can be a bit interesting and you may have to deal with obnoxious snoring. Hostel rooms can be as small as 4 person rooms, or the largest one I personally saw was a 24 person room! Here are some tips that I wish I had known:

  • It can be really uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with a bunch of strangers. I recommend travelling with a friend or a few! Sometimes the whole hostel room can be filled with people you know!
  • Bring a lock! Many hostels provide lockers somewhere inside the rooms. If you would like to avoid creepy strangers potentially rummaging through your things, LOCK IT UP!
  • Headphones or earplugs can be useful when people are being loud while sleeping. Even eye covers can be useful, some occupants will randomly turn lights on and off at random times.
  • SHOWER SHOES ARE IMPORTANT!
  • Introduce yourself to your temporary roommates. Some of them can be very interesting and may know a little more about the city you are visiting than you do! Also be aware some people will not be friendly.
  • BE POLITE! As uncomfortable as these situations may be, you do not want to anger anyone you are staying with!
  • Most rooms are unisex, but if this is a problem you can get single-gender rooms.
  • Lastly, do your research by reading reviews on various hostels. This is important. Seriously.

– Dylan Perry, DUSA Peer Advisor