During the spring semester, I was pulled in many different directions, part of many different groups and studying many different issues — all from one of the busiest, fast-paced cities in the world. But in the end, it was well worth it. I spent the past 14 weeks in Washington D.C. as part of the political science department’s Washington Program in National Issues (WPNI), currently one of the longest continuously running study away options at 40 years. I interned with the Student Press Law Center, a nonprofit that provides free legal advice for high school and college journalists.

There, I worked for the publications wing, which manages the website and social media but mainly focuses on producing news content about First Amendment court cases across the country. In the office three days a week, I wrote an average of three to six daily news stories during that time span. I also contributed three magazine stories for the SPLC Report, which is published three times a year. Topics ranged from covering court hearings, free speech on social media, newspaper thefts, retaliation against journalism advisers for raising free speech issues, public records disputes, high schools censoring newspapers and yearbooks because they didn’t like the subject of a story or photo — all the way to a college trustee physically taken a recording device out of a student reporter’s hand in public. The stories were some of the strangest and most eye-opening I’ve ever seen, mainly because it’s hard to believe some school administrators think they can get away with breaking the law. First Amendment law  specifically, freedom of speech and freedom of the press — is so often overlooked, and that came as news to me. Most members of the American public will look at high profile speech cases like the Westboro Baptist Church protests. But “speech” can extend into so many forms and mediums today.

I’ve come to the conclusion that when people ask me if I think censorship is getting better or worse in this country, I will say, “I think it’s becoming more overlooked.” Because while society is becoming more progressive and free, we are also experiencing a technological wave, which changes the way we express and muddles the laws that have stood for decades. For example, I wrote a magazine story about “Confessions” pages on Facebook that trended this spring at high schools and colleges across the country. Students could submit an anonymous “confession” to a third party website like SurveyMonkey and an anonymous administrator could take it and post it to Facebook. Thus, the popularity of “Confessions” pages grew as students would “like” the page and read funny, embarrassing and sometimes serious messages that their fellow students were too shy to say in person. As a result of a generational disconnect, school administrators very often don’t see any benefit in having a page like this. Many didn’t understand how it was even speech or expression. Some tried, successfully, to shut them down on the grounds it was bleeding into school activity. But what they don’t understand is that although some of the messages were debatably “pointless,” as one administrator put it to me, and although some crossed the line into the area of “sexually explicit” or “threatening,” the confessions of those students are no less legally protected speech than the notes they used to pass each other as kids, or the anonymous messages they used to write on the bathroom wall. The concept is the same. The difference is in the technology, and the fact that when a confession is anonymously posted on Facebook it is both instantly permanent and worldwide. There is no teacher to intercept and throw away the note; there is no janitor to clean off the bathroom wall. So the question is often posited that because we have greater means of communication and expression and, therefore, greater means of reporting on the world around us, do the social norms, laws and regulations change as well? Is it enough to alter how we perceive and censor speech? Does it even alter our Constitution, the first right on our bill of rights? It’s an important discussion to have, and the answer likely lies in the gray area of compromise.

While on the topic of compromise, I’d like to end my reflection with a note about what I learned from living the city of Washington, from reading my subscription of the Washington Post every day, from attending briefings as part of WPNI every Thursday. I was always cynical about DC politics, but I think I managed to become even more so seeing it from the inside. I learned in my Public Policy class at Kent State that the success and failure of certain issues in politics are fueled by narratives — “stories of success” and “stories of failure,” primarily. An issue I was deeply impassioned about, reducing gun violence, died in the Senate last month. In short, the least offensive, watered-down legislation that had the approval of 90 percent of the American people — background checks — failed to pass because of a powerful pro-gun lobby and the lack of “political muscle” of the pro-gun control interests. Meanwhile, comprehensive immigration reform has found compromise, and therefore the lives of 12 million undocumented people living in the U.S. will likely soon change for the better. Although they don’t have the numbers, the fact that 20 dead schoolchildren cannot shake the rhetoric blanketing Washington is not a good sign for the issue in the future. The “nation of immigrants” story — a “story of success” — is much more powerful than the “20 dead schoolchildren” — a “story of failure” — in the eyes of politicians. They see economic benefits and job creation in highly-skilled immigrants rather than the tragedy in massacres. Of course, I see the world through politically biased eyes, too. But being in Washington during such a collapse of hope, it drove home my preconceived views of the city and of the federal government.

I’ve filled up an entire journal while studying abroad – a task I’ve been trying to achieve since the days when journal entries still started “dear diary” – and yet, I can’t seem to come up with enough words to fill two to three pages on what this experience has taught me. Maybe the words won’t come because once this essay is over and sent into cyberspace that means the semester is really over, and that is simply unacceptable. Maybe the words won’t come because the experiences, lessons, moments are too monumental to describe. Maybe when the words come, they sound trite and contrived, and these don’t do it justice. Yet, I suppose I have to try. Learning gained from my experience, as a student of Kent State University’s Florence program is not synonymous with the academic program itself. Though excellent, the most important lessons learned came not from within the confines of Palazzo dei Cerchi, but rather from the friends I made and even, surprisingly, from within myself.

While being fascinated with the world of the ancient Romans and renaissance Florentines at school, my extracurricular time was devoted to a different kind of discovery. Whether it be from trying my hand at cooking something I’d never tried for dinner, to spending time with someone I didn’t know, to traveling to a totally unknown destination, a most dramatic lesson learned was to make being out of my comfort zone my new comfort zone. I made it my mantra to try to exploit every possible opportunity and to find adventure everywhere. So what if I accidentally ended up on a train to Bologna at 3 in the morning without my passport or a ticket, with only five Euros to spare? I made a great friend, and that was certainly worth one sleepless night. I was robbed while shopping in the H&M in Florence. Well, I now know how it feels after long months of homesickness to see the stars and stripes of the American embassy rising up out of the haze of the Arno on my way for a new passport. We were trying to find Castiglione del Lago, we found Cortona instead. We walked to the top of the mountain and from there I saw the most memorable sunset I’ve ever seen, with colors so beautiful I thought about it every night before I fell asleep just to ensure it would be etched in my brain forever. Moments like these are what defined my time abroad.

Every time I chose to experience the different, I was rewarded with a better knowledge of my capacity for resiliency, adaptation, adventure; essentially I was rewarded with a better knowledge of myself. I learned that for me, home truly is where the heart is. I realized I have an intense interest in eastern European history, specifically, and the former East Bloc has moved itself to the top of my list of “to visit next” places. I knew no one when I went to Florence in January, I will go home with a motley crew of architects, journalists, communicators, and business students as friends. Ergo, I taught myself how to be friends with everyone, choosing enemies wisely. I learned that as lonely as it seemed, there would always be someone there to make me laugh, if I let them. Personal growth is an understatement – or just an inaccurate statement – for what I feel changed over the last four months, but again, there really aren’t words.

Academically, I gained a plethora of knowledge from thoroughly brilliant professors. I respected them all, idolized one, was in awe of another, and wished the third would quit taking himself so seriously. I’ve seen hundreds of priceless works of art in person, walked the same streets as Julius Caesar, admired the architecture of centuries of development: this is more than any student could ever ask for. Culturally the most unexpected lesson learned was that of how thoroughly western Europeans and Americans differ. For better or for worse, though we’re of the same background, an ocean is not the least of the boundaries, which distinguishes our purple mountain majesties from their rolling terracotta hills.

January 8, 2012 through May 4, 2012 was a time when so much happened, such subtle shifts took place in the fabric of my life, it really might have never happened at all. I won’t be sure until I’m back on American soil, with my American car and American cheese wondering how the shower is so perfect in pressure and temperature that I will look back and think, yes, I was there, I did those things. What I have now are memories, friendships, and photographs. I vow to never loose the passion for life, which studying abroad has re-instilled within me. So it goes, a two-to-three page essay on the learning experience that was study abroad KSU Florence, 2012 for one of its students. It’s probably stereotypical, possibly sentimental, potentially just what was needed, that’s my story.

• Carphone Warehouse in the city center has phones for 5 pounds and if you are on the Orange network, you can get free movie tickets on Wednesdays.
• Don’t be afraid to wander or get lost, you might discover something really great.
• If you’re missing candy, cereal, or other snacks from home, check out the Americandy store in the High Cross in city center.
• The food in catered housing is not spectacular by any means, but you will get to know your neighbors eating with them.
• When you’re shopping, don’t convert your dollars to pounds. It will make everything seem astronomically expensive. Instead, take out the money you will need for the week from the atm and think in terms of how many pounds you have in your pocket. Using cash that you take out once a week will also help keep you on budget!
• National Express and Eurolines are super affordable ways to travel. You can take the bus over night to Ireland or mainland Europe for a fraction of the price of the train.
• Everyone wants to travel around Europe, but don’t forget to travel around the UK too. Get to know your host country!
• If you can, visit a city either in the UK or the rest of Europe that your family is from, especially if it gets you away from big cities. It will be something you treasure.

1. Pack the least amount of clothing as you can. Clothes in Korea are super super super cute and stylish and everything you see you’ll want to own. They’re pretty cheap, too (for the cheapest shopping, check out the street or underground shopping markets). You might end up buying more than you expected.

2. BRING DEODORANT FOR THE ENTIRE SEMESTER! If you don’t, good luck finding your brand here, and if you do, it’ll most likely be unreasonably priced.

3. For the girls, if you have a personal preference for your, um, womanly necessities, bring enough to last the whole time. Don’t expect to find your brand here.

4. As far as other toiletries go, Home Plus has some major names (I’ve seen some over-priced Dove shampoo and soap), but if you need or just prefer something special, don’t risk it and just bring it with you. Better safe than sorry.

5. If you prefer over-sized towels, bring one with you. They have large towels at Home Plus, but they’re smaller than what I call “normal-sized” body towels. Not a terrible inconvenience, though.

6. Try to familiarize yourself with some of the Korean pop culture (music, dramas, variety shows) before you leave the U.S. or at least during your time in Korea. K-pop and K-dramas are a HUGE sensation and chances are you’ll impress your Korean friends if you’re able to list some bands or sing some songs. Also, they’re great conversation starters. Not only that, going to a karaoke room (called noraebang) is a common thing, so it helps if you know some of the music, although there is a ton of English music to choose from as well.

7. Go to every single ITS function and go on every single field trip. The ITS program is incredible and the people involved will be like your parents, your siblings, and your best friends. Don’t hesitate to ask the office any questions you have! They’re more than willing to help with anything and everything.

8. Food in Korea tends to be a bit spicy. Bring lots of Tums or other medicines if you think you’ll need them.

9. Experience a jimjilbang. Fully experience a jimjilbang. Yes, it might sound unappealing at first, but I’ve developed a great fondness for jimjilbangs. It’s one of the most liberating experiences you’ll ever have once you get over the initial uncomfortableness!

10. Participate in the English Clinic.

11. If you’re sick while abroad, go to the health clinic in the Student Union building. They’re magical.

12. Get a cell phone for your time in Korea. It makes life so much easier.

13. This isn’t necessarily a tip, more like a warning, but there is a curfew for the dorms at KU. The doors lock at midnight and don’t open back up until 5am. If you do miss curfew, you should be able to go to the library. However, during midterms and finals, curfew is lifted.

14. Turn in all of your ITS paperwork on time. It not only makes things less complicated for the ITS office, but there could a reward in it for you later on.

15. Take advantage of the Sky Cafe and the English Cafe.

16. Shipping things home by mail can get pretty expensive. Be prepared to spend over a hundred dollars for a twenty-pound package.

17. Bring enough money with you to get you through the first five to six weeks, because that’s about how long it’ll be about a month before you’re able to receive your alien registration card and set up a bank account and about a week or two after that for the financial office to deposit your flight refund money. I originally started with ₩450,000 but ended going through that quicker than I thought I would, but I was spending quite freely. I ended up withdrawing more than I’m willing to admit from an international ATM in Seoul.)

18. There IS an international ATM in Jochiwon. Take the shuttle bus to the train station and take the stairs across the tracks. Head toward Cafe Pascucci. Turn right before actually reaching the cafe and cross the street. Walk straight toward the shops. (If you look to your left, there’s nothing. Don’t go left. Go straight.) In that round-about strip, on your left, there is a Seven Eleven. Go in and head towards the back of the store, on the left. THERE is the international ATM. There’s another ATM in a bank farther down the main street, but I always went to the one in the Seven Eleven.

19. Beware of the traffic, especially those little motor bikes. They stop for nobody. Pedestrians avoid vehicles, not the other way around.

20. Bring something from home to give to your Korean friends. They’ll love that.

21. Just have a positive attitude. Things will be different. Expect it. Embrace it. Enjoy it.

• Don’t hesitate to try new things, especially when it comes to food and food places! There is so much culture here, bringing great food from around the world and mixing it all into this one great big city! National chains, like Starbucks or Subway, seriously aren’t as good as they seem to be back at home; since they are constantly producing the same basic food products for the masses every day, it usually isn’t made as nice and doesn’t taste as good. By checking out smaller, unique dining locations, you’ll be able to get a taste for the local food and people living in whatever neighborhood you’re visiting, and often at really competitive prices!

• Take the subway! It’ll get you wherever you want to go, and learning the various subway routes within the city, and even into the outer boroughs, will help to quickly orient yourself in the city. You’ll be able to explore way more than you ever could by just walking, and it is much more convenient and cheaper than a taking taxi. For helpful subway and other transportation directions online or on the go with your smart phone, use hopstop.com.

• Walk briskly with purpose, and don’t make eye contact with strangers. If you’re a girl, weird guys may say weird things to you, but they are just looking to get a reaction. The best way to avoid this is to just ignore it. Walk on with confidence, look forward, and use your iPod!

• Don’t try to pick up coins in the street! I don’t say this from personal experience, but I heard about it and thought it was kind of funny. Coins dropped in the street are usually ground way into the pavement from being repeatedly run-over and have become permanently stuck. So if you do try and pick one up, you’ll just end up stopping traffic and looking kind of silly.

• Explore as much of the city as you can! Be sure to try and hit up each of the many different neighborhoods in Manhattan, as well as Jersey and the other boroughs. There is something unique to every neighborhood in Manhattan – food, shopping, sites, etc. There are also so many great places to visit in Brooklyn, Queens, and Hoboken. So just go out and explore!

• Wear comfortable shoes! New Yorkers do not wear heels on the street; they wear other comfy street shoes bring their heels along in a bag to change into upon arrival. Don’t try wearing heels on the street, it ruins your shoes and your feet – it seriously isn’t worth it.

• Use the internet! When you aren’t sure where to go or what to do, look it up! There are so many great websites and blogs that detail great places to go in the city. These can be great resources for when you need some advice about anything, from grocery stores to clubs.

This is my last week in South Korea. I’ve been here for the past four months, living what seemed (and still seems) to be a very surreal life. Having been interested in—if not obsessed with—this country and its popular culture for years beforehand, I came into this study abroad experience with a positive attitude and good expectations. Surprisingly, almost all of those expectations have held up, but of course I have encountered things I never even thought to expect.  I thought I knew all about Korean food, music, TV, etcetera, but I realize now that I had so much more to learn, not only about these subjects but also about the aspects of Korean culture that I hadn’t been previously been interested in! Before living here as an exchange student, I knew very little about this country’s rich history and culture unrelated to the popular music and television industries. One of the things I didn’t expect was how many new things I would learn about Korea! Better than that, I was able to personally experience this amazing culture, which before I could only experience through television, the Internet, and the occasional trip to the Korean restaurant about an hour away from my hometown.

The great thing about Korea University, one of the top three universities in the country and the school I had the honor of attending, is that it offers a variety of courses taught in English (which was wonderful because my understanding of the Korean language is less than basic). In fact, students and faculty alike generally seem to be quite adamant about learning and understanding English. In Korea, students start learning English in elementary school and continue throughout high school, and apparently college as well. Korea, in general, is a very globalized country and teaching English is one of the most important aspects of the education system. Almost every person I’ve encountered here, excluding the older generation, of course, knew at least a little bit of English, and that made communicating with others incredibly easier. I studied a foreign language in high school, but I never really understood how valuable common language is in communication. Having expected to have more than a few communication issues, and then experiencing just a small number, really made me appreciate English and spoken language as a communication tool! It also encouraged me to study Korean more seriously, since it seemed as though everyone spoke my native language well but I hardly knew theirs.

There are many differences between Korean culture and American culture, as one would expect. Honestly, I could spend days writing out all of the culture differences, big and small, that I’ve observed over the past four months and still be nowhere near finished, so I’ll try to pick the ones that left the biggest impact. For one, the United States is a country full of people from different ethnicities, but Korea is a homogenous society. This in itself is a major culture difference, but it spurs an uncountable number of other differences. For example, we Americans tend to value individualism, uniqueness, and nonconformity. Koreans, on the other hand, generally feel that it’s better to blend in than to stand out. There is one standard of beauty here, and it seems as though every female Korean is trying to reach this unattainable image. Plastic surgery is incredibly popular in Korea, especially eyelid and jaw surgery, and one of my Korean friends estimated that over half of the women in Korea have had some type of plastic surgery in their lives. As an American, I was outraged by this concept. In the United States, there is a very obvious and well-spread perception that everyone is beautiful the way they are and one shouldn’t have to change herself to meet the outrageous beauty standards created by the media and fashion industry. However, I saw no evidence of such a notion in Korea. In fact, there were plastic surgery commercials on the university’s own television channel!

While I disliked some aspects of Korean culture, though, I found other aspects amazing and coveted them in my own culture. For example, Korean culture has its roots in the principles of Buddhism: education, familial piety, and respect. Koreans tend to value education above anything else, which, as a future educator, I agree with wholeheartedly. They also believe in being a good child and taking care of their parents as their parents had cared for them. Not only that, one cannot deny the amount of respect people in Korea generally have for each other. In fact, respect is built right into the language! There are two ways to speak Korean: with the formal language, called jondaemal, and using informal language, called banmal. One can speak to his or her friends or peers in banmal, but when speaking to a stranger, a superior, or anyone older than oneself, he or she must use jondaemal. Therefore, respect is a part of the Korean language itself and is thus immersed into the culture.

As I mentioned before, I could write a hundred pages about the culture differences between Korea and the United States, and that might not even be enough to adequately express everything I’ve experienced, learned, and felt. Nevertheless, I truly believe that both Korea and America have a lot to learn from each other, and as I analyze the differences between our two cultures, I can’t help but think, “What if we were to put together the all the good aspects from both of these cultures?” I know that learning about and actually experiencing another culture has made me recognize the good and the bad in my own, and I want to use this knowledge to become a better person overall.

Personally, I feel that I have already grown immeasurably as a person throughout this whole experience. Knowing that I only had four months to experience as much as I could, I took on this new outgoing personality that was quite unlike my usual self. I believe that I’ll come back home carrying this new trait with me, not just for the rest of my college career but also for the rest of my life. I also find myself feeling more comfortable in situations that I wouldn’t normally feel comfortable in, like when meeting and interacting freely with people I am unfamiliar with. I believe that my positive perspective throughout this entire experience has helped me enjoy myself more than I ever could have otherwise, and as much as I miss home, I’m not ready to leave Korea. But, of course, I’ll never really leave this; the memories will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Packing:
Clothing- Before I talk about clothing, I should talk about weather. Expect it to be around 40-60 degrees most of the time, with intermittent light rain and moderate to heavy wind. You’ll find yourself usually dressing in layers, since in a day the weather can vary a lot. What I found most useful was a lightweight, semi-waterproof fall/winter coat. Sometimes it does get quite cold there, so be prepared with scarves, hats, and gloves. Also consider how waterproof your shoes are, since fabrics like suede and canvas will be quickly ruined by the weather. The rain there is quite different from in the US- it is almost always a mist-like rain blown around by the wind, and it rarely “pours” there, and there usually aren’t many puddles. Because of this, raincoats, rain boots, and umbrellas are not especially useful or popular. Don’t bother bringing shorts, sandals, or sundresses- I promise you, it will not get warm enough. However, if you plan on going to bars and clubs in the city, know that both girls and guys dress up much more than Americans, and girls tend to wear skimpier outfits. The UK is also very fashion-forward, so don’t be afraid to try outfits that may seem outrageous here.
Other important items- This list of items may seem odd, but I really wish I had known to pack them. The first is a small, battery-powered alarm clock set to Northern Ireland time (5 hours ahead). Your first few days you will be very jet lagged and still expected to show up to orientation, so this is a must! Your cell phone will not work there, even as an alarm, unless you have some kind of special international card. Bring school supplies since they are pretty expensive to re-buy: stapler, tape, scissors, folders, etc. Bring your own DVDs from home to watch on your laptop, since if you try to buy or rent movies there they are a from a different zone and will not play on your laptop. Also bring a backpack. It comes in handy for bringing groceries home on the train and is a perfect carry-on for traveling. Definitely bring medicines you commonly use like sudafed, benadryl, motrin, etc. The brands are different there and medicine is more expensive. Especially stock up on tylenol if you like it, since they do not sell it at all there. Something else you might find useful is a coin, purse with two sections- one for the 1 and 2 pound coins and one for the smaller coins. If you don’t have one I suggest you buy one there, since the money is difficult to sort through and you use 1 and 2 pound coins often. Another really important thing to bring is a few basic dishes- a plastic plate, bowl, a few pieces of silverware, sharp knife, spatula, etc. Many people had good luck with roommates letting them use dishes, but mine locked their cabinets and never offered to share. Also keep in mind that you will most likely be in a temporary room for a few days, so a couple of dishes and some silverware is essential. They don’t have affordable plastic dishware there, so if you don’t come prepared you might end up carrying a full dish set back from the grocery store (like I did). Plastic dishes are not that bulky or heavy so I really suggest you pack some! Also bring some spices you commonly use like salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc. Again, these things are expensive to re-buy! If you are looking to save money, bring sheets and a small blanket, like a fleece one, for your first few nights there until you get out to buy a real blanket and pillow. They will offer you a set of sheets and comforter when you get there, but they are very expensive and scratchy with a flat pillow, and if you can rough it out until you get to Ikea then you will save a lot of money and get better quality bedding. Bring a towel too! A few other people that went stepped out of their first shower to discover they didn’t pack one! An insider tip is to bring plenty of extra deodorant if you like the stick kind… the preferred kinds there are roll-on and spray-on, and the stick kind is harder to find and more expensive. Here’s a couple last tips for girls- do NOT bring appliances that heat up like blow dryers or straighteners. The voltage is much higher there and they will literally melt! Instead just buy your bare minimum there- I found a straightener at the grocery store Tesco for 5 pounds. Last but not least, you will save a lot of money by buying enough makeup here to last you the whole time and packing it… makeup is very expensive there.

Getting Settled:
For those of you living in the dorms at Jordanstown, you should know about the internet. The server that provides for the dorms is different than the one that provides for the rest of the campus, so there is no tech support unless you call the company (which is very expensive and not very helpful!). It operates through ethernet, NOT through wireless, so make sure you test your ethernet port before you leave! I had a damaged ethernet port and had never noticed since I always used wireless, but when I got to Jordanstown I couldn’t get on the internet and contact my family because only ethernet connection is available there. If you have computer problems this is what I suggest- go to the basement of the main campus building where the campus tech support is. They are not technically supposed to help you, but when I explained I was an international student they were very helpful and gave me free tech support.
The best advice I can give you is to connect with the international students! More than anyone else, they really know what you’re going through and it’s a lot of fun to discover Northern Ireland together. It’s also an amazing opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Some of my best experiences were to learn cultural differences and really get to know people from all over the world. Start meeting people right away by getting a group together to go grocery shopping or check out a Belfast club together.
If you run into any problems your first few weeks there, I suggest you contact the international office instead of the residential office. The ladies at the international office are very sweet and helpful, and they know exactly what you’re going through. Many international students and I had negative experiences with the residential services staff, so you may want to try the international office first.
In orientation they will talk about the Chaplaincy, which is an Christian organization on campus that reaches out to the international students for the first few weeks there. They have a night where you can pick through dishes that were left behind, and they have free dinners for international students once a week. Many of us took advantage of this the first few weeks, but quite a few of the Chaplaincy members were pushy about their religion, and this bothered many of the non-Christian students. I also knew people who made lots of friends through this group and were able to go on free trips with them, so check it out and see what you think.
Before you leave I suggest you set up a Skype account and get a webcam and microphone. Skype is free, and although it’s not always perfect, it was great to be able to see and talk to my friends and family when I got homesick.

Getting Around:
Public transportation is a little bit difficult for Americans to get used to, so for your first couple times exploring it I suggest you pair up with some European friends to help you. Your options for getting around are taxi, train, bus, and walking. Taxis are most expensive, but are most convenient, and are necessary in some circumstances. Abbey Cabs are what we found to be most affordable. You’ll need to take them if you want to go anywhere after 10:30 or 11pm. They can also be useful if you get a group of four people together to go to the Tesco (grocery store) at a small shopping mall called the Abbey Center. It will be only about 2 pounds there and 2 pounds back if you have a group of four, and it’s nice not to have to carry your groceries on the train or bus.
The bus is not an option I used often, but it has its benefits. There are several places you must take the bus to rather than the train, like Belfast Castle, Ikea, the Abbey Center (shopping mall) and the Odyssey (hockey, movie theater, restaurants). When you take the bus, you will take the 2G route and get on and off at the Whiteabbey Village or Jordanstown Road stop. If you are taking more than one bus (i.e. taking a bus to Belfast center then another bus to Ikea) then it is cheapest to buy an all day pass. Those are on the Translink Metro bus. There is also a University-link bus that goes directly from University of Ulster at Jordanstown campus to Queens University campus in Belfast. It leaves every hour and is somewhat expensive for individual tickets, but you can get good rates on monthly tickets, which is great if you are taking classes at the Belfast campus.
The train is usually your cheapest option. Get on and off at the Jordanstown stop, on the Larne line (Larne is north of Jordanstown). When you get on the train, ask for a “return” if you are also coming home on the train, or a “single” if you are taking a taxi home or staying overnight. If you travel north you can get off at Clipperstown and walk to the Tesco to buy groceries. This is about a 10 minute walk to the train and another 10 minutes to the Tesco, but if you are doing a small grocery trip or going alone it is definitely cheaper than a taxi. If you travel south to Belfast you should know that there are two stations. The first is Belfast Central, the main train station. You may need to change trains to continue to the other station, the Great Victoria Station. It is the same price to go to any stop in Belfast. On your way to the Great Victoria, you will pass the other Belfast stops, most importantly the Queens University stop where you can go to the college section of the city where you can find cheap restaurants and many bars and night clubs. The train will stop at Great Victoria, which is very close to the city center and close to all the best shopping. It is also connected to the Europa bus station, where you can get buses to the airport or other places in Northern Ireland. Keep in mind you will have to present your ticket when you leave the station.
There are a few things you can walk to around the area, but not many. Right near the dorms there is a small convenience store called the Day Today. Whiteabbey village is only a five or ten minute walk away, and has two bars, a couple restaurants, a drug store, a convenience grocery store, a wine and liquor store, and a few hair salons. It is right across from the beach, which is not warm enough to swim in but is pretty to walk along. You can walk to the train stop which is about 10 minutes away. My friends and I also walked to Carrickfergus along the coast to see the castle, but that took a solid 45 minutes so the train is better for that.

Money:
The cost of living is much higher there, so plan to spend 1.5 to 2 times what you spend in the US, depending on the exchange rate at the time of your visit. You can safely estimate that the prices you are used to seeing in dollars will be similar in pounds… like a $15 dinner would cost about 15 pounds there. But remember that with the exchange rate that is twice as expensive. Groceries, which seemed to be relatively cheap there, are the exception. You may not know this, but it is rare to tip for most things in Northern Ireland, and when you do it is not very much. Do not tip bartenders or taxi drivers, and for a sit down meal with good service only tip around 10%. Before you go over get some money changed, maybe 50 pounds or so, just so you have it. Your bank will probably charge you on foreign transactions, so plan on taking out larger amounts of money every once a week instead of swiping your card for every transaction.
Set up a bank account as soon as you can after arriving. There are two banks on campus so this is not difficult, although you do need to get a note from the international office in order to set up an account. You will need this account to deposit your stipend checks from the University. The checks will come in two installments, one about 6 weeks after you get there and one right after Easter holiday (spring break). The first one is larger- about 2/3 of the total, and the second one is only about 1/3, so plan your spending accordingly.
If you are an out-of-state student at Kent State, be aware that any scholarships you have that are dependent on being an out-of-state students, such as the Access or President’s scholarships in my case, do NOT apply to you the semester you study abroad.

Classes and Registration:
Registering for classes is a rather unorganized process at Jordanstown. You will have an assigned adviser, but he or she may not be in the building before your classes start. If this is the case, I highly recommend that you contact your professors for your individual modules (classes), or contact any department authority you can, because advisers are not the only people who can sign the papers for you. I visited my professors and secretaries for the departments I was taking classes in, and got all my needed signatures without ever seeing my adviser, which helped me get registered more quickly. As a side note, you are not allowed to use the on-campus computers until you are registered.
The students at University of Ulster follow specific courses (majors) and take only classes within their course. Advisers and professors may find it odd if you take modules from several different courses, and there may be scheduling conflicts. Be prepared to make changes to your schedule if this is the case. Classes usually have one lecture a week and one seminar (small group class) a week. Classes there are much less academically demanding than in the US, and professors are much more relaxed about attendance, punctuality, grammar, and turning in assignments. I had one 5-7 page paper and one exam for each class, although I have heard that the 3rd year classes have group projects and other more difficult assignments. I’m not saying you should skip all your classes and slack off, but be prepared for a lot of free time. You might want to take art classes in the city, buy a guitar and learn to play it, or take lots of day trips to sites in Northern Ireland. Some of my friends joined intramural sports teams and got the chance to travel all around Ireland playing soccer or running, so if you like sports then definitely consider that.

On Your First Shopping Trip…
Before you leave to go shopping in Belfast, get the international office to sign an application for you to get a Translink student discount card. It is only 7 pounds and saved me about 30 pounds on a train trip to Dublin, so it is a great investment. Once the form is signed just stop in at the train station to apply for your card.
Get an all day bus pass and take the bus to city center. At the city center walk to the train station to apply for your card, to O2 to get a prepaid cell phone (believe me, it is the very best deal and includes free texting to other O2 users), Boots (similar to Walgreens) for toiletries, and Primark (great cheap clothing, wide selection) for any clothing, shoes, etc. Walk back to city center and take the bus to Ikea (the bus chart will say Ikea) to get your bedding and any organizational items, along with any kitchen supplies you need.
Finally take the bus back to city center, then the 2G to Abbey Center to go to the Tesco (similar to Meijer) for groceries. Tesco is also the cheapest place to buy hangers for your closet (dressers are not provided). After this you should be all set!

Culture Shock:
You’ll find out most culture shock yourself, but I’ll warn you of a couple things so your first few days aren’t too unpleasant. First, each electrical outlet has a corresponding switch next to it, and if the switch isn’t on then the plug will not work. The oven also has a switch on the wall behind it! There are also specific hours for heating, and for hot water. People who lived on the first floor said they had hot water all the time, but for the rest of us the hours for hot water were from about 7 or 8am till 11am, or sometimes a little after noon there would still be some hot water, and then again at 7 or 8 at night until about midnight. The heating runs at around the same times, so if you get chilled easily you might want to bring a hot water bottle to put in your bed.
Also be aware of the political climate of Belfast and Northern Ireland. You’ll learn so much about the Troubles by living there, but at least get an idea of what has happened there before you go. There is still a strong divide between Catholics and Protestants, and it is a very bad idea to talk about religion or politics in any public place. They will kick you out of a bar for bringing up these issues or for wearing football (soccer) jerseys, since they represent certain religious allegiances. In class I took a survey about mixed relationships, and filled out half of it as if they meant mixed race before realizing that they meant Catholic-Protestant relationships, which are still taboo there. Also realize that you may look exotic in Northern Ireland and attract attention for it. When I filled out a health record on campus, the options for race were White (British), White (Irish), or Other. However, I never heard of any dislike of Americans while I was there, although if you are Asian you might encounter racism there since many Northern Irish are intolerant of the Chinese immigrants who have recently gained a somewhat large minority there. For the most part though, the Northern Irish are too busy fighting each other to have anything against foreigners.

Travel:
The ability to travel for cheap is one of the best parts about being in Northern Ireland. Take advantage of traveling while you’re there since you’re already across the ocean and flights to anywhere in Europe will be much less expensive than they would be from the US. Easter holiday is a full two weeks long, so that gives you a great opportunity to travel. Depending on you class schedule, you may also be able to take long weekend trips. Although Northern Ireland is pretty safe, be really cautious about other European cities, especially when it comes to protecting your valuables. Travel can be cheap if you pick the right flights, stay in hostels, and travel with others. If you want to go to Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day, which is a lot of fun (second only to America they say), then book a hostel really far in advance. I also really encourage you to see the rest of Ireland. The west coast and southern part are really beautiful and have a lot of culture and charm. Also, of course, don’t miss the great travel destinations in Northern Ireland like the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, and Belfast Castle and the hike to Cave Hill.

I’ll leave you to discover the rest on your own, but most of all enjoy your time there and experience as much as you can! I promise you won’t regret it.

By: Marin Ryan

• Make a list of places you want to see and things you want to do and do it!  You never know if you will have the chance to do these things again, so make them happen your first time around.
• Learn as much of the Italian language as possible.  Even though many people in Florence speak English, being able to speak Italian is respectable and a great way to immerse yourself in the culture.
• Take the Art History course.  Italian art gives you great insight into Italian culture and history.
• Explore Italy.  There’s a lot to see and do.
• Take all the opportunities that come at you.  The school provides field trips and events.  You are only there for four months: Make the most of it.
• Research places you plan to travel.  Find the top attractions and the hidden treasures.
• Be yourself.  Get out of your comfort zone and try new things though.
• Take pictures of everything.  Write about your experience.  Blog.  You don’t want to forget this.
• Take clothes for all kinds of weather.  Florence has many different climates.
• Make sure you have rainboots or waterproof shoes.  It rains a lot.
• There are plenty of grocery stores in Florence.  Ask around.
• Leave room to bring things home when you pack.
• Most people are friendly and willing to help.
• Budget your money.  Know how much you have and are willing to spend.
• You can typically find cheap flights in Europe.

Settling In 

London Program is a great jumping off point.  ASDA is a close store for food/household items.

Phone: 

Carphone Warehouse in the City Center has many reasonable phones and a variety of plans.

Buses: 

The bus line runs from the Uni to city center.

Weekend Trips: 

It’s easy to get trains or buses to London.  Once you get to London, it’s very easy to get to the rest of Europe!

Spring Break: 

Plan early, use the web to find great deals and consider all options (planes, trains, boats!).