The following pieces have been written about my adventures and experiences outside of the United States. Here, I process cultural norms, language, religion, gender dynamics, and food through the lens of an American college student.
A hand-painted rainbow elephant hangs on a cloth canvas next to Emily Saathoff’s bedroom door. Above her desk sits a canvas of seven women carrying baskets on their heads. Her bedroom is riddled with mementos from her semester in Ghana, a country on the western coast of Africa. In the spring of 2019, the University […]
Gone to Ghana: Who Is Emily Saathoff? Read More »
“I’ll have what she’s having,” I told the waiter, pointing confidently to Marcie. For three days, I ordered only what Marcie ordered, and she hasn’t been wrong yet. “Ah, all the way up until our last meal together,” Marcie chimed in. Her Cape Town accent was gentle, like a modest Australian one. She is taller
Searching the Maze Read More »
“Ich bin ein bleistift auf dem flughafen [ick bin eye-n BLIE-shtift off dem floog-hoffen],” my dad chanted through the streets of Berlin with a cheeky grin on his face. His eyes shifted to my brothers and I, seeing if he could get a reaction. Usually Ryan would snicker, Camden would roll his eyes, and I
Lost in Translation Read More »
“It’s a bigger culture shock than you’d think,” a friend told me. She studied in Rome the semester before me, and despite her four months of experience, I didn’t believe her. Maybe for you, I thought. But not me. I’ve traveled a lot, and I’ll be fine. Three days into my program, I began learning
One month ago, I was living in Rome. Two weeks ago, I was laying on a beach in Ibiza. Today, I am in Raleigh, quarantined in my room. The coronavirus outbreak has affected everyone in a unique way. Businesses have closed, graduations are canceled, and doctors are working overtime on a daily basis. For me,
Homeward Bound: Grief in the Coronavirus Outbreak Read More »
Romans live small. Kitchens are small, showers are small, beds are small. There are no houses in Rome, only overcrowded apartments in overcrowded neighborhoods. I knew this when coming to Rome. I was ready for this lifestyle shift and to live like Romans do. When I stepped into my apartment, a wave of assurance came
Hello MTV, and Welcome to my Crib Read More »
I’ve never been much of an “outdoors” person. Hiking is exhausting, camping is terrifying, and fishing is uneventful. I have allergies, which means watery eyes and a runny nose whenever I walk outside. And most irritatingly, mosquitos love sucking on my sweet skin, and I always find the red itchy spot before I find the
High Flying in Switzerland Read More »
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Rome can’t be explored in a day. There is so much to see and do, so I broke up my sightseeing into three separate days: historical sites, Vatican City, and Trastevere. I’ve always known Rome was a large city, but I really understood that when I walked it.
A Walking Tour Through Rome Read More »
In the United States, a hundred-year-old building would be considered old. In Rome, not so much. In Rome, there are no skyscrapers with ceiling-to-floor windows. No Time Square Plaza advertising the newest perfumes, or elevators with glass floors. Each building is a different shade of brown, from light caramel to dark coffee. They are usually
A temporary blindness came over me as I stepped from the sun into the dark church. A large, blurry, blue hole morphed across my eyesight like a lava lamp. Shoes squeaked, bodies shuffled, and mumbled prayers filled the room. A deep male voice echoed a Polish song, heard but not seen. As peripheral objects began
