TISLP alum, Barrett Ratzlaff talks learning Mandarin Chinese, cultural differences, using language in his career, and Super Smash.

Alumna Danielle Sekel is receiving her PhD in Musicology, focusing on Bosnian hip-hop.

A few days after my arrival to my host-family in Belgrade, I accompanied my host-mother to the grocery store. Before leaving she handed me a large purple-colored straw bag and asked me to hold this bag for her as she looked for her purse.

A few days after my arrival to my host-family in Belgrade, I accompanied my host-mother to the grocery store. Before leaving she handed me a large purple-colored straw bag and asked me to hold this bag for her as she looked for her purse.

To host family or not to host family was a huge question when I signed up for this program, however, after a week of dorm life I feel that I made the best decision considering my situation.

On the second floor of my host family’s village house, I was given one of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever received – a bag of old threads and a few half-finished embroideries. Sounds glamorous, I know.

I intern with the Institute for Rural Initiatives (IRI) in Chisinau. The Institute for Rural Initiatives (IRI) is a non-profit organization that advocates and promotes community development in rural communities throughout Moldova.

Now, many Kazakhs go to jailau, or summer pastures high in the mountains, for purposes other than pastoralism. This summer, I was lucky enough to follow along.

Erin, Shayna, Charles, Martin and I decided to celebrate the long weekend by going to Murmansk for an an ice fishing trip. A small city of less than 300,000 residents, Murmansk is home to the northernmost McDonald’s in the world and is the largest city north of the Arctic Circle.

During my internship this summer, I had the opportunity to visit a smaller town to work with high school students who might apply to U.S. universities. I only had four days in Taraz, but it was an unforgettable experience.

Since my previous blog post about my initial impressions of Almaty, my life has drastically changed. I’ve forged friendships with some of the language partners, mastered public transportation and developed a daily academic routine (although the 6:30am alarm clock has certainly not gotten any easier).

Last Friday I traveled to the city of Tula for a daytrip with other American Councils participants. Because Tula is about a three-hour bus ride from Moscow, we had to leave super early in the morning.

From traditional dance concerts to live music on the streets, Tbilisi is a hub for social activity. However, if you are like me – someone who absolutely adores nature and hiking – this country will not fail to provide you with ample opportunities to explore the terrain.

The closeness to nature that is experienced throughout Tajikistan is also reflected in the multitude of gardens that the capital, Dushanbe, contains. Many of them originate from the Soviet era, but the Tajik government has also clearly placed a lot of effort in constructing new ones, especially those surrounding the Nowruz Palace.

As I sit down to write this blog, it’s still difficult to wrap my head around the fact that my two months here have come and gone. My time here has worked wonders for my language development.

As someone who loves architecture, I think the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia is one of the must-see places in the world. Thus, the Hermitage was one of the first museums I visited once I had my студенческий билет

Taiwan has been a wonderfully fun experience for me. I have to say that I am satisfied with my time here.

Where do I begin, to describe a country that’s changed me so much in two short trips? Perhaps a single day on a weekend will be a start.

Being my second time to Russia, I stepped off the plan with a very different mindset than I during my first stay in Russia. I am striving to be a “yes” man.

While I did not travel anywhere distant this spring break, which in Azerbaijan took place during the Novruz holiday, I had the opportunity to experience first-hand some fundamental Azerbaijani customs.