For the last two weeks of May I had the incredible opportunity to go to Tanzania for a service learning trip with Chestnut Hill College, Rosemont College, and Marywood University. Going into this experience I had no expectations. I had no idea what the two weeks would hold and the adventures that it would bring. I entered into this experience with an open heart and mind, and was excited to receive from this trip whatever God had for me. Little did I know that I would be receiving more than any words can describe.

To actually get onto African soil it would take twenty-four hours of travel. The team would take a fourteen hour flight from New York to Dubai, and then another five hour flight from Dubai to Dar es Salam, Tanzania. In addition, we would have to endure a five hour van ride to Morogoro, the region that we would be working in.  I was a little apprehensive to take a fourteen hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean. I have never flow for that long, heck I have never left the continent before. To endure the long hours of travel I made sure my carryon bag was filled with Tylenol PM (a sleeping aid and my life saver on the flight) my iPod, and a book. However, my iPod and book were not really needed on the flight. I was able to entertain myself by watching a selection of films on my own personal TV that was attached to the seat in front of me.  A fourteen hour flight goes by fast when you have films like Lovely Bones, When in Rome, Invictus, and Leap Year to occupy you.

Before I knew it we were in Dubai. Though I was exhausted from the flight I was ecstatic that I was safely out of North America, and in another part of the world. My eyes were overwhelmed at what I saw in the Dubai airport. People from India, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and European were scattered about checking for flight times, shopping for souvenirs, and claiming their luggage. I had never heard so many different languages spoken, in one place, in my entire life. Plus, Dubai was known as one of the wealthiest countries in the world; it showed! The airport was filled with glamorous stores and palm trees. The airport also had rooms just for prayer, smoking, and had a quiet lounge. It was one of the most interesting airports I had ever been in my life!

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Tagged As: Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Service, Tanzania, Travel
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An advantage of going to school in the Philadelphia area is having an array of restaurants, museums, parks, or stores to visit whenever you wish.  An advantage of going to school at Chestnut Hill College is having opportunities to go on trips with classmates and teachers to restaurants or parks and having fun in a new environment while simultaneously learning or putting classroom lessons to practical use.  Before the end of the semester, my Spanish Conversation class took a trip to La Tierra Colombiana and practiced speaking Spanish with each other, our teacher, our shuttle driver, and the servers at the restaurant.  I thought it was a great way to get some practice talking in Spanish outside of our typical classroom setting, and the food was AMAZING.  I ordered the Arroz con Pollo and was tempted to order another plate of it to take back to my dorm to eat as leftovers.  (Explore their menu.) The prices at the restaurant are decent as well; my food was just $10.50 and I was more than satisfied with the quantity of food.  I unfortunately didn’t have room to try dessert though!  That just means I’ll have to go back sometime and refrain from filling up on bread and lunch or dinner before trying the flan, cheesecake, pound cake, bread pudding, or ice cream.  Maybe I’ll start with dessert next time… 

If you truly want to experience the Latin culture of Philly, La Tierra Colombiana also hosts Salsa dance nights (or Bachata/Merengue/Reggaeton/etc) on some nights in a club setting of the restaurant.  I’m not too into dancing, but I’m sure it would be a great experience for the experienced dancers or the newbies who are just looking to have a fun time.

¡Gracias CHC por todas las oportunidades de practicar mi Español, y gracias Profesora Rogers por la introducción a un restaurante magnífico!

Tagged As: class trip, Colombian food, Cuban food, La Tierra Colombiana, phila, Philadelphia, Restaurant, Spanish classes
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When I set out to write this post, the premise seemed simple: I’d tell my fellow students what they need to know to have a great study abroad experience based on my recent semester in London, England. After a few extended presses of the “delete” key, I realized that you deserve better travel advice than what I, merely a novice, can offer. That being said, I do have some anecdotal gems to share, but I’ve enlisted a few experts (to the like of Mark Twain) to provide the wisdom. I’ll stick to the commentary. Generically speaking, these great one-liners will get you through a study-abroad trip of nearly any length in any location, and may even sound impressive at a cocktail party somewhere down the road. See more after the jump.

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Tagged As: Europe, london, Study Abroad, wisdom
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In a few weeks I’ll be on a plain flying above the Atlantic Ocean and heading to Tanzania. But before I leave for the airport I have to make sure I have all my belongings packed, organized, and ready to go which, for me, will be a very a difficult task.  You see, I am not good at packing, especially when it comes to packing for long trips. I always over pack; however, I am learning that for this trip and for trips in the future, less is always more.

What to Pack?

Before I begin shoving miscellaneous things in my suitcase and make yet another packing fopa, I did a little research on the internet and came cross some great packing tips. I know these tips will be helpful as I prepare for my trip, but perhaps they will help you as you travel this summer too.

TIP 1

Make a list all the things you think you might need or want to bring. Planning out what you want to pack before you pack it will help you cut down on some of the unnecessary items that often creep into your suitcase.

TIP 2

Before you pack your clothes, plan out the outfits for each day of your trip. This will help you know what clothes you need to pack, oppose to the ones you want to pack. Also, always pack one extra outfit and put in your carry on. You never know what can happen with your luggage, especially if you are doing long distance traveling with multiple layovers.

TIP 3

When packing, roll your clothing to minimize space in your suite case, as well as prevent clothes from creasing or wrinkling.

TIP 4

Pack Medications, ID, passport, toiletries, glasses, and any other personal items you may need in your carry on. If you are traveling abroad it is a good idea to keep the things you often use close to you as you travel.

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Tagged As: packing tips, Tanzania, Travel
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One of the best things about CHC is the knowledge that people care about you.   Teachers are helpful, staff is friendly, and there are always a ton of events planned with the students’ interest in mind- whether it’s a fun trip to an ice skating rink or Broadway show, or an open lecture about nuclear warfare, there’s something for everyone.  However, as graduation looms ever nearer and the need to find work in this tough economy is upon some students, I think it’s safe to say that the Career Development center is one of CHC’s most important places right now.

As an underclassman I hadn’t paid too much attention to it before but looking around now, it’s quite apparent that the folks over in Career Development are constantly organizing activities or information sessions to help students prepare for life after graduation.  If you walk in the hallway of offices on the third floor in St. Joe’s (where Career Service is located, along with Student Activities and other offices), maybe take a second to check out the bulletin board next to the soda machines.  There are pamphlets and papers with tips on how to prepare or dress for job interviews, etc.  Besides that, the diligent people in Career Development send out emails to all students with announcements about upcoming Career Connections trips, job fairs, or information sessions about interview etiquette, resume building, or other work related necessities.

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Tagged As: Alumni, career connections, Career Development, Career Services, Crown Cork and Seal, job interviews, recycling, St. Joe's
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1) Q and Not U- Busy Lights, Busy Carpets

All I have to say is, my poor neighbors. This album blared from my room 24/ 7 as I searched my soul for the meaning of my life and how I would spent my time at Chestnut Hill. This self-reflection wasn’t 24/7, but the musical goodness that is Q and not U was. This Washington DC based band, is described as having a “dance punk” sound. It’s quirky, mildly emo, and perfect for karaoke sing-a-longs. Made up of Harris Klahr Unfortunately, this band split in 2005, but there albums are available on itunes and youtube for sampling.

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Monet once said that “the richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration.” Well, like Monet I have taken the time to be inspired by nature. Once in a while I just have to allow myself time away from it all and allow myself time to escape into nature to get reenergized and get inspired. I had the opportunity to do just that on two trips that I recently took.

The Beach

Over spring break, I took my own advice and had some fun in the sun at my favorite beach on the east coast Belmar beach in Belmar, New Jersey http://belmar.com/.  My best friend and I packed up my 1999 Toyota Camry and hit the road for a minnie road trip. With the happy sounds of Jason Marz in the background, we embraced the fact that we were taking a break from school work, family obligations, and all the other stresses of life to just enjoy the nature that God put on this planet for us to enjoy.

We did nothing special or out of the ordinary when we got to Belmar. We just grab our towels, laid on the beach, and watched the waves go to and fro. We also enjoyed Sub-Way sandwiches and good conversation. The day was a much needed break from everything.

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Tagged As: Belmar Beach, Belmar New Jersey, marshes, Nature, Pond and Streams, relaxation, wetlands
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Since I’m a Spanish Major here at CHC, I’ve obviously had my share of Spanish courses.  I took AP Spanish in high school but unfortunately didn’t get a high enough score on the test to count for any college credit.  I did however do well enough on the proficiency test to place into Spanish 103 my freshman year.  Besides Spanish 103 and 104, I’ve also taken Advanced Grammar and Composition, Advanced Grammar and Conversation, Hispanic Culture I & II, Masterpieces of Hispanic Literature I, II, and III and I have a few more literature courses yet to take.  I highly recommend any of these courses for anyone, not just Spanish majors but for anyone who wants to better their Spanish speaking and listening comprehension.

All of the teachers I’ve had have been super helpful and always try their best to fix your errors and are eager to lend a hand and slow down if you don’t quite understand what they’re saying.  My classes are taught almost completely in Spanish, and it really does make you learn the language so much better if you’re forced to refrain from speaking English.   As Doctora Rogers would say as you walk into her classroom: ¨¡Adios, Inglés!¨  My Conversation class is actually scheduled to go on a trip to a Colombian restaurant in a few weeks to practice speaking outside the classroom and experience authentic Colombian cuisine.

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Tagged As: Aida Beaupied, Carmen Rogers, Grammar and Composition, Grammar and Conversation, Hispanic Culture, Hispanic Literature, Spanish classes, Spanish Major
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Spring semester can be tough, especially with summer just around the corner; however, spring break is the bright stop in the midst of the dark clouds of term papers, exams, and group projects. During my week long sabbatical from academic stresses, I always make sure I hit the sale racks, the book store, the movie theatre, and the great outdoors for some much needed R&R. I hope you will join me in doing the same.

Shop until you Drop: Spring break is the perfect opportunity to begin to revive my wardrobe from drab winter appeal, such as heavy hoodies, boots, and sweats to more fabulous spring attire. My goal for spring break is to hit my favorite stores for some good deals and cute clothes. Skirts, dresses, and board shorts or my spring must have items. What are yours? Shopping at the mall can be a blast, but crowds and the hassle of finding a parking space is something that can turn anyone’s smile into frown.  Sometimes I check out my favorite stores online, where I actually discover some terrific deals, and what’s great is that I can stay in my PJ’s while doing my shopping.
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Tagged As: movies, reading\, relaxation, shopping, Spring Break
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As it has been mentioned in several previous blog entries, two semesters of Physical Education are required to graduate here at CHC.  Last semester I took Tennis with Janice Kuklick and learned a lot about it that I didn’t know before.  I used to avoid watching tennis matches because I was so confused about what was happening, but I can now watch tennis on TV and understand what’s going on- like when they use words such as love, deuce, ad-in, ad-out, or when the score seems to jump around sporadically.  From taking the class with Janice, I also learned how to play a new sport I’d never even heard of! 
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Tagged As: badminton, Fairmount Park, Janice, PE, physical education, pickleball, tennis
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Dear John Facebook,

I have been a member on your website for almost three full years now. To be completely honest, there have been a lot of ups and downs when it comes to you. In the beginning, you seemed great because I was given the chance to easily stay connected with a lot of my friends. Especially my friends from high school who I don’t get to see very often. Maybe I am among the weak ones though, because over the past year, I have let you take over my life at times when I should have needed you the least. One of the leading examples of this is it that you are a huge procrastination tool. Many times in my past I have told myself that I’m going to sit down and do my homework, but wait a second! Let me check facebook first, because I’m really just looking for a poor excuse not to get started on my work.  Why do I let this happen, and why do I fall back into this trap so easily? Is my life really that empty in that moment that I must check my newsfeed, discover any new relationships that have formed (or even juicier, which ones ended), or find out any other pieces of information (that can really wait until after I’m finished my homework)? I think not, which is why I’ve decided that I need to spend less time with you. I’m not saying that you’re completely evil, but you certainly have this way about you that distracts me from what is most important in my life, school work. College is such an important time in my life, and I need to make my school work my #1 priority. Once I get done my assignments, there can be time for you. I hope you don’t take this personal, but it’s the way it’s got to be.

Sincerely,

Shaina

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Deciding on which college to attend is difficult enough, but there another serious question that prospective students must ask themselves, which is whether or not they are going to commute to college. I understand that often, the decision is a financial one. It’s cheaper to commute to college than to live in the dorms; however, I would argue that the complete college experience is one in which a student lives on campus– it’s a chance for you to gain some independence, moving away from home for the first time is hard in the beginning, but the taste of newfound freedom is oh so sweet.

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Before driving back down to Maryland for spring break, my sister wanted to take advantage of being in the Philadelphia area by checking out South Street and going to a concert at the Theatre of the Living Arts to see Copeland on their last tour.   After she and our friend Mel picked me up from my Sugarloaf dorm, we decided we were craving pizza and began our search for a good pizza place.  After our GPS led us to two different non-existent places, we found Toto’s, which we quickly established to be THE BEST PIZZA PLACE EVER.  We ordered a cheese pizza pie and watched as someone behind the counter started making it and brought it to our table in just a matter of minutes.  After finishing our awesome meal we headed over to South Street to explore before getting in line for our concert.

Teaser picture below. This is how close we were.  : )

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Tagged As: Concert, Music, Philadelphia, Phileo Yogurt, Philly, South Street, Theatre of the Living Arts, Toto's Pizza
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A few months ago I wrote a blog about CHC’s musical auditions for the show Once on This Island.  Well, I decided that it had been a while since I’d been in a musical, and I went out for the show.  Little did I know when I was trying out, I would end up having the opportunity to play the lead role, Ti Moune.  Playing that role and being part of such an awesome show was absolutely wonderful. Including myself, there were fifteen members in the cast.  I truly had a fantastic time working with the directors and cast members.  Since we all spent so much time practicing together (and basically living together), we sort of became a family.  That was really neat because we’re all different people with different backgrounds, majors, and interests, coming together to take part in one specific hobby that we all love.

Our show was originally supposed to be performed the weekend of February 5^th and 6^th, but due to the weather it was postponed until Feb. 19^th and 20^th.  We put on three wonderful shows; one on Friday and two on Saturday.  Everyone put their hearts and souls into each performance, and just enjoyed performing the show after weeks of practicing.

I must say, being part of Once on This Island was one of the biggest highlights of my junior year, if not my entire college career.  As cliché as it sounds, I learned so much about life while being part of this show.  I had the chance to become a lot closer with the people I was working with, as well as learn much more about music, acting, dancing, and even myself.

Tagged As: Once on This Island, Student Produced Musical
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Since this was one of my favorite blogs that I have written about, I decided to compose a music is my best friend: part deux. Having the same indie mentality as the fall edition, this edition has a little less variety genre wise than I had hoped for. Most of these bands are in the lo-fi, indie genre, which means that the artists use a minimalist form of composition– usually, lo-fi consists of typically, a singer, a guitar, and a drummer: no more, no less. Though it would seem that minimalism creates a limiting sound in indie music, I would argue that it does just the opposite, and produces a great deal of creativity in the way in which the instruments are used, and the sounds they create. However, you be the judge. I will provide you with 8 indie bands, some that are more well know than other’s, but still, they deserve attention in their own right. So, let’s stop the rambling, and start listening!

1) Land of Talk- former member of the indie Canadian band Broken Social Scene, Elizabeth Powell is the lead singer of this fantabulous band. The singer-songwriter along with Joe Yamush and Andrew Barr make up the band, which has yet to truly gain the attention they deserve. What’s so great about this album is that every song is equally as good as the next, which is incredibly rare—hence the reason why their number 1! Their latest album, Some Are Lakes, is available on iTunes for $8.99, but if you’re pressed for cash, check out their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/landoftalk. I’d recommend listening to “Sea Foam,” “Young Bridge,” “Breaxxbaxx,” and “Give Me Back My Heart Attack.” Happy Listening.

2) Japandroids- Call it Lo-fi love, but Japandroids are amazing. Like Land of Talk, every song on their album, Post-Nothing, is incredible. The band, which consists of Brian King on guitar and vocals, and David Prowse are from Vancouver, are so, so good. Their album is available on iTunes for $7.92, but before purchasing check out their myspace:http://www.myspace.com/japandroids to sample their songs. My favorites are “Rockers East Vancouver,” and “Boys are Leaving Town.” Japandroids are a great band to rock out to, and I hear the put on a heck of a live show! Japandroids will be playing at the Barbary on Tuesday, March 30th, and tickets are only $12, but they will sell out, so get them sooner, rather than later.

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