August 27th, 2010

Last weekend I went camping at Point Lookout State Park in Maryland and decided to research places to camp near the Philadelphia area.  I found an article written by a woman with her top five favorite campgrounds near Philly.  I think her definition of the word “near” is a little different than my own, but maybe some of the parks are worth the road trip. Out of her top five, I’ve only been to Shenandoah National Park and had a great time so I trust her judgment on the other sites.  Shenandoah is about a five hour drive from Philadelphia and the main draws (for me) are the hiking trails and beautiful views from the mountain tops.  I got up super early one morning to watch the sunrise and it was breathtaking.  Other recommended campgrounds near Philadelphia are Dingman’s Campground (2 hour drive), Pioneer Campground (3 hour drive), Promised Land State Park (2 hour drive), and Cape Henlopen State Park (1.5 hour drive).

One suggestion I have for you camp-goers is to think ahead and make reservations a couple weeks (or in some cases, a couple months in advance) before your trip.  My friends and I wanted to go camping at Assateague Island this summer but it turns out it is always fully booked even before the summer months begin.  Also, check the forecast before you head out, and plan accordingly!  When I went camping last weekend the temperature ended up being almost 110 degrees.  The beaches were packed and it was way too hot everywhere so we ended up bailing a day early because we couldn’t stand the heat.  Also, do some research on your campsites to see what activities are offered.  A lot of places have fishing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, swimming, and more.  Find a place you can do what you like.

If you’re not a camper, you should obviously be able to find things to do closer than 1.5 to 5 hours away from the area.  Check out VisitPhilly.com for some ideas!

Tagged As: camping, Cape Henlopen State Park, Dingman's Campground, Philadelphia, Philly, Pioneer Campground, Promised Land State Park, Shenandoah National Park, Visit Philly
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August 20th, 2010

As you know one of the great perks of Chestnut Hill College is its close proximity to the city of Philadelphia. There is no better way to spend your summer than enjoying some of the great attractions in the city. The Arden Theatre Company is hosting the production, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.  The play is based on the on the book by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond. This bestselling book comes to life when an innocent boy generously offers a cookie to a demanding little mouse. This singular action triggers a series of escalating requests that result in mayhem – and a lot of fun.  In addition, the Coatesville Area Arts Alliance is hosting the 5^th annual Grounds for Music Outdoor Festival. The festival is located on a gorgeous rural property with gardens and outdoor earthArt. The main stage acts include folk, jazz, bluegrass, and rock performers. Artists performing include: Fontane/Cooley, Jazz/bluegrass Instrumentalists Charlie Phillips Band, Poppina rock Ken Meyle Trio, Bluegrass Al Bien and his many talented Friends, Folky country by a tri-county musical institution Faye Hoek, Young blues phenom singer á la Janis Gus Compson and Friends, Bluegrass and folk by Soulfolk. Furthermore, there will be artisan vendors and BBQ food. The festival is rain or shine, BYO chairs and/or picnic food. So when you are looking for something fun to do this summer, don’t look further than your own backyard!

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August 16th, 2010

I will never forget my first morning in Tanzania.  I walked outside of the hostel, the team was living in, and before me was this great mountain. I stood in complete awe at the magnificent sight before me. If there was ever any evidence that there is a God, that mountain, the trees, the beautiful flowers, the vast, bright blue sky, and the monkeys playing in the trees all proved it. I was completely overwhelmed and the only word that I could utter was…WOW.

***

Class began two days after our arrival. I was nervous, but the students received us so warmly and were open to what we had to teach them; that calmed some of my anxiety. The team was divided into two groups and we worked with two different classes.  Some of the team worked with Form V and the other half worked with Form VI. These were the oldest students at Bigwa; I had the privilege of working with Form VI.

One the first day of class we gave the students an English pre-test so we could see the strengths and weaknesses of the students, and see how we could best help them. I was anticipating the worse in what they knew about written English; however, these students exceeded my expectations and they knew much more than I thought (That shows me to never underestimate people).  After the pre-test we handed the students out work books we brought with us from the states, and gave them notebooks that we collected as well.

We focused most of our attention on English grammar like run on sentences, fragments, commas, and past and present tenses. Also, at the end of each class the students wrote an essay, so that we could go over proper essay structure with them. We also read some African literature and had discussions about the images, symbols, and the overall theme of the works.

I had the privilege of directly working with four students named Helen, Gift, Nancy, and Flivanna. They were so sweet and eager to learn. At the end of the first class we all became best friends and exchanged e-mail addresses.

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Tagged As: Bigwa, service-learning, Tanzania, teaching English
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August 13th, 2010

Are you interested in enjoying a night of excitement and laughs in the city? If so, the Schuylkill Banks Movie Night is the place for you. Every other Thursday by the Walnut Street Bridge, the Schuylkill River Development Corporation hosts a movie night. Bring your friends, blankets, and picnic baskets for a great time watching films under the stars. Arrive early for free snacks and to enter a free raffle.

In addition, the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center and Fairmount Park host different Saturdays throughout the summer for Art in the Open Philadelphia. This summer will consist of Family Kite-Making. Families are invited to gather on the decks of Fairmount Water Works to create, construct and fly their own kites, using the Schuylkill River and all her inhabitants as inspiration.

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July 26th, 2010

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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June 29th, 2010

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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June 7th, 2010

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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May 14th, 2010

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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