Sobre Chile

So now that I have been to Chile for a little bit I can give some feedback.  First off I would like to say that I love my school.  It is the same school as in Argentina but the professors here are amazing.  I have learned so much but have so much more Spanish I need to learn it can be a bit overwhelming.  Santiago is huge and the culture here is great.  It’s kind of like an USA of South America.  I meet great friends here but there program has ended.  They were all almost from Brazil… I’ve actually learned some Portuguese.   I still wish I had more time I am so not ready to leave… I only have a week and a half left it is very sad.  One of the best things in my trip has been going to an orphanage.  I can honestly say nothing has compared to this experience my school has a program were we can spend tuesday’s at an orphanage and be like a big brother to a kid.  My kid is name is Daniel he’s 15.  He’s really great, nice and funny.  All of the kids get so happy when we come and it just makes you feel so great inside.  Between the people I meet here and the volunteer program Chile has won a huge chunk of my heart, and even though I haven’t left I am already planning to come back.  I am going to practice my Spanish a lot of the next few days and enjoy all the time I have left as much as I can.

 

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My “little brother” Danny with my friend Raeanna and her “little brother”

Wishing I was still in Prague

I arrived home in the US yesterday evening at 6pm. However, I left Prague on saturday July 19th, and traveled to Budapest, Hungary for a few days. I really really miss Prague. Last night showing my family pictures from my abroad experience, all I could think is I really want to go back. Only after a month there, I could really see myself one day living there. I hope to return one day soon, and for a much longer time. It is such a beautiful city, with always so much going on. I am so grateful that I got to spend an entire month there. I am hoping by keeping myself busy I will be able to adjust to life back in the states quickly. Below are some pictures of Prague, and the beautiful sights within it. I will post a longer entry once I have had more time to reflect. Hope everyone is enjoying there summer.

 

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Beautiful rose garden in Strahov

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On the Charles Bridge

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View of the Charles Bridge and surrounding area

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Charles University Prague

Can I go back??? – Missing Jamaica Already!

Heyy Everyone!!

Been home for a  couple of weeks now and I sure do miss JAMAICA!!

The overall experience was amazing!! I learned so much about the Jamaican Culture and its History! Being there for a month was definitely a great way to learn and be present with the everyday life in Jamaica.

This trip has encouraged me to look into abroad opportunities helping or working with children for a greater cause. Being able to work with the Alpha Boys, be apart of their school life and watching good and not so great things occur within the their home just grew my interest to continue to work with children, especially those of Black and Latino decent. The boys have so much potential, amazing dreams to be someone great, and so much talent1 They taught me so much about life and the little things to appreciate despite what goes on around me. We all grew close to the boys and allowed them room to be open and share their unique personalities and talents. This was my favorite part of the day being able to share our experience with the alpha boys! We had soooo much FUN interacting, teaching, learning and talking with all of them!

If I have the opportunity to do this trip again – I would not second guess it! Not only did I learn and immerse in the culture and life of Jamaicans but I was apart of a great experience learning, growing, adapting and making a difference!

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Last Day with my students before they are sent to another institution or back home! 🙁

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Boys Excited about the World Cup!!! They love Football (Soccer)!!!

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Playing their favorite sport !!

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Sugar Cane!!!

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The Best and Sweetest Teacher(middle) with her teacher assistances!

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The Classroom!

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Being Outdoors!

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Jamaica we miss you!!!

 

Fotos de Chile

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School Trip to Viña del Mar, Chile… On the beach with freinds

 

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Atop San Cristabol Mountain over looking the entire city

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Providencia, Santiago, Chile… Part of city witch I live

 

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Ecela Santiago…. My university

COEX Aquarium

So I am not a big fan of museums or aquariums or events in general where I cannot interact with the art so COEX Aquarium was just a 3 on a scale from 1 to 5. It cost 22,000 won, so about $22. It did have a lot of different aquatic animals like fishes, sharks, octopus, seals, penguins and sting rays. I am listing a few things on the top of my head, so the aquarium probably does offer more than listed before.

My favorite was the seals because they kept doing cycles of back flips. I am unsure if that is just how seals are suppose to swim naturally but it felt like a little show for me. My second favorite would be the Good Doctor fishes that nibble on you, they remove the dead skin cells. I have always wanted to try that and to be honest I was a little bit of a coward so I am glad I got this little exposure before trying a whole container of them nibbling on my feet.

Adding on, there was the Love Machine evaluating machine. I do not think that was accurate because me and the group of friends I came with to COEX all matched well. This just shows more of the couple culture that is prominent in South Korea.

From Dankook University to the COEX Aquarium it takes about an hour and a half – taking the 8101 bus to Gangnam Station then transferring to the train. So it is a bit of a commute but definitely worth it because COEX is also a shopping area. Now if you are not into animals or shopping … this place is not for you. There are Korean souvenir shops – a very small Insadong, Korean souvenir district, in COEX so you may want to pick up a few items to take back home there. In addition, everything in South Korea is reasonably priced, there are not overpriced souvenirs in COEX, and the prices align well with the prices of the items in Insadong.

More travel posts to the coming. For now …

안녕, V

The end is near

My study abroad in Prague experience is ending in two days, and I am quite upset by it. It is funny to think back to crying my eyes out for the first four days, asking myself how I would ever make it through the month, and now I do not want to leave. I had my last final today, making the end feel even more real. I learned so much in my short time in Prague,and honestly feel that I have grown as a person. It sounds cliche, but it is the truth.

I would like to share with you what I learned:

1. Keep an open mind. A study abroad experience, while rewarding and fun, is not always easy. As I mentioned before I was extremely homesick when I initially arrived. It is hard being away from family and friends. Not having the food your accustomed to, and being surrounded by people who speak a different language. There are also minor differences that I would have never even thought about before I got here. My dorm room does not have wifi or air conditioning, but I have learned to deal with it.  I have been forced to grow up by being here. Be patient and enjoy everyday, because time will seriously fly.

2. Make time for work and fun. The classes at Charles University were very rigorous. I had a much more demanding workload then I am used to at New Paltz. I believe that this is due to the fact that I took six credits in only three and a half weeks, therefore the classes were very much accelerated. However, I often stressed myself out worrying, rather then doing my work. It is important to stay organized, and get things done whenever you can. That way there is still time to go out and enjoy yourself, without having unfinished assignments on your mind.

3. Take time out to explore the surrounding areas. I had the privilege of getting outside the city of Prague this past weekend, and exploring the beautiful Czech countryside. We went on a Saturday hike, and the following day I went to a castle 40 miles outside of Prague. Being away from the place you are studying at, even for just a short time, makes you appreciate it that much more when you return.

I have mixed feelings about returning to the United States. I wish all my family and friends could be transported to Prague that way I would never have to leave. On the other hand, I do miss certain things about the United States, and am excited to go back to a comfortable and familiar place. I really want to come back to Prague for an entire semester, and I hope to make that happen. Hope everyone is enjoying there summer. Until next time.

English Village End, Classes Begin

Back in Jukjeon. First day of classes.

Transiting back to Jukjeon campus was hard because there were a lot of Global Village teachers that I was not able to know while I was away in Cheonan campus. Day by day, I learning their names and their personality but for the most part, I tend to stick to the friends I made last year and the Cheonan teachers.

I also had to relearn the geography and transportation of Jukejon, but because I came here last year, I still remembered a lot and it was not that difficult getting around again.

This year, I decided to take only one class so that I would be able to travel more of Korea. So far, I am loving that decision because I was able to really travel and explore.
I am currently taking a mindfulness training class. Essentially, we learn about different personality types and about meditation. It is a pretty chill class. We spend the first 10 minutes of class meditating, which helps get into the mindset of this class and I love doing “nothing.”
I have to admit that in the beginning I was skeptical about this class and whether I would really like it or not because I never thought personality tests were accurate. In this class we focus on the Enneagram, which has 9 types of personalities and a scale of each 9 types. However, after a few days in, I like that the professor says that we do not have to agree with the Enneagram, but it is knowledge that we essentially gain about a personality type.
I am hoping that by the end of this class, I will learn about myself and learn how to improve myself for my future.

안녕~

Santiago, Chile

So I have arrived at my final study abroad destination.  Santiago, Chile.  I was extremely sad to leave Buenos Aires, not only for my friends but for the World Cup final… though as much as I am die hard Argentina fan there chances of beating Germany not looking so hot…. Anyways the school here is amazing!  The professors are beyond helpful and ready to work with you.  The location is very nice and I am doing really well.  I’ve meet so many cool people from Brazil… I think in South America is full of Brazilians.  But there differences in our culture is so interesting and fun.  But at the same time I sometimes feel Americans have the most in common with Brazilians.   I actually haven’t done to many touristy things yet… I’ve been more concentrating on my spanish and gastronomy of Chile.  Which btw the food is amazing.  I really miss Argentina and I think one weekend I am going to take a trip to Mendoza but I do really like Chile… I found out they have a Taco Bell so they scored some extra points with me.  The Spanish is soooo different hear.  Once I caught on to the accent in Argentina I really did not have a problem but here they use so many words and phrases … That half the time I am like what…?  It’s cool though  by the end of this trip I should be like able to understand many regional versions of castillano.  This week ill prob do some more tourist stuff because I’ve been pretty settled.  The school is Taking us on a weekend field trip to Valpariso which is supposed kind of like Chile’s San Francisco so that could end up being really cool.   I don’t even want to think of going home yet because I have so much more to learn and so much more to do!  Hope everyone who reads this is doing well! Will try to update soon!

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Yay I can post pictures now!

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San Martin Plaza during the game

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La Boca, Buenos Aires

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Friends from school & Argentina

 

 

 

 

Concluding Recap

Concluding Thoughts:

So first I would like to apologize for the major delay in this post. I
did not realize that when I got home there would be so much to do. I
will not get into the boring details of this past week in the United
States. Rather, I shall try to entertain and move you with my
description of my last week in Ireland.

When last we left off it was a
Friday and I was doing work. So as I believe I mentioned previously, the
next day was our trip to the Aran islands.

The Aran islands are
fascinating because of the history. They are one of the traditional
places in Ireland that speak the Irish language on a daily basis. They
moved to the islands to escape the British oppression during the
Cromwell period. Their primary industry was fishing until it turned to
tourism. We arose at the crack of dawn to meet our tour.

After riding
down a series of winding roads which made many people ill but did not
faze me at all, we reached the ferry. This ferry ride had to be one of
my favorite parts of the day. Lydia and I went all the way to the top
deck and let the water and wind rock us around like crazy. If you think
you are good at subway surfing try it on this ferry. On the lower deck
you will be successful, on the upper deck you will not. But as I stood
holding on to the railing for dear life, I withdrew into my thoughts. I
thought about the power of nature. How nice it can be to feel so small
and controlled by the elements in the best way.

When we reached the
island, we went for a snack. A very nice man at the Till gave me a free
chocolate bar. Then we took a walking tour around the island. If I am to
be completely honest I really did not want to do this. The last time I
went to one of the islands I took a hike. This time I really wanted to
explore the town center. Talk to the locals and such.

Unfortunately, I
did not get much of a chance to do this, however, Lydia, Hayley, and I
had a lovely time picking flowers. Killian our tour guide taught Hayley
how to make daisy chains and she taught me. I felt like a fairy child
walking around with a daisy necklace and flowers in my hair. I truly was
born the wrong decade…I am a hippie.

So then we ate lunch at the top
of a hill next to a castle. Can you believe it, a castle in Ireland?!

Anyway, then came the absolute best part of the day. I have always
wanted to swim in a body of water in another country. I mean, Jones
Beach really is awful. Well, I finally got my chance. As I plunged into
the icy cold north Atlantic, I really thought my chest, my whole body
was on fire. It was the best feeling ever.

Sometimes, when you
experience a physical sensation along with just going through life it
really makes you feel alive. I really enjoy feeling alive. Sometimes,
when I travel I really don’t feel like I am experiencing anything
special.

So what I can read about the history the tour guide tells us in
my pajamas at home. But when you can swim in the water or pick the
flowers of such a special place, you understand what traveling is all about.

Anyway, the rest of the day was relatively uneventful. A bird crapped
all over me and I got sunburned really badly. But apart from that there
is nothing too interesting to report.

Actually, that may be the most
eventful thing of the whole week. Sunday I did homework. For the rest of
the week, I went out with friends. My friend Sarah came up from Galway.
It was a good time.

It was really sad saying goodbye to everyone.
particularly the people who live in Ireland. Yes, especially you Triona.

Actually, I think I will talk about this for a minute. I was frustrated
that I needed so much help because I was there for such a short period of
time so I really couldn’t learn the place well enough to travel
independently, but if I had I might not have gotten to know Triona. So
maybe it’s not so bad.

Anyway, I figure because I was studying abroad
after all.

At the end of this post I will copy one of my assignments. If
you are incredibly bored by it just skip it I really don’t care. I loved
the class though. I would love to post my concluding thoughts about the
trip, but honestly, right now I am just not done processing everything.

So in a few more weeks I will do a final travel post about my true
concluding thoughts. Right now it just seems surreal.

Samantha Flax Human Rights

After the atrocities that occurred during the Second World War, the
nations of the world were determined to prevent such a tragedy from
taking place in the future. They created the United Nations as a means
to this end. In 1948, they wrote the universal declaration of human
rights. This monumental declaration was to serve as a guideline of
rights that every person in the world was entitled to. One of these
rights is written in article five, it states, “No one shall be subjected
to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
The trouble with the declaration of human rights, is that at the time
there was no way of actually enforcing them. While currently the United
Nations has made efforts to enforce this right there is still a long way
to go until freedom from torture is recognized around the world.

In December, 1984, members of the United Nations got together to have a
convention against torture and other cruel inhumane or degrading
treatment or punishment. This was because even with article five of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and article seven of the
international covenant on civil and political rights, which both
emphasized the right to freedom from torture, there was still a great
deal of torture around the world. The convention sought to define what
constitutes torture, set parameters for laws for individual states, and
to find a reasonable method for helping to enforce these laws. The
following is a summary of the convention.

Article one discusses the definition of torture as a use of mental or
physical abuse used for coercion or intimidation. It also addresses the
extremely important question of liability, stating that using the excuse
that an authority member instructed the person to commit the crime is
not a valid defense. Articles two through sixteen discuss the provisions
that the states who sign the agreement should follow, from what should
be included in domestic laws to how these crimes should be prosecuted.
It states that all states must have laws that prohibit torture. It must
be considered state offense. States will aid each other in the
extradition process. Law enforcement and other public officials shall be
instructed in what constitutes unlawful behavior. Any victims of torture
should be protected and the defendants have a right to a fair trial.

These are only a few of the most important provisions of the agreement.
Articles eighteen through twenty-six discuss the formation of the committee
that will be organized in order to investigate crimes of torture in
individual states. It explains how the committee will work and the
rights it has. The committee can only make suggestions to a country that
it thinks is guilty of crimes against humanity. It cannot enforce these
suggestions legally. The committee will be formed of elected officials
and they are required to submit an annual report.

The last articles,
twenty-seven through thirty-three, settle any disputes regarding the
convention itself in regards to states individual rights, for example,
whether or not they choose to agree and whether they are required to
acknowledge the competence of the committee. All of these things are
optional. While this is just a summary of the details, it does clearly
demonstrate while well-intentioned, and definitely a step in the right
direction, it has no legal validity in terms of actual enforcement. This
is represented by the crimes against humanity in the United States.

The United States has several provisions in its constitution and other
laws that protect human rights. These rights include the fifth, eighth,
and fourteenth amendments to the Constitution. The eighth amendment is
perhaps the most important regarding torture because it specifically
bans cruel or unusual punishment. However, despite these laws and the
United States general compliance with the United Nations there is a
shocking amount of neglect on countless human rights violations, from
jailing homeless people and giving children life sentences. As well as
various war crimes such as the use of drones. Most disturbing is the
United States’ use of torture in places such as Guantanamo bay. Despite
a supposed ban on torture techniques there are countless reports of
torture especially in military prisons.

The government uses national
security as a justification for strict actions, but the United Nations
has still accused the United States of several crimes against humanity
especially torture. The United Nations said that changing interrogation
techniques is not enough. One of the most controversial topics regarding
torture is the use of the death penalty in several American states. A
question that is asked by many people particularly in the United Nations
is how is death not cruel and unusual punishment? The answer is usually
something about how these people are killed humanely. For example, they
are killed painlessly and they get a last meal of their choice. Also, a
sick person cannot be killed. However, this still constitutes a
violation of the right to freedom from torture.

There are several steps that can be taken in order to significantly
decrease the amount of torture going on. Hopefully these measures can
eventually lead to the eradication of torture. Firstly, and most simply,
the public must be made aware of the government’s actions regarding
these heinous crimes in individual states and on a global level. Once
the citizens are made aware of what is happening they can petition their
governments to solve the problem. The main reason torture is able to
continue in America in particular, is that most citizens are not aware
of the magnitude of the problem, or they are told it is necessary for
national security. Next, there is a more complex solution. While the
United Nations is a wonderful organization regarding diplomacy and
negotiation, it holds little to no power when it comes to actually
enforcing its ideals and acts. If the UN could actually prosecute crimes
against humanity instead of just making suggestions, it would be much
more effective. This would be difficult because countries would feel
that they are losing their right to sovereignty, however, human safety
should come before self-determination when it comes to human rights.
This could be enforced through an international court of justice.
Instead of the articles from the convention against torture being
suggestions they should be requirements for at the very least anyone
that signs on. Ideally, it would apply regardless of a signature but at
the current time this is virtually impossible. Torture can be decreased,
but it will take hard work and cooperation.

Sources

Accountability for Torture | Amnesty International USA
www.amnestyusa.org > Our Work > Issues > TortureResult details
U.N. slams U.S. for torture, NSA spying | Al Jazeera America
america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/27/us-human-rights-reportun.htmlResult
details

Torture – HREA
www.hrea.org/learn/guides/torture.htmlResult details

UN Convention Against Torture – Human Rights Web
www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.htmlResult details

The universal declaration of human rights
www.un.orgt