Story by Erin Burba ⎜ Photo by Ashna Singh When I decided to move to Tanzania for my second co-op, I had very little foundation for and understanding of what was ahead. I knew next to nothing about the country. My new boss couldn’t tell me exactly what kind of projects I would be working…
Category: Narratives
Right to the City
Story and Photo by Noa Dalzell, Dialogue of Civilizations Last summer, I embarked on the “Right to the City” Dialogue of Civilization in South Africa, led by Professor Liza Weinstein. We visited the country’s three largest and most politically significant cities — Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town — and I hate to embrace the Northeastern…
Poverty and Education in Kisumu Slums
Story by Madeleine Hahn-Smith ⎜ Photo by Aneri Shah Karibu Kenya! “Karibu” – meaning welcome, is one of the first Kiswahili words I learned when I arrived in Kisumu and is a central theme of this community and its culture. Each new person I met welcomed me into their home— offering food, tea, and conversation. These…
Feeling Homesick at Home
Story by Tori Baldassini, Global Co-op ⎜ Photo by Lauren Scornavacca When I left Boston to go to Ecuador for six months to complete my global co-op with the non-profit organization, Manna Project International, I was filled with excitement. I had a lot to be excited about – I was about to embark on a life-changing adventure…
Uruguay: “Quedarse en el chiquito”
Story by Emma Bernstein, Dialogue of Civilisations ⎜ Photo by Hope Luria Uruguay is Argentina’s hermanito to the north, colloquially referred to as the Switzerland of South America. Both Argentina and Uruguay have a heavy European influence due to a high volume of early European immigration, but the countries have their own unique identities, and Uruguayans would be offended to be…
Invisible Borders yet Still Coexisting
Story and Photo by Danielle Murad Waiss The smell of a bonfire surrounds me. Behind me are the beaches of Tel Aviv and in the evening sun, the sky is painted many oranges and pinks. As I move forward, I leave behind the tourists, the Tel Aviv fitness freaks and the strolling couples. As I…
Communicating without Words: Language Barriers in the Atlas Mountains
Story by Aspen Schneider, Dialogue of Civilizations⎜ Photo by Katherine Murrey Communication became the greatest comfort when traveling with a group of unknown classmates to a continent that I had never been and immersing in a culture and religion vastly different than my own. To be able to ask my professor questions, to discuss new ideas…
The Power of Narratives in Shaping Identity
Story and Photo by Olivia Sorenson, Dialogue of Civilizations Over the past two years, I had the privilege to go abroad to the Middle East three times through Northeastern University. Each time I returned, I faced difficulty in processing my experiences, as I was confronted with a seemingly endless list of personal and political contradictions, conflicting…
“Amsterdam’s Market-ability”
Story by Lindsay Lowery, Study Abroad⎜Photo by Will Lake The lure of class-free days with no responsibilities is exemplified in students’ love for Fridays. In Amsterdam with no Friday classes, I had the whole city at the feet. My only limits were the money on my metro card or my exhaustion from biking. Fridays quickly…
Pub Culture: More than just a Pint
Story by Erin Cutroneo, NUin⎜Photo by Danielle Vandre I am of the NU.in legacy: a newly accepted freshman who elected to go abroad their first semester of college instead of jumping straight into the “typical” college experience. I chose to go to Dublin, Ireland mainly because my name is Erin, which literally translates as “Ireland.”…
