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MyUNI Student Diaries
MyUNI Student Diaries

Cultural Encounters:
From the Sand to the Snow



February 13, 2007

Egypt, why not?

A week has passed and I am still getting used to this new place. The most difficult was the first days. I did not think I would miss home so much the way I did. Making new friends, figuring out how things work can be a bit stressful for someone. I really thought that because I am already an international student in the US, things would be easier. The first days are always the bad ones, the days that you ask yourself what I am doing here. After you get to know people and make friends, things get easier and I am fine now. I still miss home but I am not crying anymore. Culture shock is not easy to go through and will never be. It takes a lot of courage to live in another country, out of my comfort zone.


I am taking German classes right now. The bad thing about Europe is that everybody knows English and it is very hard to learn the language when people speak in English to you. I was downtown and I was lost so I asked in a pharmacy for directions and the guy started to speak to me in English, so that means I will need to make more effort to speak in German with them and do not take the easy way out. It is interesting that in South America (Brazil) not many people speak English as in Europe and I really do not know why.



At the university, we also have a break during Easter time. I would say 10 days. Stephen (he is also an American from North Carolina studying her for one semester) and I were taking about traveling. Deciding where to go has been a fun experience because there are so many places you can go, so many places I studied in history class that I would like to visit but there is not enough time and money. So we were talking about going to Rome, but them I said maybe we should go to another place as well, like Greece. So Stephen, being sarcastic said, “well if we are going to Greece why don’t we go to Egypt.” But after he said that I was like, why not, really it is not that far from Rome. So we started to look for plane tickets to Egypt and to my surprise a round trip to Egypt from Rome is only $500. So, I guess I am going to Egypt in April! The currency from Egypt is Egyptian pounds and $1 is worth around 6 Egyptian pounds. This means that a good hotel with a view to the pyramids, Cairo or Giza, is about 20 Euros and you can get a hostel for 5 Euros. It is not expensive to stay in Egypt at all. I think I am going to spend more money in Italy than in Cairo, because a hostel, not even a hotel in Italy, can cost 25 to 30 Euros and up. Tomorrow I am going to the train station to see how much it costs for a train ticket to Rome and then make arrangements for my trip to the pyramids. I am so happy to be able to go there…..I anxious to see how they live in Egypt.


 
Claudia's MyUNI
Claudia's Photo
From Brazil to Iowa

Claudia is a senior majoring in both Public Relations and Economics. Two of her sisters have joined her at UNI. Claudia works in the International Services Office, and also was an active officer in International Student Association and intramural sports. She loves horseback riding, table tennis and cheering for the Panthers.



Recent Posts:


August 21, 2007

"So long farewell, I have to say goodbye..."


June 21, 2007

The Paradise


June 13, 2007

Indian Culture


April 18, 2007

Turkey


March 22, 2007

Slovenia


March 7, 2007

Carnival in Venice


February 13, 2007

Egypt, why not?


February 8, 2007

My trip to Austria


January 26, 2007

My Father's Arrival


January 11, 2007

Winter Break


December 14, 2006

Being tested


November 28, 2006

Thanksgiving Day


November 14, 2006

My Weekend


October 31, 2006

Trip arrangements


October 12, 2006

Mid-terms


October 3, 2006

My trip to Brazil


September 14, 2006

Are you joking?


August 28, 2006

Classes started this Monday


August 17, 2006

Little Moments


August 14, 2006

International Services Office


August 2, 2006

Now or Never?


July 18, 2006

Table Tennis Competition


July 9, 2006

Saying Goodbye


July 6, 2006

Holiday!


June 28, 2006

Sturgis Falls Celebration


June 22, 2006

Differences between American and Brazilian Culture


June 11, 2006

Culture Shock


June 4, 2006

Ready for Monday


May 30, 2006

My 1st day in the Orientation Staff


May 26, 2006

A little bit about myself





The students postings are representative of their views on life at UNI, and are not necessarily the views of UNI.