LC student describes cultural experiences in Russia
By Ostin Merkle-Lawlor Due to an aging population and falling birth rate compared to other industrialized countries, from 1991-2012 the national population of the Russian Federation declined …
lc study abroad
Visiting Tongario, the real-life Middle Earth
By Alix Soliman When Americans visit New Zealand, they pretty much vow to take a dorky photo in front of a hobbit hole in Matamata. I have …
Waterfalls: Japan’s Hidden Wonders
By Shawn Bolker When one thinks of Japan, waterfalls don’t often come to mind. Instead, most envision scenes of the bustling train stations in Tokyo, sprawling Buddhist gardens …
From Portland to the Driest Place on Earth: Junior Natalie Stroud adjusts to life in Valparaiso, Chile, and the Atacama Desert
By Natalie Stroud Studying abroad is uncomfortable. Plain and simple. When I thought about my experience in Valparaíso, Chile thus far, that is the one thing that …
Adventures Abroad: Trekking through Cajas National Park
“Bleak” and “wintry” aren’t usually descriptions that apply to my experiences in Ecuador. The jungles of the Amazon region were oppressively hot, and the cities of Quito, …
Adventures Abroad: Encounters with the natural and spiritual in Cañar, Ecuador
Our first day at Cañar required two members of our group to stick their heads under open flames as part of a healing ritual. The second day …
Adventures Abroad: Dublin pubs and alternative humor
Dubliners have a unique way of interacting with strangers: they f**k with them. It’s often a sort of jeering friendliness, a disingenuous niceness that seems a little …
Why it’s okay that you didn’t study abroad: Missing out on the “typical” LC experience
While LC trumpets the value of studying abroad, those who cannot participate feel alienated Waiting for the Pio on the first day of the semester, I …
Adventure Abroad: Expedition into the Kingdom of Spiders
Ever since I was a child, my imagination has populated dark places with threatening creatures and monsters. Of course, most of the time the creatures in the …
Ecuador Abroad: Adventures at the Earth’s Center
Standing face-to-face with a shrunken head is an unsettling experience. It’s always uncomfortable to look into the eyes of a dead man, and the discomfort only …