Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Friday, November 24, 2017
Ways to Celebrate in December as an International Student
December is almost upon us which means the holidays and end-of-year celebrations will keep you busy while on Winter break. In countries around the globe, December is a month of festivities, religious days, family time, and getting rest. If you are wondering how to best enjoy the month, here are some of the most popular holidays celebrated worldwide during the month of December and how to celebrate them.
Day of the Little Candles (Dia de las Velitas) – December 7th
To get December started, countries like Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador celebrate the Day of the Little Candles on December 7th. This is a catholic tradition celebrated on the eve of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th). It also marks the unofficial start of the Christmas festivities in these countries. Around 7pm on this day, people go out in the streets and place candles and paper lanterns on sidewalks, porches, balconies, and squares in honor of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception.
Hanukkah – December 12th to 20th
A very popular Jewish holiday celebrated in many parts of the world is Hanukkah. Hanukkah is celebrated in honor of the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem which in 165 BC was done by the Maccabees after its desecration by the Syrians. The holiday lasts eight days and nights and it is marked by the successive kindling of eight lights. This holiday is sometimes known as the “festival of lights”. It involves the nightly menorah (a eight branch gold candelabra) lighting, special prayers and fried foods.
Las Posadas – December 16th to 24th
In countries like Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala, December brings a week long holiday to spend with friends and family. Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration in which the story of the nativity of Jesus is reenacted. The word “posada” means “lodging” or “accommodation”. During the nine days, people will dress as the Virgin Mary and Joseph and a certain house (usually different ones every day of the nine day festivity) will be designated as the “inn” where Mary and Joseph go to seek shelter before she gives birth to baby Jesus. Once at the posada, the attendants will pray around the nativity scene and share time in family. This will also involve different foods and drinks typical of the region where the Posada takes place.
Christmas Day – December 25th
This is probably the biggest holiday celebrated worldwide during December. Christmas is celebrated in the morning of December 25th by opening the presents that Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas has left under the Christmas tree the night before. However, in some catholic countries, many people begin the festivities the previous day by finishing the Posadas or Novenas prayers at night. After, they will wait until midnight when baby Jesus is born. In these countries, baby Jesus is the one to bring the presents and kids will open their presents at midnight instead of the next day.
Day of the Innocents – December 28th
This holiday celebrated in many countries in Latin America is their version of April Fool’s day. In the catholic bible, it marks the day when King Herod orders to execute male babies in Bethlehem in order to kill baby Jesus. This day originally was celebrated to honor all of those innocent victims, however, there hasn’t been much evidence of this historical event taking place. Instead, the holiday has taken a turn and people treat it as a day when they can play pranks and tricks on each other.
New Year’s Eve and Day – December 31st and January 1st
To wrap up this great month, the festivities continue until the last day of the year. In most countries, New Year’s eve marks the beginning of another year and the end of the previous one. Cities like New York have their famous “Ball Drop” in Times Square. In Paris, the night sky lights up with the amazing display of fireworks around the Eiffel Tower. In countries like Colombia, people will burn a scarecrow toy that represents the year that ends.
There are definitely many holidays that you can celebrate around the world in December. If you ever want to travel to any of the countries we mentioned, a great place to find cheap flights for international students is StudentUniverse. While studying abroad, we always recommend joining in the festivities of the country you are and making incredible memories.
The post Ways to Celebrate in December as an International Student appeared first on The International Student Blog.
from
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InternationalStudentBlog/~3/oJzv6eVv_JE/
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Announcing the 2017 Travel Video Contest Winners
We are pleased to announce that the 2017 Travel Video Contest winners have been chosen! This year we received 103 eligible contest entries from around the globe and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the quality of videos as the passion and drive was able to shine through in each one. If you’ve been following our 12th annual contest then you know that our InternationalStudent.com team narrowed down each of the entries to just 15 finalists, including the Viewers’ Choice Winner: “Making the US My New Home.” From there our judging panel determined the final first, second and third place winners and we are excited to share them with you:
$250 Third Place Winner:
“New York, New York, My American Dream” by Eliel Freer-Sullivan. Eliel serenades us while sharing his New York dream and provides us with quite the musical treat. The combination of beautiful sounds and sights is one you won’t want to miss.
$500 Second Place Winner:
“Drawing My Trip” by Laura Catalina Rey Gallego. Laura’s dream of working in a Hollywood studio won’t seem too far away for her once you see her incredible drawing talent. Watch her story unfold as it’s laid out in her drawings for all to enjoy.
$4,000 First Place Winner:
“Finding My Ikigai” by Dini Restyanti. Dini has identified her Ikigai and is on a mission to pursue it. Her Japanese inspired animations show just how talented Dini is and that she is on her way to make a difference in the world through her talent.
We were impressed not only with the winners in this year’s contest, but each video entry. Watch each of the 2017 Travel Video contest entries and start thinking about what type of video you can create next year to enter our 2018 Travel Video Contest which will open September 2018.
The post Announcing the 2017 Travel Video Contest Winners appeared first on The International Student Blog.
from
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InternationalStudentBlog/~3/1RplYyY-AVU/
Monday, November 20, 2017
Friday, November 17, 2017
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Monday, November 13, 2017
CollegeWeekLive International Students Day – November
CollegeWeekLive International Students Day is back again! Are you unsure of what it’s like to study abroad? This free university fair online is just for international students on November 15th from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., EST.
During this event you’ll have the opportunity to chat with admission representatives from over 90 universities like NYU, Notre Dame, UMass-Amherst and the University of British Columbia in Canada.
This event is a chance to learn from Education USA counselors and admission experts on:
- Applying for visas
- How to pay for college and researching scholarships
- Taking the TOEFL
- Finding the best fit university for you and much more!
Millions of students just like you are using CollegeWeekLive to find their dream school! CollegeWeekLive is a trusted resource by students and educators to connect with colleges all over the world!
This is an event you do not want to miss out on! Someone will win a $1,000 November International Students Day scholarship during the event. It’s easy to qualify, just visit 5 school pages and you’ll also automatically be eligible to win a $5,000 Fall Semester Scholarship!
Sign up today for CollegeWeekLive International Students Day!
The post CollegeWeekLive International Students Day – November appeared first on The International Student Blog.
from
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InternationalStudentBlog/~3/fh3btPf5yDk/
Friday, November 10, 2017
The Viewers’ Choice Winner & Finalists Are Here!
We are thrilled to announce that the 2017 Travel Video Contest finalists and Viewers’ Choice Winner have been selected! Our team enjoyed spending hours watching and re-watching each of the 103 submissions from all over the world. Out of these impressive videos we have finally narrowed it down to our 15 finalists, including the Viewers’ Choice Winner.
Our Viewers’ Choice Winner: Making the US my new home is an inspiring story of Juan from Lima, Peru. Juan loves America and made his dream of studying in the U.S. a reality by starting his degree at Oklahoma State University. In his video, Juan discusses his two step plan to make America his new home away from home! After receiving many votes, Juan has won $1,000 and is automatically entered to the final round!
Out of our 15 finalist videos, one will be named our grand prize winner of $4,000 and two videos will receive our second and third place runner up prizes. Each video is highly creative and reflects the unique personalities and goals of the student that entered. From traveling footage, musical numbers and animation, these videos are sure to inspire you to travel or study abroad!
Our judging panel of 9 international educators will be voting on which video is their favorite in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned. At the end of International Education Week (IEW) on November 17th we will be announcing the winner and runner ups of the 2017 Travel Video Contest!
The post The Viewers’ Choice Winner & Finalists Are Here! appeared first on The International Student Blog.
from
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InternationalStudentBlog/~3/2kO2oXUKY2Y/
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Monday, November 6, 2017
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Friday, November 3, 2017
What is Behind The Orange Scarves All Over Oslo?
College is a time when you can try new things and really discover who you are, in fact, a number of people don’t finish college with the same major that they started with. You’re exposed to a lot of new people, ways of thinking and a variety of classes. When you study in the US […]
The post Taking Free Electives in College appeared first on The International Student Blog.
from
http://tnp.no/panorama/behind-orange-scarves-oslo
Taking Free Electives in College
College is a time when you can try new things and really discover who you are, in fact, a number of people don’t finish college with the same major that they started with. You’re exposed to a lot of new people, ways of thinking and a variety of classes.
When you study in the US as an international student, in each major you are required to take a certain amount of credit hours that are “free electives.” These courses are unrelated to your major and general education requirements but are necessary for graduation. Bachelor of Arts degrees usually have more free elective requirements than Bachelor of Science degrees. Most degrees do usually require at least a few free elective courses.
Taking free electives is a great opportunity to really get to know yourself. If you’re an Accounting major with an interest in history then you should take a history class! Free electives give you a well rounded college experience and allow you sample other subjects to see if maybe something else is a better fit for your future.
Unsure of what courses you should consider? Here are some examples of some ways students choose to use their free elective courses.
Foreign Language
Do you think you have what it takes to learn another language? You can learn another language and get credit while doing it! Learning another language is something that will have countless benefits. Even just getting a basic grasp on another language can go a long way when traveling.
Study Abroad Programs
If you decide to study in the U.S. maybe you’ll want to do a semester study abroad where you you go study in another country. Using free elective credits for your study abroad is a great idea to give you more options on where you can go. Many study abroad programs are major specific so using free electives is the best way to expand your choices.
Photography
One of the most popular college electives is photography. If you have a creative side and want to learn all about how to take the perfect photos then this an elective worth considering. Introduction level photography courses will give you an overview of how to work a camera and the fundamentals of photography.
Psychology
Learn the inner workings of the human psyche. Taking an introduction to psychology course will take you on a journey through major psychological concepts. The knowledge you gain in this course will give you an insight into emotion, development, memory and psychopathology.
Speech
If you’re a weak public speaker then taking a speech class will be beneficial for you. During your speech class you’ll get to present speeches in front of your peers on a variety of topics. Often times professors will let you present on topics you’re knowledgeable on so that the class can learn something new and fun.
There is also lots of other options but those are some of the most common and useful. Keep an open mind when taking your free elective courses, who knows it could turn into your future career!
The post Taking Free Electives in College appeared first on The International Student Blog.
from
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InternationalStudentBlog/~3/u5LKV1o4vB8/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)