Student Spotlight: Sydnee-Marie Edusei in Ghana
“Family life in my host country is very convoluted (in comparison to what I know). It heavily involves extended family and many things are decided by the family. Ghana is very communalistic, so there are very strong family values. Families have a big emphasis on who you choose to marry, potential future careers, and other aspects of your life. There’s a big emphasis on respecting the elderly and those who are older than you.”
Student Spotlight: Toni Jackson in Brazil
“Brazilians are very close with their families. A lot of the Brazilian roommates in my program travel home at least twice a month, no matter how far away they are from their families (from 30 minutes to 2 hours!). In the US college students don’t really do this, so it’s very interesting to see how family culture affects college life. Food is a big connector for Brazilian families, so whether it’s dinner, a cookout, or just chatting, food is always involved.”
Student Spotlight: Jaylen Minard in Thailand
“Thai people have a very heavy carbohydrate (Rice and rice noodles) and protein (Pork, Chicken, seafood, or beef) - filled diet that rarely includes vegetables. If I were to have any vegetables accompanied by a dish, it would typically be garlic, onions, spicy peppers, or a leafy green. This is enhanced by lime, peanuts, soy sauce, shrimp paste, or other flavor-enhancing ingredients to give Thai food a signature depth of flavor without using much seasoning.”
Student Spotlight: Brooklyn Washington in France
“Family dynamics are strong and close here in France. There are an average of 1-2 children in a household. There has been a drastic decline in larger families over the last decades. Something I have noticed in family lifestyle is how active the families are together, for activities like cycling, running, and soccer. French people enjoy spending time outdoors, especially in summer.”
Student Spotlight: Camryn Sutton in Italy
“I actually love that Rome has a period of time where everyone just rests. From 3 to 5 pm a lot of restaurants tend to be closed. It’s basically setting the tone that you should be inside and resting. It’s almost like a period of relaxation where you can just breathe. Whether you need to get away from something or just breathe it is really beneficial.”
Student Spotlight: Alexia Hosein in South Korea
“The family structure in South Korea originally came from Confucian values, though it has evolved with modernization. A key value that remains consistent is respect for elders, as children are expected to care for their parents and grandparents as they age. This sense of duty is closely tied to the intense work culture and the high value placed on education, as securing a well-paying job is seen as a means to support one’s family in later years.”
Student Spotlight: Lakayla Cleveland in South Korea
“South Korea has a democratic government similar to that of the United States. The government's structure is made up of 3 branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. South Korea has a multi-party system, but there are only two major political parties: The Democratic Party of Korea &The People Power Party.”
Student Spotlight: Dakarai Lanes in Qatar
“I had the amazing opportunity to go to a cultural house last month to learn about the history of Qatar and with that I was able to learn a lot of things about their traditions, especially those around eating.”
Student Spotlight: Destiny Mayfield in Thailand
Thai people love spicy food! The portion sizes are smaller here, so you can eat more food throughout the day whenever you get hungry. Most food and ingredients are fresh, and they eat lots of chili’s, noodles, rice, pork, and chicken. Meals are usually in a group, and I have not seen any traditions or customs that aid in digestion.
Student Spotlight: Alexia Hosein in South Korea
“So far what I am able to see is that in Korea, restaurants tend to serve large portions of food because people often dine out in groups. Recently, I visited a small Chinese restaurant in the Myeondong shopping strip with some friends. We ordered a dish called "jjajangmyeon," which consists of noodles in black bean sauce, along with a side of fried dumplings each.”
Student Spotlight: Kyla Clemons in England
“England and the US are quite similar. They share many similarities when it comes to racial demographics, infrastructure, accessibility, and cultural diversity."
Joy Worldwide Inc. Photo Contest Finalists
We’re excited to announce the Joy Worldwide Inc. Study Abroad Photo Contest, where our students can showcase their incredible moments abroad! Whether they’re capturing stunning landscapes, sharing a piece of culture, or snapping themselves in unique destinations, we love seeing the world through their lens. Here are our top 3 finalists in each category:
Student Spotlight: Reid Hewitt in Italy
“Food is very important in Italian culture, not only as a source of nourishment, but there is also a distinctive pride in Italian dishes. I sometimes find the food quite bland because they believe in the quality of ingredients rather than quantity. Wine and coffee are also very important to the Italian diet. There is even a “coffee culture” and unique way of drinking espresso at a bar standing up rather than sitting down. Meals are typically eaten in group settings, with quality time being associated with sharing a meal.”
Student Spotlight: Ashley Saddler Jr. in Vietnam
What is one challenge you experienced during your first month? How did you overcome that challenge?
“One challenge I experienced was the language barrier and the difficulties in pronunciation of the words and tones. I have worked to overcome this challenge by going back to the basics and tackling how to properly pronounce the vowels, consonant clusters, and common phrases.”
Student Spotlight: Sydnee-Marie Edusei in Ghana
“One challenge I have experienced so far is adjusting to the values and ideas in Ghanaian culture. Typically, in the states if there are values and ideas I don't believe in, I might ignore them or challenge them, but in Ghana it doesn't work like that. I have also learned that it is also not my place to protest other culture's beliefs, ideals, and values to my liking or standards. I am starting to overcome that challenge by adjusting and adapting.”
Student Spotlight: Jaylen Minard in Thailand
“The biggest challenge so far with living in Thailand is learning how to budget my funds. Within my first week of living here, I have blown through 250 USD on trying new food, buying the necessities for my dorm, getting uniforms, and buying other items to ensure my well-being. One of my biggest goals is to stretch my current funds for the next 6 months; however, spending $250 a week will not even get me to the end of this semester.”
Student Spotlight: Adrianna Terrell in England
“This is my first time ever out of my home country, and my first time traveling on an airplane, so it has been a very new experience! One challenge that I noticed right away has been getting around within my city. The first day I took the bus to the grocery store, and they sure don’t make it easy for new people to know what to do. Luckily, I was with a large group so I could follow the people in front of me.”
Student Spotlight: Toni Jackson in Brazil
What is one challenge you experienced during your first month? How did you overcome that challenge?
“One challenge I’ve experienced is adapting to the different foods available in Brazil. There are a lot of simple food items I miss like slurpees or Mac and cheese, that I didn’t realize wouldn’t be available here. I’ve overcome that challenge by trying new Brazilian foods that largely aren’t available in the US like pastels, coxinhas, and açaí. There are even a number of restaurants that I love and will miss when I go back to the U.S.”
Student Spotlight: Aishatou Tunkara in England
What is one challenge you experienced during your first month? How did you overcome that challenge?
"During my first month here in London, managing expenses was challenging. Initially, I spent freely on tourist activities without considering the exchange rate between US dollars and pounds. After reviewing my spending, I realized the significant difference and created a weekly budget to control my expenses."
Student Spotlight: Dakarai Lanes in Qatar
“A challenge I encountered in my first month here in Doha, Qatar, was not having an international SIM card. I was living off of free internet for at least a week and a half. My first night I literally had no way to contact anyone because of an internet outage at my dorm. If I was going to start going off campus and exploring the country I was going to need data.”