Winter in Los Angeles means temperatures occasionally drop below 70.  Winter in Europe means cold, snow, and more cold.  So why would I spend my winter break in Europe instead of LA?  Well, it wasn’t the weather. My first international trip ever took place during winter break a few years back, as two of my [...]

In 2009, I spent months planning for my big summer studying abroad in India.  I also took time to plan big trips elsewhere in the US including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York City.  But, sometimes, in spite of all of the planning and logistics, the most memorable trips are the ones that happen [...]

I know, right?  How could I have written this many posts about India without talking about the Taj Mahal?  Well, Sosaucers, the time has come for my tips on visiting the Taj. Located in Agra, most people come by way of Delhi, which, in typical Indian fashion is somewhere between a 3 and 6 hour [...]

Editor’s note: since today is Thanksgiving, and most of you probably have food on your mind anyway, Alex shares his one fancy dining experience during his time in India. Security guards surround the perimeter. Metal detectors and x-ray machines block the entrance, while trained dogs sit obediently at their master’s feet. Was I entering an [...]

One of the coolest ways to explore a city (both ones you know intimately as well as ones that are new to you) is through embarking on a scavenger hunt.  I’ve done two of them in Washington, D.C., and much like travel, they force you out of your comfort zone, and entice you to interact [...]

Since Berlin has been in the news quite a bit this week, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I thought I would take you on a quick trip to the Berlin I know and love. I’ve made it no secret that Berlin is my favorite city in the world — [...]

Brecht is hard to understand when translated to English. It’s even harder in German. It’s a lot harder when it’s performed for you so that you can’t read the text. It’s harder still when you completely miss the first act, are jet-lagged, hungry, and tired. But I somehow made it through my first German play [...]

Americans are preoccupied with “bigness,” and during my time in France, I was no exception. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find what I needed as big as I needed it, and sadly, came away “empty-hatted.” During my Semester at Sea, our ship docked in Le Havre, which is a port town near Normandy in the north of [...]

Everyone says that to experience humanity, you’ve got to ride an Indian train.  Well, now I can say that I have — and I have lived to tell about it. The berths are actually much more comfortable than people make them out to be, and there are even Chaiwallas that wander up and down the [...]

Having eaten Indian food for all but about three meals during my three months in India (and let me tell you pizza has never tasted so good), I became interested in learning a little more about the cuisine.  So, my friends and I decided to take Indian cooking lessons while visiting the northern town of [...]