Welcome to the Twilight Zone

On October 3^rd, 2009 Saturday Night Live mocked President Obama as a man elected “to bring this country change we could believe in”, but who has thus far accomplished “jack and squat”. Less than a week later, President Obama is the “surprised and deeply humbled” recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize is to be awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” (more…)

A Travel Blog: This Unexpected Detour

Before leaving to study abroad, I was expecting that I would be meeting wonderful Aussies in the University of New South Wales, Australia.  I had plans to meet up with my best friend from UCSB and we were going to journey around the land down under together. After researching and putting on, what I thought was, a great impression on the EAP interviewers to be accepted into the Immersion Program, I received heartbreaking news via email that I could not go to Australia. (more…)

Cinque Terre: The Santa Barbara of Italy

Hey, my name is Alex Khatchadourian, and I have been living in the small Italian town of Siena, located in the heart of Tuscany. Seeing as I have been here for the past month, I have come to find a pizza stand where I can buy a slice, as large as half a Domino’s pizza, that is only 3 euro; I can openly drink a beer in the streets without having to worry about a cop coming up to me on a horse and asking, “What is that in your hand young lady?”; and that people will not judge you if they see you eating a gelato at 9 am (well at least not openly).  Amongst all these great discoveries, I could sense that something was still missing in this new place I call home: the beach.  Like most Santa Barbara inhabitants, the beach is my haven for evening jogs, excuses not to study on a Sunday afternoon (or any day of the week in fact), and a place to just relax, swim, and enjoy the sounds and smell of the waves as they roll onto the shore. (more…)

Nobels for Nothing, Sharia Gaffes, and Lisbon Updates

Apparently our Dear Leader is being considered for a Nobel Peace Prize.  The rational questions of course are “Why?” and “For what?”   The answer to the former is “Because he’s the first Black president, and because he’s a European-style socialist.”  As cynical as that may seem, it’s actually pretty much the situation.  Here in Ireland, most of the people I’ve met seem to very much like Obama but are unable to articulate why they like him so much.  They always mention how he’s the historic first African-American president in a country with a long history of racial discrimination, but beyond that, they can’t name a single accomplishment of his aside from his being elected, and are usually shocked when told that his administration has even further polarized the electorate. (more…)

Christ Gave Peter Two Keys for Roman Survival; I Give You Three

Greetings from Rome, Gauchos! Today marks the end of my fifth week studying abroad in the Eternal city. From weaving between Vespas, missing buses, and saving my fellow comrades injured in pub crawl action, however, I have all but lost track of the time.

Before I crumble and fall like an Empire amidst the maddening streets, and am forever immortalized as a marble figure being mugged by an armed Centurion, I must share with you the three secret Keys of Roman survival. Take heed: listen well and remember all that is mentioned for your future adventure abroad in Eternal Rome. (more…)

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