Meet the Student Correspondents
Brazil
MARIE Alden
CET Brazil
American University
Class of 2021
Major(s): Public Health, International Relations
Hi! My name is Marie and I am a public health major, international studies minor at American University in Washington DC. I am currently studying abroad in Sao Paulo, Brazil for my junior fall semester. I am interested in health and social issues in Brazil and how the current government/president are affecting vulnerable populations within Brazil in terms of access to health care and treatment. I love learning new languages and am currently tackling Portuguese head on! In my free time, I like to read books on infectious diseases and the spread of disease and outbreaks( yes, it’s nerdy I know), sing, play guitar and piano, and run. I am super excited to see what the future holds for my time abroad 🙂
CHINA
Mercedes Chen
CET Beijing
The George Washington University
Class of 2020
Majors: International Affairs; Economics
Hi! My name is Mercedes Chen and I study International Affairs and Economics at GWU in Washington, D.C. Learning Mandarin has always been a goal of mine, so when I realized I had a free semester my senior year I decided a language intensive program in Beijing would be a great opportunity. I’m so excited to share with you all my daily life in Beijing including the challenges and rewards of committing to a language pledge, living with a Chinese roommate, trying new foods, and exploring the city! In Beijing I’ll be looking for all the best places to dance, get coffee, go shopping, and learn more about Chinese history and culture. I’m looking forward to sharing my adventures and experience with all of you!
Kaylee Henderson
CET Beijing
Kalamazoo College
Class of 2021
Major: East Asian Studies
Hi everyone! My name is Kaylee Henderson and I’m currently a junior at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. You can usually find me in a quiet corner of the library studying and listening to music. I enjoy reading, playing with any animals, and I’ll always have a passion for dance even if we’ve been estranged for a few years. One of my goals while studying in Beijing is to learn classical Chinese dance styles. Oh yeah, and my guilty pleasure is playing video games! I hope that you can share my experiences with me through my writing. You can also follow my weekly blog posts about my travels at: https://travelingtresses.travel.blog/
Melaura Rice
CET Taiwan
Grand Valley State University
Class of 2019
Major: International Relations
Minor: Chinese
Hello! My name is Melaura, and I am a senior in college from the Midwest. I have been studying Chinese for 9 years, and plan on sharing a lot about my experiences with language learning in Taiwan, because that’s my passion! Other things that I love and will probably write about are good food (ESPECIALLY desserts), live music, suspenseful books, sports that make me forget I’m exercising (volleyball, anyone?), my ongoing search for the best chai tea latte, and discovering cool new places and things. I am so excited to share my study abroad experience with you!
Malcolm Willig
CET Taiwan
University of Puget Sound
Class of 2021
Major: Chinese
Minor: Education Studies
- Hi there! My name is Malcolm and this will be my first time traveling to Taiwan! I’ve been studying Chinese for about two years and exciting to continue my studies while abroad. In my free time I like to read, hangout with friends, and jam with my band. I’m super pumped to be sending y’all some photos of Taiwan!
Sam Schulman
CET Shanghai
She/her/hers
Brandeis University
Class of 2021
Major: Environmental Studies; Film, Television and Interactive Media
I am from the Bay Area of California, and I have lived in New York City for about nine years. I love adventure, and enjoy cooking, film making, and costume design, among other things. My favorite video game franchise is The Legend of Zelda, and some of my favorite musicians are Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie, and Childish Gambino. I am so excited for my semester in China!
Carlos Uribe
CET Harbin
Carleton College
Class of 2021
Major: English
Minor: Chinese
大家好！My name’s Carlos and I’m a junior at Carleton College. I started learning Chinese as a freshman in college and stuck with it ever since. I’m looking forward to countless new adventures and the opportunity to document my journey!
Nina Udagawa
CET Shanghai
The George Washington University
Class of 2021
Major: International Affairs; History
Hi everyone! I am Nina, a Junior at the George Washington University studying International Affairs and History. Within International Affairs, I concentrate in Asian studies and Security Policy. I was born and raised in Tokyo, but go to university in DC. Going abroad for college has taught me so much, which is why I chose to do it all over again in Shanghai. I am very excited to improve my Chinese skills, make new friends, and explore China! In my free time, I enjoy cooking (especially meal prepping) and reading. Despite living in Tokyo, I have never visited China and am looking forward to sharing my journey with everyone!
COLOMBIA
Jonah Bolton
CET Colombia
Kalamazoo College
Class of 2021
Majors: Political Science; International and Area Studies
¡Hola a todos! My name is Jonah and I am from Kalamazoo, Michigan. I am studying Political Science and International and Area Studies, which is ironic as being here in Colombia is my first real time being out of the country (I traveled to Canada for 3 days this winter which only kind of counts). I love learning the political histories of other countries and how that affects culture and daily life. I am excited to be learning as much as I can here in Colombia as my program explores blackness in Latin America and the history of social movements regarding civil rights here. I look forward to telling you all about my experiences!
Audrey Friedline
CET Colombia
The George Washington University
Class of 2021
Major: International Affairs
Minor: Sustainability
Hello! My name is Audrey and I am thrilled to be living in Calí, Colombia for the next 5 months. I am on a quest to rapidly improve my Spanish, be pushed out of my comfort zone, and capture the beauty and complexity of this amazing country. I seem draw to bright colors, new friendships, beaches, hiking and eating. Let this be a place where all those things collide. Join me as we embrace this wild adventure!!
Czech republic
Paul Chan Htoo Sang
CET Film Production at FAMU
Grinell College
Class of 2021
Major: Ethnographic and Media Studies
Ahoj! I’m Paul Chan Htoo Sang, an international student from Myanmar currently escaping the heartland of North America to be in Prague. Most of my interests revolve around storytelling and how we as humans make sense of the world. I’m super excited to see how I’ll make sense of this semester in Prague through the blogging and photo essays as well. Follow me on insta @paulchan24 for more stories about myself and my semester!
Nell Geer
CET Film Production at FAMU
Elon University
Class of 2021
Major: Film and TV Arts BFA
Minor: Art
Nell is a Junior from Madison, Wisconsin who loves watching movies, traveling and reading. She is so excited to be studying at FAMU because it combines all her favorite things!
Luke Meares
CET Photography at FAMU
Pomona College
Class of 2021
Major: Media Studies and Politics: Concentration in Digital Media and Critical Studies
Hi! My name is Luke Meares and I am a junior at Pomona College studying Politics and Media Studies with a concentration in Critical Studies and Digital Media. My main hobby is photography, of which I often explore themes of rurality (as I am from very rural Ohio), queerness, and home. I am excited to hopefully get into surreal documentation and still life in Prague and think FAMU will be a great place to do so. I’m super excited to explore living in a city for the first time and to immerse myself within Prague’s art and queer scene. I’ll also be posting photo diaries on my Instagram @luk.e, too, of my time in Prague. Ahoj!
Jesse Newman
CET Film Production at FAMU
Elon University
Class of 2021
Major: BA Cinema and Television Arts
Minor: Political Science
Hello! My name is Jesse and I love to capture interesting subjects. I enjoy photographing people most and have been doing so for several years—both on film and digital cameras. When I’m not on film sets or taking photographs, I’m most likely playing Ultimate Frisbee.
Sussan Yekta
CET Film Production at FAMU
American University
Graduate Student
Major: Film and Media Arts
Hello. My name is Sussan Yekta. I am a graduate student in American University and I will be a FAMU student this Fall semester in beatiful Prague. This will be an exciting new adventure for me and I look forward to sharing my photos with you guys.
india
Courtney Fulcher
UW in India: Varanasi
Colombia University
Class of 2021
Major(s): Comparative Literature and English
Namaskar! Mera nam Courtney hai. I studied in India through the NSLI-Y Hindi Academic Year program in 2016 to 2017 and am excited to be back. At Columbia, you can find me backstage sound designing plays or on-air at WKCR-FM. I love reading, calligraphy, and exploring. I am reluctant to give up New York City bagels and excited to drink lots of chai.
Indira "Indi" Mohabeer
UW in India: Varanasi
American University
Class of 2020
Major: Justice & Law
Minor: Anthropology
Hello All! My name is Indi, and I am a law and anthropology student from New York City. I am currently a Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholar (FDDS) at American University, and plan on pursuing a dual JD/PsyD degree, post-graduation. I come from a predominately West-Indian family, with that being said I have dreamt about visiting India practically all of my life! I am so excited to share my many experiences in Varanasi will you, through my lens!
italy
Caroline McLaughlin
Brandeis Midyear in Florence
Brandeis University
Class of 2023
Majors: Psychology; Studio Art
My name is Caroline and I’m from Boston, MA. I have been a competitive Irish step dancer for five years and I love creating and observing different types of art. I’m going to be a freshman at Brandeis University and am SO excited to be starting college in Florence!! This is such a wonderful opportunity and I look forward to sharing my photographs with you.
jordan
Mathu Jennings
CET Jordan: Internship
Kalamazoo College
Class of 2021
Major: Political Science
Minor: English
أهلا و سهلا! I am traveling to Jordan this fall to meet tons of new people and improve my Arabic. I am very excited to have the opportunity to live and study in Amman, Jordan. I am thrilled about experiencing the Jordanian lifestyle and culture as I think it will be a fun and rewarding adventure. You can read about my experiences on CET’s blog, or my personal blog that I will regularly update: jenningsjourneys.wordpress.com.
Corie maguigad
CET Jordan: Intensive Language
American University
Class of 2021
Major: International Studies; Arabic Studies
Hello everyone! I am a junior at American University majoring in International Studies and Arabic. I am so excited to be traveling to Amman for the semester to learn more about Jordan and its culture. At home, I enjoy reading, thrift shopping, and trying new restaurants. I have been learning Arabic for several years now, and I’ve had the opportunity to travel across the Middle East. I really like to write about my experiences abroad because I believe the more we learn about the world, the more empathy we have for one another. I look forward to bringing this philosophy to Jordan and sharing my experiences with you.
Ann Monk
CET Jordan: Intensive Language
Connecticut College
Class of 2021
Majors: International Relations; Global Islamic Studies
Minor: Arabic
Ahlan! My name is Ann Monk and I’m a junior at Connecticut College studying International Relations, Global Islamic Studies and Arabic. Born and raised in Seattle, I love hiking, soccer, and drinking coffee. When I’m not in school, you can find me exploring some far-flung destination and working on my travel blog. Ann’s Adventures Abroad aspires to make travel more accessible, especially for students! After college, I hope to advance education policies for resettled refugees in the MENA region.