American college students love dressing up for Halloween. You will find costume parties on university campuses all across the country in the month of October. The outfit choices range from strange, scary, hilarious or risqué.
Ohio University in Athens, Ohio is known for its history of wild Halloween parties. According to the Athens County CVB, attendance estimates are anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 each year for the party and the number fluctuates depending on the weather. Many come out of town to join the celebration.
Emily Shuki, a senior at Ohio …

I was lucky to spend a week in Scotland this August and attend the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time. It’s the largest arts festival in the world, featuring all types of music, theatre, comedy, dance and other exhibits.
This year they sold 1,859,235 tickets for 2,098 shows in 265 venues with an estimated 18,901 performers. You can’t seem to go anywhere in Edinburgh and not find the Fringe. If you aren’t seeing a show at an official venue, you are probably watching a street performance or enjoying live music …

Homesickness happens. Its part of studying abroad, as much as exploring and learning new things are. It’s natural for humans to crave the familiarity (even if it is boring) of home. It doesn’t always take the form of long-tearful phone calls to relatives, or the desire to get on a plane and go home. Sometimes, it is simply a want to go visit a regular hang out spot at home, or to be with the people you left there. There isn’t much you can do to prevent homesickness, it’s the …

I had the opportunity to study abroad in Australia last fall. It was my first time leaving the country and naturally I was anxious to go. I knew the semester would hold a lot of first time experiences for me. Even simple activities, like taking the bus would become new adventures, since I was used to driving everywhere at home. I remember calling my mom during the first week to explain my frustration when I couldn’t find certain foods in the grocery store. I spoke the language, but was still …

Great “Cultural Explorers” photo contest by Glimpse.org (a magazine by the National Geographic Society) – $250 for just sending them your pics! Enter by August 31 for a chance to win a $250 STA Travel voucher.
They are looking for photos of people working or volunteering abroad, interacting with locals, or participating in a cultural practice. You can check out the rules of the competition and enter here:
http://glimpse.org/contests/
You can see some of the winners from the last contest “World Styles” here:
http://glimpse.org/stories/view/photo-contest-world-styles/
This is a great contest for anyone who is doing some …