It's cold. While great for skiers and snowmen, the weather blows for most of us. It is about this time of year that I start looking at sweet study-abroad locales. Here are a few PSU summer abroad programs that got me thinking about blue, sunny skies.
It might seem somewhat like a no-brainer, but Spain is kick-ass place to consider studying. European, warm, ridiculous nightlife, beautiful women (and well-dressed men). Ok, I guess it is not a great place for studying, but let's count that as a plus. Also, as Barcelona is rather far north, so it is an excellent staging ground for a Euro-tour. (If staying in Spain is more your game, check out Madrid or Granada)
Moving further east into the Mediterranean, the boot-country Italy is similar to Spain in the good-for-you-bad-for-your-GPA department. Stick to a place like Siena: you'll avoid the touristy mobs and still be able to see major sights on day-trips. Though the Siena program is more suitable for people who are peaking now (read: liberal arts majors), science and engineering majors should not despair.
It could be that Singapore is more your game. With courses available in engineering and the sciences, Singapore is a better fit for those with less wiggle room in their schedules. Also, a trip to Asia is way more adventurous than a stint in Europe, though the level of culture shock is surely a great deal higher. That aside, Singapore has tons of English-speakers which makes it a great place both to study and 'not-study' abroad.
Just to round things out, I often find that South America gets left out in many study abroad conversations, and I have no clue why. Who wouldn't want to spend a semester in Sao Paulo, for instance? A vibrant city with warm weather and sandy beaches is a rarity, throw in the fact that Brazil is fast-becoming an economic superpower, and it is safe to say that there are many things to see and do in Sao Paulo. Dust off that high school..uh.. Portuguese and get going next spring.
Valley, Penn State’s life and style mag, recently launched its new home on the interwebs.
The design is simple and everything is easily found, but I’d expect something chicer from a life & style magazine. Old issues of Valley are accessible on the site, and blog posts with fashion tips and lifestyle observations are published on a fairly regular schedule. In our opinion, it's worth a subscription in your RSS reader!
Former writer Lisa Lotito sent in this video of a singing valentine being delivered to a Friday section of BIOL 133.
http://www.youtube.com/v/xn-s8U5zHRU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0
For many people, Valentine's Day brings up a lot of questions. What is love? Is there such a thing as destiny? What's the best way to dance on a pole? This year, this reporter decided to tackle the toughest of these questions. To get the answers I needed, I knew that I would have to go to a definitive expert. A Gentleman of State College.
Who are the Gentlemen of State College, you may ask? They provide a service many people may be needing around this time of year:
We are Central Pennsylvania's newest and hottest male escort service for men and women who want the best escort service in Central Pennsylvania. [...] The Gentlemen of State College proudly presents the best, most outrageous, charming, sexy and sophisticated gentlemen in Central Pennsylvania.
I knew that this is where I would find answers, so I sat down for a straight-shooting interview with Russell Wilson, one of the Gentlemen's finest. Read on for that interview.
Six of the most respected jazz musicians will be performing as part of the Monterey Jazz Festival tour at Eisenhower Auditorium this Tuesday, February 16, at 7:30 p.m.
While jazz might not be your thing, next Tuesday's concert looks like it will be better than most. The performing sextet features pianist Kenny Barron, who was recently named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master. To get an idea what this means, other Jazz Masters include Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Horace Silver.
The group will also feature violinist Regina Carter, singer Kurt Elling, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake, each respected musicians in their own right.
Tickets are available at Eisenhower and online and are only $20 for students.