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MBA Graduation: Reflection, Gratitude, and Adventure
What to do when you graduate from your MBA in the middle of winter and want to celebrate? Take an adventure trip to Lapland!
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Welcome
Thanks for visiting Expat Heather! I’m an international educator, writer, and expat mom currently living in South Korea. On this site you’ll find things about living abroad, teaching in international schools, travel, hiking, and expat life.
This week our school is running a “College Boot Camp” for our grade 12 students while the rest of the school is away on field trips. We are doing a lot of different activities, and one of the sessions I am running is getting students to do some reading and research about the college experience and teenage life. The majority of our students are Vietnamese and are planning to study abroad in the US, Canada, Australia or Europe.
Here are some of the articles we’re using to spark conversation and further research:
1. The Dark Power of Fraternities
A lengthy piece of investigate journalism about the dangers and the powerful role of fraternities in the US college landscape. A challenging piece for college-level readers that exposes them to not only the social impact of these campus group, but also the legal, economic, and political sides of fraternities.
Just like Sanur Beach in Bali is currently my favorite beach in Southeast Asia, Apel Villas is one of the best places I have stayed. Ever. I wanted to move there.
The Villas
You can book a double room, a two-bedroom villa, or a four-bedroom villa. I booked through Agoda and the two-bedoom villa ended up being $120/night with tax included. The price for the double room was about half that.
In the two-bedroom villa, we had a gigantic master suite with bedroom and bathroom, a second bedroom, a full kitchen, and a spacious dining/living area with extremely comfortable couches. Everything was clean and in working order.
Sanur is, so far, my favorite beach in Southeast Asia for kids. Every other beach I’ve gone to, the water has been too deep or too rough for the kids to enjoy. That means the entire time was spent attempting to keep my son OUT of the water – not an easy task with an adventurous and determined toddler or pre-schooler.
Why I Loved Sanur
During the week, the beach was really quiet. We showed up around 9am, and plenty of loungers and sun shades were still available. Everyone at the beach was able to get a lot of personal space, which is key when your kids are experimenting with seeing the sand blowing in the wind.
The water was so calm and shallow that my 3-year-old could play in it by himself for hours. We did have him wear his floatie just in case he started wandering out, but even then he would have had to walk out very far to be in water over his head.
If you’re planning on coming to Pakistan, here’s a list of books that will give you some insight into the culture and politics of the region.
1) The Dancing Girls of Lahore by Louise Brown
An excellent first-hand account of life in Lahore’s red light district. British author and professor Louise Brown tells the story of Maha, the dancing girl, and her family. Since dancing girls are scorned by the rest of society, the red-light quarter has a culture all its own.
2) Blasphemy by Temina Durrani
This novel, based on a true story, uncovers religious hypocrisy without holding anything back. Only recommended for mature readers.
In order to truly experience Pakistan, you should shop in a traditional open-air bazaar. Be prepared for a sensory overload and some tough bargaining. I lived in Pakistan for over three years, and I have spent countless hours haggling in bazaars. Here are my top 10 choices for souvenirs from all over the country.
1) Shawls
Pakistani women wear gorgeous colorful shawls during cooler weather. You can buy soft solid colored shawls to match a favorite coat, or you can buy bold patterned shawls with sequins and exquisite embroidery. Shawls come in two sizes, small and large. The large ones are called stoles, and honestly they would probably be too big to actually wear in the West. Alternatively stoles make great wall hangings, curtains, tablecloths and bed coverings. A typical shawl will set you back about 300 rupees ($3.75), is easy to pack and will be a sure hit with any ladies back home.
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