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Figure Skating Nationals

4/29/2015

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Hello Everyone,

Today I’m going to tell you all about my trip to California with the Boston University Figure Skating Team.  After going to multiple competitions throughout the semester, we managed to qualify for the USA Intercollegiate Figure Skating Nationals, in which we would have to compete against the top nine university figure skating teams of the nation.

We left fairly early on Thursday the 9th of April to get our flight to San Francisco.  The truth is that we didn’t have to compete until that next Saturday, but our coach believed that it would be best to arrive early to enjoy the good weather and get accustomed to the time change before the competition.  The six hour flight was very entertaining; being able to travel with my 27 teammates was one of the best experiences of the week.  The rest of the day was spent crossing California to reach our hotel and stop by the ice-skating rink.

We had been given free range for the next day until seven in the evening when we would have team training and the opening ceremony of the competition.  My closest friends and I spent the whole morning shopping at the outlets that happened to be a five minute walk from our hotel, and also soaking in as much Californian sun as we could before having to return to Boston.

That same night, after all the scheduled events for the day had transpired, our coaches had a surprise prepared for us:  they had contacted our parents and family to send us a little video of encouragement in addition to some pictures of us skating from when we were kids.  It was the best gift I could have received.

That night it was an early one for most of us, as we were scheduled to compete the next day.  By 6 a.m. the next morning I was up and ready to go, as I had to skate at 9 a.m. that same day.  I am proud to say that after the whole year of training, I managed to place 2nd in my category.  After so many years without skating, I had finally achieved it.  I have to thank BU for this amazing opportunity and for bringing me back the joy of skating.  All the days of training, the sacrifices, all the blisters on your feet and the constant pain of the skates no longer matter once you are back on the ice.  I really believe that skating is the closest thing to flying.  It’s going be a great loss for me to give skating up again.

On that Sunday, I also competed in what is called the “team” event, where members of the team are required to go out on the ice and perform an element of different difficulties in complete silence and with everyone watching, in which we placed 4th.

I’m proud to communicate that out of all the universities BU placed 3rd overall.  After so much work, we have managed to situate ourselves as one of the top three university figure skating teams in the country.


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Packing for Boston!

4/13/2015

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Hi Everyone,
Today I’m here to give you all a hand with your packing for your exchange!

When I was preparing myself to come to Boston I looked all over the internet trying to figure out the weather and average temperatures in the city, what type of dress code they have at the university, or what essential things were needed to survive.  In the following paragraphs I’m going to try and help you out in discovering all these essential bits of information that will ensure your survival! =D

Regarding the WEATHER:

·         Boston is a city of extremes! When you arrive in August you will need all types of summer clothes to deal with temperatures between 15-37ºC,

·         As autumn comes, the temperatures will drop to 2-22ºC average, so a windbreaker is necessary.  The sun still shines a lot throughout the day, so it can feel hot, but can get very cold at night.

·         Then the cold comes… jejeje it can get veeeery cold! If you have kept an eye on Boston this year, you will know that this last year has been the hardest winter in recorded history with 109 inches of snow… =D So yes! Expect a lot of snow. Snow boots and a good ski coat are a must if you are going to stay in Boston for the months of December, January, February, and March.  If you are not, you can survive with some lighter coats, but with a bunch of layers, and normal boots.  If you are fond of skiing, you should bring your apparel, as those staying for the Spring semester will be able to have access to some really good trails relatively close to Boston.

·         As April and May come around, temperatures steadily grow to reach high 20ºC during the day, but with chilly nights.

·         About the summer I can’t really say much from my own experience, because I haven’t experienced it firsthand, but I expect it to be the same as it was during August and September, but with higher levels of humidity.

Things to pack:

-One very heavy coat
-Sturdy, waterproof boots
-Comfortable, everyday boots
-Hat, gloves, and scarf
-General clothes: jeans, tops etc.
- A lot of layers: sweaters, cardigans
-Some summer clothes: shorts, flip flops, etc.

Regarding what to wear at the UNIVERSITY:

·         As stated in one of my previous posts, Boston University is known for their love for sports and this is translated into the way people dress.  Most students go to class in jeans or sports apparel.  Leggings are especially popular with the female sector of the population.

·         Do not be surprised if you happen to find a person walking around or going to class in their pajamas!  Americans are known to be very informal, and this translates into the way they dress and behave.  I would not encourage this from any exchange student, but everyone can do as they may! =D

Things to pack:

-Sport shoes
-Plenty of sports wear


Regarding things for basic survival that should be brought FROM HOME:

Things that you are just going to have to have as a BU student would be:

-Computer
-Free phone (that can accept any carrier)
-Chargers for your electronics
-Passport
-Medicines
-Glasses
-Backpack (the BU campus is very big and most of the time the best method of transportation is to walk; backpacks are the most convenient things to haul things around)


Regarding things for basic survival TO BE BOUGHT OR ACQUIRED when in Boston:

·         One of the first things you must do when arriving in Boston is get your Terrier Card.  This card will be you lifeline to the university and eating.  It is used for getting into your dorms, checking out books from the library, using the laundry machines, getting into the dining halls, or using your dining points at GSU.
·         The second thing would be to get a Charlie Card.  This is the public transport card to which you can just add value and thus have easy and cheaper access to the public transportation system. This card is free and cuts your fares to almost half of their original price. To retrieve it you must just go to any of the major T (subway) stations and ask one of the guards for it.
·         Select a telephone carrier. The main telephone companies in Boston are: T-mobile, AT&T, Verizon & Sprint. Depending on what type of plan you may want the price can range from $20 to $60.
·         Also, depending on where you are going to stay, you may need to dress your room with sheets, bed covers, pillows, dishes, etc. The best places to go to find these essential room elements would be Bed, Bath and Beyond, Marshalls, or another home goods store.  These stores are all located in the Fenway/Kenmore area and have pretty reasonable prices. I paid about $100 for my pillows, sheets, bed spread, mattress pad, and hair dryer.

Things to acquire in Boston:

-Terrier Card
-Charlie Card
-Phone card
-Bedding/Home Goods

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BU and Faith

4/6/2015

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No matter what faith you profess, BU probably has a place for you to practice.

I come from a Catholic family and our beliefs are very important to us.  We go to church every Sunday and we rely on our communities for support, encouragement, and communion.

One thing I was very worried about before coming to Boston was finding a place where I would be able to continue with my devotions.  I researched online for the nearest churches and their service hours and felt a little discouraged to find that all of the churches were pretty far away from the campus and had no youth groups to be found.  One day I decided to further investigate what services BU provided, and found that BU has a Catholic Center with a very active community I could get involved with.

The day we came to Boston, in one of our first sessions of orientation, they showed us a list of all of the different religious support programs BU has available for the students.  Instantly I located the Catholic Center on the map and filed it in my mind to visit it at my earliest convenience.  Two days later I found myself at the entrance of a beautiful Brownstone building with a red sign stating: BU Catholic Center.  Once inside, I was warmly received by the most diverse group of people, of all ages and majors, all willing to be my friends, despite the fact that I had just met them.  The instant I found my community, I felt like I was back at home.  The Catholic Center, on 211 Bay State Rd, is open from Sunday to Friday from 9 to 9.  It’s a lively place, where you can study, crash, meet up for lunch, play games, join the choir, participate in a bible study group, go on retreat trips with one of the Focus Missionaries, or have a good chat with our priest, Father Barns, and his dog Finnbar.

This has just been my case, but due to the multicultural environment of BU and to its high percentage of international students, there are numerous ethnicities, religions, and communities, all cohabitating and encouraged by the university.  No matter what your religion, you can probably find a chapel, church, prayer room, etc.  If you have religious dietary restrictions, there are numerous options at the dining halls, so you can avoid those ingredients you cannot consume.  There is even a Kosher dining hall, where all meals are prepared in the Jewish fashion.  I also know for a fact that there is a Muslim community and an interfaith prayer room at the GSU.  For those of the Christian faith, Marsh Chapel is a very beautiful and quiet place in the middle of the chaos of the campus for prayer and meditation, open 24/7 to anyone, and with ministers available to chat any day.

All of these places are waiting for you with their arms open for you to join their communities. So don’t hesitate:  take a leap, make new friends, and live your faith.

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    Cristina

    I’m a lively exchange student from San Pablo CEU University in Madrid, Spain.  I’m majoring in Business Administration & Marketing and Commercial Relations.

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