Countries

Taking a Break: How University Students Rest Around the World

by Zaynah Almasri As we pack our bags for Fall Break—whether heading home, exploring New England, catchingup on sleep, or studying for the remaining midterms—it’s worth taking a look at how collegebreaks unfold around the world. While the rhythm of mid-semester pauses may seem universal,the ways students rest and recharge often reflect deep cultural differences…

Critical Language Scholarship Application is Now OPEN!

The Fries Center for Global Studies is excited to inform you that, the application is now open for the 2026 Critical Language Scholarship Program! The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive language and cultural immersion summer study abroad opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America’s engagement with the world. Students spend eight to ten weeks over the summer studying one…

Anecdote from Abroad

A few weeks after I arrived in Buenos Aires, I found myself really missing food from home. Besides my dad’s cooking, I thought about a specific Chinese takeout store in my city I used to frequent. A few days later, I was looking for a place to get lunch when I stumbled upon a store…

Students Look to Kenya for Spring

On Friday, September 19th, Dem Muasya, Executive Director of Kenya Education Fund (KEF), visited Wesleyan to give a presentation on the KEF’s work and meet with students pursuing the Global Engagement Minor (GEM). The KEF works to expand education access to underprivileged Kenya youth, by providing money and supplies for hundreds of children to attend…

Living Intentionally Abroad 

by Jenny Ongele When I first decided to study abroad, I had a clear image in my head of what that “should” encapsulate. I assumed studying abroad meant spending every waking moment travelling across Europe, taking the most aesthetic photos of all the architecture and natural scenery, while somehow, miraculously, transforming my entire identity. However,…

The FLTA Review: The Foreign Language Teaching Assistant’s View of Life at Wesleyan

by Oleksandra Volakova Every year, Wesleyan welcomes new FLTAs (Foreign Language Teaching Assistants) from all over the world – foreign students interested in teaching others their native language and immersing themselves into foreign culture. 11 people, coming from different backgrounds, help Wesleyan students to understand the culture and language better, becoming an irreplaceable support to…

Women’s Day Weekend in Morocco (AND MY BIRTHDAY!!!)

by Diana Q Tran Every year when March 8 comes around, I am usually alone, curled up somewhere with a nice book. Last year, I was finishing up a last minute essay in the COL library. This year, I was people-watching in my host family’s salon (an extremely large room for welcoming guests that almost…

Strengthening U.S.-Japan Ties Beyond Defense: Wesleyan Hosts Binational Symposium on Soft Security Cooperation

by Zaynah Almasri On March 5th and 6th, Wesleyan University proudly welcomed members of a binational U.S.-Japan study group focused on advancing non-military cooperation between the two nations. In light of shifting global dynamics—particularly China’s growing geopolitical and geo-economic influence—the symposium emphasized the increasing relevance of “soft” security. This includes collaborative efforts in areas like…

Celebrating Faculty Research on International Topics 2024-25 Part I: The Arts

by Tasmiah Akter Wesleyan faculty’s collective expertise spans the globe, and the Office for Intercultural Learning at the Fries Center for Global Studies is pleased to celebrate their international and often multilingual work here in the Wes and the World newsletter. This is the first of a two part series to be highlighted in the…