During my first week studying abroad in Cape Town, I asked someone for directions to class. They told me, “Just turn right at the robot.” I looked around, completely confused, expecting an actual robot standing on the corner. By the time I realized “robot” means traffic light here, I had walked two blocks in the wrong direction. Definitely a humbling (and kind of hilarious) reminder that everyday words can mean totally different things in different places.

– Sara Larson ’27

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