A Little Southern City

                    Walking into a room where everyone is speaking a foreign language can be intimidating. Your thoughts begin to race as questions are asked: “What are they saying? Are they talking about me?” Immediately, you distance yourself from the group and reflect back to your language class and ask yourself “What were those phrases Señora Sanchez used?” Bits of broken Spanish begin to slip out. Recognizing your lack of compreh...
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Living Argentina

  While stepping foot on American Airlines flight 535 from New York to Buenos Aires, I had little expectations of what my life in Argentina would be like. Having lots of Argentine friends back in the states, I knew there was something special about this country but was never able to decipher what that was. It wasn’t until I arrived that I began to put the puzzle together. It’s been three months and I’m still working on completing that puzzle. These three months quickly taught me to put a...
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On the Other Side of Graduation

You’re seated next to a friend, eager to see your diploma in hand when another friend interrupts the excitement with the question, “now what?”. While some are excited to end their academic careers, many millennials are wondering, “now what?” Since graduating, I've been fortunate to encounter the other side of “now what?” I’ve considered graduate school possibilities, taken up new habits and hobbies, drafted book ideas, and interned in Washington D.C. In the past months I’ve also learned some de...
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Washington, DC in a Weekend

After a long two weeks of Smithsonian sabbaticals, and unusual Washingtonian humdrum, this past weekend I was able to enjoy DC’s best sites with my sister and her friend Jessica who came to visit from New York. Below I’ve listed the top 10 attractions of the weekend. 1. Memorial Walk by Car Unlike New York City, DC is the city that is in bed by 9:00PM. Most shops and restaurants will close early Monday through Thursday evenings. On the weekends the rules are bent. As a result, driving through ...
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Government Switched On

On the conclusion to the government shutdown and hindrance of default, President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the White House late Thursday morning. The president expressed his confidence in an economical bounce-back, and apologized to both federal and non-federal employees on the government’s misconduct throughout the 16-day shutdown. Over the past two and a half weeks, the nation, as well as the world, witnessed Washington’s ineffective congressional leadership. The government shutd...
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Millennials think Libertarian

Millennials are a generation ready to change the social norms, a generation ready to make a difference and live for a greater purpose. According to the Director of Students for Liberty, Solane Frost says, “After the 2008 elections, millennials have shifted their ideas to those of libertarians.” After attending the panel “Why Young People Prize Freedom: Individualism, Charity, and Respective Government,” at Cato Institute, I was able to analyze the Libertarian approach on my generation and their ...
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Making Sense of Syria

On Monday morning, I had the opportunity to attend the Washington Internship Institute’s (WII) symposium, at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Middle East analyst and author Dr. Aaron D. Miller shared on the topic, “Making Sense of Syria: Understanding the Past, Looking Towards the Future.” According to Miller, the United States has effectively prevented another 9/11. He went on to explain that interference in Syria is unnecessary, and that this conflict would be “a very long movie.” “There is a deep...
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Semester in D.C.

There isn’t one road that leads to success, but multiple highways that will take you to your final destination. Upon high school graduation I was rejected admissions to my college of choice; however, four years at Farmingdale State College changed my life. Awaiting a Fulbright scholarship to Argentina, beginning March 2014, I decided to search for an internship opportunity in communications for the fall semester. After hearing about the Washington Internship Institute (WII) by my professor, Dr....
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Top 10 Reasons to Study Abroad

What do incoming freshman, transfer students, and first semester seniors all have in common? Each of them wants to maximize their college experience. Most Farmingdale students find it convenient to study close to home; however, many miss out on college residential life. The solution: Study Abroad! Over the last several years Farmingdale students have had the opportunity to study in Italy during the summer months, while completing general education requirements and studying Italian culture. The ...
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