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The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous post-Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe, although this wasn’t always the case. When former Czechoslovakia fell under Soviet rule, there was harsh repression, until the “Velvet Divorce” in 1993. Velvet means “peaceful” and divorce signifies its transition into two countries, when Czechoslovakia became the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Read more...

Hungary caught the attention of the world on numerous occasions with its revolution in 1956, drawing cheers and tears from foes of Stalinism to the opening of its border to Austria in 1989, portending the collapse of communism and ripping the “Iron Curtain” to shreds. Who would have thought a country roughly the size of Indiana, landlocked by Austria, Croatia, Read more...

Interested in learning about nomadic cultures, or what modern life is like on the Silk Road? Consider Kazakhstan! Sharing borders and history with Russia and China, and a stone’s throw from many of the geopolitical hotspots of the world, this Central Asian Republic holds rich potential for cultural discovery and study abroad. From the soaring Tian Shan mountain peaks over Read more...

In preparation for my study abroad program in Italy, I decided that I wanted to visit Greece for about two weeks, not just because of all the great things I heard about it, but I was curious to see if I could find family over there and also learn more about my Greek heritage. Because of my heritage, I am Read more...

Spain is the third leading destination for U.S. students studying abroad (Open Doors 2014 Report, IIE). In 2012/2013 alone, 26,281 U.S. students studied abroad in Spain. To put this number in perspective, it’s nearly the same as the student population of Virginia Tech or the University of Illinois at Chicago. Students study abroad all over Spain. There are seventeen different Read more...

There are few places that can capture the imagination of travelers like Machu Picchu does in Perú. With its majestic scenic views and mountain top architecture, the site has become the first thing that people think about when they think of the country. But, beyond this majestic World Heritage Site lies an entire country full of indigenous cultures, colonial cities, Read more...