Noa Rubinstein

Contact

noarubin@sas.upenn.edu

Ask Me About…

• Special dietary or religious requirements while abroad
• Living with local students/communities (rather than in program housing)
• Adjusting to different academic policies
• Communicating between different cultures (both language-wise and within the same language)
• Building community while away

My Experience Abroad

Traveling to Uganda and South Africa with PGDI was the perfect opportunity to combine both my academic and personal interests. We interviewed people from Jewish communities, which allowed me to explore deeper into my own culture, while understanding how Judaism looks different to people across the world. Uganda, in particular, has also become an academic interest of mine, as I have since conducted research about their refugee policies through other Penn research initiatives.
At UCL, I thought I would have a similar experience to Penn but gain new perspectives in my history classes. It turns out there was a lot to adjust to in British culture. I lived in an off-campus flat, so most of the people I spent time with had lived in London their whole lives. I spent a lot of time in London itself, rather than travelling constantly, and I learned a lot about integrating into a new culture and even how to communicate in a place where manners are different. This experience was perfect for me as I feel like I have a better understanding of living in an international context that has opened my eyes to opportunities globally.

Other Highlights

• Leading an interview with a women’s rights advocate in Uganda
• Hearing the Abayudaya in Uganda sing traditional Jewish songs in their cave synagogue, which blended the culture with which I am so familiar with a different culture and setting.
• Hosting the friends I had made during the semester in my flat in London and realizing how much I had achieved in a short amount of time