By: Alexander Kuplicki, Huntsman ’27 The Kamanofuchi park on the Tama river. While I love Tokyo, living in the heart of Shinjuku, arguably the city’s busiest neighborhood, can be tiring. Ome, within Tokyo prefecture, provided me the perfect short escape from city life. Boarding the train to Ome you already know that you’re going a little…
By: Andrea Perez Pizarro, SEAS ’26 GRIP: Power up Gambia After 24 hours of traveling, I finally reached The Gambia, where I was picked up by the CEO of Bwiam General Hospital, Mr. Kebba Manneh. Within my first days in the country, I explored the beautiful coast, met so many kind people, and began trying…
By: Claire Wu, SEAS ’27 Night bike ride by Gardens by the Bay after work. GRIP: GAO Capital When I arrived in Changi Airport on Wednesday, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my next three months. Having given myself a few days to move in and get situated in my apartment, I was able…
By: Ashrit Challa, CAS ’25 A view of Lake Geneva from Quai Wilson GRIP: World Medical Association (WMA) Framed by the Alps and overlooking the waters of Lake Geneva, the picturesque City of Geneva holds a special place in both the world as a center of diplomacy and dialogue, and now in my heart as…
By: Alexandra Curtu, Wharton ’26 GRIP: PR & Marketing in Bangkok Alexandra, one of the GRIP Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Summer 2023 semester. Follow along with the group of guides on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed. Consulting, Banking, Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship. If you think I’m describing common careers Penn students go…
By: Daniel Boyko, CAS ’26 1. Fluency Is Really Really Challenging Here’s a familiar story: you’ve dreamed of living in a foreign country for a few months (for me, it was Argentina) and coming back a native-level speaker. Here’s the reality: while my Spanish improved, my time spent abroad only reinforced for me the difficulty…
By: Annabella Tian, SEAS ’26 Photo with Dr. Xuanyao Kelvin Fong and all the research students! GRIP: Engineering Research in Singapore As you embark on your upcoming research internship and time living abroad at the National University of Singapore, there are a few key things I wish I could share with you. These insights could…
By: Inaya Zaman, CAS ’25 Sleeping Buddha in Soc Trang Province. GRIP: Sustainable Development in Ho Chi Minh City Living in Vietnam has been one of the best cultural experiences of my life so far. I have really enjoyed feeling like more than a tourist by going through daily activities in my neighborhood or at…
By: Katherine He, Wharton ’26 GRIP: Business Development in Singapore Joining a tech startup this summer has been a meaningful experience, filled with opportunities to work on varying projects and learn valuable lessons in and out of the office. Over these 8 weeks, I worked as a business development intern at Pand.ai and gained experience…
By: Ben Samahon, CAS ’26 GRIP: PR and Marketing in Bangkok A sea of protesters holding colorful umbrellas blanket the intersection below the Bangkok Asok skytrain station, weathering the pouring rain which turns to mist around them. Military and police stand alert from across the intersection, their police lights reflecting in the wet street. Thailand…