First, a quick glimpse at the Mandarin learning process. Last Monday, I watched a movie in Chinese with English subtitles, and I found myself not even noticing the English. The next day, when ordering Chinese pancakes, I blanked on the names for any type of sauce, so I just mumbled something that sounded like what the previous customer said. Thankfully, it still tasted good. Last weekend, I was walking around the Global Village (international student dorms), and a couple asked me where building #10 was located. Despite living here for almost two months already, I still had no idea. At present, my study abroad is: thinking comfortably in Chinese, muddling through sticky situations, and having no idea about some basic surrounding areas. At least it still tastes good.

As anyone who has visited a foreign country can tell you, they have usually seen a different way of doing things that make them wonder, ‘Why don’t they do that where I’m from?” Therefore, today I thought it would be fun to look back at the things I’ve noticed here in Japan and list some of the smaller things I think would be great to introduce into American society.

Please join us for an informal essay workshop on Wednesday, November 4, from 5-6:30 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre. The workshop is open to any student interested in applying for the Critical Language Scholarship. Associate Director of International Fellowships Karen Wachsmuth will guide provide sample essays and give students who would like to share their current drafts some constructive feedback.

The 2015 Global Health Conference, "Contagion: causes, costs, containment," will be held from Nov. 6-8, at the University of Iowa. Registration tables open at 3:00 p.m. on the 2nd floor ballroom of the Iowa Memorial Union. The conference acts as a course for students to earn credit and engage with a range of speakers featured from on and off campus.

The ballerina raises a slender leg, then bounds across the smooth floor. She transforms the lingering notes into movement. The scholar translates a sonnet. “Au revoir” becomes “adiós”; “adiós” becomes “goodbye.” Each interpretation shifts the form while the essence remains. This interpretation will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday as the UI Dance Department performs visual representations of works by International Writing Program residents. The free show will take place in North Hall Space/Place.

One student is coming to terms with his sexuality halfway across the world. “In my hometown, there are some gay people I know. They never told others they are gays. They do not want to show their sexualities to others, so they pretend to be straight,” said University of Iowa student Shanyi Shang.

The South Asian Studies Program (SASP) will be hosting a lecture by Susan Heydon titled, “Investigating Smallpox in Nepal.” The event is free and open to the public and will be held on Thursday, November 19th, from 4:30-6:00 pm in UCC 1117.

Mary Louise Pratt will deliver the 6th annual Charles A. Hale Lecture, "Linked In, Left Out, Uplifted, Downloaded: The ecology of language in a globalizing world," this Thursday, Oct. 29, from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. in 1117 UCC.

Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad in areas of the world critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Masked by pseudonyms and anonymity, social media is often viewed as an attractive way to express one’s feelings candidly. But the same technology that allows users to share ideas and constructively engage with others too often devolves into a toxic, often hurtful environment. As social apps like Yik Yak, which allow users to anonymously share their opinions about anything and everything with those nearby, continue to gain popularity at the University of Iowa, many Asian-identifying students have found themselves the subject of racist and xenophobic messages.