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In this podcast, I am going to spill the beans about my semester abroad at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. That's going to include traveling tips, college gossip, cool events in Raleigh or nearby, day-to-day college life, restaurant tips and everything else I feel like talking about :) Be prepared to be entertained! This podcast is produced in collaboration with NC State student radio WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2.
Rebecca Schaden 0:09
Hello, guys, and welcome to my podcast Beccy On Tour about my semester abroad in Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States. My name is Beccy, and I'm your reliable source into the exciting world of American college life. So if that sounds like something you'd be interested in, stay tuned
Hello, hello, guys, I hope you had a great start into the new week. We're slowly transitioning into the cold season. And while I am definitely not a big fan of the chilly temperatures, I love the peaceful vibe and the leaves turning all shades of beautiful fall colors and Raleigh, New York and DC -the cities I visited in the past weeks definitely intrigued me in that regard. I am curious: what is your favorite season? I'm going to do a poll on Instagram and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that.
I know I'm a little bit behind schedule with my traveling adventures because of last week's interview with Sandy, but that was definitely worth it. If you've missed it, I strongly recommend you check it out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or whatever streaming app you use, especially if you're interested in the acting industry. She shared some very interesting and helpful insights if you want to get a foot into that industry. So you definitely learn a lot from her experiences.
But for now, I will get started telling you a little bit more about my trip to Washington DC. Or as most Americans tend to call it DC. I decided to talk about the New York and the DC trip separately because it's a lot of information. And I think that way, it's a lot easier to follow. As always, I'm going to put the links to all the relevant locations and sites I'm mentioning in the description of this episode, with one exception, the hostel my friend Christie and I stayed at because it was absolutely and utterly horrible, and I shall be damned if I increase their exposure by linking them in this podcast. I will however tell you the name of the hostel just so that you don't repeat my mistakes and avoid this place straight from hell. Well, now I'm being a little bit melodramatic. But believe me guys, it was bad. But let me start at the beginning and I will get into the specifics in a bit.
Because we're students who don't make a lot of money, if at all, we chose the cheapest options both in accommodation and transportation, which was partly why we ended up in this mess with the hostel. Granted, I've lived in hostels before, even cheaper ones, and they weren't that bad but I definitely learned my lesson to pay closer attention to the reviews. This hostel really didn't have a great rating. So I should not have been surprised as much as I was. But anyway, we also took the Flexbus, which is technically operated by Greyhound up to DC because it was a lot cheaper than flying. A roundtrip ticket was about $150 per person. And the flights on these dates range from 250 to $300. So yeah, it did make sense to take the bus. And it wasn't a horrible experience. It takes about five to six hours to get there. And we had I think two stops in between. So, because you usually need to be at the airport at least two hours in advance anyway, it didn't really make much of a difference. And we left at 12:45am on Thursday, so we practically still had the whole day in DC. Well, I did Christie went up to New York for that day to visit her sister and came back on Friday.
All in all, I don't think it's as bad as people say it is. The bus ride was very uneventful, and I never felt unsafe or harassed in any way. The only thing I found kind of annoying was when we arrived at our first stop on our way to DC. The bus driver kicked us out of the bus. And I was trying to explain to her that we don't have to get off here. But she just kept insisting that everybody had to leave the bus without giving us any further information as to why that is despite me asking at least four times. And when we weren't fast enough for her taste, she got really rude. So that was kind of weird. And we only learned on our bus ride home that the reason she insisted we get off is that the bus needs to be cleaned and filled with gas. So she could have just told us that instead of getting all flustered, but apparently that wasn't an option for her. Well, anyway, that was an unpleasant incident. But apart from that, I can definitely recommend the bus as a cost effective alternative if you're a poor student on a budget.
The first thing I realized when we arrived in DC was the warm temperatures. Given that DC is located in the north of Raleigh, I figured it would be chillier out than in Raleigh, but I was actually sweating with my four sweaters, 2 T-Shirts and scarf. Granted, the main reason why I had so much on wasn't the temperature, but because it didn't fit in my suitcase anymore. But the warmth was definitely unexpected. Second thing I noticed was how many people speak Spanish in DC. Nearly every second person I pass on the street was talking in Spanish. And even though I've certainly come across Spanish speaking people in Raleigh as well, it definitely weren't as many as in DC. And it kind of surprised me, because technically Raleigh is closer to Mexico. So one should think that the Spanish speaking population there is higher. But then again, DC is the capital of the United States. So there are probably people from all over the world living there. And last thing I realized, which was a very welcome surprise, the public transportation is pretty punctual. So during the time I was there, it was only late once. And even then it was just a five minute delay. But I guess that is to be expected of the capital of the United States. When we arrived in DC, it was about 7am. So when I got to the hostel at 7:30, the hostel was still closed, so I sat down and waited at the diner nearby. I would definitely recommend you to check it out. The coffee is really good and the staff is very kind and eager to help. The name's not very creative, though. It's called 'The Diner', but who cares as long as they serve good food and beverages. I'm going to put the link to it in the description so that you can better find it. When the hostel finally opened, and as promised before, I will tell you its name. It's the Washington International Student Center, I had to pay the fees, which was about $110 for a bunk bed in a six bed mixed dorm room for three nights and an additional $10 for the key. And that key was utterly useless because you couldn't lock the rooms anyway, so everybody could walk in and out as they please, which I usually wouldn't give much thought to. But then they didn't return my money because I brought them back the key a little later than checkout time and that annoyed me big time. But we will get to that in a bit.
After dropping by at the hostel and thankfully being able to store my bags there until check in officially open at 12pm I headed to the city center. DC is well known for their high number of museums and grant buildings. So I was eager to see more of that. The first museum or gallery to be precise I visited was the National Gallery of Art. And those of you who follow me on Instagram might have gotten a glimpse of the various exhibitions they show. They have so many different exhibitions and collections that it's impossible to see everything in one day. But I noticed that Americans seem to be very fond of sculptures because at the National Gallery of Art in DC, and at the Met in New York alike they had a lot of them. I saw August Rodin's 'The Thinker' and a number of other sculptures mainly depicting Greek or Roman deities, or other mythological creatures. Inside the museum, there are also a few coffee shops, which are quite expensive, though. And there's even a garden nearby the museum called the 'Sculpture Garden'. I remember I saw a silver tree and a real life size spider, which was kind of unsettling, but the artwork was definitely very impressive. And the best thing about it: admissions are completely free. So yeah, you should definitely check it out. And you'll find the link to it in the description.
I think there's no better way to get to know a city than just walking around and letting the city work its magic on you. I saw the White House, which is kind of hidden, and I think you'd have to pay quite a large fee to be able to get in or even just closer, but I was content just admiring it from afar and taking pictures through the fence. I passed the Department of the Treasury which reminded me a little of an old Greek Palace due to its marble walls and high pillars. In general the architecture reminded me a lot of Greece or at least what I've seen on pictures because I haven't been to Greece since I was a little kid. Also everything looked so grand and the roads were spread out and spacious which is why even though there are more than 710,000 people living in DC, it didn't feel at all packed.
As for traveling tips, I would definitely check out the White House even if you can't see it from close by. It's worth checking out. The National Mall is another place worth visiting. It's basically a long grassy field where you can relax and admire monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument from afar. And while we're at it, those are definitely worth a visit to, even though it's a little bit of a walk to get to the Lincoln Memorial, but if you're good on your feet, that shouldn't be too much of an issue. Also, there are buses going there and it's very common for people in DC to rent a bike to get around, which we also did when Christie arrived. My favorite Memorial though, was the World War Two Memorial and I'm purely talking about the architecture and not the meaning behind it just to clarify, because I definitely do not approve of the events that led to the construction of this building. The memorial consists of 56 pillars arranged in a semicircle around a plaza and a little fountain and the pillars represent the different states and territories of the United States. And even though I'm most definitely not a patriot, I have to admit it felt kind of cool taking a picture in front of the North Carolina pillar. Another iconic memorial is the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which is made up of 19 steel statues of soldiers who represent a military unit on patrol in Korea. Don't worry, I'll provide you with a Google Maps links to the locations of these monuments. But the good news is that they're all pretty close to one another, so you can definitely visit them in a day. Also, if you don't mind, the cold and the dark, I would definitely recommend to go visit the monuments during nighttime. It's just a whole different vibe and experience. And honestly, I feel like they seem even more majestic at night. And something else I never felt unsafe in DC, even at night when I walked home by myself. Of course, if you can avoid it, you probably should not do that. But it's not the end of the world when it gets late some days.
On day one, I went to the theater production at Synetic Theater and it got pretty late. So I didn't get home until midnight. But luckily public transportation is really reliable, and it's quite easy to get around in general. On that note, the show I watched was amazing. It was the stage production of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell Tale Heart', and unfortunately, it's not on anymore in DC. But if it ever comes back to the city, you should definitely go see it. It's a deep dive into human psyche, specifically madness and what drives humans to do atrocious things like murdering someone. The acting performance was superb and there were parts of the performance that gave me goosebumps, but I don't want to spoiler you. If you ever get around to watch the show, I promise you will love it. In general, Washington has a very vibrant Theatre and Film Scene, which I of course love so that wasn't the only artsy thing we did. While we were there, the Romanian Film Festival was going on. So they were showing Romanian movies through the weekend with English subtitles. The one we watched was a comedy called 'Another lottery ticket' about three friends who decide to get involved in cryptocurrencies in an attempt to get rich. It's a sequel, so there's already been one film, which I hadn't seen yet, but it wasn't necessary to follow the storyline. After the movie, there was a Q&A session with Romanian film critic Mihai Fulger. And he told us a little bit about the movie industry in Romania. That was really interesting. And I hadn't expected the film industry there to be big enough to make it to the United States. So that was very impressive.
Well, it was definitely a good idea to split my travels to DC and New York into two episodes, because there's still so much I want to share with you guys. For one, there's one museum I haven't told you about yet. And that one was, hands down, one of the coolest museums I've ever been to: The International Spy Museum. That one is definitely not your usual museum experience. So it makes sense that they call it DC's most interactive museum. It's one of the few museums that you have to pay for. But the tickets are reasonably priced around $30 for students, if I remember correctly, and they are definitely worth every cent of it. When you first enter the museum, a staff member takes you up to the fifth floor, we get to watch a short briefing film, and then learn the details of your individual mission. Every visitor was assigned a cover name, a hometown, occupation, code word and destination and of course, a mission to complete. In my case, the mission was to find out more about a new leader that was brought to power because of a military coup. There were different exhibition rooms and in every one there would be screens and you had to do different tasks. For example, I once had to choose which device to use for audio surveillance and once I had to choose a disguise. So, the interactive part was a lot of fun. But they also had a lot of information on what living as a spy is like, what it really entails as opposed to what Hollywood movies tell you about it and they actually had real spies sharing their stories and explained what it was like to be a spy during the World Wars. So yeah, I don't want to spoiler you. But you should definitely put the International Spy Museum on your travel list when you go to DC. I'll put a link to it in the description of this episode in case I wasn't convincing enough.
Activity wise, that was definitely the highlight of our trip. But I actually had a different kind of first time on this trip. And no, I don't mean that in the sexual sense. Those of you who know me know that I am not a very adventurous person when it comes to food. In this respect, I like to stick with what I know. But Christie who is very different in that regard, persuaded me to try out Ethiopian food. Apparently, they have a grand Ethiopian community in DC. And they tend to live in 'Little Ethiopia', which is a neighborhood in DC, where they have numerous Ethiopian restaurants. We went to Abuare Bar and Restaurant, which is near Dupont Circle. Again, I will provide you with the Google Maps links. And as I had no idea whatsoever, any of these dishes were I let Christie choose our food. And I have to say she did a great job. I tried tips with injera for the first time and I absolutely loved it. I am no foodie, which is why in order to be able to give you at least an idea of what that is, I had to look it up. Injera is some kind of flatbread that looks like a pancake, which tastes like bread. And they usually serve it with meats, different vegetables, sides and sauces. So it's kind of like tacos, if you want. The only downside, you eat it without cutlery, and I hate that. But that was a small sacrifice to make for that delicious dish.
While we're at it. They also had a really great coffee shop where you could get European bread and wine, which I really appreciate it. It's called Bread Furst, and it sells a variety of different types of bread, spices, wine, and what not. And it almost made me homesick. So to all of my listeners in Europe, if you're like me, and you miss real bread, and you are in Washington, DC, check it out.
Finally, the last place we visited was the National Zoo in DC. And we took the bike there. And that was very relaxing. Despite it being the capital of the United States, DC is actually a really great place for biking, definitely not as dangerous as New York. Sadly, we didn't see a whole lot because we arrived at the zoo pretty late. But we did get to see fishes, zebras and even tigers. I put a lot of it in my Instagram story. So some of you might have already seen it. For those of you who haven't, I will post some more in DC and New York content on Instagram in the next week. So look out for that.
I know this episode is already pretty long. But I promised you I'd tell you the story of the horrendous hostel. Well, the day before our last day we got home pretty late because we have been driving around with our bikes checking out the different monuments at night. So picture me half frozen and exhausted and when I came to my room, I found a note on the door telling me to move my stuff to a different room because they had put someone else in my bed. Who does that and why? It's beyond me why you would make a guest change rooms in the middle of the night. And unsurprisingly, I was pretty annoyed. And when I asked the woman at the front desk the next day why they had moved me and she had no idea. But that is not even the end of the story. On our last day. I got up pretty early because I had to finish an article so I packed all my stuff beforehand and left the hostel but I couldn't give them the key. You remember I told you about the useless key? Well, I couldn't give it to them because they weren't up yet. Granted, checkout was at 11am but usually accomodation set that deadline so that they can finish the rooms for the next guest which in that case didn't apply because the rooms aren't locked anyway. So, me not giving back the key in time didn't make a difference. So I didn't think too much of it when I brought the key back and demanded my $10 deposit but the guy refused to give it to me. At first I thought he was kidding, but he was dead serious. Unfortunately, we were already pretty late and had to catch the bus. Otherwise I definitely would have put up a fight because that kind of treatment is just unacceptable even for a cheap hostel.
So yeah guys, we've arrived at the end of this episode. I hope you found the tips and recommendations helpful and the storytimes just a tad bit entertaining. As always, if you have any questions, constructive criticism or recommendations, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram on beccy_schdn or beccyontour_, but for now have a great rest of your week, greetings from the other side of the ocean and I will talk to you next week. Bye bye.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai