Introduction from UM - Ann Arbor

Brooke Sara Suskin

DOB: July 21, 1990

Hometown: East Meadow, New York, USA

Nationality: Russian, Polish, Greek, Turkish

Hey guys! So nice to get to know you all, I'm SO excited for Vietnam (so soon!!) and I can't wait to spend a month with all of you :) Here's a few things about myself...

Interests: Drawing, art/architecture, badminton, tennis, swimming, football (playing and watching), photography, reading, sleeping, traveling, going to the beach, people-watching

Loves: Laughing, coffee (ANYTHING coffee), looking through old pictures, funky sunglasses, cereal, Noodles & Company's mac & cheese, New York City, roller coasters, FOOD in general, sweatshirts, the colors blue and green, watching the Food Network 24/7, awkward moments, bubble tea, long car rides, big hugs, sneakers

Favorite Music: Billy Joel, Queen, Jack Johnson, Lady Gaga, Dave Matthews Band, Oasis, Aerosmith, the Beatles, Spice Girls (since 1998 and still going strong)

Favorite TV Shows/Movies: 24, LOST, Friends, Seinfeld, Project Runway, Law and Order: SVU, the Food Network, any reality TV show, Forrest Gump, Fight Club, Billy Madison, Pretty Woman, Back to the Future, Austin Powers, Knocked Up, The Breakfast Club

Fun Facts: I can spin a basketball on my finger for three minutes straight, I can ride a bike with no hands, I know American Sign Language semi-fluently, I live 15 minutes from the beach (the Atlantic Ocean) and 30 minutes from New York City at home :), I'm a camp counselor over the summer for 4-5 year old girls (I love kids!), and I'm beyond excited for Vietnam!!

What to eat Where in Hanoi

I was not born in Hanoi so this city always has something new to me to discover, though I've been living here for over 2 years. I love food and enjoy tasting new flavors.

This is a website which covers some pretty good info about Hanoi food (though the current price is a little bit higher).
Take a look (then you may give street food a shot!)

See you in 2 weeks! :)

Yen.

Introduction from UM-Ann Arbor (gals!)

Mandie Maurer
DOB: October 21, 1989
Hometown: Perry, MI, USA
Major: Psychology
Email: maurerm@umich.edu

Interests(a couple of these will be horribly abstract):
Psychology:
I study psychology at UM and work in two research labs in UM's Psych Dept. I am specifically interested in social psychology as well as the crossover between philosophy and psychology in terms of areas like morality and happiness. Though I'm also interested in modes of experience and meaning, though that gets pretty abstract. Philosophy is another great interest of mine, and I also love relating to these ideas through literature. I can't get enough of this stuff!

Art:
I love all forms of art! Some of my most prominent interests are photography, theatre, orchestra, fashion, film, and literature. I love to dabble in photography when I have the chance - which is usually when I travel (to places like Viet Nam!).

Academia:
I absolutely love being in college specifically because of the constant intellectual stimulation and variety of experiences it offers. I plan to spend the rest of my life in academia in one form or another, through graduate study, and then research and ultimately a professorship.

Favorites!:
Music: I like such a wide variety, from Simon & Garfunkel, to Animal Collective & CocoRosie, to Sufi world music, to more recently some pop like Lady Gaga and M.I.A.
Films: I enjoy films by Ingmar Bergman, Woody Allen, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Hayao Miyazaki, Darren Aronofsky, and many others.
Food: Middle-eastern food in general ice cream are probably my favorites :] I'm also addicted to coffee (and tea to an extent) - Turkish coffee is the best!