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Fall semester is a superb time to check or intern overseas and uncover new seasonal traditions. With a fall semester overseas, you’ll have the possibility to witness distinctive native customs that mark this time of yr, all whilst you earn tutorial credit score or achieve skilled expertise. Along with some unimaginable autumn harvest festivals, there are numerous distinctive fall holidays celebrated around the globe that honor nationwide satisfaction, cultural heritage, or religious reflection. Experiencing these holidays firsthand presents the possibility to uncover a deeper appreciation for autumn and its seasonal traditions—lengthy after you come house.
Expertise the magic of fall overseas—uncover a number of the distinctive autumn holidays you’ll be able to have fun if you go overseas with AIFS Overseas!
Chuseok – South Korea
Chuseok, additionally referred to as Hangawi or “Korean Thanksgiving,” is a standard vacation celebrated in South Korea. This three-day vacation celebrates the autumn meals harvest and is an opportunity for households to return to their hometowns, reconnect, and share conventional dishes. Chuseok is widely known on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which is mostly in September or October. Simply as Individuals collect for Thanksgiving every November, households throughout Korea come collectively to share beloved Chuseok dishes handed down by generations.
In case you examine or intern overseas in Seoul, you’ll discover the town turn out to be busy as individuals put together for the vacation after which develop calm as residents journey to their hometowns within the nation to reconnect with household. It’s an exquisite time to expertise Korean tradition extra deeply—and when you’re fortunate, you may even be invited to hitch a neighborhood household for a Chuseok feast!
Halloween and Samhain – Eire
Whereas Halloween and Samhain have completely different origins—Samhain hailing from Pagan mid-autumn traditions and Halloween stemming from the Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day—many Samhain influences could be discovered within the trendy observe of Halloween, each of that are noticed on October thirty first. In Eire, the place each traditions hint their roots, individuals will usually have fun each holidays on the identical day.
In historical Eire, Samhain was believed to be a division of the yr that marked the time when the veil between the worlds of the residing and useless grew to become thinnest. Ancestral spirits have been honored and invited house, and other people wore costumes to disguise themselves as dangerous spirits, which they wished to keep away from. In the present day, Samhain’s historical spirit weaves by trendy Halloween festivities, and offers perception into historical Celtic traditions. Examine or intern overseas in Eire and you may study extra about these centuries-old Celtic customs, all whilst you take pleasure in a well-recognized fall vacation.
La Toussaint, All Saints’ Day – France
All Saints’ Day, also referred to as All Hallows’ Day, follows Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve. It’s a day of Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all saints of the Church. This vacation is widely known in lots of international locations the world over on November 1st, most notably in European and Latin American international locations with massive Christian populations.
In France, the place it is called “la Toussaint,” it’s an particularly in style public vacation. On la Toussaint, individuals attend church companies in reminiscence of all of the saints. Then, within the night, households collect collectively to go to cemeteries, the place they honor their deceased family members by putting heather, chrysanthemum flowers, or immortal wreaths on their graves. They might additionally gentle candles to represent happiness within the afterlife. In case you examine or intern overseas in France, you might even see households gathered collectively on at the present time, bouquets of flowers of their fingers as they stroll by metropolis streets, recounting their favourite reminiscences of family members who’ve handed.
Day of the Lifeless – Latin America
The Day of the Lifeless (“Día de los Muertos” in Spanish) is a vacation celebrated on November 1 and a couple of in some Latin American international locations, notably Mexico. Throughout this vacation, households reunite to create choices, or “ofrendas,” to honor and keep in mind their relations who’ve handed. These choices are embellished with brilliant yellow marigold flowers, images of the deceased, and their favourite meals and drinks, encouraging their departed relations to go to from past, hear their prayers, and be part of within the celebrations. Whereas it might sound like a somber occasion, the Day of the Lifeless celebrates life and loss of life and the reminiscence of their deceased family members, reasonably than mourn for them.
Every nation that observes Día de los Muertos has its personal means of honoring the event. In Costa Rica and Argentina, the vacation tends to be extra reflective, aligning carefully with the spiritual traditions of All Souls’ Day. In Argentina, households usually bake dough collectible figurines formed like angels, doves, hearts, crosses, and ladders (symbolizing the soul’s descent from heaven in order that they’ll partake within the celebration after which reascend afterwards). Whether or not you examine or intern overseas in Latin America, this can be a significant time to expertise the great thing about remembrance and the cultural significance of honoring those that got here earlier than.
Oxi Day – Athens, Greece
Oxi Day (additionally spelled “Ohi” or “Ochi”) is a nationwide vacation celebrated yearly in Greece on October 28. This vacation commemorates the day in 1940 when Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas denied Benito Mussolini’s request to permit Italian troops to enter Greece. Within the days following, phrase of Metaxas’s refusal unfold throughout Athens, the place individuals took to the streets shouting “Oxi!”, that means “no!” in solidarity with their Prime Minister’s message. It’s a day that symbolizes Greece’s resistance to the fascist regime of the Axis Powers and represents the bravery and heroism of the Greek individuals and their nationwide identification.
Examine or intern overseas in Athens, the town’s capital, and you may watch the most important Oxi Day celebrations come to life. Go to the town heart, the place you’ll see marching bands, schoolchildren, golf equipment, and different teams marching by the town within the Oxi Day parade. It’s an unimaginable time to take in Greek tradition and higher perceive their nationwide satisfaction.
Man Fawkes Evening – the UK
Man Fawkes Evening will not be a public vacation, however it’s a enjoyable fall custom that anybody learning or interning overseas in England might wish to participate in. Additionally referred to as Bonfire Evening, this celebration happens each November fifth to commemorate the identical day in 1605 when Man Fawkes and several other different co-conspirators did not blow up Parliament and assassinate King James I. When the “Gunpowder Plot,” as it’s recognized, was uncovered and stopped, British residents lit bonfires throughout London to have fun the failed assassination.
Whereas a number of the largest celebrations happen in London, England, yow will discover bonfires, fireworks, and different associated festivities occurring throughout the UK. Wherever you’re within the U.Ok. through the fall semester, we advocate you discover a native pageant celebrating at the present time and attend for an evening of revelry and blazing shows!
Oktoberfest – Germany
Oktoberfest is one other notable non-holiday and some of the well-known fall celebrations on the planet. Its reputation and worldwide recognition draw individuals from across the globe to Germany to participate within the festivities.
Whereas Oktoberfest is a beer pageant, it’s about far more than simply sampling the native brews. The pageant commemorates the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese on October 17, 1810, in Munich—as we speak it’s a full of life celebration of Bavarian tradition. Attendees immerse themselves in native customs, take pleasure in conventional music, and have the chance to decorate in Bavarian folks costumes—ladies in Dirndls and males in Lederhosen. For these learning or interning overseas in Central Europe, notably the Czech Republic, Austria, and, in fact, Germany, Oktoberfest presents a enjoyable and genuine cultural expertise you received’t discover anyplace else.
Uncover fall holidays around the globe—examine or intern overseas with AIFS Overseas!
Examine or intern overseas in autumn with AIFS Overseas and expertise distinctive seasonal festivities to broaden your cultural horizons and have fun with locals. With AIFS Overseas’s helpful program inclusions, similar to coordinating your housing to offering issues like journeys and excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site employees, and cultural and social actions, you’ll take consolation in understanding you’ll have help all through your complete expertise overseas.
