Upstate Community Organization Welcomes International Business by Vicki Olachea
As international businesses in the Upstate expand, so do the international communities they bring with them. But South Carolina’s culture can be difficult to navigate without support for new residents. Upstate International was started 24 years ago to address that need. “Some of the community members here realized that people who were moving here as […]
A Grand Retirement Adventure by Alan Blake
Our retirement plans include living in Italy. That said, the adventure and complications begin. We have been to Italy for vacations many times. As tourists, most often it seemed a rush. We want to live there so we are not in the tourist whirlwind, but settling and getting a feel for everyday life. In our […]
Uniqueness. A poem by Juan Gonzalez
The leaves come off dry, And I run after the noise of the wind searching without success for two of them, only two to be identical. If I find them, they will be proof, of a reality, such repetitive, whatever his being carries, it lacks an alternative choice. Dance of compositions, instants, melodies, paintings, all […]
Doubling Down: My Journey Learning Korean by Stephen Krupka
Stephen Krupka loves to travel and then write about it, guiding others to his discoveries. Visit his website: http://www.loadedlocal.com/ The Loaded Local is the one-stop shop for young travelers to find the best nightlife in the cities they are traveling to. Turbulence Ahead When arriving in Korea, the language barrier smacked me square in the […]
Same, Same, But Different; A Trip to India. Blog post by Heidi Wenninger, T&S Brass
Blog post by Heidi Wenninger, International Marketing Coordinator at T&S Brass, a UI corporate partner doing extraordinary international humanitarian work. It was my third time in India. I knew the drill of security checks at Indian airports. I knew to use bottled water for brushing my teeth, to be extra diligent with washing my hands, […]
We must abolish the ‘public charge’ rule. A Washington Post op-ed by UI board member, Chris Richardson.
August 15, 2019 Christopher Richardson was a State Department consular officer and diplomat from 2011 to 2018. He is now an immigration attorney. The Trump administration announced a vast expansion of an immigration inadmissibility this week known as the “public charge.” The new rule, more than 800 pages long, creates stricter standards for applicants seeking legal permanent residency […]
UI Corporate Partner, Fluor, is Eliminating Educational Barriers in India
Fluor Cares Profile: Eliminating Educational Barriers Just 50 miles away from Fluor’s New Delhi office, the remote villages of Bukharaka and Untka face an education infrastructure crisis. Many schools lack basic, stable infrastructure, which impacts instruction, student outcomes and dropout rates. To help set up local students for success, Fluor partnered with the local non-governmental […]
Russian journalist explores Greenville’s food, travel, but wonders why all the bathrooms
Yulia Ruzmanova, special to The Greenville News. Published 9:01 a.m. ET June 21, 2019 | Updated 8:28 p.m. ET June 22, 2019 Have you ever heard anything about Mtsensk? I bet no. It is a provincial Russian town of a size comparable to Greenville, where I spent my childhood. I left it 10 years ago to […]
Trump’s social media visa policy isn’t new. We’ve been doing it for years. A Washington Post Op-Ed by UI Board member Christopher Richardson
Christopher Richardson was a State Department consular officer and diplomat from 2011 to 2018. He is now an immigration attorney and Upstate International Board member. As of May 31, a new rule requires everyone who is applying for a visa to travel to the United States to submit their social media information as part of […]
An Upstate International Intern’s Testimonial by Jesse Bruch, Clemson 2019
Upstate International was one of the most rewarding experiences I had during my time studying at Clemson University. As a Language and International Trade student, working with the culturally diverse community of Greenville was an excellent way for me to apply my studies and gain indispensable experience. I was always excited to go to work […]
Moving to South Carolina—Tips for International Relocation
Expats moving to South Carolina, or to anywhere in the USA, for that matter, encounter what feels like insurmountable dangers and challenges. One of the biggest challenges of moving to America is simply all the unknowns. How can I get a driver’s license in the USA? How do I find a house? Where can my […]
One Man: A Path to Innovation with Mahabir Pun
Several weeks ago the Upstate had a visit from an unassuming man, tirelessly journeying across 45 cities in 50 days, to build partnerships for a vision of opportunity in Nepal. Mahabir Pun has spent the past 26 years, since graduating from the University of Nebraska, on building community projects around the idea that innovation is […]