Category: Europe

Submitted by Emma Smyth on the 2024 Winter ENGL program in Athens, Greece…

I am an animal lover-–especially a cat lover. When I came to Athens, the amount of cats that wandered around the city was shocking! There are so many adorable stray cats everywhere I go. I’ve seen them at the Parthenon, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Agora, near churches, and outside restaurants (pretty much everywhere). Though I am concluding my second week in Athens, I still find myself aweing the cats and wanting to pet every single one of them. Something I noticed with the cat culture in Athens is how well taken care of the strays are. Many of the strays have received vaccinations, citizens leave out food and water outside of homes, and there are even cat shelters placed on the streets. I think the way that Athenians treat the cats speaks volumes of their character and kindness. In the United States, there are not nearly as many stray animals and they are often disregarded as a nuisance. This goes to show the differences in city culture around the world. Meanwhile in Athens, the strays are cared for and considered a part of the city itself. I really admire the subtle signs of kindness that Athens displays, such as the pet bowls and shelters on the sidewalks. Though initially intimidating, it is so heartwarming being in a thoughtful city with such character. And the cats are definitely the cherry on top! (Submitted on January 20, 2024)

Submitted by Sam Ferguson on the 2024 Winter HIST program in Italy…

One of the most unique and remarkable experiences I have had in Florence was at a soccer match played by the city’s local club, ACF Fiorentina. Fiorentina has long been one of my favorite teams in European soccer due to the unique beauty of its crest and jerseys, the storied history of the club, and the team’s resilience in recent years. The club is one of few teams to use the color purple in its designs – thus becoming known as La Viola – and this uncommon design choice has helped Fiorentina stand out from the pack with a unique and beautiful aesthetic. In addition, Fiorentina holds a storied history in Italian soccer, for although it has rarely won the Serie A (Italy’s national soccer league) it has featured numerous iconic players, including Roberto Baggio, Gabriel Batistuta, and Rui Costa. Although La Viola has suffered from bankruptcy and many other obstacles in recent decades, the club continues to persevere and play an important role in modern Italian football. 

At the match that my friends and I saw, Fiorentina played against fellow Serie A club Udinese. Fiorentina looked shaky at the start of the match, suffering from defensive errors that allowed Udinese to take the lead early on. However, by the second half La Viola had steadily reasserted itself, and in the 55th minute the club’s forward Lucas Beltran leveled the score with a brilliant header. By this point Fiorentina looked to be in control of the game, but in the 73rd minute Udinese gained possession, started a fast break, and scored a goal to retake the lead from out of nowhere. Over the next 10 minutes, Fiorentina tried and failed to equalize the score yet again, hitting the post once and squandering multiple other chances. However, in the 86th minute, a handball from a Udinese player inside the penalty box led to a penalty kick for Fiorentina, which the club’s other forward M’Bala Nzola buried into the bottom right corner to bring the game back to 2-2. Ultimately, the game ended with this score, and Fiorentina was able to earn a draw after coming from behind twice against Udinese.

Fiorentina’s performance was not a terribly impressive showing, but it created an exciting match that contributed to an electric atmosphere at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. This intense atmosphere was also fueled by the club’s amazing fans, who provided an extraordinary energy throughout the entire match. This energy was most prominent in the section containing Fiorentina’s ultras. Ultras are especially intense and passionate soccer fans who express their fervent support through the use of chants, flags, and pyrotechnics. At our match, the ultras constantly shouted chants that supported Fiorentina, attacked Udinese, and lambasted the referees whenever they made a decision that went against La Viola. They also waved giant flags and set off purple smoke bombs as massive demonstrations of support for Fiorentina. This non-stop activity peaked during Fiorentina’s goals, both of which led to wild celebrations from fans all throughout the stadium. The passion and intensity of these fans, coupled with their powerful use of flags, chants, and pyrotechnics, was unlike anything I had ever seen at an American sporting event. The devotion of La Viola’s fan base made me realize the intense importance that this team holds for many citizens of Florence. For many people, their allegiance to Fiorentina is an integral part of their Florentine identity, and this powerful link between club and community was a truly incredible thing to witness. (Submitted on January 20, 2024)

Submitted by Kate Lilly on the 2024 Winter ETE program in Barcelona, Spain…

The first several days in Barcelona consisted of an intense adjustment period. Aside from  the obvious transition imposed by the time zone change and subsequent jet lag, I suddenly found  myself in an environment unlike any other I had ever been in. I am from a small town in rural  southeastern Pennsylvania—life there is starkly different from the bustle of Barcelona, with its  gothic architecture, narrow streets, hilly slopes, energetic nightlife, and 1.6 million people. That  being said, it was a transition I welcomed wholeheartedly. While I found myself overwhelmed  here and there within my first hours in the city, it quickly ebbed into excitement at all the  newness I was experiencing. My favorite “new” in my first week in Spain, by far, was my  program’s day trip to Montserrat mountain.  

On Saturday, we met our program director, Dr. Lewis, bright and early at our apartments  in the Gràcia neighborhood of the city. We then made the trek to the Metro station (another  lifestyle adjustment). After two separate train rides, we arrived at the stop for Montserrat, about  one hour outside the city. From there, visitors boarded a separate train to carry us almost all the  way to the mountain’s peak, where the Basilica sits. I chose to write about this particular  excursion due to how awestruck it left me. My group spent about three hours at Montserrat,  which consisted of taking many photos of the breathtaking views and joking about the three plus-mile hike to get to the peak of the mountain. This excursion came early on in our trip, and it  truly set the tone for a wonderful first week in Barcelona. It was deeply impactful for me, as  someone who has lived in somewhat of a smaller bubble her first twenty years of life, to see such  beautiful things that are so wildly different from what I have always known. Regardless of the  hundreds (if not thousands) of other people that had chosen to visit Montserrat that day, and the  different languages that were being spoken all around us, it did not feel crowded or  overwhelming. Instead, it felt refreshing to spend time in a place that represents peace and unity.  The cross constructed to look out over the edge of the mountain side was both beautiful and  grounding to see. People of countless different religions, backgrounds, and races/ethnicities came  to the same place to see the same thing. Furthermore, while we are all students in the Elementary  Teacher Education major, not all sixteen students on the trip (including myself) knew each other  prior to arriving. The time spent traveling to and from Montserrat as well as that spent fighting  our way up the mountain gave us ample opportunity to talk. It felt great to go beyond the surface  level connections that we already had formed in our shared college and area of study and learn  more about who my peers are—I’m not sure I would have had the chance to connect with them  otherwise. Though the steep climbs were tiring, we ended the day extremely appreciative to have  seen a more scenic side of Spain and gotten to know more about each other. I highly recommend  a visit to Montserrat for anyone in the Northern Spain area! (Submitted on January 20, 2024)

Submitted by Samantha Epperson on the 2024 Winter ENGL program in Florence …

Florence has been an awesome experience so far. It was so hard to adjust the first day and I was extremely overwhelmed, but now I think I have my bearings. I love walking over the Arno and just admiring how beautiful the river itself is and l everything is around it. My favorite experience so far was the pasta making class that we took. It was very cool and felt like a truly hands-on way to become immersed in the culture. The price was very reasonable and the class occurs in a small group which is very nice. . We made 3 types of pasta, fettuccine, ravioli, and cappelletti. The ravioli was filled with truffle oil, ricotta, and parmesan cheese. The cappelletti was filled with a nutmeg and ricotta mix. Those two were tossed in butter and sage, and the fettuccine was tossed in a pomodoro. Everything was so fresh and delicious and the chef was fantastic. The chef was extremely helpful and was guiding us through every step, not bothered by any questions and made sure we were doing it right. It was very nice to meet and talk to an Italian that was similar in age to me. We got to ask her about how often she makes fresh pasta, and what she eats on a daily basis. We also got to keep the aprons they provided, which was pretty neat. I love pasta alot and it made me think of my grandmother and great grand-mother because they are very Italian and my mom always tells me lots of stories about their cooking and I have experienced my grandma’s cooking first hand which is amazing. I know she was very excited for me to come to Italy and I can’t wait to tell her all about the pasta making class and maybe even try to make some with her. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)

Submitted by Evan Ciecko on the 2024 Winter ENGL program in Netherlands …

My second week in Arnhem was an amazing experience! I traveled to two national parks and  learned about the impacts of climate change on their livestock and native plants. I was greatly  impressed by the resources that are being utilized in The Netherlands to research and restore  native species. One of the biggest differences in culture that I became aware of was the way that  the Dutch tour guides emphasized a “hands-off” approach to maintaining the park. For example,  livestock such as Highland Cattle that they house in a section of the park are left outdoor all  winter to roam and are not fed or cared for as intently as they would be in American parks. The  park guides acknowledged that sometimes cattle will not make it through the cold winter, but  that this is exactly how it would have been in nature and they do not want to intervene. It was  very interesting to learn about this new perspective on wildlife preservation.  

The changes in culture that I experienced did not only exist in Arnhem. I am so excited that I got  a free weekend to travel to Germany and experience the beautiful cities of Dusseldorf and  Cologne. I was able to tour the Lindt Chocolate factory and learn about the ethics behind cacao farming and chocolate production.  

I am so glad Arnhem is a city that is located so close to other countries and has allowed me the  opportunity to travel to places I had never even thought about going when I joined this trip! I got  to a whole new country faster than I could have driven to the beach at home. Excited for my last  week here with three group excursions planned. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)

Submitted by Sam Williamson on the 2024 Winter BISC program in Paris …

After arriving in Paris, our group took a boat tour along the River Seine. The tour started at dusk and as night approached, the city lit up. The Eiffel Tower sparkled, the streets were illuminated by street lamps, and the shimmering lights reflected off of the river. Seeing the Eiffel Tower was a surreal experience and it was even more beautiful than I could have imagined. There were people sitting along the river’s edge drinking wine, spending time together, and admiring the Eiffel Tower. I felt so grateful to be there and was so excited to start this journey with my new friends I made in the program. The next day, some of us went to brunch to become closer and explore the city together. We found a restaurant on TikTok, called La Favorite, that had beautiful pink flowers covering the outside and strung from the ceiling throughout. We sat, talked, and laughed for hours while sipping on iced lattes and eating French crepes. After we had our delicious brunch, we took photos of each other outside of the restaurant and stopped into the Musee d’Orsay, which is free for students, where we saw a spectacular Van Gogh exhibit. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)

Submitted by Elizabeth Villec on the 2024 Winter SPAN program in Granada, Spain…

We departed on our six and a half hour drive to the province of Limpopo in order to reach Kruger National Park, a wildlife sanctuary revered for its stunning natural beauty and common sightings of exotic beasts. The ride itself was tiresome, but manageable due to the excitement we all had to arrive at the location. Nothing of note happened on the ride, although there were many scenic landscapes surrounding us that captivated our attention. On arrival at our lodge we were informed that we were the only ones booked for the week so essentially we had a private lodge which included a pool, private chef, and a location right next to a watering hole at our disposal. As we settled in we simultaneously got ready for our first drive on the land. We set off once more on a two hour drive around Kruger Park which was incredible. That afternoon we saw Elephants, Giraffes, and warthogs to name a few of the animals. We stopped for what the locals call a sundowner; a drink you have in a picturesque location while watching the sunset. After our sundowners we departed back to the lodge to finally get some rest. The next day came and started at 5:30 am. Our days were scheduled to go on an early morning drive, rest in the afternoon, and another drive at around 6. Unfortunately the rest of the days were cloudy and rainy, but regardless that didn’t stop the animals from coming out. We saw many exotic animals once again which made bearing the rain worth it. The food we were provided was excellent, with an assortment of fresh fruit, vegetables, and unique dishes every night. I’m going to skip forward a little bit at this point, to a very unique experience we all shared. On the third day on our afternoon drive we were attempting to find any animals but were having no luck. We stopped for our sundowners and shortly after our guide received a message from one of the other rangers. We reached the location that the ranger was told and there we all saw a pack

of lions. Two adolescent males, one female, and about 8-10 cubs. It was surreal to say the least. Seeing so many lions up close in the wild was an experience I will never forget. That was our last evening drive of the trip, and the next day the rainy weather finally subsided and we departed back to Pretoria, where we were staying. Never would I have thought that I would be in the wild like that, but Kruger Park helped me live out an experience of a lifetime. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)

Submitted by Madison Troise on the 2024 Winter HLTH program in Rome…

This weekend, me and my whole study abroad group traveled to Florence.Trying to coordinate an entire trip consisting of train tickets, a place to stay, and dinner reservations for 14 people was quite a challenge, but we made it work and I am so glad we did because Florence is a city I will never forget. One weekend was simply not enough time to explore what the city had to offer. Every restaurant we went to was amazing, and the sights were all unreal. I had the best pizza I’ve ever had in my entire life and just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Aside from the food, something that I love about Florence is how it is a smaller city that is very walkable. Rome is my home base and I love how big it is because every day you can explore something new, however that means that not everything is within walking distance. In Rome I have to take the metro everyday while in Florence I did not have to take it once. Public transportation is not my favorite thing to rely on, so the fact that everything in Florence was at most 20 minutes away on foot was absolutely amazing. The city also just felt so safe and homey, and sites such as the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and the David were breathtaking. I loved Florence so much that I purchased a real leather bag there so that I would have something to remember this trip from forever. Florence is definitely my favorite city that I ever visited and I am so grateful that I was studying in Rome because it gave me the opportunity to travel there so easily. It was one of the best weekends in my life and it is a city that I will definitely be coming back to. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)

Submitted by Soli Martin-Abascal on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Siena, Italy…

After exploring Siena last week, this week we were able to learn the rich culture and history of the city. Siena is home to 17 contrade or what we know as neighborhoods. Each contrada is represented by a different animal. These contrade participate in horse races twice a year. This week we visited the contrada of the Torre which is represented by an elephant. We visited the church as well as the museum of this contrada. Both extremely beautiful, all up kept by a chosen member of the contrada. I learned that babies are baptized into their contrada when they are born. To represent a newborn member into a contrada a flag is hung with a pink or blue ribbon tied around it. I find it remarkable that each neighborhood is a little community. Despite the different contrade Siena has a strong sense of community Even the rivalries between contrade are very lighthearted. Siena may have 17 contrade but it is clear that the city shares one heart. (Submitted on January 20, 2024)

Submitted by Sara Brocken on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Paris…

Before I left on my trip my dad was sharing with me all of the places he went to when he traveled to Paris back when he was in college. The one place that he would keep telling me that I had to visit was a certain chapelle but he couldn’t remember the name, only that it was absolutely stunning. I got a random text from him a couple days into the trip when he finally remembered the name of Sainte-Chapelle and I immediately booked my ticket. The day came that I got to visit the chapelle and my dad was right. It was breathtaking. My friend and I stood in the middle looking up at all of the colorful glass just in awe of how something so incredible is actually real. I loved being able to go to somewhere that my dad went to almost 40 years ago in another country, it made the moment even more special. Even though it was around 5 in the morning his time I had to call him and show him that I was there.

Without my dad this trip wouldn’t be possible so when we went on our champagne tour I knew I had to take a lot of pictures to send to him since champagne is made from wine and my dad is a big wine lover. I sent him pictures of the machinery and of the cellars we got to see but most importantly of the champagne we got to taste at the end. Since he shared his experience with me and told me to visit somewhere, I figured I should share my experience with him so I ended up buying a small bottle of my favorite champagne we tried so he could try it once I’m back home! (Submitted on January 20, 2024)