Submitted by Sarah Minacci on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures…
My second week here in Greece has already flown by! We are so lucky to have so many amazing activities planned for us. We are always on the go and really getting the chance to see a lot of this beautiful country. We’ve made stops in places like Thebes, Delphi, Arachova, Nemea and now Nafplio too! It’s so interesting how much history there is in all of these places and it’s crazy to think about all the people who built and lived around these sites hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Thankfully, we have been having great weather and the food is to die for, too! $3 gyros from a small local restaurant have been my personal favorite and our local bakery has the best baklava. I don’t want my time here to end!
Submitted by Allison Oberembt on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France sponsored by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies…
As the second week of my semester abroad comes to an end, I have the experience of working during men’s fashion week and attending fashion shows as a guest. Along with these opportunities, my class has had some lectures and gone to different museums and exhibits.
My program as a whole has continued to be an amazing experience for me. To start, I got to work backstage during the Rick Owens fashion show. This was my first time at a fashion show and I got to see everything that happens behind the scenes. The process for the Rick Owens show seemed very organized to me. When our class first arrived, we were able to put our items down in a secure area and our phones were taken away until the show was over. I was able to see the workers go through each look and tweak last minute lineups or outfit adjustments. Once the men in the show were almost done getting hair and makeup, we were all given a model to dress. The closer it got to show time, the more hectic backstage got, but everything ended up working out well. After the show, when the models came back most of them still needed to get pictures taken. This caused some confusion, but afterwards we were able to undress them and put the clothes back in the clothing bag they came in. When all the clothes were put away and it was time to leave, we were given our phones back. After the show finished and we were no longer needed backstage, we had a couple of hours to eat lunch before we got to see the Tatras fashion show that evening. The students invited to show were able to get standing tickets and we even saw some famous people like Bella Hadid! The show was amazing and the clothing was much more my style, streetwear. The music was great and the audience was engaged. This was my first ever fashion show being in the audience and I could not have been happier.
Aside from working the fashion show, we also got to see the YSL exhibit that was only a pop-up and closing soon. We got to walk around and see some of the earliest sketches and articles dating back from the 1960s. We also got to walk around and see some of the most famous and timeless original dresses such as the Mondrian dress. This was interesting to see because that style of dress was taught in many of my fashion history classes and to see it in person was another great learning experience.
After being a part of the men’s show and being able to see the Tatras show I am so excited to start my internship with Elie Saab. I do not know what is in store for the next week, but I am ready for it.
Submitted by Olivia Szefer on the 2020 spring semester study abroad program in Sydney, Australia…
Being in Sydney for over a week, I have encountered many times when I was taken aback with culture shock. One particular time was when I was taking public transport, more specifically, the light rail which runs through the central parts of the city. To travel on any public transport, each individual should have an Opal card that holds money on it in order to pay for their journey. Everyone is expected to check on and off on a particular pad in order to pay for the transport, and absolutely everyone – adults, children and tourists alike – tap their Opal cards onto this in an orderly fashion. After tapping the card, they would calmly enter the light rail. This shocked me at first because they could easily rush onto the tram without paying without anyone noticing; however, they choose to be orderly and follow exact protocol in these instances.
Submitted by Matthew Marsilii on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of English…
After spending two weeks in Italy, I must say that I’ve never seen a region more breathtaking than Tuscany. Lush rolling hills and vast Italian farmland are towered by the Apennine Mountain range that intersects the country. I found myself almost being able to visualize history after staring at the lavish villas and fortified towns peeking out from hilltops. At the region’s heart is Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Walking these streets, I found myself captivated by a city that is more often than not, a living art museum. I went on many tours, trying to see as much of the region as I could.
The biggest highlight of this program was my visit to the town of San Gimignano. This place was located on top of a cliff overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscan vineyards. The town itself also had a charm that I had not found anywhere else in Italy. If small town USA is the romanticized vision of the United States, then San Gimignano is an Italian town straight out of a story book. It’s made of tan stone, has a small population, and retains its medieval architecture almost perfectly. The city is much like the medieval version of Pompeii. It is small and you most likely could spend no more than an afternoon here, but the journey is worth it. It is a maze where each turn takes you head on into a new discovery. The stores here are not chain stores or tourist traps, either. They are authentic, hand made goods right from the Tuscan countryside. Each food store loves to bombard you with samples of Tuscany’s finest foods and even left me walking away with a bag full of candy and olive oil. I would go as far as to say that this small little town might be in the running for favorite moment of my entire program.
Me looking at Tuscan countryside from the top of a villaThe main plaza of San GimignanoThe Duomo in Florence
Submitted by Isiah Hiatt on the 2019 winter session program in Costa Rica sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
These week was eventful and exciting. Wednesday, we went to Alajuela, to the Juan Santamaría Museum. Juan Santamaría was a drummer in the Costa Rican army during the Filibuster War. He succeeded in setting fire to the hostel in Rivas that the opposing men were in, but died in the process. This act was a tremendous contribution to the Costa Rican victory at Rivas. Due to his sacrifice, he is a national hero of Costa Rica. Alajuela is very different from Heredia, where I am staying. Alajuela is very calm, quiet, and relaxing. While Heredia is quick-paced, people are always moving, and you feel like you always have to get somewhere.
Later during the week, we went to Monteverde. There we went on a night tour and were able to see some of the nocturnal animals and get a good look at Costa Rica’s diverse animal population. We saw frogs, snakes, toucans, a porcupine that was in a tree, and many more. It was a great experience and it was very interesting to see how the animals acted at night. Personally, I think my comprehension skills are increasing. I am able to understand most things people are saying if they speak at a reasonable pace. I have also noticed that some things I don’t have to translate to English anymore, which is interesting. By this I mean when someone says something in Spanish, I don’t even translate what they are saying in English while they are talking. Which shows that my comprehension is improving. I highly recommend a study abroad program to anyone who is interested in taking their language skills to the next level.
The first picture was a picture of a frog taken by Donald, who was a tour guide for our night tour in Monteverde, using my phone.The second picture is of the Juan Santamaría statue in Alajuela.
Submitted by Danielle Lecce on the 2020 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
Before I got off the plane in New Zealand, I had already noticed differences between our countries. New Zealanders have a promise to protect their lands called The Tiaki Promise, which is the commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations. A video popped up on all television screens on the airplane asking those that travel to New Zealand to make the commitment and acknowledge their responsibility in protecting and preserving the picturesque lands of New Zealand. I thought it was beautiful that New Zealand has this promise to its land and cares for it. While as Americans we care for our land, we don’t treat it with the same respect as they do here in New Zealand.
Some further highlights and learning experiences during my first week abroad in New Zealand include going to The Riccarton Market, an outdoor market selling artisan crafts and Quail Island, a remote island within Lyttleton Harbor on the South Island of New Zealand. At The Riccarton Market, I was able to familiarize myself with the exchange rate and become familiar with using a different currency. Coming to New Zealand was my first time out of the country and therefore my first time using a different currency. It was also my first real opportunity to speak with Kiwis otherwise known as the native people of New Zealand. We took a ferry to visit Quail Island. There were no garbage bins anywhere on this island. All rubbish brought onto the island must also be brought off. I was amazed to see how strictly people followed these rules. I never saw one piece of garbage on the island, which illustrates the respect Kiwis have for their land. While in America, littering is illegal, there is still garbage everywhere. It is hard to go anywhere in the United States and not see some sort of litter. I wish in the United States, we could appreciate and respect our land as Kiwis do here in New Zealand and make a similar promise to conserve and protect our land, for now and for future generations.
Approaching Quail Island by ferry. The beautiful land of New Zealand is shown by the blue/green water, mountains in the distance, greenery and rocks.View of Lyttleton Harbor from Quail Island
Submitted by Laura Sandu on the 2020 spring semester study abroad program in Rome, Italy…
My second week here was more eventful than last week. I started my classes and had to adjust to walking the distance between my apartment and the buildings. However, my classes and professors are great. I have already found myself in situations where I needed to use my Italian outside of class. In one situation, one of my roommates needed my help to call an electronic store to fix her laptop and the workers did not speak any English so I had to explain her situation to them in Italian. In another situation, we needed to cancel our Airbnb because we booked another one, and there was a complication with the refund. I needed to speak to customer service in Italian because of the language barrier. Both of these situations were successful because I was able to put my Italian to use in real life. This week, I learned to be more patient and understanding because of the language barriers.
This weekend, my friends and I traveled to Florence. It was interesting to see how much quieter and smaller Florence is in comparison to Rome. I enjoyed being in a more peaceful city for a few days, but a part of me started to miss Rome a little because it is already starting to feel like home. I’m excited to see what the next week will bring.
This was my view from the top of the bell tower in Florence. We made it just in time for the sunset.
Submitted by Carmen Ramirez Griffin on the 2020 winter session program in Barcelona, Spain sponsored by the College of Education and Human Development…
This week has been truly amazing! We have not really been able to travel as much as we did last week, but being in the school with the students was an eye-opening experience. To be honest, the first day was not the best. We woke up to a horrible storm. I already hate rain, so imagine having to walk almost a mile, with nice shoes and clothes, to the top of a very steep mountain…. It was not the best experience. Getting into the school made the hike worth it. Carma and her partner fed us and explained to us a little bit about the school, their curriculum and the kind of students that attended the school. I was very intrigued because their system is so different from the Spanish education system as well as the American education system. They have a mixture of various education systems and I find that so amusing!
I have fallen in love with the students in my class. I was a bit scared because I was placed in a 6th grade classroom and I am not used to teaching older kids. However, even though I was scared, I learned that with different age groups come different experiences and different learning opportunities. My 6th grade class divides into various groups depending on the subject and their level of efficiency in it. For example, if a student from Russia just moved in and is placed in this classroom, he would be placed in the lower group for every subject they have since he wouldn’t be able to speak, in this case, Spanish on the same level as other students in the classroom. I like this system and I appreciate the different learning groups for every subject as every student in the class can feel integrated and not out of place.
I wish we stayed a few more weeks. Two weeks is not enough time to form connections and build a trust relationship between a student and a teacher, but I will make the most of it during my second week which starts tomorrow. I can’t wait to tell you all about it! I was not able to take many pictures since we were in the school for most of the time, but here are some pictures that I took during some of the school breaks!
On Saturday, we took a trip to Montserrat and it was such an incredible experience. Disregarding the fact that it took us two and a half hours to get to Montserrat and another two and a half hours to get back to our apartments, the views and the history of Montserrat were great. We got to visit the famous monastery of the town and even though we did not have a tour guide, I informed myself about the Black Madonna (or Lady of Montserrat) on our way to the town. Apparently, the Black Madonna is very famous because she is the patron saint of Catalonia, along with Saint Jordi. Montserrat itself has a lot of religious significance. In this town, the Romans built a temple to praise the goddess Venus. There is a legend in town that mentioned the monks of the monastery not being able to move her out of the temple, so they decided to build around her. This is a very celebrated image in Spain, and Barcelona especially. I was only able to take a picture of the sanctuary in which the statue of the Black Madonna was kept because I did not want to stop the traffic of the people that wanted to come in and see her, but I have some pictures of the views from Montserrat. Hope you enjoy them!
St. Peter’s School in Barcelona – inside viewsOne of the two hills we had to hike to get to schoolViews from the 4th day (no rain after 3 horrible days)Montserrat viewMontserrat viewBlack Madonna sanctuary
Submitted by Heather Fard on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences…
This week in Paris has been hectic. It was the second to last week of winter session study abroad and it was just as stressful as the second to last week of a normal semester. All of the major assignments that have been worked on and talked about all winter session are about to be done. While working on our term papers, my roommates and I took a lunch break in the Tuileries Garden and people watched. It has been an amazing experience to be able to take an hour lunch break in a widely renowned historical site. Also, since it was the second to last week, we decided that our entire group should go out to dinner together. It was really fun to get together with everyone on my study abroad program, since we tend to hang out in smaller groups.
This weekend, I finally went to another country in Europe, the Netherlands. My three best friends from home and I had met up in Amsterdam for the weekend to go sightseeing. It was really good to meet up with them since they will be here for the entire semester. While in Amsterdam, we went to the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and Vondelpark. The Anne Frank House was very solemn and moving. After reading her diary, it was amazing and sad to see the house where it all took place. The Van Gogh Museum was extremely beautiful. It was amazing to see the artworks of famous artists that you have heard about since childhood. Lastly, we went to Vondelpark, which is a beautiful park within the city. The canals around Amsterdam were like nothing I have ever seen in my life. Amsterdam was so cute and cozy and everything I had expected it would be. I stayed in an all-female hostel to fit in with the European traveling style. I think that this past month has made me a more independent traveler. I have never traveled alone, and since the beginning of the month I have maneuvered in two foreign cities without my parents.
Submitted by Olivia May on the 2020 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
This past weekend, I and a few friends of mine traveled to Florence. It was an adventure in and of itself taking the tram and metro during rush hour in Rome to then catch a train. The train we took was a lot different than the trains I usually take at home. First of all, the train ticket to Florence cost as much as some of the flights I got from Italy to various European countries. I was shocked to see such a steep price, but when we got on the train, I immediately understood why. The train was just as nice, if not nicer than an airplane and it even had its own snack stand and workers to come by and ask if we wanted anything to drink.
Once we arrived in Florence, I immediately saw drastic differences between Rome and Florence even though they were only a few hours apart. Florence was much smaller and quieter compared to the big city feel of Rome. I noticed more differences when we went out to dinner and we were charged something called a “coperto” which is a few euro charge for just sitting down to eat at a table. Upon further research, we found out it was an illegal charge in Rome, but not in Florence.
The next day, we explored the center of Florence and it was astounding to see the Duomo. The first thing that popped in my mind was that nothing like that exists in the United States, it was beautiful. That same day, I was also able to see Michelangelo’s David. I’ve grown up seeing the statue in books and learning about it in class so seeing it in person is crazy. Other than having to run to catch the train to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I thought my trip was going pretty smoothly until my friends and I went to buy our train tickets back to Rome. We inserted 150 euros into the machine to get our tickets, but just as we were waiting for our tickets to print and for the machine to give us back our change, an error message popped up and we lost all of our money. We ran to the train company’s customer service desk to explain what happened, but due to the language barrier it was hard to get our message across. The worker had to take down our contact information and said that we would be, hopefully, contacted in a few days for a refund but that it takes a few days to process. This was a very stressful moment for me because I lost my money and then I had to explain this to someone who didn’t speak English well. So it took a lot of patience. This situation taught me to sometimes just take a moment and realize that something somewhat minor like this is not the end of the world. Overall, my long weekend in Florence really showed me how different the culture and lifestyle is in each Italian city.
This picture is from the top of the bell tower overlooking the cupola and the city of Florence
