Submitted by Emily Jimenez on the 2020 winter session program in Dubai sponsored by the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering…
This week, we went to the falcon hospital and had a chance to hold a falcon! I also learned that falcons are a big part of the culture and history of the UAE. Falcons were used for hunting in the desert and are prize possessions to the Emiratís. In airports, falcons get their own passport to avoid smuggling. This week, we also went up in the Burj Khalifa. Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and unlike other buildings it doesn’t have stabilizers. To avoid movement, the building was designed so the air funnels around the building.
Submitted by Dylan Dombroski on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and the Honors Program…
At the beginning of this week, we traveled north to the beautiful city of Firenze, or Florence, for our English counterparts. The city offered us countless breathtaking museums and works of architectural grandeur. Among these were the Uffizi Museum, home to Christian works of art by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and many others. Just down the road is also the Accademia Museum, home to the beautifully crafted David by Michelangelo. Such stunning perfection carved from a single piece of marble can only be appreciated in person, and we are very lucky, therefore, to have been afforded such an opportunity. Besides the priceless works of art which Florence had to offer over the past week, there were also plenty of opportunities for cultural and religious immersion.
Our hotel was situated in the heart of the city, which meant that it was just a short walk from Florence’s Duomo, an iconic work of architectural ingenuity attributable to the lost genius of the architect Brunelleschi who was able to complete the main dome of the cathedral. Also located close to our hotel in Florence were two very historically important religious sites: the church of Santa Croce, and the Great Synagogue of Florence. The first of these, Santa Croce, is a beautifully preserved burial ground for important Italians including Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli. To be on such hallowed ground became even more important when we were told of the devastating floods which reached several meters high in the previous century, damaging much of the city and especially the sacred church. The Great Synagogue which we also visited was no stranger to suffering structural hardship. The simplistic and vast Synagogue, as we were informed, was used as an operating base for the Nazis during World War II and upon being forced to retreat and evacuate the base, the Axis Forces attempted, unsuccessfully, to blow up the Jewish place of worship. To walk on such miraculously preserved ground allowed us to fully appreciate the priceless Rabbinical and historical works which it stored.
Finally, to finish our week abroad, we visited two famous cities just nearby: Siena and Pisa. Both cities were quite similar in that they both had only a few main points of interest and the rest was simply residential areas with an occasional local restaurant. For Pisa this was, of course, the leaning tower with which we were able to enjoy an extensive photo shoot. For Siena, these were its grand cathedrals and town square, home to the annual “Palio,” or horse race. With so much to see and so little time, this week has seemed to fly by. Although this brings with it excitement in traveling to our next city, Verona, it also brings a sense of sadness. I can only hope to remain grounded in the things I am experiencing and the moment I am living in.
Submitted by Amy Sypher on the 2020 winter session program in Tanzania sponsored by the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology…
For the past few days, the University of Delaware study abroad students had the privilege to stay in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area neighboring the Maasai Tribe. We were invited into a family’s Boma that typically houses the wives, children, husband, and all of the livestock. This structure specifically belongs to the first wife of the family.
Submitted by Jill Hynson on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
The site/organization that has begun to reshape my life plan, and ultimately enhance my understanding of the world, was our visit to the Melissa Network. This organization is a center for refugees located in Athens. At first, it started out on a small scale, only helping local women in need due to the violence occurring right here in Athens. However, this organization has seriously grown in the past five years since it was originally started. They now have refugees from multiple places, especially from the Middle East, like Iran and Afghanistan.
The one thing about the Melissa Network that I found especially unique was their outlook about themselves. The founder of the Network referred to them as honeybees. She went on to explain exactly what that meant. Basically, the Melissa Network is aware that they can only help so many people, that they cannot overreach. They do what they can for the women in their community, and the women who come and find them. The Melissa Network knows they cannot save the whole world, so they have set out to help their corner of their society. Every member of the Melissa Network does their little part to help, their little part to make the world a better place. Just like all honeybees have a single job to benefit the hive, every human has a job to help where they can and make the world better off then how they found it. This really spoke to me. As a kid, I always said I wanted to help people, but never knew how. I always felt so insignificant in this vast world. Of course, I still feel like this. In fact, never more so have I felt so helpless then when we were at the Melissa Network, and we heard from one of the refugees from Afghanistan.
However, after experiencing the power and generosity of the Melissa Network, my understanding of the world and my future has definitely changed. I know I cannot help everyone in the world, I cannot truly help people from Afghanistan or Iran. Yet that does not mean I cannot do good, it does not mean I cannot help change the world. So what if I only help a few people? That is still helping the world. My visit to the Melissa Network was the most eye-opening experience of my life, and one I will truly never ever forget. The stories I heard, the passion I saw, and the resilience and strength I witnessed firsthand were extremely touching and powerful. I know I want to be able to help people the way the Melissa Network has touched so many, even though I do not know what that will be at the moment. Overall, I have a more realistic view of the world and of myself. I know I cannot save the world, I am only one person. However, from here on out, I will try everyday to help someone, to do good, and to just fix my little part of this world.
The site of the ruins of the ancient Agora siteThe Greek Parliament BuildingOne of the meeting rooms inside the Parliament
Submitted by Julia Bachar on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Philosophy…
What a different week this has been. We spent eight nights in Volterra, a very small Tuscan city, and our time there was a much different experience from Rome and Florence. There was not much to do, but the sights were absolutely breathtaking, and it was much needed to have relaxation time and be able to do schoolwork. We had an excursion to Pisa, which was amazing and also a day trip to my favorite place yet, Siena. The language barrier in Volterra was definitely a little inconvenient, and I had to use Google Translate a few times when I was trying to communicate. Being in the small town with not much to do really let my group get closer with one another, as there was more interaction than in the big cities. Next stop is Venice, and I am excited for the beauty it has to offer.
Submitted by Cameron Johnson on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
Now that I am deep into my second week of the program and I am sadly entering the third week, I have begun to reflect on my experience here and my life in the United States. I have made close friendships in the short time here that I honestly can say will last beyond college and into our adulthood. It’s strange how you can get so close to people in such a short time, but the people on my program are a group of insanely smart, compassionate, and overall beautiful human beings. I feel lucky to be given the opportunity to travel with these people while learning Biblical and Classical Literature.
This week, I really began to think about privilege and my place in the world. I had the opportunity to visit the Melissa Network which is a non-profit organization for migrant women in Greece who promote empowerment, communication, and active citizenship. This experience has forever changed and impacted my life. I was able to hear stories about women’s struggles and the situations that they had to overcome in order to get to Greece and it made me emotional. It made me think about my family, friends, and the certain things that I take for granted. I have always been an individual that recognizes the sort of privilege that comes with being an American citizen, but it was highlighted while visiting this wonderful organization. Also, I began to realize that while the United States has many wonderful opportunities for my future profession as a teacher that maybe I shouldn’t discount any chances to teach abroad.
I began to think about some of the conversations that I had with my Mother in regards to teaching and I am now seriously considering going abroad to potentially teach English after graduate school. As a future teacher, I always think about the best opportunity for my students, and I would love to travel abroad and help others grasp the English language.
I still can’t believe that I’ve had the opportunity to travel and study in Greece and everyday that I am here I realize how at home I feel here. If I could bring my parents and dog, I would not mind settling here in the future.
Submitted by Clara Hernandez on the 2020 spring semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
This past week, I traveled with my host mom (Tina) to the northern beach of Tisvildeleje. It is a small town, which used to be home to mostly fishermen. The houses built on the beach are very close together, practically in each house’s backyard. However, that was very typical of the fishermen’s homes.
I went out onto the beach with Tina leading the way, and I was able to take a look at the Northern Sea. In comparison to being inland just a few minutes ago, it was now extremely cold and the wind really picked up. There were small boats flipped over in the sand along the sea grass, and a larger sailboat docked in the water. The wind was tipping it over to an uncomfortable angle. The most shocking thing, however, was seeing a group of locals sprint out onto the beach and into the water, wearing summertime bathing suits. They only stayed for a few seconds, and immediately ran back into their house.
Tina told me that this was a typical thing for those who live near the water. She said it is really good for your heart when you jump in the ocean and then get into the sauna, which was the big building I saw the locals run into. This was so extreme to me. I could not imagine how cold that water must be, and doing that regularly in the name of health. Tina says the people who do this are the real Vikings.
Submitted by Olivia Malinowski on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
Throughout the week, I have visited many more places filled with Greek history and culture. I’ve tried new food, tried to speak more of the language when ordering coffee or food, and grown closer to the people on the program. One place we visited that stood out to me was the Greek Parliament. My study abroad group got the chance to tour this building and learn more about its significance. Not only is it architecturally beautiful, but it is the supreme democratic institution. I felt very lucky to have been able to not only learn more about the history of the building, but also to get a tour and be able to sit in the rooms where the members of Parliament come together to make decisions. Being able to learn more about Athens’ government was really interesting and I enjoyed the experience because it was different than the places we have been visiting that have mostly consisted of archaeological sites and museums. I appreciated the chance to learn more about the entities that impact the daily lives of Greek citizens in the present. This has helped me better understand Greek culture on a larger scale and I am very excited to see where this next week takes me!
Submitted by Emily Richardson on the 2020 winter session program in Paris, France and Geneva, Switzerland sponsored by the School of Nursing…
This past week was very fun. I finally learned how to use the Paris Metro. I have never had to use a metro before at all as my Mom and friends have always mapped the route out for me or would just have me follow them. But with the strike ending in Paris, I have had a chance to actually learn how to use a metro. It was kinda hard because everything is in French, but now that I have the hang of it, it is very easy. The name of the metro in France is the RER. Typically, we will take RER B around Paris or use the 6 line to get around. Since the strike ended, it is extremely easy to get around. It typically takes less than half an hour to get to where you are going, unless it is during rush hour. Rush hour in the morning is pretty crazy, the train cars are usually completely full. But rush hour in the evening is not as bad. More than likely, I will have to stand up, but besides that, it isn’t incredibly packed.
There was one day last week when our group went to get on the Metro, but the train cars were so packed that three others and I were not able to get on the same train. Fortunately, we were able to use our skills to get to the right place and we were able to meet everyone for our tour of the Latin Quarter.
Submitted by Bryn Carlinon the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Australia sponsored by the School of Nursing…
The last week in Sydney was filled with many activities and feelings as our program came to an end. We were able to learn so much about the culture of Australia in so little time. Of course, we wished it had been longer, and although we know the rain was desperately needed, we wished the last few days could have been a bit nicer as well. Still, we were able to experience so much. We learned about Aboriginal history, had interactions with animals native to Australia, toured the Sydney Opera House, visited many beaches, toured healthcare facilities, and even peaked into parts of the Blue Mountains. I have to admit that even though we saw it nearly every day, I personally don’t think the views of the Opera House ever got old and will remain one of my favorite parts of the experience.
I will never forget this program and am so grateful for the experience. I hope that I can return one day.
