Author: agliwa

Submitted by Haleigh Kidd on the 2019 fall semester program in Paris, France…

First let me apologize for this delayed post! Classes are starting to pick up and I’m starting to get a fair amount of work and on top of that I just started a babysitting job! Babysitting has been another great way to practice my French (the boys are 9 and 7 and haven’t started formal English classes in school yet, they only know colors and greetings) and to immerse myself in school and family culture in France. My weekend travels have also really opened my eyes to how culture can vary tremendously even across short distances.

My recent trip to Ireland really illustrated this to me – the Irish are very much like Americans in that to make small talk they ask you about what you do, they talk about family, they share stories, etc. etc. They are pretty open about sharing about their lives and want to know you like Americans. We were warned at our first on-site meeting in France that the French are just more protective over the details of their private life and, from my experience, I can tell you this is true. I met another Frenchman during my time in Ireland and after our conversation, I learned nothing of his private life, but his name and his hometown and our conversation mostly consisted of details of our hometowns, the differences between the north and south of France as well as the United States, etc. Even with my supervisors at work, our conversations mostly stay within the realms of politics or cultural differences, and when they both mentioned to me recently about their wife/girlfriend I was a little floored and I felt pretty special being let into their private lives just a little! So fair warning to any Americans, don’t overshare with a French person you’ve just met, delving into personal topics to get to know someone just isn’t the norm here, here it’s normal to share a wall with your neighbor for years and never even learn their name! The only pictures I have to share this week are actually from Ireland at the Cliffs of Moher, only because I was so proud of myself for truly conquering my fear this time by taking a peak over the edge and I have the cliffs I hiked in Normandy to thank for getting me over the first hurdle! My advice: conquer one fear in your life, you’ll never feel any other liberation quite like it.

Submitted by Victoria Vinson on the 2019 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

This week was a bit boring as we are approaching midterms, but this weekend’s adventure was spent in Dublin, Ireland! Two friends and I visited the city, and even though the weather was a bit dreary we still had a wonderful time. We took a tour of the Guinness factory, visited the Cliffs of Moher, and discovered a few genuine Irish pubs. It was a wonderful experience and a great time, and the Irish were friendly as ever! I will definitely be going back someday.

 

Submitted by Danielle Tahan on the 2019 fall semester program in London, England…

I’m so glad that I was finally able to visit the city that I have always wanted to see. My fascination with Paris only grew after taking three levels of French in college. My weekend adventure to the city was beautiful, yet I wish I had more time to explore. It is overwhelming to gain an understanding of a deeply historic city in only a few short days. I wish I had even more time to explore the lovely attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe.

My friends and I experienced our first real challenges with a language barrier. Although I anticipated it to be difficult, I did not expect it to be as overwhelming as it was. My minimal French knowledge did not suffice when I was immersed in the culture. It is an extremely difficult circumstance when you are unable to effectively communicate with those around you. I’m sure that it would only take time to adjust, but for our short visit it was definitely a challenge.

My absolute favorite aspects of the trip was visiting the Eiffel Tower and going on a boat tour! Enjoying a picnic underneath the Eiffel Tower with my friends is now one of my top memories of all time. Although it was an exhausting weekend full of a quick overview of the touristy sites, I thoroughly enjoyed the city and only wish to come back again soon!

Submitted by Nicole Caracciolo on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Barcelona, Spain…

On Wednesday, one of my classes took a field trip to the German Pavillion to sketch any part of the architecture we wanted. I have never been interested in art and have never taken any art classes at UD, but there was something very soothing about sketching a picture for this class. There was no pressure for it to be perfect- he just wanted something on the paper. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would have and was actually really focused on the detail of my drawing. I don’t know if I will ever pursue drawing/sketching as a real hobby, but it is definitely something I may start doing when I want to relax and take some time to myself.

Submitted by Lia Naselli on the 2019 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

I spent this past weekend in the beautiful country of Ireland, probably one of my favorite places on earth. This was my second time visiting Ireland! The first time was about three years ago when I went to visit my best friend, which was also my first time traveling overseas by myself. Being back, brought back so many memories from the first trip and reminded me of how much I love the island.

On Friday, I visited Trinity College and the Book of Kells Exhibit. I also took a guided tour of Dublin Castle. It was so refreshing to spend the day seeing historical sites and learning about Ireland’s rich history. I really value educating myself about the history and tradition of the places I visit. One of the many things I love about Ireland is that the people cherish their country’s history and take so much pride in how their sovereign nation came to be.

On Saturday, I ventured to the west coast of Ireland by bus to see Galway and the Cliffs of Moher. Seeing the cliffs was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. When we arrived, the fog was so thick you couldn’t even see past the edge of the cliffs. But when the fog cleared, it revealed a view I will never forget.

I’m starting to miss it already! I have to admit, it was nice to be in a mostly English-speaking country for a few days. However, I always look forward to returning home to Prague. I am a few weeks into my Czech class, so I’m starting to feel more comfortable with the language and navigating the language barrier in everyday situations.

Until next time, Éireann! (Ireland in Gaelic)

Submitted by Danielle Tahan on the 2019 fall semester program in London, England…

I took my first trip outside of England to Copenhagen to visit one of my best friends from home! From start to finish, it was truly a magical trip. It started off with seamlessly traveling on my own to another country, which is a testament to how much my confidence has already grown while abroad. After being greeted by her in the airport, we explored the beauty in the people, canal, streets, landscape, and food of Copenhagen. It was my first experience in another European Country and I was not expecting to observe many differences, yet the lifestyle and structure of Copenhagen differs from London and does not even compare to America.

It was extremely enlightening to immerse myself in a different way of living. Denmark not only acknowledges their impact on the environment, but implements radical initiatives in their lifestyle. For instance, everyone travels by foot or bike. My favorite part of the journey was immersing myself into the community by getting around by bike. It was breathtaking to be biking around Copenhagen and exploring its beauty and culture.

 

Submitted by Haleigh Kidd on the 2019 fall semester program in Paris, France…

This week has mainly been adjusting to my French classes as they just started on Tuesday. I think so far so good because I understand my teachers and I am able to ask questions if the need arises (they are not allowed to use English with us nor us to them) and I feel like I’m understanding a little bit more every day. I was most nervous for my electives because I have been taking my French instruction classes entirely in French for a few years now, but I’m quite proud of myself and how well I’ve been able to follow along and my electives have been an entirely new way for me to experience the language – it’s much more natural rather than someone reciting grammar to you. The only difficult thing about my classes is that they’re 3 hours long (you take all of your credit hours at once, once per week) so sometimes it can be hard to keep focus. Consequently, I have started to drink coffee which I never did in the States. Other than class, life here in Paris is wonderful. I have the chance to travel on the weekends, I have the freedom to invite my friends over for dinner, and my internship hardly feels like work because I love it so much. In fact my supervisor had me eat an edible flower today that has anesthetic properties – aka my mouth tingled, then went numb, then I couldn’t feel or stop myself salivating and my supervisor thought it was the funniest thing in the world (the plant is called brède mafana for anyone with a curiosity). Enjoy some more pictures from the farm!

 

 

Submitted by Daniel Bailey on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Granada, Spain…

I have been in Granada for one month now, and it is truly starting to feel like home. This past weekend,  I took a trip to London with seven friends from my group, and I had an amazing time. But interestingly enough, I began to miss the streets of Granada, my apartment, and my host mom. It was at this moment when I realized how many lifelong memories I had already made in Granada, and that I still had 2.5 more months left to make more. I have already noticed that my Spanish has gotten much better as well. I am slowly becoming more and more comfortable speaking Spanish to locals and the other students in my group. It is sad that I have already completed 25% of this adventure, but I will be sure to treasure all of my remaining time in Granada and Europe.

Submitted by Ceara Stewart on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Barcelona, Spain…

La Mercé is an annual festival in the city of Barcelona. It has been an official city holiday since 1871, when the local government first organized a program of special activities to observe the Roman Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy. Although the actual feast day is September 24, the festivities begin a few days beforehand.

For this festival, I really went out and celebrated this tradition like a local. I participated in the correfoc, aka the Fire Run. For this festival activity, a group of individuals dress as devils and light up fireworks while dancing to the sound of drum music.

I also got to witness the Catalan Castellers. Basically, they are huge towers of people who sometimes compete against each other.

Finally, on September 24th, the last day of the festivities, I witnessed an amazing pyro-musical. This is basically a show of fireworks synchronized to music as well as the famous Magic Fountain located in Plaça de España.

I am super thankful I decided to stay in Barcelona and witness this amazing holiday like a local!