Submitted by Kira Frank on the 2013 spring semester study abroad program in London, England…
I really wish that everyone could study abroad the way I am right now. My life seems so unreal, and I am so happy! This past weekend I took a trip to Paris with four of my friends and it was completely incredible! My favorite part was the Eiffel Tower. It was just so incredible to see something so huge and majestic up close and personal. It took my breath away, especially when we returned at night to see it lit up. We were even in time to catch it twinkling, which it does every hour! A moment I’ll never forget! We organized a bus tour so we got to see all the great sites. My other favorites included the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. I didn’t realize how beautiful Paris was. The architecture is incredible. I am officially adding it to the list of one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. It was an amazing weekend and I made memories that will last me forever.
Submitted by Brittany Meindl on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in Argentina sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Latin American Studies and the Department of Geography…
Being in Argentina, it is hard to escape the love the Argentineans have for their country’s dance- the Tango. This beautiful and graceful dance originated in Argentina, but has influences from European and African culture. As part of our program, we were able to have private tango lessons for our group. We split into two sections and we were taught step by step the easiest parts of the tango. I do not have an ounce of rhythm in me, but that didn’t stop me from trying! I had so much fun learning each of the moves to this complicated dance. The instructors were so patient with all of us; you could tell not one of us had done this before. Because of the lack of males in the program, I was able to pretend to be a guy and learn some of the male steps, too. It was a blast! I think I might even try to take some lessons at home when I get back to the States!
After two days of lessons, the whole pack of us headed over to Carlos Gardel St. (who is actually the most prominent figure in the history of tango) to see a tango show. Our group dressed up in the most elegant attire we brought and got ready for a once in a lifetime performance. We received an exquisite three-course dinner. Then the curtain opened and we were graced with a full hour and a half of amazing dancing. Watching the performers move together so flawlessly made it look so simple, but as I found out during the lessons, it definitely was not. I could not believe the fast paced flips and turns they made! Each step was perfect; it was as though they were floating across the stage. I believe tango lessons are very much needed!
This past weekend we traveled south to a colder region, Calafate. It was difficult to pack long pants, sweatshirts and a jacket when I was so used to soaking up the warm Buenos Aires sun. On Friday afternoon, we headed out to the mountains to visit an estancia, which we had been discussing for a while now. An estancia is similar to a farm. The whole experience was once again, unbelievable. First, we took a hike to a small lake. The water against the backdrop of the mountains had to be some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. It was so peaceful sitting in the fields and watching the waves hit the rocks. We were then brought back to the estancia to see sheep herding and we were even able to see one get sheered! The wool was thick and unbelievably soft. Next we all gathered into the restaurant to eat an amazing meal of chorizo and lamb with my favorite dessert- panqueques con dulce de leche.
Saturday morning we awoke at 8:00 for our main excursion to Los Glaciares National Park. Just when I thought I could not see anything more beautiful, I laid my eyes upon the Moreno Glacier. It was huge! Our group was lucky enough to see the glacier from many angles. The most amazing part was when we boarded a boat to see the glacier close up. That is when I truly realized how giant this glacier actually is. Not only that, but its masses of ice crash into the lake with astounding roars! The chunks that fall create huge waves that rocked the boat. It was an astounding sight to see. We were then able to explore the Andes Mountains a little more and to see the Moreno Glacier from other sides. I have to admit, even though I dislike the cold, Calafate was one of my favorite trips.
Submitted by Samantha Fino on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in Costa Rica sponsored by the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology…
At each location we did bird point counts and recorded the species of birds we saw in the area. We also discussed issues in conservation throughout the trip, such as what problems exist in the environment and possible solutions to these conflicts.
Location 1 (during week 1): Santa Rosa/Nancite, Tropical Dry Forest. For the first handful of days in Costa Rica, we went to the Santa Rosa National Reserve. Here we went on short hikes to explore the environment and the wildlife. We saw agautis and anteaters, as well as a variety of birds and arthropods. We hiked 10 miles to Playa Nancite. On this hike we climbed a very difficult mountain, but the view from the top was worth it. This was also the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean, so that was pretty cool. Early the following morning, we found an arribada on the beach. There were over 300 turtles coming on shore to lay their eggs on the beach. The site was incredible.
Location 2 (during weeks 1 and 2): Altos San Luis, Premontane Moist Forest. Here, in addition to hiking the local trails and seeing amazing wildlife, such as white faced capuchins, keel-billed toucans and leaf cutter ants, we explored a nearby waterfall, went to the cloud forest (Monteverde), learned about a sustainable coffee farm and experienced the culture in a local town called Santa Elena.
Location 3 (Week 2): Tiskita, Tropical Wet Forest. Along with local hikes and explorations, we saw wildlife such as kinkajous and fer de lances, we surfed at the beach, went horseback riding, and swam in waterfall pools. We also went snorkeling.
Location 4 (during weeks 2 and 3): Premontane Rainforest. In addition to local hikes and seeing wildlife, such as the resplendent quetzal, we visited a sustainable fish farm and a quetzal research station. We also played a game of soccer with the locals and climbed a mountain called Cerro del Muerte, mountain of death, to the continental divide.
Location 5 (week 3 and 4): Selva Bananito in San Gerardo de Dota, Tropical Moist Forest. At this location we saw the highest natural biodiversity of bird species, ranging from a great kiskidee to a montezuma oropendola. We also caught a puma on a camera trap. In addition to local hikes, we repelled up and down large trees, went horseback riding, and had a bonfire.
Location 6 (week 4) La Selva in Limon Province. Here we took local hikes and went rafting down a river. Here we mainly compiled our data from our bird counts, created powerpoint presentations on our information, and drew conclusions based our results. All of this information on tropical biodiversity mainly stressed the importance we need to put on nature and the environment through governmental protection and conservation.
The group we went with was honestly one of a kind and could not have been better. We all bonded so well which made the trip even more enjoyable.
Submitted by Andrew Schaaf on the 2013 spring semester study abroad program in Rome, Italy…
So, this week I began my for-credit Italian internship with the Guarini Institute for Public Affairs. It seems like it’s going to be very time consuming, but I think it will be a very worth while experience that will look fantastic on my resume. Classes all seem to be going well, and I was able to pick up my “permesso di soggiorno” this week so now I’m legally allowed to be here as sanctioned by the nation of Italy. This weekend, we attended our first Italian concert at the largest venue in Rome, the Palazzo dei Congressi, which translates to the Congressional Hall. We saw world famous DJ David Guetta perform along with other famous DJ’s. The Italian concert scene is far different from that of America’s. It wasn’t a formal event, but you could still find people wearing sweaters and scarves and heels and dresses, which is not what we were expecting to find. It seems that regardless of where Italians go, they always feel the need to dress nicely regardless of how practical their outfits may or may not be. I believe it’s this mentality that they always expect that they will end up seeing or meeting someone important and feel the need to be pepared to “fare la bella figura” which means to make a good impression. First impressions are a large part of social interaction here and it’s not really something we value all too heavily in the United States. Culture shocks are arising in all sorts of forms here and its quite eye-opening.
Submitted by Christina Conte on the 2013 spring semester DIS (Denmark’s International Study Program) program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
It has been another great week in Copenhagen! I had two very interesting field studies this past Wednesday for my Epidemiology and Health Beyond Borders courses. For epidemiology we were given the task of conducting a small study on cancer prevalence in Denmark. At first the task seemed very daunting as at this point we had only had three epidemiology courses covering the basics of the subject. My group decided to research the prevalence of melanoma in the north and south of Denmark. We found that using data from the past five years, males in the south of Denmark have a 33% higher risk of developing melanoma than those in the north of Denmark. My next field study was to the United Nations! It was so cool to be in such a significant place in the first place, but the afternoon got even better as we heard from different UN Global Health Initiative (GHIs) such as UNFP, the United Nations Population Fund, and the World Food Programme (WFP). To finish the day off, I then went to a fascinating lecture on climate change and how Denmark has been working on their sustainability at the University of Copenhagen student union.
This week was also very educational outside of the classroom as I learned more about Danish culture living with my host family. There were a lot of birthdays in my host family as well as extended host family this past week and I was surprised to find how differently the day is celebrated in Denmark compared to the U.S. When it is someone’s birthday here, you adorn the house inside and out with the Danish flag. For my host brother’s birthday, we had a small flag pole as the center piece of our kitchen table and the Danish flag hanging outside. When I went to a family birthday party later in the week, the house was adorned with flags on the napkins, porcelain plates, tables, and of course proudly displayed outside. Another cultural experience I had this past week was visiting the town of Roskilde, which is about 45 minutes from the Copenhagen city center. I went there with a group of students from my program to the National Viking Museum and the Roskilde Cathedral, also known as the church of Denmark. The Viking museum was fascinating to me because I previously only associated Vikings with the horned hats they are typically drawn with. In fact, this one “fact” I thought I knew about Vikings was not even true! They were actually for the most part traders and citizens spreading Christianity. The Roskilde Cathedral was by far the most beautiful building I have seen so far in Copenhagen! Not only was it an architectural gem, but it also houses so much history as it contains the tombs of the majority of kings and queens of Denmark and is where the kings and queens are married. This week was definitely a learning experience inside and outside of the classroom and I am looking forward to what week four will bring me!
Submitted by Jenna Haley on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France and Geneva, Switzerland sponsored by the School of Nursing…
After a wonderful month together, we had our farewell dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower. The past week, we visited Normandy and studied how war changed nursing and gave our thanks to our brave soldiers. We also went to the famous cemetery Pere-Lachaise, where Oscar Wilde and Gertrude Stein are buried. Our last night was a wonderful time, gazing out at the city that gave us so many memories and lessons over the past month. We’ve all taken a lot away from this trip and we are extremely grateful that we had this opportunity to study nursing from a global perspective. We had a tearful goodbye, and we will never forget the memories and friendships we made on this trip.
Submitted by Benjamin Blake on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in Costa Rica sponsored by the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology…
On January 22nd, our group left our mountain lodge at 8 am and hiked El Cerro de La Muerte, which translates to The Hill or Mountain of the Dead. Upon hearing this hike was called that, we thought it might be very difficult. We were right. The hike involved 5.5 miles of straight uphill climbing to get to the continental divide, which separates the Pacific side of Costa Rica from the Caribbean side. The bugs were very numerous, especially in the forest, but they vanished once we were at a high enough elevation. The hike was so strenuous that only half of our group was able to make it to the summit in time before we had to turn around and begin the hike back down. It took me and the others who were with me, four and a half hours to get to the top. Going back was much easier than coming up. Nevertheless, it is definitely cool to be able to say that I hiked El Cerro de La Muerte, since it is definitely not an easy task, and I’m definitely glad that I made it to the top, even though the view was mostly obscured by clouds.
Top of El Cerro de la Muerte
On January 29th we went rafting down the Puerto Viejo River, part of which went through the Biological Station/Preserve of La Selva. It was a very calm, peaceful river with little to no rapids. However, it was teeming with wildlife. Everywhere we looked, we saw a different bird perched or flying by. Among the birds we saw were tiger herons, great blue herons, Amazon kingfishers, keel billed toucans, and chestnut mandibled toucans. Although the trip started out very cloudy with on and off rain showers, the sun came out for the last part of the trip. At one location, we were able to jump off a cliff that was 10-15 feet high into the river. We also stopped on a sandy island in the middle of the river to enjoy fresh pineapples and watermelons as well as float in the river. All in all it was a great experience.
Submitted by Ryan Schultz on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Music…
Ninety years ago, a UD professor by the name of Raymond W. Kirkbride had envisioned something incredible that would change the lives of millions across the globe. Ninety years later after the first of eight students had set sail for France, it has changed my life. What an honor it is to be a part of the university that started international education. UD has truly made it a priority to give its students as many possibilities to travel to places they have only dreamed of. UD had offered me an opportunity that I could not let go and I am very happy that I made sure that my dream became a reality. Even after my stay in London, it is still hard to believe everything that I had done within the past 30 days.
I have gone from the Underground, to the London Eye, to Big Ben and Parliament, to Buckingham Palace, to Trafalgar Square, to Camden and Covent Garden Markets, to Tower of London, to Hyde Park, to the British Museum, to Royal Albert Hall, and so much more. I have traveled an incredible amount within London and there is still so much more I could have seen. In addition, I was able to travel hundreds of miles to Dublin, Ireland, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland to see breath-taking sites.
As a Music Major, there is not a better place in the world to travel to and to study orchestral music. No other city is able to maintain and successfully cherish five unique and incredible orchestras. The amount of talented musicians within London is enormous and the performances that they put on each night are outstanding. Within one month, I have gone to seven orchestral concerts, a piano recital, and two Broadway shows. Each one was fantastic and I could have easily spent all my money on music performances. I have learned a great deal about what makes classical music flourish within this city like nowhere else. Classical music has a special significance within London for the musicians and its viewers. I love every aspect of it and I wish I could stay and always be a part of it.
What an amazing journey it has been. I could have easily stayed in London for an entire fall/spring semester. This city is very special to me and will always be my favorite. I am so fortunate to have gone with such a great group of friends for they really made this trip worthwhile. I will always treasure my experiences abroad and always be thankful for this unique study abroad music program. I hope many more will follow in my footsteps. There is nothing better than a study abroad experience. It is an experience that everyone should have and UD is the best university to make these dreams a reality.
Submitted by Regina Cordell on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in Trinidad and Tobago sponsored by the Department of Music…
Last week we visited the Gills Pan Shop to learn how steel drums are made! The Gills Pan Shop is the biggest supplier of steel drums in the world and even more amazing is the fact that all of the drums are made by hand. From smoothing out the drum, separating the notes, grooving the notes, and cutting the drum to the right size, to tuning the drum, this process can be done in one day to produce one steel drum, given that an assembly line of workers are all doing a task. The Gills Pan Shop also created an Application for Smartphones and tablets called Digital Pan, where you can play any type of steel drum at your fingertips! (For free!!)
On Saturday, we went to the semi-finals for the steel band competition called Panorama, where hundreds of steel bands assemble in a big field in Port of Spain and lots of spectators and tourists walk around listening to all the bands warm up. The Supernovas got second place in the small band category which means they qualified for the finals!!
After our last steel drum class on Monday, we visited the Lopinot Village and saw lots of beautiful trees and flowers and a small history museum.
Today we finally arrived back in Philadelphia after a very long day of travel. We all thoroughly enjoyed the trip and were sad to say good-bye to our friends and all the nice people in Trinidad. It will take some time to re-adjust to cold weather!
Submitted by Krista VanArtsdalen on the 2013 winter session study abroad program in Milan, Italy sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies…
January 21
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Today we left the hotel at 10:00 am so I finally got to sleep in a little, which has been pretty rare here. Our group took the metro to the Catholic University of Milan, where we started our morning with a tour of the University. However, I felt a little uncomfortable when we toured a church as a funeral ended. On the way back to the student center of the University, we stopped to get some hot chocolate and coffee. Once back at the student center we were given an hour for lunch and headed to a cafe, where I got a delicious caprese sandwich.
After lunch we entered a small classroom where we listened to a lecture given by a professor, Silvia, and a doctorate student, Paola.
January 22
Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca Today we went to the Nido Bambini Bicocca, which is a high quality childcare center at a university in Milan. We left our hotel at 8:45 am and took the city buses to get to the school. We arrived at the lab school early and watched a video on the facility. I learned that the Nido cares for the children of the school’s partnership organizations as well as the children of families in the neighborhood who enroll through the municipality of Milan. The facility is for children ranging in ages from 3 months to 3 years old and provides full time or part time services. I found it interesting that all meals for the children are prepared in the Nido and that they cannot bring their own food with them. After the video, we split up into small groups so that we could observe the classes from observation booths in each room. We had lunch after our observations and then had time to ask the teachers questions about the facility. We then took the bus back near the center of the city and went back to our hotel, where I attempted to tackle the large amount of work I must complete this week.
January 26
Firenze
Today a group of us went to Florence for the day, our last big trip here. When we got to Florence we went to the Duomo, which was beautiful and different from the other cathedrals I have seen here.
Duomo in Florence
After our quick stop at the Duomo, we headed to the Statue of David by Michelangelo, which was much bigger than I expected. We then made our way to Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge in the city. We crossed the bridge and ate lunch at a pizzeria called Gusta’s before shopping, which is what we wanted to do most. We all bought leather purses and various other items. I got a purse for myself and one for my sister. I also got a pink wallet for myself, which I wasn’t going to get, but I do love pink things so I decided to get it. After we all finished shopping, we waited in a small cafe and had hot chocolate until the our train arrived. I loved Florence, I wish we could have spent an entire weekend there!
January 28
Inter Milan
Yesterday, I finally got to sleep in a little! Not too late though because breakfast closes at 11 and Jen and I didn’t want to miss that!
After breakfast, I spent the morning/afternoon working on my project, finishing my paper and starting my powerpoint for the presentation. At 7:30 pm a group of us met in the lobby to go to the Inter Milan (the locals just call them Inter) vs. Torino soccer game. Following locals dressed in their Inter scarves, hats, and shirts, we took two subways and a bus to get to the stadium. We made it by 8:45 pm when the game started and found our seats high up in the stands. The game was very exciting with Inter scoring a goal within the first 5 minutes! By the time the game ended at 10:30 pm there was a 2-2 tie. We made it back to the hotel around 11:30 pm and I continued to work on my presentation for Monday.
January 30
Goodbye Milano
The past couple of days in Milan are a blur with packing and trying to do as much in the city as I can before leaving. On Monday (January 28) I presented my project in class. Later that night, a group of us went out, some of us going to Loolapaloosa (the club we went to the first time we all went out together). I had a great time with everyone, but it was a little sad knowing we were leaving soon. On Tuesday we had our last class and then a few of us went to the Duomo to get some last minute souvenirs. That night everyone went to our farewell dinner. The dinner was served in courses and the food was delicious. Wednesday morning, we left the hotel at 6 am. Our flight from Milan to Frankfurt was a little unsettling, but it was short and I was glad to get off the plane. We then had a 9 hour flight back to Philly where I finally reunited with my family. I missed my family and friends so I am happy to be home, but I wish we had just a little more time in Italy. This was an amazing experience and I met a lot of great people! I know I’ll never forget this trip and I would love to go back to Italy one day!
