Category: Europe

Submitted by Kyla Cerce on the 2017 winter session program in Spain sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences…

This week I had the opportunity to tour the city of Zaragoza and immerse myself in their culture. My favorite place in the city thus far is the Cathedral Basilica. Not only is the Pillar Church breathtaking on the outside, but it is even more beautiful on the inside! It is a Roman Catholic Church which lies next to the Ebro River. This was the first church dedicated to Mary in history. Inside the church there is mass, confession booths and beautiful paintings and architecture. For the Spanish culture it is very important to be respectful, not take pictures inside the church, and remain quiet!

Submitted by Marianna Nuzzo on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Leipzig, Germany sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…

This week has been one of the most eventful weeks of my life. I am constantly taking in new things and navigating first time experiences. Though it has been uncomfortable at times, it has also been extremely rewarding. For example, when we first arrived in Germany ordering at a restaurant or checking out at a grocery store in another language intimidated me. I was unsure of cultural norms and manners so this led to a lot of pointing and awkward laughter on my part. However, as we have continued to do this, I have learned how to deal with these situations more smoothly. I have also learned the value of being comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Things will not always go as planned, but it is important to adapt as quickly as possible.

We have been so many places in this past week. I’ve always known the world was large, but seeing it for yourself is enlightening. When we went to the Monument to the Battle of Nations (Völkerschlachtdenkmal) I was a bit in awe. I had never seen a monument of that size. The sheer grandeur of it invokes a feeling of insignificance. The Battle of Nations signifies the beginning of Napoleon’s downfall. The importance of that particular moment in history is not easily described in words and the monument does an incredible job of creating that feeling without words. Overall, this week has been full of learning and growth. I am excited about what is to come.

Submitted by Courtney Dill on the 2017 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of English…

Upon our first day in Rome, we embarked on a walking tour of Rome which consisted of a number of important historical sites, one of which was the Trevi Fountain. For most people who don’t recall this site, they might have encountered it from the Lizzie McGuire movie. This stop on the tour stood out to me especially because of it’s grand nature and the cultural traditions that accompanied it. This was the first time abroad for me, and the first time encountering another culture as a foreigner. Upon the initial shock of seeing the fountain, our tour guide explained to us that it was a Roman tradition to toss a coin with you right hand across your heart (left shoulder) for it is believed then that you will one day return to Rome. He explained also that all the coins went to charity, a wonderful cause. When first approaching the fountain, we saw dozens of people rushing to line up before the fountain to participate and record the picturesque moment. We also saw the government officials collecting coins for charity. As a group, we all forged our way to the fountain’s facade and each participated in this beautiful Roman, yet foreign and enticing, tradition.

Submitted by Rachel Sawicki on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…

Greetings from Granada! It has been almost four days since my arrival in Spain, and it has been more amazing than I ever imagined. I’ve seen so much of Madrid, toured Toledo, and already made myself at home in Granada. It feels like I have already been here for so long, but I know that the next three weeks are going to fly by faster than I think.

My very first day was fairly rough in all honesty. The jet-lag hit me worse than I thought it would, and I was shocked to learn just how real pickpockets are when my phone was stolen before we even arrived at our hotel. It really put a damper on my mood, but only for a few hours. Some friends back home told me that their phone was stolen when they went abroad as well, and it sucks, but it’s no reason to ruin your entire trip. My professor helped me go out and get a new, cheap prepaid phone the next day, and I’ve had just as great of a time without my iPhone. In fact, I see it as a blessing in disguise. If I had my iPhone, I worry that I would be too worried about taking pictures, checking my email and keeping my social media updated. Without a phone, it has allowed me to simply absorb the culture and pay close attention to the world around me, rather than a world behind a screen. Plus, I can always have my friends send me the pictures they took when I get home. The personal experience is much more valuable than some likes on a picture.

I don’t believe I’ve had too much culture shock so far. I feel confident in my ability to speak adequate Spanish and to understand, accept, and abide by the cultural norms here. Our classes start tomorrow and I’m very excited to begin my studies again. I also love how much free time we have to explore the city, because there is so much to do and so much to explore.

Submitted by Andrew Olbrich on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Philosophy…

I have been in Rome for the past five days, and every moment has been amazing. We have seen many things including the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, as well as several other smaller churches and landmarks. However, seeing the Pantheon was mind blowing. As a mechanical engineer, this is an amazing piece of engineering. This building has a large dome, with a small opening in the center. This dome was extremely unique, given that no one else knew how to build a dome for over 1,000 years after the Pantheon was completed. It is this piece of architecture and countless other ancient buildings that drew me to go on this program. Everywhere I turn, I see a new building or structure that has been standing there for thousands of years. This is what is unique about Rome and Italy in itself. I’m used to cities like Philadelphia or New York City, with big skyscrapers and modern looking aesthetics. Arriving in Rome, I was instantly aware of the difference between these cities. Yes, the city is one of the largest in the world, as are Philadelphia and New York City, but there is a stark difference here as compared to these American cities. Italy contains almost no giant buildings, as the peak of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the highest points in the city. Rome is laced with artifacts dating back to 500 B.C., while the earliest landmarks in America are only really a few hundred years old. This is a very unique program and I am enjoying every minute of it.

 

Submitted by Kaitlin Vienne on the 2017 winter session program in Barcelona, Spain sponsored by the Horn Program in Entrepreneurship…

Traveling to Europe for the first time has definitely been an experience worth having. It has been three days thus far and I feel as if I have seen so much, yet have so much left to see! After our 7.5 hour flight delay at JFK due to a snow storm, we have finally arrived and are residing in Placa de Tetuan in Barcelona. There are 20 students on the program and we are all staying in the same building split between 3 floors.

A major adjustment has been made, as there has been hardly any access to cellular data or WiFi. Since American students seem to be addicted to cell phones and social media, it is easy to imagine that this is definitely a change. We have very weak WiFi connection in our apartments and only access to the internet in cafes and restaurants (so it is a great excuse to find new places!). It has been a bit difficult in times when we want to contact our families and need directions (using physical maps – what a sight!), but otherwise, it is extremely refreshing to be disconnected for such a long period of time and to solely focus on the beauty of the city. Without the internet connection, there is no pull to constantly check the phone and the time spent with each other is much more valuable.

So far, we have visited the Barcelona Cathedral and the Gothic Quarter. The area is absolutely beautiful, especially near the water. We have been walking, using the metro and taking taxis. The metro is much cleaner than the NYC subway system and has a much calmer environment. You can actually see the various train cars moving and turning on the tracks, as all of the tracks are connected and open on the inside, much different than changing cars in NYC as each sector is separate. It is interesting to see the train turn from the outside and watch the cars in front of you sway, but you don’t seem to feel the movement.

One thing, I have noticed is that most people walk dogs with no leashes. The dogs stay by the owner’s side and do not wander, especially in the metro stations, something almost never seen in the United States. Also, drivers actually stop for crosswalks throughout the city. Throughout NY,C everyone seems to fly through crosswalks with no thought to stop for pedestrians, however, that is not the case here.

Using euros has gotten much easier, as it is so similar to the U.S. dollar. However, there is very little to no tipping here. It is so different as we spend so much on tipping services in the United States. The mannerisms are very interesting to note, as people truly value and enjoy sitting in cafes and restaurants rather than constantly running around, taking food and coffees to go as we so frequently do at home. Time spent together and meals eaten are highly valued, and it seems we have lost that important aspect across the United States. As dinner is usually eaten around 9:00 pm -10:00 pm here, it is a radical change from the 5:00 pm -6:00 pm usual dinner in the United States. All meals seemed to be “appetizer” sized, so we must order many tapas to fill ourselves up. However, the gelato is unreal and definitely something that I will miss when I return home.

 

 

As most residents speak some bit of English, the language barrier has been a bit of a challenge. In most places, I am able to speak to and understand locals, and it has been very exciting to finally put my five years of studying Spanish to the test. It turns out that I have remembered and know more Spanish than most of my peers on the program which is pretty cool because I am able to speak the most to the natives and try to make the best out of my language skills.

 

Submitted by Shawn Futch, Jr. on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Ireland and London, England sponsored by the Department of Accounting and the Department of Finance…

I’ve now been in Ireland for a full week, and I can honestly say that it has been such a wonderful experience thus far. But given that this is my first time traveling to Europe, I couldn’t help but notice even the smallest differences the moment I stepped off the plane.

First, I noticed that the smallest euro bill in circulation is the 5, whereas at home in the US, we have 1 and 2 dollar bills instead of coins. I don’t mind it, but it does make my pockets heavy rather quickly.

Second, I noticed that the major convenience store in Ireland is called “Spar,” and upon entering, it reminded me of a 7-Eleven back home (but not too much). A lot of the foods are different, and things I would normally eat at home taste just a tad bit different here.

Lastly, the temperatures are similar the Northeastern United States, but the sun barely ever shines here! I’ve only seen the sun shine once this week, and after asking some locals, I found out that on average, Ireland only gets between 46-67 days of sunlight a year!

Differences aside, Ireland is a lovely place steeped in history. I can’t wait to see more!

Submitted by Hallie Fausey on the 2017 winter session program in Granada sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

After being in Granada for a week, I have learned a lot about the culture. One thing that I had not known before was that in Spain, breakfast is always small and lunch is usually the most important meal. The traditional breakfast in Andalusia is “las tostadas”, which is toasted bread with chopped tomatoes and olive oil. Olive oil is also used in other traditional foods such as “ensalada de pimientos”, so it is a very important ingredient in Granada.

I was surprised to learn that the culture in Granada has a heavy Arab influence as well. For example, over the past week, I visited the Alhambra which was where Arab kings would live, since Granada and many other parts of Spain used to be under Arab rule. Many older buildings also show some Arab architecture, and there are old mosques, many converted for other purposes, which are scattered around the city. Being under Arab rule brought stability to the cities they controlled and played a large part in shaping the culture.

It amazed me that there was so much important history about Spain that I had never been taught. The Arab era in Spain’s History is both long (over 700 years) and important in the development of the country. So much time has been spent learning American History that we miss out on the history of the rest of the world. This experience has highlighted the gap in my knowledge and made me want to find what other vital history I am missing about Spain.

Submitted by Kassandra Borhi on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France sponsored by the Department of Fashion & Apparel Studies…

With week one drawing to a close, I am looking through the camera roll on my phone to find my favorite pictures from the week to take a few minutes to talk about. While I have done so much in such a short amount of time, I feel like the two pictures that stood out to me are: the first picture of me on top of the Eiffel Tower during the day and the second is of the Eiffel Tower at night. These pictures are both special to me for different reasons and just looking at them brought me back to how I felt at the time of the picture. The picture of me on top of the tower is important because it taught me about myself. I am extremely scared of heights, but I did not want to miss seeing the city from above. So I entered the elevator to bring me up, and even though I slightly freaked out on the way up, I stayed on top of the tower for a while. In doing this, I showed myself that this fear does not have to be a big part of my life, that I can overcome it. I learned that I am able to do things that while they may scare me, I will be okay. This relates to the study abroad program as I am kind of worried about living in a foreign country without knowing anyone on the program prior to getting here. However, like conquering my fear of heights, I know I will be able to get through this program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second picture of the tower at night was taken on the first night of the program. I had gone with all of my roommates to see the tower light up as it does every hour on the hour. We decided to try using our metrocards for the first time and took the bus across Paris to get to the tower. We got off the bus and rounded the corner to see the Eiffel Tower staring back at us. We were all taken aback and frankly shocked at how pretty it looked all lit up. We spent the next 20 minutes in the same spot starring and taking pictures. In this moment, I felt like this one image, of the tower lit up, was a positive sign for the rest of the program. It seemed as if this was some sort of sign that I was going to be happy and have an amazing time in this city I have always dreamed of coming to. And yes, maybe I am crazy for thinking that the Eiffel Tower was a sign, but it seemed like that to me.

Submitted by Madison Mitchell on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Communication…

This week, I had the pleasure of starting my winter session experience in London, England! This is my first time traveling to Europe and I am extremely excited to spend the month in London to say the least. During the first half of the first week, my class and I had the opportunity to visit Kensington Palace. As soon as we approached the building, I immediately recognized the gardens area because this is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their royal engagement. After having a look around outside, my class and I spent the morning exploring the palace rooms and considering how public relations plays a role at this royal, historical site. Being able see to the connections of the public relations content we discuss in class in real life at Kensington Palace was an incredible learning experience. All in all, I cannot wait to see what else the city of London has to offer this month!