Category: Fall Semester

Submitted by Eleanor Helm on the 2023 fall semester program in Granada, Spain…

This week has probably been my hardest week so far in Granada, but I’m still “surviving and thriving” as they say. My week started off great–on Monday, I had the opportunity to visit the Granada Cathedral with my Renaissance Art History class. It was very interesting to get an expert’s analysis of the building so I could understand the symbolic importance of the architecture in addition to just appreciating its aesthetic features. For instance, since Granada was the last Muslim city that the Catholic Kings conquered in Spain, building this Christian cathedral was a very important symbol of their victory at the time. It’s interesting to see how the architecture and politics of Spain’s history were intertwined in this way.

Then the next day, we walked around the city with one of the Jewish families that lives in Granada and learned a bit about the Jewish history here. I found this to be a very relevant learning experience, considering the current conflict in Israel and Palestine. Also, it was such a unique experience to speak with someone who is both a historian of the Jewish influence in Spain and a current member of the Jewish community there. I think she definitely had a much deeper insight into their history considering her personal connection to the culture, and I was very grateful that she took the time to speak with us.

However, my luck ran out by Thursday when I began to battle a bad cold and had to go to the doctor for the first time in Spain. The whole process of getting to the hospital, communicating with the medical staff in Spanish, and then finding a pharmacy was very stressful, but in retrospect, it was interesting to see how another country’s healthcare system works. But, hopefully I won’t have to navigate this system again any time soon. Luckily though, as I recovered from my cold, I still got to enjoy the views from my house in the Albaicin neighborhood, including watching a partial eclipse from the terrace. All in all, it’s reassuring to know that even when I’ve been met with challenges here, I have overcome them and have been able to learn something from them. (Submitted during Week 7)

Submitted by Brynna Torpey on the 2023 fall semester program in Rome, Italy…

Spoleto is a beautiful city outside of Rome in the Umbria Region. A truly medieval town that looks straight out of a storybook. Home to the famous opera festival, along with Ponte delle Torri, Spoleto Cathedral, and Rocca Albornoziana. It is rich in culture, design, and Roman Architecture. It has hand-painted ceilings and walls, along with beautiful green hills. Many of the locals speak mostly Italian, so my lessons finally came in hand when ordering food and pastries. This town was worth the visit and I hope to go back to the Umbria region to visit more towns.

Submitted by Eleanor Helm on the 2023 fall semester program in Granada, Spain…

Now that I’ve been here in Granada for over a month, I feel like I’m beginning to
understand more of the nuances of life in Spain. In my classes, I’m learning about the history
and civilization of Spain from different angles (eg. the culture, ancient and modern history, styles
of art, language, etc.), so now when I listen to the news or walk around the city, I feel like I finally
have enough context to understand why things are the way they are. I’m glad that I’ve been
able to transition away from being just a tourist to someone who can appreciate this culture on a
deeper level.

Another awesome development for me so far has been that my Spanish is really starting to improve. I noticed this especially when I came back to Spain after visiting Italy, and I felt this peculiar relief to be able to speak Spanish again instead of trying to communicate in Italian. It’s amazing that after such a short period of time my understanding of another language has been able to improve so much that it has become familiar by comparison.

While the Spanish language has become more familiar to me, the sights and sounds of Andalucia has not. I still am amazed each time I see a new monument in this beautiful country, and I can’t comprehend how every town here has some incredible cathedral, palace, or plaza. There is such a richness of architecture and history on all sides, and this was especially evident when I visited Sevilla. There, we got to see la Plaza de España, los Reales Alcázares, and la Catedral de Sevilla along with its Torre de la Giralda. These three landmarks were all extremely distinct, coming from different eras and traditions, but each was extremely beautiful. I feel very fortunate to have been able to visit this amazing city, and I am excited to contrast it with Córdoba when we visit there in November. There is so much to look forward to, and I plan on experiencing as much as I can in the months to come. (Submitted during Week 6)

Submitted by Brynna Torpey on the 2023 fall semester program in Rome, Italy…

Anzio Beach Day is a gorgeous little beach town in which we got to enjoy the clear blue water and got to see locals enjoy the sunny day. The beach trip was absolutely gorgeous being able to sit and enjoy the time pass by. We got to enjoy some amazing food and were able to experience a different area. Although a short time from Rome it’s amazing being able to see other locals enjoy their day off. To swim in Italian water for the first time was so refreshing and being able to enjoy a nice beach day with friends. (Submitted during Week 3)

Submitted by Brynna Torpey on the 2023 fall semester program in Rome, Italy…

The Streets of Trastevere are rich in life, culture, and color. Trastevere streets are always lively, any time of day. Whether it be getting a cappuccino with a friend or enjoying a night out with friends. I find the most joy when I’m on a walk and I can stop and appreciate the buildings, people, and the laughs in the air. As you walk the streets you become accustomed to the hustle and bustle of everything. It truly is becoming like home abroad as you continue to enjoy the small things throughout your day, such as this building. (Submitted during Week 2)

Submitted by Brynna Torpey on the 2023 fall semester program in Rome, Italy…

What most don’t know is that the perfect time to see the Fontana di Trevi would be at night, specifically 12am. Although dark, there are less people and the lights still shine to show its true beauty. When no people are around you can sit and take in how this masterpiece is still so important for Italian culture. The fountain can be seen in multiple movies and pop culture references. The most important would be Three Coins in the Fountain, depending on how many coins you toss will be what comes true for you. I tossed one coin in my left hand over my right shoulder, with the hopes of returning to this beautiful city (Submitted during Week 1).

Submitted by Esha Shah on the 2021 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

Uncertainty is the best word to describe the emotions of most students awaiting their opportunity to study abroad in the fall 2021 semester. Personally, I didn’t think traveling abroad was going to happen. As a World Scholar, I signed up for the experience of studying abroad twice for a semester during my time at the University of Delaware (UD). My first study abroad, I lived in Rome, Italy in Fall 2019 and since then I have had the pleasure of studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, located in Eastern Europe; a region I’d never truly discovered until recently.

One of the very first weeks a number of study abroad students went to “Bohemian Switzerland” for a hike. The name comes from the fact that Switzerland has some of the best mountain ranges and the region of Prague is considered Bohemia, so it was Prague’s version of the Swiss mountain ranges. As many of the hikes I’ve done seem to show me, the amount of strength and energy it takes to climb up, is all worth it when you reach the top and take in the views. Bohemian Switzerland was nothing short of astonishing and continues to remind me of the beauty of nature that a city like Prague has to offer.

A couple of times a month, CEA sponsors excursions. Some of these included visiting Karlštejn Castle , and watching an opera at the National Theatre. The Czech Republic has no shortage of castles and palaces, in fact the university we study at,, is a refurbished palace itself. The opera was an experience I had never had, but students did not pass up the opportunity to dress up formally to attend The Bartered Bride in Czech with English subtitles. Since then, we have visited and toured underground salt mines in Kutna Hora and plan to explore the history of the Czech Republic during World War II and the former concentration camps in the area.

I have to say that Prague is one of the very few places where the views from any corner are absolutely breathtaking, especially during the fall season, whether it’s from Prague Castle, the Petrin Tower (a look-alike version of the Eiffel Tower), or the Old Town Square Tower, with the famous astronomical clock.

I feel that I may have taken for granted the opportunity to study abroad, but especially after the pandemic, I have taken every opportunity to experience as much as I possibly can, given that the precursor to this whole experience was covered in uncertainty. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m abroad, let alone the fact that I only have a month left till I return. I continue to be grateful for the opportunity the Center for Global Programs and Services has offered me through my time as an undergraduate at UD.

Submitted by Katharine Hamelin on the 2021 fall semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…

The DIS Copenhagen study abroad program is unique for many reasons. One reason that many students choose this program is because they offer many opportunities to go outside of the classroom and learn things within your field. Firstly, there are no scheduled lectures on Wednesdays because those are reserved for field studies. Field studies allow us to go with each of our classes to visit different places in Copenhagen and see the things we are learning in action. There are also 2 separate weeks that you spend with your core course outside of the classroom traveling and learning more about your field. The first week is the short study tour. This involves going with your core course outside of Copenhagen, but staying within Denmark.

The second week is the long study tour in which you leave Denmark with your core class, and go to a nearby country for the week. On both the short study tour and the long study tour, DIS tries to incorporate a mix of both cultural learning experiences and academic learning experiences.

Recently we had our short study tour week, and my core class went to 3 other cities in Denmark. The first city that my class went to is called Vejle. This city was just a cultural learning experience for my class, so we spent the day tree climbing. Honestly, I did not know what to expect when my teacher said we were going tree climbing, but it was basically just a ropes course and zip lining. It was really exciting and definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone being so high up in the trees! The second city that my core course went to was Horsens. There we had a few academic visits with a wellness center and general practitioner, and a cultural visit to Horsens Prison Museum. There we got to see the old state’s penitentiary and learn about the prison life and escape stories on a guided tour. The last city we went to was Aarhus. Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark, and there I also got to experience both academic and cultural visits. The cultural visit in Aarhus was probably my favorite part of the short study tour. We had free time to explore the city that night, and some classmates and I decided to go to ARoS Modern Art Museum. The museum had beautiful exhibits, but the highlight was definitely the rainbow panorama part at the top of the museum. By the time I was there the sun was setting and I got to see some amazing views in each color of the rainbow. Overall, I really enjoyed this opportunity to get outside of the classroom and explore more of Denmark, and I am looking forward to my long study tour trip where my class will head to Finland for a week.