Category: Fall Semester

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

This week, I had plans to go to Venice for the weekend. They unfortunately needed to be changed ASAP because Venice was in a state of emergency due to flooding. We were flying to Rome on Sunday for the day, so I did already have a flight home and easily booked an outbound flight to Rome to change my plans. My roommate who I was going with no longer wanted to go to Italy because she did not want to spend money on another flight, so I was going to Rome alone. I was back and forth about the idea of traveling to a country completely alone for the weekend because this was something I have never done before. My father wasn’t too fond of the idea and I did not even tell my mother about it, so that made me even more unsure about the idea. It ended up working out that another friend of mine was in the same boat as me and decided to go to Rome for the weekend. However, in the future, I feel like I should be more confident in myself and try to make decisions without the input of others. I am smart and probably would have been okay by myself for a couple of days in Rome, but let my Dad’s opinions get to my head and I knew my Mom would have never supported that plan.

 

Submitted by Zachary Shulman on the 2019 fall semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…

At this point in my semester, no matter the semester, I always like to look back and think about the broad themes and lessons I learned from it. I’ve been doing this since I studied in Rome, Italy during my first semester of college. Each semester provides an abundance of opportunities to learn new things about yourself, your interests, and your place in the world. In the midst of four papers, two presentations, and a two-hour exam, I’ll have to find some time to squeeze in those thoughts.

The last several weeks have been relatively dormant. I had the opportunity to visit London and meet up with some fellow World Scholars and friends from UD. That will most likely be my last trip outside of Denmark, which means the remainder of my free time will be spent appreciating the country in which I’ve lived for the past three and a half months. I am extremely grateful that I was able to see as much of it as I was, in a huge part due to the determination of my host father in introducing us to Denmark and all of the little treasures it has to offer.

Some people consider Denmark’s small size to be a point of weakness, but in my opinion, its compact size allows its citizens to feel deeply connected to its natural beauty, landmarks, locations, seasons, and everything else that makes the country unique. Moving from one of the largest countries on the planet to one significantly smaller, it has given me a sense of coziness that I’m sure the Danes feel on a day-to-day basis.

Likewise, the introduction of cold weather to the semester has pushed me downstairs to the family room, where I have been doing homework alongside my housemate, socializing with my host family, watching movies and television, and enjoying dessert with some coffee or tea. I’m sure this is what the Danes refer to as “hygge”: appreciating the current moment with those around you and forgetting all of your worries for the moment. I hope, more than anything, that I can bring this ability to appreciate the present moment home with me.

Submitted by Caitlin Werner on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Granada, Spain…

This past week, we had our Thanksgiving dinner with our program. I absolutely loved it. I am so grateful that I could still celebrate my favorite holiday with my friends who have become my second family here in Granada. As my time here is wrapping up, I am trying to enjoy every last bit of it and spend as much time as I can with my friends.

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

I am elated that I ventured to Bristol this weekend, as it was a goal of mine to explore while in England. My favorite UK television series, Skins, was set in Bristol. The series is extremely sentimental to me, so it was extraordinary to visit this location. Bristol is a smaller city surrounded by the countryside, yet is still very lively. I noticed that it is much more of a local area, compared to London in which its diverse nature encompasses more people of different nationalities.

We were able to explore the harbourside and center of the city. I adored the harbor and its tranquil vibe with beautiful views of the colorful neighborhoods. Then the center of the city provided such a lively atmosphere, which was a pleasant contrast from the harbourside. I fell in love with this city and I am inspired to find my way back here, as it is somewhere I would love to live.

 

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

My friends and I spent our weekend in Dublin and planned a trip to the Cliffs of Moher for Friday, November 8th. We had to wake up very early because the group was meeting at 6:50 am for a 7:30 AM departure. There were two buses to fill up what seemed like way too many people for the amount of space provided. Once the buses were almost full, they asked for people to split up in 2s or 1s, but we could not because we were 5 people. We somehow managed to be the only people without seats on either bus because people behind us were in smaller groups and were able to split easily. There was no representative from the tour company and the bus drivers had nothing to do with the situation, so they could not explain why there were not enough seats for us. They would not allow us to squeeze either. It was really just the luck of the draw. Had we been the first people in line this would not have happened, but our placement in line completely screwed us. So, the tour left without us. Thankfully, we were able to find another tour that was leaving at 8 AM and we made sure we were the first people on the bus. We ended up having the most amazing time and were actually thankful we ended up on that tour instead of the original plan. I learned that you must be adaptable in all situations because you never know how things are going to work out. That was the most unpredictable thing that could have happened and we were able to be flexible and make a new plan on the spot.

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

This past week, I volunteered with Centrepoint, a UK charity that supports homeless youth. As someone who strongly values service work, I have been lacking in that area of my identity while being abroad. So, I was glad to take the opportunity when CAPA connected me with their Sleep Out Event in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This event is a fundraising challenge to support youth who are sleeping rough. Individuals and companies participate by raising money and sleeping in a tent for one night. I was able to assist in the set-up of the event, in which we sorted out the sleeping accomodations for the participants. With the power of a set of passionate volunteers, we situated the tarp and hundreds of sleeping bags for the participants.

It is always incredible to witness what a group of dedicated people can accomplish. I was able to reflect on the universal nature of service work, particularly in the area of homelessness. Since homelessness is very prevalent in many countries, there must be a systemic root to this issue. I was particularly interested in getting involved with this event because I have witnessed the extent of the issue while being in London. Unfortunately, because I have been adjusting to all of my other experiences while abroad, I have not acted on the issue. I am encouraged to improve my advocacy with homelessness during the rest of my time here and when I return home. I plan on incorporating the issue of homelessness in my project for CAPA’s Diversity Advocate Program, so I am glad that I gained direct experience through this volunteer event!

Check out Centrepoint’s work here: https://centrepoint.org.uk/

 

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

This was my first time spending a holiday in another country. Halloween is celebrated much less intensely in Spain than in the United States. During the day, I saw a decent amount of very young children who were dressed in costume, but no one really above the age of 7 or 8 years old. Only some shops and restaurants had decorations. Trick or treating is not nearly as popular here because everyone lives in apartments, so it would be very difficult to get in and out of the residences if you don’t live there. The only instance of trick-or-treating I saw was in a convenience store in my neighborhood. About 5 middle school-aged children came dressed in costumes and the cashier gave each of them a couple of pieces of candy. They celebrate All Saint’s Day (the next day, November 1st) more seriously. Many businesses are closed and they sell their traditional chestnuts on the streets.

 

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

I experienced the most magical weekend in Barcelona, Spain! I absolutely fell in love with this city and definitely plan on returning in the near future. I have never been in a city that was a beautiful balance of a tropical, yet urban environment. Everywhere I explored had breathtaking views of a variety of tropical trees and stunning buildings.

This trip was especially enjoyable because of the freedom we had and the bliss that followed. We meandered through the city and stopped wherever we found interesting and stumbled across  several gems of the city. It’s incredible to notice the difference in my capabilities this far into my journey abroad. My friends and I navigated around the city so confidently and independently, something that I would have never imagined myself capable of doing just a few months ago.

I am eager to seek opportunities to spend a longer amount of time in Spain. It’s exhilarating to find new places that you have a genuine connection to. Fortunately, I will be returning to Spain at the end of my program, so I am looking forward to that even more now!

Submitted by Zachary Shulman on the 2019 fall semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…

This past week, I had the pleasure of taking a drive with my host father and housemate around the entire nation of Denmark. Being a small state in the north of Europe, Denmark can more or less be traversed within 24 hours, sticking mainly to the highways. We left from our town of Køge shortly before 6:00am, crossed over Denmark’s 3^rd largest island separating Jylannd (the large peninsula connected to Germany) and Zealand (the 2^nd largest island closest to Sweden, where Copenhagen is located). We stopped along the way to meet members of my host father’s extended family including his sisters, mother, and middle son. While he had dinner with his family, his middle son drove us to Skagen, the northern point of Denmark where the North Sea meets the Baltic Sea. The wind and hail whipped our faces and made the journey to the tip rigorous, but it was worth it to know that we stepped foot at the northernmost point of the entire country.

After joining my host father once again, we parted from the family and prepared for a long drive south. Three hours later, passports in hand, we crossed the Danish-German border and entered Germany. This trip constituted my third trip to Germany this semester, three times more than I anticipated. We stopped at a grocery store to buy some food and drinks tax-free and made our way back to Køge. We arrived a mere seven minutes before midnight, meaning we had squeezed our traversal of Denmark into a single calendar day. Not only that, but we had an ample amount of time to continue bonding with our host father and saw parts of Denmark most tourists will never get to see.

As I write this, I realize that I have less than five weeks left in this semester. This road trip made me so much more intimate with the country, and I anticipate it will only make the eventual departure even more difficult. I have made a few excursions outside of Denmark so far, and they have been truly wonderful experiences. I felt, however, that calming feeling of restoration and comfort when I finally returned from those trips. Denmark has left a major impression on my development as a person, and as I prepare for my last four blog posts, I will try to highlight all of the ways that the country as influenced my identity and ideas.