Submitted by Alexandra DiDonato on the 2013 fall semester program in Buenos Aires, Argentina…
There’s a whole community just outside of Buenos Aires in the province of El Tigre that is made up of a bunch of tiny little islands. In order to get from one island (basically one person’s house!) to the other you have take a boat, so it’s a whole society of people who instead of driving or walking from place to place, travel via boat. There were boats to take kids to school, to deliver mail, to give people groceries and clean drinking water.
A typical house in La Delta!One of the many service boats
The way of life in La Delta is so different from the city life in Buenos Aires. It seems like “los isleños” live a very simple life, but it also seems like it would be much more complicated to do anything outside of La Delta. Many of them only have boats to travel between the islands, so if you wanted to travel anywhere else in the country, you’d have to depend on public transportation. I also imagine that during the rainy seasons things can get risky with the possibility of flooding.
I don’t think I’d choose the Delta life personally, but I definitely admire people who do!
Fun fact: We learned that the reason this province is called El Tigre is because when settlers first arrived they thought the giant cats that inhabited the area were tigers when in fact they were cougars. Unfortunately, cougars in Argentina were nearly killed off and only a handful are left in the wild.
Submitted by Vincent Curatolo on the 2017 fall semester study abroad program in Prague, Czech Republic…
It’s my first week in Prague and I’m falling in love with the city already. The tourist attractions like the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle are certainly living up to my expectations, but what has really caught my attention has been the more residential areas. The great part about coming here for a full semester rather than a vacation is you get to see and experience so much more than a normal tourist would. Yesterday, we hopped on a tram and headed to Holešovice (Prague 7). Despite being only a few minutes from the city center, it had a completely unique feel to it. The popular neighborhoods of the city are packed with restaurants and hotels, but here, it felt like a small town spotted with some little bakeries and stores on the main street. It was a residential area and as Americans we were out of place, but certainly not unwelcome. Czech people are stereotyped as being cold, especially to foreigners, so we especially expected that in this area where non-Czechs rarely end up. However, we learned that if you at least greet people and thank them in Czech, they will likely be appreciative. We took that approach in Prague 7 and although we couldn’t communicate with people as well as we could in the city center, we still were able to get what we needed and were treated just like the locals. The takeaway from this little excursion is that you can’t be intimidated by being out of your comfort zone when you are abroad. You may be awkward, you may be judged, but that is something you just have to get used to. I’m glad we have the time here to see more of the city and really get to know it, because sometimes going off the beaten path is really worth it. Throughout the rest of the semester, I will try to get a more genuine Czech experience by going to places real Czechs go.
Here is a picture from the neighborhood we visited!
Submitted by Rebecca Jaeger on the 2013 fall semester program in Granada, Spain..
While I enjoyed spending many weekends getting to know Granada, I made my first international trip two weeks ago to the gorgeous coastline of Portugal. Prior to coming to Spain, I never would have thought that I would go to Portugal, but I am glad that I did! I traveled to the town of Lagos with about 130 other study abroad students from all over Spain. Lagos is a small city located on the coast and has everything you would want in a resort town. After a long first week of classes, it was very relaxing to get to spend the weekend soaking up the sun on some of Portugal’s beautiful beaches. There, I had the opportunity to explore the intricate grottoes that line the shore by both speedboat and kayak. After those excursions, I also went snorkeling in the crystal clear Atlantic Ocean. One of my favorite parts of the weekend, however, was traveling down to the Southwestern tip of Portugal to watch the sunset over the Atlantic. Needless to say, it was a very relaxing weekend!
But before you go about thinking that study abroad is all fun and no work, let me inform you that it is not! As a study abroad student, time management is incredibly important, especially if you are traveling to other countries. There is still schoolwork to get done, so it is necessary to find a balance between enjoying the study abroad experience and doing work. So yes, while I occasionally get to spend my weekends on the beach, I most certainly spend my weeks in the books!
Submitted by Madeline Mahoney on the 2017 fall semester study abroad program in Prague, Czech Republic…
I have only been here for a week but I have already fallen in love with Prague. The first weekend we were here, we stumbled upon a farmer’s market on the bank of the river. There were stalls with ciders, cheeses, beer, fresh fruits and veggies, pastas and meats. I found myself drawn to a stand that sold homemade bread with different types of pesto spreads. In this type of environment, a farmer’s market with local people, I was nervous to talk to the vendor because of the language barrier. However, although some Czech people may come off as cold, they are very welcoming and are excited to hear Americans try and speak a little of their language. During our school’s orientation, I learned the basic greeting, dobry den, and how to say please and thank you, prosím and dekuji. When I greeted the pesto vendor in Czech, she immediately started asking me a question in the Czech language. I shook my head and she laughed and started speaking to me in perfect English. I paid and said “dekuji” and she beamed. Even though I don’t speak fluent Czech, she appreciated the effort I put in to respect the language and culture.
Submitted by Melody Taylor on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…
While I have loved London so far, I decided to go to Paris for the weekend with Proscenium Tours who caters to study abroad students in London. Ever since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of going to Paris.
The tour was lovely. They booked your travel and accommodation. A tour guide was available to show us how to work the Metro and to give advice on what to do while showing us a couple of the major sites (Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Montmartre District), while giving you ample free time to explore the city on your own, and focusing on the sites that attract you the most.
It was fantastic being able to explore another city in Europe and compare it to London. Paris had a different attitude towards life than London. London is quirkier and more of a melting pot, but anti-social unless there is a pub involved. However, Paris was very individualistic, and filled with cafes were people watching is an acceptable art form. What surprised me the most was how dirty and unsafe it was, compared to London. I still loved it to bits. It was great to be able to experience a different culture, and I wanted to stay longer to explore more, but by the end of the trip, I was missing London and its eccentric qualities.
Submitted by Haley Stanko on the 2017 fall semester DIS (Denmark’s International Study Program) program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
Checking in for my first IGS blog post. My name is Haley, and I am studying in Denmark this semester. I am taking classes in Copenhagen through a program called DIS with American students from a lot of different universities that are taught by professionals who are currently in the field they teach. The classes I am taking are focused on urban design and history. Copenhagen is a great city for studying how to design for the human scale; one of the most influential contemporary writers on urban design, Jan Gehl, lives and works in Copenhagen, so a lot of my classes have focused on his impact. Gehl believes in prioritizing public life in urban design, and I get to see what that means first hand as I explore the city. There are a lot of beautifully designed public squares, parks, and walking streets that exemplify what it means to design on the human scale. All of my classes have a field study component that brings us outside of the classroom and directly into the spaces we are learning about. This week I got to visit a neighborhood built on an island with canals running between buildings called Sluseholmen, visited the Danish Jewish Museum to analyze its unique architecture, and took a couple walking tours with a class that focuses on strategies for urban livability.
Sluseholmen
In addition to all the great experiences I am having in class, I also have been very busy outside the classroom spending time with my host family, playing for a hockey club, and getting to know American students from all over the country. My host family is a mom with three kids under 12, and the younger two don’t speak much English with me, so I spend a lot of time trying to practice Danish with them. Last week, I went to a Crossfit session with my host mom, which was very challenging, but a great experience to interact with other Danes and immerse myself in the language more. Most people can speak English, but Danish is definitely the default here so I am determined to learn as much as I can, which is becoming easier since I am surrounded by it all the time.
I’ve been practicing with a field hockey team in Copenhagen, and we have our first game on Sunday! I am really glad I made the effort to find the club, practicing twice a week is a great time for me to relieve some of the stress of being in a new place. It’s important to have that time that I get to do something familiar and get to be creative on the field. I also have a lot of really great teammates that are from a couple different countries and it’s great to connect with them through sport.
It’s only been two weeks but I have really settled into a routine and feel like I’ve been here a lot longer. I am looking forward to the hockey match this weekend, another week of classes ahead and a bicycle tour with one of my classes on Wednesday!
Submitted by Sheila Ward on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…
This past weekend, I ventured over to Genoa, Italy which is one of the biggest port cities in Italy. The coastline was absolutely beautiful and the food, of course, was delicious. I, however, was shocked to find how old the city of Genoa actually is. There were few, if any, modern buildings and some of the architecture looked like it was falling apart, but I guess that’s how Italy is. Italians have such pride in their history. So why would they want to change the layout of their cities that reflect their past?
I should have realized that since Genoa is not a major tourist attraction in Italy most people living there do not speak English. It was almost scary that ordering food or asking for directions became so difficult to do. Thankfully, one of my friends I was traveling with, knew a little Italian so we relied on her to translate everything. However, my weekend in Genoa was well worth it. I got to see the Mediterranean Sea, eat good food, and explore a new city.
This coming week mid-term assignments are due which is starting to get stressful. You definitely need to learn to balance traveling and enjoying your time abroad with classes. I personally feel it’s not too hard though. I try to get the majority of my assignments done during the week so I can enjoy my weekend. Then when I return home on Sunday, I can relax and put the finishing touches on anything I did not finish. I also like that most of my classes assign papers instead of tests. It is definitely easier to get a paper done then to sit down and study especially when you’re abroad.
Submitted by Joey Woodward on the 2017 summer session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English…
I’m in Heathrow airport, waiting for my 10:35 am flight to Philadelphia airport and home. I’m exhausted and ready to be home, but I will also miss London. I had so many amazing experiences during my stay. Yesterday, we went up to the top of the Walkie Talkie building. They have a sky garden there. It is this big open lounge area with a garden and a breathtaking view of the London skyline.
View from the top of the Walkie Talkie building.
View from the top of the Walkie Talkie building
On Thursday, we went to Holland Park, which is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in London. It is also very near the site of Grenfell Tower. It is difficult to comprehend the devastation of the fire until you see the building in person. I cannot begin to imagine what it was like to be there during the fire. The building was a charred husk with broken windows. It was also silent. None of us spoke as we took in the tragic sight. I will never forget seeing that building.
On Monday, I did something that took me out of my comfort zone more than anything else I had done during my stay in London. As part of my final project for class, I had to interview someone. Most of my classmates chose to get in contact with someone to set up a meeting (which, in hindsight, was probably a good idea) but I decided to interview a stranger. I kept on putting it off because I was nervous, but I finally did it. I found an older woman who worked in a newsstand shop. The funny thing about interviewing is that you get nervous and work yourself up for mostly nothing. The woman, her name was Nargis, was very nice and willing to talk. She was from Mumbai, India, but lives in London now. It is interesting to share a conversation with someone whom before that day you didn’t know existed and probably will never see again. It really puts into perspective just how many people are on this planet and how they all have lives separate from my own. I learned and experienced a lot in London, but that might be one of the most valuable lessons I learned.
Submitted by Dylan O’Keeffe on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…
The good times never seem to stop here in London. Last week, I enjoyed a trip to Greenwich with my modern Britain class. Although it was a very far commute, it was a great learning experience. This town is where the country’s Naval base was birthed. Greenwich did a great job in preserving historical landmarks and in providing insights into the Naval history. Also, the town itself was picturesque with a beautiful park, an old Queen’s house, and much more. My favorite part of the trip was definitely standing on either side of the Prime Meridian line. Not many people can say they have stood on two sides of the hemisphere at the same time!
Here we are on the Prime Meridian.
This past weekend was definitely one of the most memorable weekends I ever had. A quick flight to Munich, Germany put friends and me in one of the craziest atmospheres I have ever been a part of. Of course, I am talking about Oktoberfest. The festival was incredible. The tents, amazing food, music, rides, and people were so enjoyable. I couldn’t resist, I just had to buy a lederhosen! Although I may only be able to wear it again as a Halloween costume it was so worth it. Being in the authentic outfit really made me feel like I was completely integrated into the culture. With midterm papers coming up, I will be hitting the books hard these upcoming weeks. Wish me luck!
Submitted by Joey Woodward on the 2017 summer session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English…
Over the course of my stay in London so far I have noticed two things:
1) The British people seem more informed.
On the bus ride back from Stonehenge and Bath, the driver had a political talk show on the radio. The people who were calling in sounded very informed, they knew what they were talking about. I get the general sense that people are more politically aware and can speak intelligently about issues more so than people in the United States.
And 2) The British have a different way of doing politics/coverage of politics.
When it comes to politics, British people are much more brash, but it is not really rude as a lot of it seems to be good-nature arguments. Especially in Parliament, where it is very common for MPs to jeer. I think Americans could learn a lot from the British, with how they handle politics.
It is hard to keep track of everything I have done in such a short period of time. We have seen two plays, one of which was in the Globe Theatre (a reproduction of the Globe Theatre where Shakespeare’s plays were performed), visited the Times’ headquarters, toured the Houses of Parliament, and last Saturday I, and several others, took a day trip to Oxford. With so many adventures and experiences under my belt, I feel I have truly made good use of this amazing opportunity which has been provided for me.
A mural of Shakespeare that we found under a bridge near the Globe Theatre.
