Submitted by Martina Esparza on the 2024 Spring program in Prague, Czechia…
Today, my friends and I explored Prague and were captivated by its breathtaking views. Our first stop was the Charles Bridge, an architectural gem that spans the Vltava River, connecting the city’s Lesser Town with the bustling Old Town. Dating back to the 14th century, the bridge is adorned with 30 Baroque statues and arches, creating a picturesque scene.
After crossing the bridge, we made our way to the heart of the Old Town Square, where the Prague Astronomical Clock Tower awaited. This ancient timekeeping masterpiece, dating back to the 15th century, mesmerized us with its intricate design. Climbing various stories, we were rewarded with a stunning view of the surroundings, where each building’s red-shingled roof perfectly complemented its colorful walls.
Continuing our leisurely stroll through the Old Town Square and its charming cobblestone streets, we stumbled upon an array of boutiques, restaurants, breweries, and souvenir shops. Despite the chilly weather, we concluded our day of exploration with a cozy latte at a family-run coffee shop, where the skillful latte art and warm hospitality added to our memorable day of sightseeing. (Submitted on January 31, 2024)
Submitted by Sydney Ballengeron the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…
This week, I finally made it to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica! Visiting Vatican City had been on my bucket list since I decided to study abroad in Rome and I found myself with tickets for a time slot on a weekday squeezed between two classes.
The walk was only twenty-five minutes along the Tiber River and the weather was beautiful. I made my way through all of the rooms of the Vatican museums– they have a fascinating collection of art, pottery, and statues. The architecture of the museums is stunning and I was constantly staring up at the beautiful and ornate ceilings. My favorite parts were the Raphael Rooms, the Gallery of Maps, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel. Following the Vatican Museums, I went to St. Peter’s Square and enjoyed the sunlight and beautiful view. (Submitted on January 31, 2024)
Submitted by Jasmine Pennington on the 2024 Spring program in Athens, Greece…
Today, I woke up insanely late and immediately had the energy to head to the gym. Mind you, i dont use the gym since the first week because it was always crowded. But, today the gods themselves shined upon me and the gym was prcatically empty. I really enjoyed today even wuth the late wake up call. I finished my workout around 2ish and set off to go back home. I was rudely interrupted by a cat nicknmed Moo and I sat with him for a while and then headed to the closest cafe near school. I love ordering a hot latte with cinnamon and sugar. It’s sooooo good and I would highly recommend it. I dont have classes today so it’s fine that I woke up late, but I am becoming increasingly more stressed about classes. The structure here is way different than America and I am taking 3 history courses. One teacher is requiring us to know each name of the art, the time it was made, the place it was made, who made it, and what is the significance for over 50 artworks. I am just not a art history person but there wasnt any other classes listed that i could take to fill my breath requirements. I would rather memorize 50+ paintings than to ever take a philosophy 101 course. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk!
Side note: I just loved the walk to campus and how walakble the city itself is. I did buy a metrocard but I would rather walk. I once walked for 2 hours instead of taking a bus because I felt like it would be pretty outside. (Submitted on January 31, 2024)
Submitted by Julia Diamond on the 2024 Spring program in Athens, Greece…
Arriving in Athens Greece
Leaving for Greece for the semester was my first time traveling internationally alone, and my first time leaving the country in almost 10 years, so it was filled with new experiences. Navigating the airport, meeting fellow study abroad students at my connecting gate, the time difference, and meeting my six new roommates among other things culminated in quite a hectic 24 hours, but after a shower and 14 hours of sleep I was feeling rejuvenated and began exploring my new surroundings. The adjustment went quite smoothly for me and everyone I met was super nice. Some things definitely took some getting used to like having to pre-weigh produce at the grocery store and not flushing toilet paper, but overall things went really well! We also got a tour of our neighborhood and downtown Athens and it was a great taste of the area that I will certainly be exploring more of as the semester goes on.
First Week of Classes
This was our first week of classes. I really enjoyed all of them and all my professors seem really nice. It’s definitely different than back at Delaware especially because our entire grade is based only on a midterm and a final, no other assignments count towards it. It’s been great connecting with other study abroad students from around the country as well as getting to know the Greek students. I got to know my roommates better and we went downtown for brunch over the weekend. I’ve started to get used to using public transportation to get to the main city, taking the bus and the metro, and finally got a metro card so I can travel more easily. I’m excited to go to as many of the museums that Athens has as I can! The language barrier has also been an interesting experience, but most people know English and I’m still trying to learn some more Greek while I’m here. I have family on my mom’s side that live in Athens who I’m planning to see soon.I also booked a flight for a long weekend in February in Thessaloniki in northern Greece so I can see my brother while he’s there and some of my family that lives there as well, which is really exciting.
Exploring the City
This week I ventured into the city by myself for the first time. I went to the Museum of the City of Athens which was a cute little museum in the first house of the first royal couple of Greece. I also picked up art supplies for my drawing class while I was there. On another solo trip I went to the War Museum and the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology, knocking two more museums off my list! My roommates and I also went to the beach over the weekend just to see the water and it was really fun. Some of the things I’ve noticed a lot in my time here have been smoking, motorcycles, and cats – a lot more than I’m used to seeing at home. Greece is also super mountainous and it’s quite the incline to get to my classes! Everything I’ve experienced so far has been really amazing, and I’m so glad to have so much more time to explore. Next week a bunch of us want to go to the Acropolis which I’m super excited about. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)
Submitted by Jules Scott on the 2024 Spring program in Paris, France…
This week I was lucky enough to visit three museums I had never seen before – The Louvre, the Musee D’orsay, and a lovely exhibition from Fondation Azzedine Alaïa. I first attended the exhibition, which was a series of curated mannequins of mostly dresses from Azzedine Alaïa and Madame Grès that highlighted the shared sculptural approach each designer takes with their pieces. The gowns were incredible, and I learned about each piece by my professor who guided our class through each creation. I think having a guide through a museum makes all the difference. The next museum was Musée D’orsay. I tagged along for a school trip that I was not originally accepted for, however my friend and I figured that there would be no-shows for the exhibition and we were right! I’m glad we took that chance, because a museum late at night is a treat. My friends and I went from gallery to gallery, pointing at paintings we recognized from our art history class we had earlier in the day. Most of these paintings were so much grander in scale, and you realize how many more details a painting has than what an image on your laptop can give you. I stood inches away from the works, squinting to see brush strokes on neoclassical paintings. Art is so much more interesting in person, it adds so much more gravity to what you’re looking at. When I went to The Louvre, I was not disappointed. By far the best lighting and layout of any museum I’d ever been in — it feels like an experience. You can’t do any of these large museums in one trip, so my friends and I decided that this round would be for statues and artifacts. I’m a fool for antiquity, so I loiter in the rooms with beautiful statues and read the plaques about how thousands of years later we are still enthralled with ancient myths and carve them into stone time and time again. My favorite statue, however, was of Joan of Arc; she cupped her ear and looked up to God with one hand, and held French armor in the other. It’s a refreshing change from female subjects usually being ornamental, sometimes I forget my own womanhood looking at art of women made by men because it is so distant from what it feels like to be a woman. I feel more in common with Prometheus, or the eagle. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)
Submitted by Emily Workman on the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…
It’s my third week here in Rome and it is finally starting to feel real that I am living here for the next four months. I had two site visits this week for my classes and we got to explore the seven hills of Rome and learn different stories about the creation of Rome. It’s so surreal that I am able to sit at the base of aventine hill with my classmates and be taught about thousands of years of history while looking at it. I love how everywhere you turn in Rome there is history, and you can never run out of different sites to see. Another site I finally got around to this week was going to Vatican City. It was about an hour walk from our apartment, but it was so worth it to be able to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. My friends and I went later in the day and we were able to see the sunset there which was gorgeous. Inside the Sistine Chapel you aren’t allowed to take pictures, but it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and it was well worth going. Not only was I able to see the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo, but I also took a trip to Florence this week and went to see his famous sculpture, the David. I was shocked at how big it was in person, it is around 17 feet tall! While in Florence I also saw the Duomo and went to the Uffizi Gallery where I saw some of Da Vinci’s unfinished work and Botticelli’s famous “The Birth of Venus” painting. Week three in Rome was another memorable one and I was able to see so much art this week and learn a lot about the history of Rome. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)
Submitted by Jason Rizzuto on the 2024 Spring program in Madrid, Spain…
Throughout my second week here, I feel like I lived the biggest difference between Madrid, and back home. I obtained my Metro “abono” which grants me unlimited monthly travel through Madrid’s major stops for the incredibly cheap price of 8 Euros per month. As opposed to my life back in NYC’s suburbs, where I relied on my car every single day, the ability for unlimited travel without having to worry about gas, or parking, was practically mind boggling.
The Metro is also a melting pot that brings together people from all walks of life, from businessmen to nomad travelers. It is a way of life, and provides a beautiful look into true Madrid culture. (Submitted on January 28, 2024)
Submitted by Quinn Wichert on the 2024 Spring program in Madrid, Spain…
I took this photo at Madrid’s Plaza Mayor where I’d met up with two friends Reese (on the left) and Bergen (on the right). It’s funny because Reese, who has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, was visiting Madrid from Florence. Bergen, who I met through Reese, is her roomate at University of South Carolina.
Seeing these two in Madrid made me feel at home in a place still very new to me. It was so surreal to have such familiar faces and it brought such a sense of comfort. Studying abroad in Europe is amazing because it is so easy to travel to different countries, a convenience that I never knew growing up in America. I can’t wait to travel throughout Europe and hopefully visit Reese in Florence as the semester progresses.
Knick-Knacks
I took this photo in a shop in Sol. The whole shop was filled with cute little knick-knacks and souvenirs. These purses in particular reminded me a great deal of my grandmother. Like something she would see in a similar shop at home and bring back for me and my sister. I took the photo to send to her because it had her written all over it. I find myself far more communicative with my family members since arriving here than ever before. I’m constantly seeing new things that remind me of home and I love to share them with those family members. The distance really makes you appreciate being with them even more. While I’m loving my time here, I wish I could share it in person with the people I love back home.(Submitted on January 28, 2024)
Submitted by Alexandra Evangelist on the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…
I traveled outside of Rome for the first time. Traveling in general is a task where you learn as you go. I am lucky to say I have made friends that I trust and chose to travel with. The more people you travel with, the more it helps when you are trying to navigate. I left Friday morning and saw many sites by the time we returned Sunday night. My friends and I went to Uffizi Gallery where we saw the painting of Venus and many other great statues and paintings, Palazzo Vecchio, Accademia Galleria which is where the David statue is, and Piazzale Michelangelo which has a beautiful view of the city. Ponte Vecchio is known as the oldest bridge and has a great view as well with many shops and restaurants. Florence has so much history in art and architecture. It’s known for great wine, given they have wine windows, and also largely known for steak. We had a great meal at Zaza for dinner, Le Vespe for breakfast, and a great sandwich at All’Antico Vinaio for lunch. Florence is a great place to learn and immerse yourself in the italian culture. (Submitted on January 28, 2024)
Submitted by Lauren Choptijon the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…
This week, I had a full week of classes and was able to explore more of Rome. I was able to visit the Vatican during the week, which was such a great experience. I have gotten adjusted to living in Rome as well as adjusting to my classes. This weekend, my roommate and I went to both Colmar and Strasbourg in France. It was out of a movie scene. It was gorgeous! We even spontaneously ended up in Basel, Switzerland for the day. It was such a good weekend with a lot of unexpected surprises. (Submitted on January 28, 2024)
