Category: Semester Programs

Visiting the Villa Farnesina

Submitted by Sydney Ballenger the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…

This week marks my last full week of school! Next week, we have a short three days before a long weekend to study for finals. I can’t believe it is already the end of the semester, but I feel ready to finish strong and go home. It has been an incredible experience, often unbelievable, amazing, and exhausting at the same time. This week, in my on-site sociology class, we visited Villa Farnesina, located just off the banks of the Tiber River. The Villa was less than a five minute walk from campus and I realized as we entered, that I had walked past it many times this semester and not realized what it was. The Villa Farnesina is a renaissance era villa, located in Trastevere, built for the Pope’s banker in the early 1500s. It is beautiful, decorated with frescoes painted by artists like Raphael. The frescoes on the bottom floor display some of Raphael’s only secular works, depicting the myth of Cupid and Psyche. The frescoes are well preserved and beautiful. The Villa Farnesina also features an attempt at unity between the outdoors and indoors, with frescoes of gardens painted around the bottom floor and huge windows assimilating the indoors with the outdoors. In Rome, art and history is everywhere and the villa we visited in class is just one example of the sheer abundance of both in every corner of Rome. One semester will never be enough time to explore it all, but I look forward to my last two weeks of exploring. (Submitted on April 22,2024)

Zoo to Surpass All Zoos

Submitted by Riley Hazel the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

Last weekend I went to the Singapore Zoo which includes Rover Wonders, Zoo, Bird Paradise and the world’s first Night Safari. I will say right now that this zoo is unlike any other that I’ve been to. Even Singaporean residents can agree that this zoo is the best one they will ever go to more than any US Zoo. From my own experience, it was an amazing time doing all 4 parks in a weekend. I loved seeing all the unique animals like the Sun Bear, Red and regular Pandas, and even the many different bird species. The zoo, and River Wonders were normal walk through the zoo experiences but the Bird Paradise and Night Safari was something else. Firstly, the Night Safari was awesome to see all the nocturnal creatures that you typically would never see, especially walking around the enclosures at night. I was fortunate enough to see the Kiwi, Tasmanian Devil, a White Tiger, and even some male Lions calling out. At the Night Safari, you’re able to walk around to the big and small enclosures, but then you’re able to take a tram to see even more animals in the larger enclosures. As for the Bird Paradise, it was the first time in my life to be surrounded by those many foreign bird species, especially in a netted dome where the birds fly freely around you. The funny part of it was that a Lorikeet landed on my shoulder and walked around on my shoulders before I let it off. It was an amazing experience to see all those beautiful birds and some dinosaur looking ones too! Hearing their calls around you as well as their wings flapping can assure me that these birds are happy and well taken care of. Each dome was specific to the bird’s regions and their vegetation. By far, it was the most incredible experience that I feel I’ll ever experience and so different from back home. It was a lot more open, spread out, and a well taken care of wildlife sanctuary. Everything bought, even the tickets, has conservation included meaning the money goes towards conserving wildlife within the park and other areas around the world. I loved everything the Mandai Wildlife Sanctuary stood for, even encouraging visitors to think about helping these animals that are endangered or close to extinction. Moreso, the Zoos in the US are mainly all about the money and sometimes the animals don’t live in decent conditions especially for the climate. The penguin was the best sustainable habitat at the Bird Paradise as the dome around the habitat collects rainwater to reuse. That habitat for the King, and Rockhopper penguins was given a Platinum medal for sustainable and perfection as they were one of the only zoos to create a perfect sub-Antarctic climate. By far, this was one of the best, sustainable, and perfect zoo to wildlife parks I’ve ever been to, more than back home. (Submitted on April 22,2024)

Parks and Gardens in London

Submitted by Emma Smith the 2024 Spring program in London, England…

After being in a city for three months, I was really missing how it feels to be outside with blooming trees and flowers like what I would normally see at home. So, my friends and I decided to explore more of London’s parks and gardens to get a sense of what spring is like here in London. We went to the Kensington Gardens and Palace. The garden is a big open space where people can go for a run, walk their dogs, or just lay down for a picnic. The Palace is right next to it and the palace is now a museum but it was first the home to many queens and kings of the royal family. The palace was filled with old art works, furniture, clothing, and even their jewels like tiaras and necklaces the queens used to wear. We also walked around Greenwich park which is a big park in Greenwich, London and we got to lay in the grass and soak up the sun. We also visited Victoria and Embankment Gardens which is a walking train garden now filled with blooming tulips. This was my favorite garden because all the flowers were gorgeous and it really made it feel like spring was in the air. Being in a city can be difficult sometimes when it comes to wanting to go for a walk in a park or just see the blooming flowers, but all of these places in London were so beautiful. (Submitted on April 21,2024)

Week 14

Submitted by Hannah Scheck the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

A successful week at work! I had to say goodbye to some friends this week, but my sister came to visit! We went out for breakfast at Pancakes On The Rocks. We went on the Big Bus Sydney Tour. I showed her the Queen Victoria Building. We did a tour of the Opera House accompanied by seeing their outdoor performance of West Side Story. I took her to Paddy’s Market to shop for 

souvenirs. We met two celebrities walking down the street, Keegan Michael Key and Tony Shalhoub! We pet and feed some local Australian animals at Featherdale Wildlife Sanctuary. We rode the rides and enjoyed the shows at Luna Park. As sad as I am that this trip will be coming to an end soon and I have to say goodbye to my friends and Sydney, seeing my sister was just the push I needed to power through. (Submitted on April 21,2024)

Making Friends While Studying Abroad

Submitted by Olivia Tadlock the 2024 Spring program in Limerick, Ireland…

One thing that I was worried about when I went abroad was making friends. I was going to a new place where I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t sure how easily I could make friends. However, during the first week, I met so many new people and it was really easy for me to make new friends because all of the study abroad students were trying to meet new people too! The University of Limerick also has a lot of different clubs and societies, and I joined a few of them and made a few friends through the clubs here. Now that I’m almost done with my semester in Ireland, I have met a lot of people and have made a few very close friends! While the thought of making friends was stressful at first, everything turned out alright. (Submitted on April 20,2024)

Holocaust History

Submitted by Samantha Jennings the 2024 Spring program in Copenhagen, Denmark…

Week 13 of the DIS Copenhagen program is marked by the second long study tour–a week long field study with your core course. I am enrolled in the Holocaust and genocide history core course, so my week long tour was spent in Warsaw and Krakow, Poland. Poland was devastated by the effects of the Second World War and this is especially true of Warsaw, which was mostly destroyed and rebuilt in the era of communism following the end of the war. Krakow, on the other hand, remained relatively unscathed by the terrors of the war and still remains today the largest medieval town in Europe. While in Poland, I had the opportunity to visit the Chelmno nad Nerem extermination camp and the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. Although it was an intense emotional experience, the opportunity to visit these sites was truly unexplainable and unforgettable. Now that I have experienced these places with my own eyes, I am better prepared to speak about them and discuss them with my future students. When we were not engaged in academic visits such as these, my classmates and I were able to experience Polish culture firsthand. We sampled a selection of Eastern European wines, ate traditional Jewish food in the former Jewish ghetto, and learned more about archaeology and the medieval history of Krakow. I will forever be grateful to DIS and UD for allowing me the opportunity to study and explore more than I ever could have imagined around the world. (Submitted on April 19,2024)

Living History

Submitted by Samantha Jennings the 2024 Spring program in Copenhagen, Denmark…

Happy Spring Break! This week was characterized by a lot of travel and new experiences. I visited one of my friends, Olivia, in Dublin, Ireland. I met Olivia during our freshman World Scholars semester in Rome, Italy. She is currently studying in Limerick, Ireland for her second study abroad experience and we thought that it would be fun to meet in the middle and explore more of the world together! We spent a few days in Dublin, Ireland learning about the Viking history that founded the town and the Protestant Reformation that helped to shape the culture of Dublin today. Then we spent a day in Belfast, Ireland. Our tour took us out to the cliffs of Northern Ireland and the basalt columns of Giant’s Causeway. From a black taxi ride we learned about the personal experiences of individuals who lived in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. We also went to the Titanic Museum, the site of the former construction/launching site of the White Star Line Vessel. This trip was extremely important for me, not only because I was able to see Olivia, but also because my family is ethnically Irish and I am fascinated by Irish history and culture. I am so glad that I got to spend my spring break exploring this country! (Submitted on April 19,2024)

Karaoke with Britons

Submitted by Megan Zalinkanskas the 2024 Spring program in London, England…

Last weekend, I spent some time with local British girls at a karaoke bar. It was so awesome to hear local British accents, which I don’t hear often considering all of my classmates are from American universities. I met one of the girls on a date, and she introduced me to some of her friends. It was a great time and they introduced me to British music I hadn’t heard before. Surprisingly, we got a private room to sing our hearts out instead of one big room with everyone as I was expecting. While we were all close in age, I was the only student among them. It was very interesting to hear what professional life is like in London for people my age. It is much more common for people to skip university in the UK than in the US. There is more professional, specialized training that students can do to prepare them for careers without a university education. This college-level training allows students to start their professional lives sooner. That, coupled with the lower drinking age in Europe, creates a space where 20-year-olds are actual adults with 9-5 jobs and bills to pay. I know technically I’m an adult everywhere in the world, but I am still very much a sheltered college student. It’s a little intimidating to be around such accomplished women, but also inspiring and exciting to see what my life might be like when I graduate and can start a professional career. (Submitted on April 18,2024)

Allianz Trade Asia Pacific

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This weekend I spent the majority of my time indoors, catching up on my homework and assignments. The only time I went outside was to go get lunch at my favorite restaurant – The Boneless Kitchen. This restaurant serves vegetarian Korean food, so I am taking full advantage and going whenever I have a day off from work. I love that I have been able to learn about and try so many different cuisines in Singapore. I never knew Asian cuisines were so different and extensive! My favorite discovery has been sticky rice with mango and condensed milk – a Thai specialty. From Monday to Friday, I work at Allianz Trade. I thought this week I should spend time talking about my observations regarding the work culture in Singapore. The timings at my office are 9 am – 6 pm. Something different about my office is the flexibility that employees have. Employees do not need to check in or out. Employees can show up whenever they do their due diligence and work for eight hours. I never realized how much I value this flexibility! I think this trust that a company develops with its employees is crucial. Employees at Allianz Trade seem very dedicated to the company because they know that their company does a lot for them. My managers and other colleagues have mentioned that Allianz Trade likes to keep its employees and allows them international work opportunities as well as the ability to move freely across departments if employees are looking for a change. Additionally, the culture at Allianz Trade is very kind and respectful. I have heard horror stories about corporate culture, so I had prepared myself beforehand. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the kindness and respect which I have been shown by everyone. I feel safe and encouraged to ask questions and give my perspective when I think it is appropriate. It warms my heart how everyone speaks so respectfully to one another. I am very happy I have gotten this opportunity, because it has opened my eyes to what can be and the treatment I deserve from my workplace. Something else I love about my company is the diversity. At any given time, people are conversing in Mandarin, French, English, and other languages. There are people from all over the world working in the Singapore office. On top of this, my colleagues travel a lot and are often away on business trips to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, and other markets. I really like that travel has not completely stopped, especially after COVID. I think Zoom and Microsoft teams are great platforms to utilize, but encouraging employees to travel is important so they can experience the culture first hand. Altogether, this internship has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in college, and I have developed new dreams for myself. I hope to establish an international career one day! (Submitted on April 18,2024)

Friendship & Memories

Submitted by Jake Kalinowski the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

This photo is of my friends and I at Sydney Harbour overlooking the Opera House. It is a beautiful area, both to enjoy during the day or in the evening. It is bursting with people grabbing lunch or catching the sunset. There are cruise ships docked every so often with people from all over the world taking in the beauty of Sydney. 

I am so grateful for this opportunity to study abroad in Australia. I have made wonderful friendships and had memorable experiences I will take with me for the rest of my life. I have loved exploring Sydney’s beaches and taking new adventures throughout the city to new museums and restaurants. I have become a new person after studying abroad here which I am thankful for. 

I would love to return to Sydney someday and I know I will. It is too full of beauty to not. I plan to soak in every last moment here while I can. From studying abroad I have learned patience and the power of an open mind. I have learned the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone. Talking to strangers leads to cute memories and putting yourself out there comes with a risk, but is usually met with a reward. (Submitted on April 17,2024)