Category: Summer Session

Submitted by Ella Krudop on the 2023 summer session program in Volterra, Italy…

In the first week being here we started to explore right away. On the first day after visiting the bank and the museum, we walked around the town of Volterra. We sat down at a small restaurant and had some appetizers and drinks. It was interesting how different restaurant service is in Italy versus America. In America you usually get sat by a host and then your server is constantly coming up and checking in and giving their opinions on the food. In Italy, we just sit down and the waiter comes up, takes your order and that’s it. We enjoyed sitting outside and enjoying the nice weather and view and it was kind of nice not having a server come and check up on us, we were able to just sit and relax. We also did some shopping on our first day, mainly in the alabaster shops. I bought some jewelry for my mom and it was surprising how less expensive things are here versus America. The necklace I bought was around $7 USD, whereas in America I would expect it to be closer to $20 USD. It was interesting how well the locals could understand us, coming here with no previous knowledge of Italian, I was expecting it to be a little difficult to communicate. But instead, we were able to talk to the locals and workers in English, and they were able to understand and respond. We even asked some of the workers in the local shops questions about bathrooms, or foods, and they were all very helpful and were patient with us. In America, if someone doesn’t speak English it’s much harder for them to find help, and people often get annoyed and aren’t very helpful. After having such an eventful day, it has made me excited for the rest of this month and learning more about how different the culture is here. (Submitted during Week 1)

Today, we had an amazing day trip to the beautiful city of Siena, which was a refreshing change of scenery from our time spent in Volterra. To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations for Volterra initially. It was described as a small Italian town, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, over the past week, my perspective has completely shifted, and I’ve come to love this little town more than I ever imagined. When we first arrived in Volterra, I was a bit unsure about spending two whole weeks in such a small place. The drive through the outskirts of town didn’t give us much to go on, and I wasn’t sure what there was to see or do here. But as we explored the winding streets and stumbled upon the unique shops and charming restaurants, I quickly fell in love with the charm and character of Volterra. It has a special atmosphere that is hard to put into words. After visiting Florence for the weekend, while I loved the crowded streets and large city, reminding me of my home in Chicago, I found myself missing the small and quiet town of Volterra. Florence was fun with its busy streets and popular attractions, but it was also quite touristy, and I missed the authenticity of Volterra. Our visit to Siena further highlighted the unique qualities of Volterra. In Florence and Siena, I felt like I was often surrounded by very touristy places, and even some American stores that were chains and I had already been in 100 times. One of the main reasons I chose to visit Italy was the amazing culture that comes along with it, and being in Volterra I feel like the small shops and local establishments give it a genuine feel that is hard to find in larger cities. It feels like a place where the community is proud of its traditions and eager to share them with visitors. In Siena and Florence, we saw their Duomos, which were so beautiful and can’t compare to anything in the US. It amazes me the amount of detail and work they were able to put into them, even having fewer resources that we have today. Seeing the amazing landmarks of the large cities made me grateful we had the opportunity to visit these different cities. Learning about the annual horse races in Siena was also fascinating. While we had seen videos about them before, being in the main square and imagining the excitement and energy of the live event was something else. The smaller size of the square added to the thrill, as I could imagine the horses riding past, close to the crowds. As I reflect on our experiences, I am genuinely amazed by how much I have come to appreciate and enjoy Volterra. I’ve loved being able to talk and get to know so many of the locals and help me grow more as a leader. It has become a place that feels like home, even though we’ve only been here for a short time. Each day brings new discoveries and moments of awe as we continue to immerse ourselves in the rich culture and history that permeate this enchanting town. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here and excited for what the rest of our trip will bring. (Submitted during Week 2)

Submitted by Dayana Lara on the 2023 summer session program in Volterra, Italy…

Upon arriving at Volterra, I was filled with excitement about finally landing here. As this was my first time in Italy and I have heard many things about people’s experiences with visiting different parts of Italy such as Rome, Milan, Sicily, and Florence but I have yet to hear about someone else’s experiences at Volterra. I have also heard a lot due to the large representation Italy has in the media and pop culture. On the day of our arrival, we arrived early in the morning after traveling for many hours and having an overnight flight. On the first day at Volterra, I was experiencing an extreme case of jet lag and sleep deprivation but despite this, I was very excited to do a tour of Volterra and see all of the shops, museums, and restaurants and get an opportunity to speak to the locals. On the first day, we got the opportunity to see a few museums and churches, and my favorite church we visited was the Volterra Cathedral. It was very impressive to see as it is very historical dating back to 1117 when it was rebuilt due to an earthquake that destroyed most of the town. The interior was beautiful and the attention to detail throughout was captivating. I found myself in the museum for a while trying to take in all the details. In Volterra, the main language that is spoken is Italian and few people speak English fluently so I quickly realized the importance of learning phrases in Italian to better communicate with the locals. Thankfully later that day in class we had an Italian class that has assisted my ability to order at restaurants or when I visit shops, visit museums, and other activities where I interact with locals. My background in Spanish has also been helpful but this experience has emphasized the advantage of knowing a few phrases.

During class, one of the assignments was to ask a local what leadership means to them since that is the topic of the class I’m taking. Initially, the task seemed challenging due to my lack of fluency in Italian but with the help of the few phrases I was familiar with and with the help of google translate the interaction was a lot smoother. We decided to ask a local business owner that owns a wine shop. My group and I wanted to get to know him a bit so we asked him about how long he has been running his business and his favorite parts about it. This interaction was very wholesome as the owner Bruno, was very welcoming and friendly and was happy to speak to us about his perspectives and experiences. I hope to visit him again during my time in Volterra.
We had a day in Volterra where we had the opportunity to explore the town and this is when we saw the Roman Theatre. This was one of my favorite things I have seen during the week I have been in Italy. I was unfamiliar with the history but I learned that the theater was discovered in the 1950’s during archeological excavations of the ancient Roman city conducted by Enrico Fiumi. I also learned that it is one of the best-preserved Roman Theatres in Italy. I found this very interesting considering I was completely unfamiliar with it before my visit. It is incredible that I was in the presence of something so historical and it made me extremely curious about the people that lived there hundreds and thousands of years ago. It sparked my curiosity in learning more about their societies.

Since my first week at Volterra was coming to an end, I was excited about the group visit to Florence and the free weekend where I was able to explore a city of my choice on my own with a few other classmates that were also staying in Florence. I decided to stay in Florence for my free weekend due to practicality as I thought it would be easier to book a hostel in Florence instead of looking for transportation and housing in a different city. This was the best decision as I had the two best days and nights I could have ever imagined. It was a very amazing experience and although by the end of my weekend, I was exhausted since I was always on the go and walking everywhere I can say that the experience was worth it. I made amazing new friends at the hostel from all over the world who were either also studying abroad or were backpacking to different European cities. It was exciting to hear about their different experiences on their trips thus far and about their future adventures. In Florence, I decided to go to the Uffizi Gallery because I wanted to see the Birth of Venus and it was more beautiful in person. My favorite painting I saw that day was Primavera by Botticelli. I was unfamiliar with this painting but I learned that it was one of the most controversial and written-about paintings in the world. I also had the opportunity to try new foods and try a few Italian Vegetarian restaurants which felt very special because they were rare to find.

Overall I have had a more than amazing week and I am looking forward to what’s next in Italy! (Submitted during Week 1)

Submitted by Moira Gervay on the 2023 summer session program in London, England…

It’s Week 2 in London, and I still feel like I am learning something new about the city daily. One new thing I noticed is that here in London, you have to pay to eat at some cafes or quick-grab restaurants. There is a slight upcharge depending on if you choose to sit down after your purchase or if you do take away. I’m unsure of the reasoning behind this because I never encountered it in Delaware. Another thing I have learned is that you must ask for “tap water” not to be charged for water on your bill. Coffee creamer is also very expensive here, so much so that my aunt mailed me some!

Despite these small differences, I am much more comfortable navigating the city. I’m a pro at the Tube now. The other day I accidentally got separated from my friends and managed to get to our destination perfectly fine on my own. It was very nice to venture off by myself. I got to reflect on how my trip was going and explore the area by myself before rejoining everyone again. It was very meditative, and I look forward to doing it more often. 

The coolest thing I experienced this week was Central Saint Martin’s 2023 Show. CSM is part of the University of the Arts London and is one of the most famous art schools in the world. We got to explore the final projects of the recent BA and MA recipients and find inspiration for our own work and upcoming senior show next spring. It was incredible to talk to students around my age about their work, and I found that many of them had similar interests as me. There is something truly incredible about meeting other designers and artists from all over the world and seeing people be as passionate about their interests as you are. It makes you feel less alone and proves that art brings people together. I’m so excited to continue to be inspired by this city and its people!

Submitted by Danny Maney on the 2023 summer semester program in Ireland…

My first week or so in Ireland has been interesting to say the least. There are a lot of things that I have had to adjust to. For example, they drive on the left side of the road here so looking both ways before I cross the street is especially important as I am not used to traffic coming from the way it does here. Also, The weather is completely different than it is at home. Summers on the east coast of the US are usually hot and humid with the occasional thunderstorm. The summer here seems to be really rainy and not as hot, I’ve noticed that if it is above 75 degrees fahrenheit the people complain of how hot it is. There is also a lot that we haven’t had to adjust to.

My friends and I have noticed that a lot of the music they play, the stores that are around, and the food that they eat are relatively the same as they are in the US. That in it of itself is culture shock. But overall it’s been a lot of fun so far.  One of the coolest things that I have seen thus far was the skeleton of a giant irish elk, an extinct species that lived in Ireland during the last ice age. As a pre-veterinary medicine major, anything with animals interests me especially since this trip is not associated with my major. They had the skeleton in one of the buildings at Trinity college, where we are staying. Trinity itself is very different from living at UD. There are a lot more historical sites and rich history surrounding some of the buildings. During our tour, we heard that Trinity is home to the oldest student organizations in the world. 

Another place that we went that was insightful was the museum called Dublinia. I did not know this before coming on this trip, but Dublin was originally a viking settlement, the largest outside of Scandinavia. The museum itself was very detailed, it showed us a lot of viking artifacts which I took pictures of and a lot of models of the city as well as scenes depicting what life was like. I love learning about history and the vikings were not a topic that I have studied extensively in the past. They also did the same sort of thing for medieval Dublin, which was largely controlled by the Anglo-Normans. Attached to the Dublinia museum, there was the ChristChurch Cathedral which is one of the oldest churches in Dublin. It was cool to see such an old church and all of the history behind it. (Submitted on June 17, 2023)

Submitted by Jack Roff on the 2023 summer session program in Volterra, Italy…

I spent the first of my three-week trip to Italy living it up on the SIAF campus in the ancient Etruscan town of Volterra. The feeling of being anywhere with even slightly more hill variation is thrilling for any experienced Delaware resident and made me spend every chance I got looking at the expansive landscape of the Etruscan countryside. Being a history major the most remarkable aspect of Volterra is its rich history as the town was first Etruscan, then taken over by the Romans and then became a medieval settlement. These layers of civilization can be seen in the architecture and archeology of the sight with our program getting us access to buildings with glass floors, allowing us to look into the ruins below. These ruins caused me to reflect simply on how old these buildings really were. Events like the Civil War seem incredibly old to an American, but being able to stare at something used by somebody named Marcus thousands of years prior really makes you question your own perception of time. As I looked at the remains of the Roman theater I tried to picture the labor it would have taken to construct something like it and simply how badly I would fail if I tried it today.  

The ancient archeological remains that can be found while exploring would be interesting enough on its own but thankfully there is also an entire bonus town that comes with staying at Volterra. I generally try to avoid cities, instead preferring a grueling hike to the top of a big rock to look at nature. In Volterra, I can do both simultaneously. Our leadership class heavily emphasizes cultural intelligence (learning how to properly and comfortably interact with different cultures). As I went throughout Volterra, saying “Grazie” and “chow” with an aggressively American accent I slowly began to open up and became more comfortable with the locals. Soon enough we were asking them about their lives and why they do what they do. My friends and I talked to an Alabaster artisan who didn’t know much English for 30 minutes about why she loves working with Alabaster and how she creates her unique designs. I think the small-town feel of the city (tiny artisan shops, friendly people, narrow streets, almost getting hit by vespas, etc.) allowed me to open up and progressively overload my Italian knowledge until I faced the real test of my Italian experience: Rome. 

Rome is big. Rome is awesome. Rome is also full of scammers, pickpocketers, and one hundred and fifty guys selling the same cheap squishy animal ball. I had to learn how to become a stone-cold rejecter in order to make it past them all as turning down people at kiosks at the mall in Delaware isn’t exactly as intense. For future travelers out there just know that if you scan a QR code for tickets at a popular site the vultures will descend faster than Usain Bolt after drinking a Red Bull. Because of this (among other things) navigating Rome is exhausting, so perhaps the highest praise I can give it is that I walked twenty miles around the city during the summer in the height of tourist season. At the beginning of this trip, I wasn’t sure I’d even make it there. Out of all twenty plus people in my class, none of them wanted to go to Rome, most of them opting to go to Venice, Milan, or Florence. This was perhaps the biggest challenge I’ve faced so far. It took a few days and a lot of me mentioning the Vatican to convince a great group of four of my friends to head there with me and we had a blast. We saw St. Peters Basilica, Trevi Fountain, and the Colleseum to name a few. We even saw the Pantheon where I was called a “McDonalds person” by a guy charging fifty dollars for a ten-minute tour. Intercultural interaction is clearly the greatest form of communication. While being obvious American tourists we did our best to enjoy some of the unique aspects of Italian life while in Rome. We ate pastries with a cappuccino every day for breakfast, tried cannolis for the first time, and even ate out with the locals (they eat later than is typical in America). Some of the foods we ate were culturally significant as well. In Florence, we stopped to eat at a steakhouse as Florence is famous for its steak and it was enough to make a grown man cry. I observed even more cultural differences through the window of our musty swamp-like Airbnb that we kept open in order to use the internet. One night some of my friends and I sat on the window sill observing the Italians and tourists participating in the nightlife in the street below. It was peaceful and as time went by we saw so many different kinds of people come and go. Italian men singing arm in arm, two bridesmaids walking together down the street, confused tourists tripping over the cobblestone while reading Yelp reviews on their phones. Observing from a window gave me a deeper look into the city of modern Rome than possibly any amount of walking ever could. 

It has only been one week since I got here and the experiences I’ve had have been fantastic. I went into the trip worrying that I wouldn’t be able to adapt to the culture of Italy but I’ve found myself taking it on in ways I never thought I would. (Submitted during Week 1)

Submitted by Olivia Disbrow on the 2023 summer session program in Volterra, Italy…

I have traveled to Europe a couple of times before with my family, each experience was wonderful. I knew this trip would also be wonderful, but it would be much different because I was going to places I have never visited before, with people that I did not know previous to this trip. I got to the airport a little weary on talking to new people, but once we landed in Switzerland to catch our connecting flight I found myself establishing a group of friends. So far in the trip I have connected with a few of the girls, and I hope to make more connections with people as the trip progresses. The first couple of days of the trip were spent learning our way around Volterra. If I’m remembering correctly, on the second day in Volterra we visited a museum and a cathedral. I always enjoy seeing cathedrals in Europe because of my interest in art history. We also spoke to the mayor of Volterra. We had the opportunity to ask the mayor questions about the once quiet and quaint town, and how tourism has brought it back to life. In terms of activities inside the classroom, we have been learning how to become more culturally intelligent in new environments. One of our tasks from class was to ask someone in Volterra, “What is leadership?” A group of girls and myself asked the question to a waiter at a restaurant, his response was, “A person that people follow without hesitation.” I found the activity to be interesting, in that we got to discuss our classroom topics firsthand with people from a different culture. (Submitted during Week 1)

On Tuesday, June 13th we took a cultural experience excursion to Siena as a class. The drive from Volterra was about an hour and half. Dr. Stein always urges the entire class to look out the window on these longer bus rides because there is always something new and different to discover. On this particular bus ride, I pushed myself to look out the window for 20-30 minutes. I was amazed by the beautiful landscape, and how different it is to the landscape I am used to seeing at home. Once we got to Siena there was a bit of an overcast, we knew there was a chance of rain, but I think most of us assumed it was only going to drizzle for a bit. It turned out that it was a severe thunderstorm, and it rained throughout almost all of our time in Siena. Myself and the group of girls that I was with ran under a storefront awning for shelter from the rain. We were all kind of squished together, and surrounded by strangers. In that moment, it made me reflect that we are all human despite our differences, we were all just trying our best to find a place to stay dry, warm, and safe. At the end of the day, people from all across the world have something in common with someone because we are all human and we all live on this planet. Even if our values and experiences are different, we can still have empathy and compassion for one another because we all go through similar situations.

The following day, Wednesday, June 14th as a class we visited di Medici Fortessa in Volterra. The Medici Fortessa is a prison that was built on the highest point of the hill overlooking the town. The tour guide — the warden — allowed us to venture all throughout the large tower within the prison. In the past the tower was used to isolate certain prisoners for extended periods of time. Currently, I believe it is not in active use for prisoners, more so left for historic preservation. What was most interesting about this prison was the fact that it is more of a place for rehabilitation for the prisoners. If I remember correctly, almost every prisoner has the opportunity to work in the real world, and then return back to the prison to sleep. For example, many prisoners work in the food and cleaning industry. This process of sending them out into society to work and interact with others will eventually lead them to a better life once they are released from prison. Even the ones with life sentences get the opportunity to leave the prison and work because it improves their confidence, decision-making skills, mental health, and so much more. The Medici Fortessa also provides different classes for the prisoners, such as painting classes and sculpture classes. Visiting the prison was yet another moment I found my cultural intelligence enhancing because I was introduced to a prison system different to the one I’m used to in the U.S. In the U.S. the prison system is very much a place to punish ones that have committed crimes, while in Italy is a place to reshape and transform prisoners to productive members of society once they are released.

On Thursday, June 15th, we took another little road trip to San Gimignano. As a class we had a couple of hours of free time to explore the town. Since we only had a limited amount of time my small group decided to visit clothing shops, a coffee shop, jewelry shops, and lastly a gelato shop. There was even an outside market that had different vendors selling clothing, jewelry, produce, souvenirs, and more. Once our time was up in San Gimignano, we took another bus ride to a winery located outside of Volterra, called Monterosala winery. This was another completely new experience for me, I have never been to a winery previous to our trip. I found it fascinating to learn how the wine is harvested, fermented, stored, bottled, etc. The wine industry is such a massive element of the culture and economy of Italy, so the wine tour and tasting was another way to improve my cultural intelligence.

The next day, Friday, June 16th, we spent the majority of the day presenting our reports. My group in particular had the topic of “The People of Volterra.” My project alone was valuable and rewarding in its own sense, but not only did I have the opportunity to engage with my own project, I also had the opportunity to listen to other project presentations. In terms of my group’s project, we walked around the town and gathered information about Volterra from the locals. We spoke to three special individuals — Elizabeth (jewelry maker and jewelry shop owner), Mateo (bartender/server), and Adrian (server). Each one of these local Volterrans enlightened my group with words of wisdom that we will take with us for the rest of our lives, which we explained in our presentation. Other groups had topics such as Tourism, History of Volterra, or The Economics of Volterra. Participating in my own research, and listening to others’ research added to my knowledge of the town of Volterra. All projects combined have given me a great sense of the culture in Volterra, and a great piece of the culture in Italy. I can return to the U.S. and travel to other parts of the world in the future with the confidence to speak to new people from different cultural backgrounds because of my fascinating experiences in Volterra.

I am going to consolidate the next couple of days, we move on to the cruise portion of our journey. On Saturday, June 17th, we took a longer bus ride to the port of Rome to get on to the cruise ship. When we got to the port and began to board the ship, it was very overwhelming for me because I have never been on a cruise before. There were so many steps to get into your stateroom, and there were so many people trying to board the ship along with you. Each day on this trip there has been a new experience that I need to be acclimated to. I feel like I am a shy and anxious person, and one of the reasons I wanted to study abroad is to step outside of my comfort zone so I can become less anxious, and more confident on a daily basis. On Sunday, June 18th, we had our first port stop in Corsica. Almost every single student left the cruise ship around 10 a.m. and went to the beach that was just a 10 minute walk from the port. I enjoyed our time at the beach because it had been a couple of days since the group was all together during our free time, and the scenery was beautiful. The following day, Monday, June 19th, our port stop was in Portofino. I think Portofino has been my favorite town we have visited on the trip so far. I enjoy the atmosphere of a small beach town, with the endless amounts of shops and restaurants. Any direction you look in Portofino there is a beautiful view. I also lucked out on the shopping, I purchased a nice bracelet, and a nice pair of pants. I would definitely go back to Portofino in the future. (Submitted during Week 2)

Submitted by Moira Gervay on the 2023 summer session program in London, England…

It’s week one in London, and slowly but surely, I’m adjusting to being abroad full-time. Despite feeling slightly overwhelmed by everything, I could not be more excited to explore what London offers. There is so much to do around the city, from large, winding markets to small boutiques, local chains to family owned restaurants, and expansive museums to intimate galleries. In just the span of a week, I have learned and experienced so many new things. 

Our classes are structured around visiting artists who teach us about their experiences and skills in the art world. We spoke with freelance designers, writers, UX/UI designers, and product designers. The most influential talk this week was definitely by Wendy Scott, a freelance journalist who taught us how to write meaningful copy that will hold the reader’s attention. She pushed us to ask reflective questions and research the city around us for inspiration. She gave us recommendations of places to visit or journal in, and encouraged us to talk to everyone we meet in the city.

In addition to our lectures this week, we explored the British Museum and the Tate Modern. I love museums, no matter what they are showcasing. I believe they are vaults of knowledge and stories. It was incredible to see the ancient artifacts and artwork in the British Museum. I struggled to wrap my head around the fact that all the pieces once belonged to other countries and were built and used by real people. Casually standing next to centuries-old artifacts was definitely a weird but exciting experience. My favorite artifacts were definitely the Rosetta Stone and the sculptures from the Parthenon. 

At the Tate Modern, we went to an exhibit about Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian titled “Forms of Life”. Both artists created abstract art that was inspired by spirituality and nature. It was interesting to learn about the techniques both artists used to convey their messages, as well as witness the large scale of some of the pieces. I thought it was so cool that af Klint was a medium whose artwork was commissioned by a higher power she was visited by.  

After class, we have time to explore the city and its incredible markets. This week, we went to Borough Market, Portobello Road Market, Spitalfields Market, and Brick Lane Vintage Market. The different stalls seemed to continue on forever. These markets are full of clothes, food, and artwork from local vendors, and some have been around for centuries.

I love food, especially trying new cuisine since I’m so used to the regular spots around UD’s campus. My flatmate on the trip is Greek, and she gave us lots of amazing recommendations when we went to a small Greek restaurant along Portobello Road. We also had Italian, Thai, and vegan Mexican food this week. One of my favorite foods that we had was definitely the famous chocolate covered strawberries in Borough Market. Though it’s a simple concept, the large cups we got were so filling and delicious. I found that English chocolate is a bit richer than American chocolate. We traveled through lots of spice shops and made it a goal to acquire as many free cheese samples as we could! I’m so excited to see what other spots we find as we go back in the coming weeks. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be abroad and have the ability to explore on my own terms. (Submitted during Week 1)