Europe Short Term Programs Winter Session

Netherlands and France: Meeting New People

Submitted by Amelia Ritter on the 2018 winter session study abroad program in France sponsored by the Department of Art…

Over the course of this month, I’ve found friendship in strangers. While on my way to Amsterdam for the long weekend break, we had over three hours to kill. Being over prepared and used to US security checks I showed up way too early to the train station. For a little while, I busied myself with an electric bicycle that charged your phone while you biked, but then I found a public piano. Different people were going up to play a song before their train left and others stood watching, like me, to pass the time. While standing there, a girl my age approached me and asked if I was in line to use the piano. Her name is Stephanie and we discussed the basics that all train station waiters have in common; her destination was Brussels and then she was on to Amsterdam and then London and she had only been in Paris for a few days. Originally from sunny California, Stephanie was enjoying her adventure abroad alone and was thoroughly excited about all her destinations. While in France, she had picked up a little French. Like me, she tries to learn a little of the language wherever she goes. Stephanie has inspired me to take that brave little leap and to talk to random strangers (but safely, of course) in the future.

Back in Paris, I discovered a little vegan restaurant called World Food Barn. There I met the owner and employee who both who have interesting stories and have traveled quite a bit. The owner is originally from California, but moved to Paris early on. In Paris, he was given a job opportunity where he traveled Europe. Through this experience, he was able to learn French, Spanish, German, and Italian! After the job, he worked with another company bringing a product into the U.S. market, but he quickly found that U.S. food was not as fresh as in Europe. As a result, he opened World Food Barn on Rue St Jacques. His co-worker is from France, but is fluent in English after living in Cambodia at a young age. She has also done a study abroad in Madrid, Spain. I chatted with her easily about traveling and more importantly, ice cream. She explained to me her philosophy on eating vegan and how she thinks everything should be done in moderation and with balance and this is more easily achieved by eating vegan as it does not harm animals. World Food Barn is not only a small restaurant open 11am-6pm daily, but also a lending library and a space to meet cool people. People from all different countries and cultures eat at World Food Barn and Michael has a collection of all different cookbooks and education information on veganism. The food he cooks is fresh and every day he offers a different soup and salad and special. He also has smoothies and bowls on a permanent menu. Michael and Elodie have inspired me to eat healthier when I return home although I’m not quite sure I’m ready to make the leap to full vegan quite yet.

Little Cayman: Learning To Make a Difference

Submitted by Bethany Vanderloo on the 2018 winter session program in the Cayman Islands sponsored by the School of Marine Science and Policy…

Going into our final week, I can tell I am going to miss the simple living here. People do not need much on such a small island. Most of the people who come here are here on working permits to help send money home to their families in other countries like Jamaica or Honduras. CCMI has taught me how important sustainable living is and to be resourceful by changing simple habits like not leaving the water running while you brush your teeth or turning off the fan when you leave the room.

Classes and diving have been so much fun and we are now getting the results of our work of analyzing the dive sites for coral along with other things. All of us have noticed the decline in the quality and quantity of corals in the area. It is disheartening to compare our data to the last trips’ two years ago. The oceans are warming and I have seen the effects directly which will push me to help make a change and keep doing little things to try to make a difference wherever I am.

Business in Barcelona, Spain

Submitted by Kendal Kristiansen on the 2018 winter session program in Barcelona, Spain sponsored by the Horn Program in Entrepreneurship…

Three weeks abroad flew by! The whole program feels so surreal now that I’m back in the States. Our last week was filled with visiting the beautiful Park Güell and a tour of Camp Nou, the fútbol stadium. Park Güell was absolutely beautiful even though it was under construction. A couple of us walked all the way to the top where there’s a beautiful panoramic view.

We also finalized our operations manuals and presented to the class and at our internships. Corentin, the artist I was working with, was blown away by all the work we squeezed into just three weeks. It felt so rewarding being able to help him and share information and tips especially about social media . Sometimes we take for granted how much information and knowledge we have because it comes so naturally having grown up with it. It was also interesting to learn that Spain relies more on personal connections and relationships than social media. Business there is very different than in the United States, I must say.

I really feel so blessed and thankful to have experienced such an amazing program with great people! Barcelona definitely has my heart.

Cambodia: Cambodian Genocide

Submitted by Erica Watson on the 2018 winter session program in Vietnam and Cambodia sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…

During our time in Phenom Penh, Cambodia, we visited the jail S21 which was one of many jails used by the Khmer Rouge during their regime. We learned about the Cambodian genocide which was led by the Khmer Rouge when they took control of the government in 1975. They attempted to turn the country into a communist utopia, but they actually just killed millions of Cambodians after forcing them into labor camps where they were starved and abused. The Khmer Rouge targeted people such as doctors, teachers, educated people and anyone who was perceived as a threat to their ruling. About 2 million Cambodians died during the four year reign of the Khmer Rouge. Finally in 1979, they were removed from power when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and quickly destroyed most of the Khmer Rouge’s army.

It was humbling to see the same jail where so many Cambodians had suffered. The jail complex consisted of cement buildings with multiple rooms, each with just a single bed. As I walked around and looked at all the pictures of the prisoners, I tried to empathize with the horrible situations they had experienced. In that moment, I felt extremely thankful to have grown up in a free country. What surprised me most about this genocide is the fact that it lasted for so long without anyone really knowing. It took four years for a country to finally realize what was going on in Cambodia and to take action against it. Not only was it kept so secretive at the time, but I still don’t think many people know about this genocide today. In school, we grew up mainly learning about the holocaust. There may have been some mention of the Cambodian genocide, but not enough for me to recall prior to my prison visit. This may be due to the fact that millions more people died in the holocaust than in the Cambodian genocide. But, what makes the Cambodian genocide significant is the fact that since it is such a small country, this epidemic wiped out a large portion of their population. I saw the impact it made on the people as I noticed very few elderly people since most of them had been affected by the genocide. The population mostly consists of young people so they are still struggling to recover. After my visit to the jail and learning more about the genocide, I have gained a much stronger appreciation for the Cambodian people and the hardships they encountered.

Paris, France: Men’s Fashion Week

Submitted by Laura Schwegel on the 2018 winter session study abroad program in France sponsored by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies…

By the third week of my trip, I had really begun to feel comfortable in France and with the culture here. We had a solid routine; even though each day brought a new adventure, we always woke up and walked to the boulangerie for a croissant or pain au chocolat! However, this is the week that everything began to get crazy!

Starting on Wednesday, we began working men’s fashion week. I was able to work at two different fashion shows: Icosae and Sean Suen. Both proved to be very exciting experiences!

Icosae was most definitely my favorite. The setting of the show was in an old church, which provided a very interesting juxtaposition to the clothing from the collection, which was heavily athletic-wear inspired. The looks were completed with Louboutin sneakers with their signature red bottoms. Our models only had one look each, so it was a fairly stress-free entry into fashion week.

My model, Luc, was the closing look. He told me about his experiences with many designers, from Louis Vuitton to Calvin Klein, and it was so interesting to hear all of his stories!

The Sean Suen show was also very exciting; my model had a quick change that proved to be stressful, but we pulled it off and the show was a success!

The end of the week was when the real fun began: my showroom internship with Elie Saab! I knew going into the internship that it would be intensely difficult as well as intensely rewarding, and the first day was great. I can’t wait to see what next week brings with this amazing opportunity.

The store front of the Elie Saab showroom

New Zealand: The River

Submitted by Samantha Bornhardt on the 2018 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Communication…

As my third week comes to a close, I reflect back on the most challenging, yet memorable portion of my progam so far. Our class traveled to Whanganui, a small town in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the country’s biggest and most intriguing river, the Whanganui River. By looking at our itinerary, we could see that on this portion of the program we would be doing a “river excursion”. However, the most interesting part about this planned event was that we were given very minimal details, except for the fact that it was an overnight Maori led tour down the river.

After piling into a van and lathering on loads of suntan lotion, we took about a 25 minute scenic tour through the mountains, to a small Maori property where our tour guide’s grandmother lived. The house was small and lined with beautiful Maori sculptures, with the massive river flowing in her backyard. Our class waddled down to the bank where we were greeted by the rest of our guide’s family who would also be accompanying us on our excursion. As we walked further towards the water, we saw six canoes lying out on display. A smile widened on my face as I grew excited to get out on the water and to start the adventure.

While we made our way down the river, Ash and the other captains of each canoe retold stories of the Maori and the importance of the Whanganui River specifically to their tribe. Ash began the day explaining how just recently, the New Zealand government has recognized the Whanganui River and granted it human rights, meaning it has the same rights New Zealanders have and then some (for example the river can damage property without being sued). This is very important to the Maori culture because it recognized the river as having a certain influence over the human race, whether it be the amount of water it provides, the food, the energy or its beauty. He began our trip with a simple phrase to have us ponder its meaning as we set out on our peaceful journey: “don’t speak about the river, speak to the river.”

For the first hour, adrenaline pushed me and our canoe raced down the river. However, as the sun grew stronger, my adrenaline simmered off and I became physically exhausted. Although my boat jokingly complained about our aching arms, we still tried to paddle on. However, the more we complained, the slower we began to move. Eventually, we realized that the current had changed and we were paddling against the river. The river was teaching us a lesson.

By hour three, Ash saw this lack of motivation and the slow moving fleet and tied all of the boats together. He explained that instead of fighting the river, we need to appreciate the river, just as we should not fight with our parents, but be grateful for all they have given us. He called on us to close our eyes and absorb our surroundings. What do we feel? What do we hear? What do we smell? What do we taste? By doing this, it would heighten our senses past our sense of sight, which is important in appreciating a specific moment. He explained that the sense of sight is the most selfish of the five senses, and cause many, although they may have their eyes open, to skim over certain beauties such as the river and its importance to the circle of life. And then, as he continued to speak and I relaxed with ease, absorbing the beautiful river we were floating on, the current changed and we began to float forward again.

The river trip was mentally challenging, but at the same time, eye-opening. It taught me how to push myself to certain limits that I didn’t even know I could reach, as well as gratitude for the things life has given me. By the end of the six hour canoe ride, we beached at a bank that opened up into a beautiful Maori community. As I sat there, staring out at the river, I thought about what Ash had asked us early. What he meant when he said “don’t speak about the river, talk to the river” was to appreciate everything it has given us, and treat it as if it were human. This act of thinking humbles us, and allows us to acknowledge the fact that we are just as equal as the plants, animals, trees, rivers and mountains around us.

Daily Routine in Trieste, Italy

Submitted by Darius Pirestani on the 2018 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences…

While my first week in Trieste fostered a sense of newfound excitement in a place I’ve never been to before, my second week took a much different direction. After spending a couple of days in the city, I developed a great sense of direction so navigating my way around Trieste was no longer an issue. Furthermore, I slowly began to develop my own daily routine: wake up every morning at 7:00 am, eat breakfast, take the bus to the hospital, complete my shadowing and then return back home to run some errands before making plans to go out with my friends. I grew extremely comfortable in my routine and felt a great sense of belonging as a result. Shadowing Ospedale Cattinara’s neurology department was entirely different than my previous week in Cardiology — the stroke unit was a quiet ward where mostly unresponsive patients have spent weeks hooked up to feeding tubes and IV’s, with doctors doing their daily rounds knowing very well that most of the patients would not make any progress. Nonetheless, they persisted with visual tests and reflex examinations, taking blood pressure and other vitals as much as they could.

England: Enjoying the Culture

Submitted by Emma Engel on the 2018 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English and the Department of Theater…

This past week in London was really exciting and jam-packed with different excursions. My roommate, Abby and I stuck together for most of this week. We both came down with a bit of a head cold, but bounced back pretty quickly! We saw four shows this week- all of which were very different from one another; we saw Mary Stuart, Les Miserables, Cinderella (presented as a ballet set in World War II), and Dream Girls. My favorite from this past week was probably Dream Girls, which was extremely lively and full of talented performers.

This past weekend was my absolute favorite part of the program so far. Abby and I planned a trip to Stonehenge and Bath, which was a beautiful, site-filled day. Stonehenge was absolutely breathtaking; there were rolling hills of green as far as you could look in any direction, and it just felt like such a special place. I also really enjoyed Bath especially since we had great weather for the day trip and had a really lovely time.

On Saturday, Abby and I went for a traditional afternoon tea experience at the Wallace Collection, and it was really interesting! The tea was very good, and we had small sandwiches, a biscuit and small desserts all set up on a three-tiered serving plate. It was beautiful, and very yummy! We had a great time.

Sunday was a more relaxing day, and Abby and I tried the Cereal Killer Café, which has a wide assortment of both British and American cereals. After brunch, we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum and walked around, and eventually made our way over to the Barbican Centre, where the London Symphony Orchestra performed. Being a music major, this was probably one of my favorite things we have done on the progrfam. They performed several wonderful pieces, including a cello concerto. Abby and I actually spoke to the cellist while waiting at the bus stop post-concert! It was a really great experience.

This week was full of excitement and I am ready for our last full week here in London!

Barbados: Not a “Local” Market

Submitted by Allison Abbene on the 2018 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Geography…

A few people and I had a chance to visit a local farmers market one morning this week, and we walked up two miles of hills to get there. I was very interested to get a feel for the Barbados culture some more and to see what kind of things were offered by the locals. Many of the locals sold natural recipes for myriad items, like pain management oils and scented body lotions. A large part of the farmers market was also dedicated to original paintings and handmade jewelry, crafted by those locals who stood behind the stands. Something I thought was very interesting was how much of the jewelry, beads, stones and shells were actually imported and not original to the island. A local who worked at a farm stand also mentioned to me how many of the fruits and vegetables were not local, either. I was intrigued by this, as I would have thought that these types of items were locally produced.

My research project on this program is studying the buying habits of local people to see if they prefer local or imported food. By interviewing a few people, I learned that the government plays a huge part in importing food that the island already grows, and that this leads to the higher prices. I was told that a big reason for this is because of visitors to the island preferring imported goods that they know themselves. This was very sad to hear, as it seems like the tourism industry is a main reason for the locals having to suffer the consequences of higher living prices.

Last Days in Argentina

Submitted by Lauren Healy on the 2018 winter session program in Argentina sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

Our last full week in Argentina did not disappoint. We went to a Mate Club, where people go to drink yerba mate tea and socialize. They mixed us all up and sat us at tables with a mix of people from all over, who want to practice either English or Spanish. The conversation would switch every 15 minutes, giving both English and Spanish speaking guests a chance to practice. It was a really cool experience, getting to really talk to native speakers outside the classroom or our homestays. Later in the week, the class went to a great lunch in Puerto Madero, a part of the city right on the water with amazing views. After lunch ended, the group decided to stay for hours to soak up some time together in this scenic part of the city. This past weekend was a free weekend, and the whole group decided to go to El Calafate, which is part of Patagonia. We flew in to 60 degree weather, and were closer in El Calafate to Antarctica than Buenos Aires which was really cool. The town was picturesque and quaint, filled with people from all over the world. The conservation based town wide power outage did not manage to dampen our spirits, and we all reunited at a restaurant for some authentic lamb barbecue. We had a chance to take a boat and walking tour of the famous Perito Moreno Glaciar, which looked too beautiful to be real. It was like something you see in National Geographic, not real life. The weekend was jam packed and exhausting, but absolutely worth it. It was a great adventure and experience for us as a group.