Europe Short Term Programs Winter Session

The Next Adventure

Submitted by Anastacia Johnson on the 2024 Winter HLTH program in Italy…

The final stop on this adventure brought me to the beautiful city of Florence. From staying in an old, refurbished castle to exploring the streets to visiting the Mercato Centrale, Florence was my favorite destination. There was so much to see and do, while also taking day trips to other cities like Pienza and Siena. During our first night, we stumbled upon a fiddler where we danced and sang with others in the crowd before departing and coming across a carousel. The night was filled with childlike wonder and joy and none of us wanted it to end. The Mercato Centrale became a staple while staying in Florence, taking trips once or twice a day for lunch/dinner and also for bringing goodies home. Florence was a dream and it was sad as it signified the program was coming to an end but I couldn’t imagine ending it anywhere else. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

La Última Semana en Costa Rica

Submitted by Elsley Hazell on the 2024 Winter SPAN program in Costa Rica…

A 6ft handcrafted Ox Cart Wheel of Sarchí

For our final week we visited La Paz Waterfall Gardens and the town of Sarchí. The waterfall gardens was so cool because not only is it a nature reserve but an animal sanctuary as well! We saw snakes, different kinds of birds, two ocelots, two pumas, some jaguars, frogs, cows and some more! We were right next to the Poás Volcano, and the area surrounding it is a rainforest so the area was surrounded by dense clouds. It was relatively clear in the beginning of the day, but the clouds got denser by the afternoon, like you couldn’t see 20 feet in front of you by 3pm. The waterfall gardens is home to 5 waterfalls which feed into each other: Templo, Magia Blanca, Encantada, Escondida, and La Paz.

Sarchí is a town in Alajuela of Costa Rica which is most famous for its craft centers and Ox Carts! These ox carts have a rich history in Costa Rica and are a national symbol now. The vibrant colors and handcrafted ox carts were once for practical use but nowadays they are mainly for decoration and national pride, once a year an parade is held in remembrance of the importance Ox Carts are for Costa Rica. Sarchí has a display of the world’s largest Ox Cart in the town’s central park. The whole town has influences of the unique art style that are featured on the famous ox carts.

These past four weeks have been a wonderful experience and I’m so grateful that I was able to participate in this study abroad program. I began this trip knowing nothing about Costa Rica and I’ll be leaving having learned so much about the culture and the people of this beautiful country. I will never forget the memories I have made here or the people I have met. I’ll miss being able to view the vast mountain ranges, but that’s all the more reason to come back here on my own in the future some day! (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

Blog Week 4

Submitted by John Cusatis on the 2024 Winter PHIL program in Italy…

This is me trying to hold up the tower of Pisa

The final week of my study abroad we went to Pisa and Rome. Although it was only a day, Pisa felt like one of the best experiences I’ve had on the trip. We all took pictures with the tower and walked around trying the local cuisine. There was a beautiful pink sunset and our group got photos. It was the best-looking sky I’ve seen, it felt like a dream. Looking back, these friends I’ve made may turn out to be lifelong, I cherish the relationships that were cultivated, every person on this trip got along and it felt like we were a family.

We went back to Rome, which I felt more attached to than Florence personally. It’s something about those noisy and crowded streets with shops on every block. Florence was more walkable, but Rome was more compact. We went by the Colosseum again, and we went to Vatican City. Climbing the Vatican was truly special, although it felt like infinite stairs like those in harry potter, once making it to the top we could see most of Rome. I also practiced my Japanese with other tourists visiting the Vatican which felt great that one of my language goals was reached, and I’ve made a multitude of Italian friends with the help of our classmate Ceceilia who knows Italian. My appreciation of Italian culture and people went up after experiencing this amazing country, I hope to familiarize myself with other countries and cultures in the future. This study abroad was one of the best moments in my life, from the people to the history and the friends, this trip was unforgettable. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

This was a photo of our group arriving back in Philadelphia airport

Heading to The Hague

Submitted by Evan Ciecko on the 2024 Winter ENGL program in The Netherlands…

This week was my last week in The Netherlands and it was absolutely amazing. I got to travel to The Hague for our last 4 days of the trip, and there was a huge difference between this city and the town of Arnhem that I had been staying in. The Hague has a population of around 1 million people, roughly the same size as my home state of Delaware’s population.

Of all of the cities I visited on this trip, The Hague most closely resembled American cities with its towering skyscrapers. While it is not the official capital of The Netherlands, it is home to the country’s parliament and I was able to visit many of their government buildings. I saw the International Court of Justice, Binnenhof (City Hall), and The Royal Palace. Unlike cities in America, it has a series of canals running through it that are absolutely beautiful- especially in the sunlight as it dances over the water. Many of the canals throughout the country, not just in the Hague, even have houseboats. It’s amazing that a style of living that is considered unconventional in the US is extremely common in Dutch culture.

The Hague is also only 4 kilometers away from the coast, and one night I traveled down to see the North Sea. I was glad we got a decent stretch of clear weather because rain is very common in The Netherlands. I put my feet in the ocean so that I could say I have been in the North Sea! It wasn’t too cold, so my friends and I hung around and watched surfers before navigating the buses back to the hotel.

As my trip came to an end this week I was so grateful for the experience to be immersed in another culture. I feel that I learned a lot not only about Dutch culture and climate change, but also grew as an individual by pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I highly recommend study abroad and believe it is a great opportunity for personal growth and to meet an amazing group of individuals and faculty! (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

Indigenous Acknowledgement in Sydney

Submitted by Josiah Taylor on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Thailand and Australia…

Growing up in American public school systems, we read lots of histories and accounts about the mistreatment of Native Americans. They were forcefully removed from their land and zoned into special reservation areas. Though many of Native descent now live across the US, assimilated into American society, original land ownership is rarely recognized. When it is, in township names or University statements, it’s a “nice to have,” rather than an expectation.

In Sydney, during my two weeks here, it has seemed quite different. Though our countries share similar histories of British colonization, it seems the expectation that native land is remembered and acknowledged. Tour guides and company representatives preface tours with an acknowledgement of the local tribe. The Aboriginal flag has also flown alongside the Australian flag above the Sydney harbor bridge since last year. This may be a more recent movement and, for all I know, it could be contained to the nearby area of Sydney, but it’s shocking and fascinating to see how wholly a country can embrace and recognize their troublesome past in order to move towards better relations with indigenous people.

This is not to say the Australian people have it perfect. Australia Day, much like our Columbus Day, has been met with floods of protests and controversy in recent years, some are even calling it “Invasion Day.” However, it is fascinating to see how quickly they’re progressing in this movement as compared to the US.

I do believe America is headed in a similar direction as it grows increasingly more important to recognize and uplift marginalized groups, but it will be interesting to see how, due to cultural differences, we will approach it differently. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)

Week 2! Last week in Dunedin

Submitted by Mara Cabrera on the 2024 Winter KAAP program in New Zealand…

Week 2 in Dunedin has been such a dream! I am so sad to say that we will be leaving on the 17th. In the past two weeks we have been here I have learned so much about this beautiful town and its history. Just a couple of days ago, we went on the Otago Rail trail which is one of the most difficult group activities we will be doing on this trip. Having been scared for months about it, I can now say it was a very fun experience. I was very nervous about the duration (22 miles) and the intensity of the rail trail. However, after completing the trail I was very proud of myself and all my classmates for being able to do it. The Otago rail trail is something I will always remember and I cannot wait to see what else this trip has in store for us. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)

Generational Gratitude

Submitted by Katherine Slough on the 2024 Winter ENGL/THEA program in London, England…

As a twenty-year-old young woman, I am turning into my grandmother.

This trip has surprised me at every corner, and I would never have guessed that my takeaway is that I enjoy simple things and am learning to appreciate theater more. I know this is a theater and English study abroad session, but I did not think that studying theater in London would have such a profound impact on me.

The theater is alive in this city and influential at every turn; the ads on the underground are all about the newest plays, and everyone has heard of what is on the West End. There are theaters in the back of pubs, and the community expands farther than the theater companies and their audiences. The population loves to be entertained and has much longer attention spans than in America. The shows are almost three hours long, and yes, they might drag for a bit, but overall, I have not regretted watching a single one. Sometimes, the American accents are wrong, or the costume design could be a bit better, but with each show, I have never seen anything like it. The different kinds of stages, lighting, and music are making me want to see more plays in the States.

I’m becoming Denise Slough because she has tried to instill a love for the arts in me from a young age. She always encouraged me to do musicals and choir, and I did until high school. When choir or the musical was just a club or extracurricular in middle and elementary school, I loved it, but I focused more on sports in high school. I’m not necessarily artistic, so performance is not my strong suit, but I can still recognize when an actor is good. My older cousin is an actress, and I was always brought to her shows, from high school performances to off-Broadway productions. I have never entirely understood the desire to be an actress or be on the stage, but since taking this class and talking to actors, directors, and writers, it’s evident that they live to entertain. They will also always be in a job and have one of the oldest storytelling professions.

I am excited to return home with this newfound appreciation for the theater. The love for the arts has been one of the more significant cultural adjustments I have noticed in the UK. The average citizen’s simple love for the theater is much different than the bourgeois perspective in the states. The theater is for everyone here, and I love how unifying it is. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)

Saying Goodbye

Submitted by Andrea Cannizzaro on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Siena, Italy…

A beautiful cappuccino from our favorite barista. He was always so sweet, and his coffee was absolutely delicious. It’s going to be hard going back to Dunkin’ after this

After living in Italy for a month, I can definitely say that this has completely changed my view of life and overall experiences. I have never been abroad before, especially without my family, and for school, however this has been the best thing I have ever decided to do. Being surrounded by the culture everyday and experiencing the day to day life in different parts of Italy has been truly eye opening. To add, taking classes in one of the schools in Siena was an experience I will never forget. It was so different from our schools and normal schedules, but I would honestly prefer the schedule in Siena. I felt more focused having the breaks, refreshed getting my daily cappuccinos, and learned so much about the language and culture. It was also very interesting to meet with the Italian students to find out what they find interesting or didn’t know about the United States, and vice versa. This study abroad experience has opened my eyes to new possibilities and will definitely push me to travel more in the near future. With that being said, I now finish the best chapter of my life and hope the story continues with the next chapter in another country. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

Amalfi Coast

Submitted by Sarah Rhodunda on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Siena, Italy…

For my last blog post, I wanted to discuss my free weekend. I came on this trip with my sister, and as soon as we knew we had a free weekend, we wanted to spend it on the Amalfi Coast. After class on Friday, we took two trains and a bus and finally arrived. It was pitch black, but the sounds of the ocean signaled to us we were there. The next day, we took a boat ride to Capri, where we walked around for a few hours. After that, we went back and enjoyed the high 60s weather. The sun on our faces as we sat and watched the ocean along the beautiful skyline was incredible. It made it even more special to be sharing that moment with my sister. I am so grateful to spend a month abroad with her; it will be something I will never forget. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

All over Italy!

Submitted by Hoda Bazzi on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Siena, Italy…

This week was full of new places, including Perugia and San Gimignano. In Perugia, we saw the Bacci Chocolate factory which included a tour of the factory, a tasting, and cooking with the chef!. The chocolate factory was such an amazing experience. I enjoyed tasting the chocolate, cooking with the chef, and seeing the factory and how it works. I also really enjoyed having lunch with the entire group, it was very fun and I wish we could eat all together more often. We were given an hour to look around the city, I saw a few arches, and overlooks of the city that were absolutely beautiful. Perugia was definitely the quietest city that I have visited thus far, but yet it still managed to be so interesting and fun.

In San Gimignano, we first made a stop at a winery in a small town 30 minutes from San Gimignano. Here we got to try 3 red wines and the olive oil they produced. We got to see the wine cellar and learn how wine is made. After the wine tasting, we drove to San Gimignano where we had free time to roam the city. There were lots of places with amazing views. Out of everywhere we visited, San Gimignano was definitely the prettiest and had the most scenic views. It was such a quaint and perfect little town.

When we were traveling and we were studying in Siena, we climbed the Torre de Mangia in the main Piazza. I also discovered cute little shops and became a regular at one panini shop in particular.

Also this week, I visited the leaning tower of Pisa! The town was amazingly beautiful. We even managed to climb the tower right before it closed for the night!

As the weeks are almost over, I have enjoyed every second of Italy. I cant wait to see what the last week holds! (Submitted on January 29, 2024)