UD Abroad Blog

Submitted by Corey Chandler on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Granada, Spain…

I have  been in Granada, Spain for two weeks now and it still feels like a dream. For someone who has never been on a family vacation and is also a first generation college student, this is truly a dream come true. From the moment that I arrived in the JFK airport until this present time, I have felt safe and calm. My advisors and everyone that has helped to organize this study abroad program has made sure that I am more than prepared for anything and everything that comes my way. Even the unexpected inconveniences that come along, I still feel as though I have been equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle them with ease.

After spending some time exploring the city, I have noticed that many Spaniards calmly stroll through the streets, they walk with ease and grace and never seem like they are in a hurry. As compared to back home in the United States, where everyone is sprinting through the streets, phone in one hand and coffee in the other, that does not happen here. It is actually of bad taste to walk around the streets of Granada while drinking a coffee, it can make you seem like your life is not all the way together. After taking a tranquil siesta, I did something so simple, that I never really get to do while I am home in the United States. I took a stroll through a beautiful and well kept park, the Federico García Lorca Park, it was full of vibrant flowers, tall, luscious palm trees, fun playing areas for children and you can even buy admission to see the inside of where this famous poet once lived for only a few euros. This is one of the most memorable moments of my program thus far. I am surrounded by nature all the time and it is wonderful to be able to take some time and take it all in.

Submitted by Emily Gray on the 2019 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

Last weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the town of Kutna Hora! About an hour and a half outside Prague, Kutna Hora is a beautiful town with an incredible history. Our day began with a visit to the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated with 60,000 human bones. Our tour guide emphasized the concept of “momento mori”: remember death is imminent. It was sobering to be exposed to so much loss, but it made me more appreciative of life. It also showed me that, at least to the people of Kutna Hora, death is not such a scary thing. They constructed beauty and faith from the horror of human skulls. I’m so grateful I got to see the chapel in person, on Friday the 13th no less!

After visiting Sedlec Ossuary, we toured an old mine shaft. I have never been in a cave before, and the experience was exhilarating. Several times, I worried I wasn’t going to fit through the wet and narrow walls. I can’t imagine going through the cave without a tour guide and my friends on either side of me. I have so much respect for the miners of Kutna Hora, and I’m grateful I will never have to work in such a dangerous profession. The most interesting part of my trip was when we turned off all our headlights in the mine, experiencing total darkness. No matter how long you stay in the cave—be it 20 minutes or 20 years—your eyes will never adjust. The miners, if their lamps went out, would have to follow the wind to escape. Learning about life in the 1400s was fascinating and humbling, and I would encourage anyone in the Czech Republic to visit Kutna Hora.

Going on this excursion taught me the importance of getting out of Prague and seeing what else this beautiful country has to offer. So many students studying abroad leave the country every weekend, missing out on all the beauty and history around them. I am so excited for my next excursion to explore more of the Czech Republic!

Submitted by Nicole Caracciolo on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Barcelona, Spain…

This has been my first full week in Barcelona and the start of all of my classes. I could not enjoy them any more! I like how my professors incorporate more learning experiences into the curriculum rather than making us memorize a bunch of facts. It makes the class more enjoyable and makes me more eager to learn. The one thing that I don’t like, however, is that the classes are an hour and 40 minutes long at a time. It is especially difficult for me to sit through that much class time because my M/W schedule is the same professor back to back and my TU/TH schedule is the same professor back to back. They give us breaks in between the 1 hour 40 minute sessions, in addition to the 20 minute break between classes, but it sometimes still drags on.

 

 

Submitted by Danielle Tahan on the 2019 fall semester program in London, England…

After only one week, I can confidently share that life in London is as captivating and thrilling as one would imagine. Every moment I am in awe of the beautifully rich and diverse culture that surrounds me. Whether I am walking the streets of the Royal Borough of Kensington where my classes are located, or around the residential yet lively area of Shepherd’s Bush where I live, I am surrounded by historic beauty as well as the diverse individuals who give it life.

I am studying and interning in London through CAPA, a global education network. I cannot speak highly enough of this extremely supportive and well-structured program. Upon arrival, and even prior to, we were oriented to our program and the city and supported academically, mentally, and physically. I am eager for the opportunities that CAPA will continue to provide me, as they have already greatly fostered my journey abroad.

I have been able to really immerse myself into the London life by joining the daily commute via the Tube. On my way to my internship at a primary school, I commute with the local children who are all dressed in uniform. I am impressed by the children who are half my size and are able to effectively navigate the Tube system much more swiftly than I probably ever will be able to! Their competence actually inspired me to become more confident during my commute, and I am already much more comfortable than my first few days here. It is difficult getting accustomed to a few subtle, yet influential differences such as the traffic patterns in London that don’t seem to make much sense!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been thrilling to discover how easily I can access several tourist attractions, such as Buckingham Palace, St. Charles Cathedral, the London Eye, Notting Hill and the Kensington Gardens.

For me, it is even more exciting to explore areas that I wouldn’t find in a travel pamphlet. As one of my goals of the semester, I aim to immerse myself into the city beyond the role of a tourist. I attempt this by actions such as taking a detour of the area on my lunch break, conversing with the man in the coffee shop of the tube station who makes my coffee every morning, or observing the locals on my commute and while exploring to understand what it is like to live here. I find these actions to be extremely enlightening and the most valuable to my experience thus far. I look forward to continuing to understand life in London and I am eager to discover more about its culture through direct exposure and exploration.

 

Submitted by Lia Naselli on the 2019 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

I cannot believe it’s been almost three weeks since I arrived in Prague. Time is really flying. With all of the exciting activities and beautiful sites, I still seem to experience my fair share of anxiety. Sometimes, it is hard to motivate myself to get out of the apartment and try new things, especially when I don’t have anyone to keep me company. Exploring a foreign city on your own can be really scary. However, I have been trying to push myself to get out there and familiarize myself with my new home.  On Friday, I ventured out to the Žižkov Television Tower, famous for the giant baby sculptures climbing up the side! It was truly a sight to see. I’m really glad I went on my own. It felt good to go at my own pace.

On Saturday, my roommates and I decided to check out the farmer’s market by the Vltava River, which runs every Saturday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. The weather was absolutely beautiful. The market seemed to go on forever, with countless produce and flower stands, jewelry vendors, and traditional Czech foods. My favorite part was all the dogs! Czech people love dogs, so there’s never a shortage of adorable dogs walking through the streets of Prague. Often times, they’re not even on leashes! Speaking of dogs, pictured below is probably the best hot dog I’ve ever had. We sat by the river with our hot dogs and watched the swans swim by. Later that day we visited the famous Prague Castle. It is a must-see and we will definitely be going back at some point.

After our action-packed Saturday afternoon, I started to feel a little better. It will take some time to feel completely adjusted. There will be good days and bad days. My goals for this week are to be more patient and not set my expectations too high. Cheers, to the adventures to come!

Submitted by Victoria Vinson on the 2019 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

This weekend, a fellow World Scholar and I traveled to Amsterdam! The city is beautiful, and because I have some family there, we got to experience a bit of the quiet village life just outside the city. We visited the Rijksmuseum in Museum Square, where the 350-year anniversary of Rembrandt’s death was being celebrated with an exhibition of tribute art to him. The exhibit was both beautiful and a bit comical, and one I’m glad I got to see during our time in Amsterdam. There is also the Van Gogh Museum and the Moco Museum, though sadly we didn’t have time to visit those. After vising the Rijksmuseum, we got some delicious vegan food close by! The weather was beautiful, and the city was full of life and friendly locals. Amsterdam has a special place in my heart, and I highly recommend any study abroad student with the opportunity to visit to do so! The Netherlands is an astounding country with a variety of landscapes and an amazing collection of art.

Submitted by Haleigh Kidd on the 2019 fall semester program in Paris, France…

I don’t have much to share this week, unfortunately.  If anything, I have had closer encounters with how the French education system works. The start of their fall classes is later than those in America because their system works where you are in school for 6 weeks with a 2 week break in between, but during those 6 weeks all you do as a student is study. It is not how it is in America where you have time to be a student athlete or work a part-time job. Instead, it is 6 weeks of intensive studying. I cannot say which system I like better, only that they both have their pros and cons. So other than getting to know my neighborhood a bit more, I have traveled outside of Paris to see more of the country. Often I feel that when foreigners think of France, they think first and only of Paris, and while Paris is amazing (and the best city in the world in my opinion), Paris and the rest of France are as different as New York City and the farmlands of Iowa or the desert of Arizona. If you go to France and stop only in Paris, you will miss half of the beauty of this country. So far, I’ve spent most of my days going to different places in Normandy, so those are the pictures I will share with you this week.

Submitted by Emily Gray on the 2019 fall semester program in Prague, Czech Republic…

While I have loved my time here in Prague, I have also had some days where my anxiety has gotten the best of me. Leaving the comfort of my home is hard, even harder when I don’t know where I’m going. I’ve found the best defense of this is exploring the city as often as possible. It is so easy to spend a morning in bed watching Netflix, justifying my laziness as the result of a long week. However, every second I spend outside reminds me of how lucky I am to live here. I was feeling pretty homesick this week, but visiting a vineyard with my friends this Saturday renewed my appreciation for Prague. I met locals—mainly a beekeeper named Peter—and saw the city from new and incredible views. I also got closer with my classmates, and learned the value of confiding in my new found friends. 

You don’t have to go to a vineyard to learn these lessons—you don’t even have to leave your own neighborhood. The most mundane chores can expose you to new sights and experiences. For instance, my friends and I study in different coffee shops or restaurants to get out of the house while still getting our work done. I will challenge myself to go beyond my comfort zone this semester and discover everything Prague has to offer. In doing so, I hope to overcome my anxiety and grow even more as an individual.

Submitted by Danielle Semanek on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in London, England…

I’ve been in London for a week and I can say that the most shocking thing is how they drive on the other side of the road. I knew that coming into this program, but still getting here and seeing the cars, I was confused and amazed. But this affects me and everyone else more than I could have imagined because when crossing the street you have to look the opposite way and walk on the other side of the road. Even door handles can be on the other side sometimes!