Final Days in London

Submitted by Sheila Ward on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…

I cannot believe how fast this semester has been. I only have  five days left in London which is unreal to me! It feels like yesterday that I was getting off the plane at Heathrow feeling both excited and nervous for the semester to come. I have learned so much from my time studying in London. When I first arrived, I could not imagine myself living in a different country away from my family and friends, but know I find myself dreading the day I have to leave London. I would highly recommend studying in London to anyone. Compared to the rest of Europe, London is a very unique city with much to offer. It’s amazing how diverse the city actually is. One moment, you can be in a posh upper class neighborhood and just around the corner you’re in a young and hip area. After traveling to different countries, I really could not see myself studying anywhere else. I will definitely take every opportunity possible to spend time again in London.

This week, I have all my finals and final papers due. Thankfully, I have completed the majority of my papers, so I now just have one final to study for. Apart from studying, this week I plan on going back to some of my favorite places in London: Covent Garden, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens just to name a few.

Staying Active in Hawaii

Submitted by Karley Platenik on the 2018 winter session program in Hawaii sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences…

My name is Karley Platenik and as a senior at the University of Delaware, I am partici[pating on the 2018 BISC Hawaii study abroad proram. After spending four days in Hawaii, my expectations for this program have already been surpassed.  The breath-taking views every way you turn, the fresh locally grown food and the people on this program constantly put on a smile on my face.  Prior to leaving, I told myself that I wanted to be active while in Hawaii and to make the most of everyday.  This is why I decided that running would both keep me active and provide me with the opportunity to see some incredible views.  After voicing this to a few people on the program, my new acquaintance Luke told me that he wanted to do the same.  I was so excited because having another friend to run with would motivate me each morning to get up before class and get to know someone better without being in a large group.  On our first run together, we ran along the beach on the sidewalk.  I was surprised to see so many families and people out and about at 7:00 AM, but then I realized that it can get really hot in the afternoon, so many people may want to begin their day earlier.  During our run, we also discussed gathering a group of people to go hiking with us.  Later that day, we went on not one, but two hikes.  Our first hike was at Manoa Falls, where we were able to jump into the bottom of a 120-foot waterfall.  Despite the freezing water, it was much needed after the climb to the top.  At the end of our hike, we were looking at a map of the island discussing other hikes that we wanted to do when we spontaneously made the decision to drive to the Makapu’u Lighthouse Hike Pillboxes to catch the sunset.  This hike was a bit more difficult because it was steep and a mile and a half longer than the first.  Unfortunately, after we reached the top, we realized that we were on the wrong side of the mountain.  Despite this setback, we still had an amazing view and we were  able to get a group picture.  

On our second run together, we caught an incredible view of a rainbow as well as planned the hike for the day.  This hike, the Lanikai Pillbox Hike, was by far the hardest of the three, but also the most rewarding.  The views of the ocean and palm trees will never get old.

 

Christmas Market in Stuttgart

 Submitted by Carolyn Jones on  the 2013 fall semester exchange program with the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality…

It is hard to believe, but I think this will be my last blog post while in Switzerland. Our final weekend was spent at the Christmas Market in Stuttgart. As sad as I am to leave, experiencing the Christmas festivities made me excited to be home for the holidays. The weekend began with a 6:00 am start Saturday morning. However, it was made bearable by sparkling snowflakes that coated our eyelashes and blanketed the sleepy streets of Chur. It felt like Christmas had already begun.

After a long train ride, we finally arrived in Stuttgart. We left our bags at the hostel and made our way to the Christmas Market which was thankfully as easy to find as we had hoped. As we approached the entrance, there was no escaping the merry and cheerful atmosphere of the holiday season. We made our way through hundreds of stands selling everything from ornaments, to pottery, to mittens, and food. It produced an overwhelming sense of joy, and my friends and I walked through taking in the sweet scents of glühwein, candied almonds, and grilled sausages. On top of this, there is a competition between the vendors for the best and most elaborately decorated roof stand. Every vendor had a different theme, and I must say that every Christmas story from every children’s book ever made must have been represented. There were also Ferris wheels made to look like Christmas ornaments and train villages that children could ride and play on. It was the perfect place to spend a final weekend getaway with my friends. All of us finally put a dent into the souvenir shopping that we have been struggling with all semester. I would list some of my purchases, but I would not want to spoil anyone’s Christmas gift. I will say though, that my favorite stands were the ones that included anything warm and fuzzy, sparkly, and of course, the food stands.

We were exhausted from a long day, so we headed back to the hostel early to get some sleep. It ended up being our best decision because we were up early the next morning and found one of the best cappuccinos I have ever had. We enjoyed them in a cute café overlooking the market. We did not stay too long because we were anxious to find the fondue stand that we had seen the day before.  Five euro later we each had individual bowls of melted cheese fondue and an entire baguette to dunk into it. It might possibly have been my best food purchase of the semester. We continued shopping the rest of the day while being sure to try any food or drink item that caught our attention. By the time we were headed for home, I had two over- sized bags of gifts. I am also proud to say that we all tried to speak as much German as possible, and most of it was completely successful. It was a wonderful trip, and I really cannot believe that we have begun our final week of the semester here. It has been more than anything that I could have imagined.

New Zealand: A Unique Perspective

Submitted by Mackenzie Sharp on the 2018 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…

I have never been out of the country before so when I was accepted to study abroad in New Zealand I was extremely excited for this adventure of a lifetime I was about to go on. However, I was not prepared for how beautiful and different New Zealand is from any place I have ever seen. I was a little nervous at first because a lot of the people on this program were somewhat experienced travelers and I was nervous I wouldn’t fit in, but I immediately felt right at home. Everyone was so nice and easy to talk to which calmed my nerves and talking about all the stuff we were going to be experiencing made me really excited for the month ahead.

Since I have never traveled anywhere outside of the United States,  I tried to be as observant of the different culture I was getting a special chance to experience. The first thing I noticed is that the Kiwi people drive on the left side of the road, which was a little confusing at first because it’s something so foreign to me, but I got used to it very quickly. Also, since I’ve never been to a different country, I have never used any currency but U.S. dollars. So having to use New Zealand Dollars and figure out exchange rates was a bit confusing, but the people at the bank were very nice and helpful when I visited to exchange my cash. Most shops in town also close very early, unlike in the U.S. where everything is opened late for  shoppers. The Kiwi people are much more relaxed and not as fast paced. The one thing that really throws me off (the jet-lag doesn’t help) is the fact that the sun doesn’t set until around 9:30 pm every night so when the sun starts to set I instinctively think it’s late afternoon, but really it’s pretty late at night. This probably has to do with the fact that it’s a completely different season than it is back home, but I don’t mind because when we go on hikes or we are out in town then we don’t have to worry about it getting dark and losing our way or cutting excursions short.

Overall, even though it’s only been a week and I’m in a very different place than what I’m used to, I have been having the time of my life. Not everyone gets the opportunity to experience something like this and it still doesn’t feel real that I get to, but I would encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone and see a new perspective of the world because it makes you realize that there’s so much more out there than what you thought.

 

Finals and Final Days

Submitted by Carolyn Jones on  the 2013 fall semester exchange program with the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality…

It is official, the culmination of our semester has taken place, and we are finally done with the gala dinner. Although it is sad to be done, the feeling of relief was overwhelming when we sent our last plates out to the guests on Friday. It was a long evening with over 9 hours spent in the kitchen. Our class performed better than any of us expected, and we received positive reviews from the guests. My friend Stef and I are baking perfectionists, so we left feeling happy and proud of our desserts, but probably would have made a few more small touches if we had the chance.

After so much build up, we are all in somewhat of a gray area now that the dinner is over. Connie and I succeeded in our goal of watching all seven Harry Potter movies which was a much needed break. This morning marked the beginning of final exam week, but with two gala dinners crossed off our list, our only exams left are German, Beverages, and a presentation for our Theory class. I officially started packing because I needed to know if I would have enough room to fit everything in my one suitcase. It is definitely going to be a close call, but thus far I am refusing to buy a second one. I may have to wear all of my clothes to the airport, but one way or another I am going to make it work. I do not think any of us can believe we are leaving in 11 days…I feel like the time went by so quickly, but I have had enough time to develop a new kind of life here. It will be weird to leave it and return home, but I am so excited to see my friends and family. Before I let myself get sentimental though, I need to go to a Christmas market. We are so excited for one last celebration.

Dominica: Happy to be Here

Submitted by Evan Driscoll on the 2018 winter session program in Dominica sponsored by the Department of Geography and Department of Applied Economics and Statistics…

We arrived in Dominica on Tuesday afternoon, following a bit of excitement on the plane ride over–though excitement is hardly something you want to have on a plane. On our second flight out of Puerto Rico, the plane’s right engine stopped working. The propeller slowed to a stop and after noticing this, the flight attendant began leafing through a binder. He assured us that the plane could fly on one engine and that there was nothing to worry about. The plane turned around and we returned to the San Juan Airport. We waited about another hour before another flight took us to Dominica with no problem, but I’ll admit it’s a bit unnerving to watch a plane’s propeller die out while you’re thousands of feet in the air.

In the evening after our arrival, Athie Martin and his wife, Faye–friends of Dr. Seraphin–hosted us at their house for dinner. The food was delicious and we learned a lot about the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. A third of Dominica’s population left the island. Seeing barren trees across what would otherwise be a lush landscape, alongside destroyed houses and torn-up roads, had a very sobering effect. Maria was a hurricane unlike any other in a very long time.

Despite the devastation, I’ve found Dominica to still have a very lively community. It’s very tight knit, and the market is an especially bustling place to be. I’ve noticed that there is barely a trace of American culture in Dominica. It’s a completely different place with all sorts of different customs. For example, I’m from the Boston area, so seeing people smile and interact with one another in the city is a foreign concept to me.

We also ate dinner with the Minister for Tourism and Urban Renewal, Robert Tonge, and his wife Gilda; I had the privilege of officially thanking them on behalf of the University of Delaware for meeting with us. They told us about efforts being made to revitalize Dominica’s tourism industry, which has been greatly impacted by Hurricane Maria. Before Maria, tourism was the greatest economic market for Dominica. Now, a task force has been created by the government and they are focusing on fixing infrastructure in general in order to attract more tourists.

I’ve only been in Dominica for a few days, and I can already tell that this is going to be an amazing experience. In the past few days, we’ve traveled to Scotts Head, which is at the southwest corner of Dominica, separating the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. We swam in the Caribbean Sea, which I must say is a lot warmer than the oceans in New England.

We also visited Ti Kwen Glo Cho, which is Creole for “little corner of water.” It is a sulfurous spring of warm water that was very relaxing. Every day has been packed with fun things and interesting content in the classroom. I can’t wait to see what the rest of January has in store.

Gala Dinner in Chur

Submitted by Carolyn Jones on  the 2013 fall semester exchange program with the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality…

After almost 17 hours on our feet, we finally did it…at least half of it. Wednesday was jam packed with a full day of service and an afternoon dedicated to setting up for the gala dinner that evening. The room turned out to be even more beautiful than any of us could have imagined, and our 10 kilograms of dry ice seemed to wow our guests. The dinner started early for me because I was in charge of running the apéro which included setting up a table of perfectly polished glasses set in a diamond shape and trying to pop numerous bottles of Prosecco without taking out the eyes of the guests.  When the apéro was finished and cleaned, the guests made their way to the dining room, and the evening that our entire semester had been built around began. I would be lying if I said the first 20 minutes were not completely nerve racking. The service experts (a.k.a. the strangers in charge of determining 30 percent of our grade) paced the dining room eying us and jotting down our fate on their clipboards. My hands were shaking during my water and wine service, but after the first course, it seemed that we all started to relax. I happened to have my German and cooking teachers at my table and still have yet to determine if that was comforting or completely traumatizing…especially when my scrambled thoughts about the menu and wine list were interrupted with trying to translate my brain into German to answer my teacher. Even so, they were wonderful guests. The night continued with the soup and hot appetizer service. My classmates and I finally got into our groove at this point in the night, and we started to enjoy meeting in the kitchen which was pleasantly humorous thanks to our friendly dishwashers. Eventually, the infamous red wine decanting took place which I am relieved to say was anticlimactic for most of us. One of my friends actually spilt wine onto her candle and sizzled out the flame, but she still ended up getting one of the best grades in the class. (We now have official permission to laugh about the incident.) The rest of the evening was wonderful, and by the end we were exhausted. When the guests finally left, I think all of us had to take a moment to realize that all of the preparation and build up was over. It was a relief, but also very sad to know that our incredible semester is ending. Per usual, we did not have much time to sit and reflect because as always there was work to be done! After a 4 hour dinner, we had to find the energy to clean up and put the dining room back in order. By the end, we were grouped around what has become the “debriefing table” with our service teachers and learned that all of us passed.  The other students also threw the traditional party for us downstairs, complete with the what was left with our dry ice. This is the first time I am really taking a moment to sit down and reflect on our evening because round two is tonight! This time we are in the kitchen, so in several hours I will be frying beignets, making sauces, and cutting and piping 150, 3cm squares of cake. It seems we have another long and exciting night ahead of us.

As a side note, it started snowing in the middle of the gala dinner which made the night even more special. The snow did not stick, but I woke up this morning to find a blanket of perfectly white snow over Chur. It is breathtaking.

Italy: Holy Carbs!

Submitted by Shae Muller on the 2018 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics and the Department of English…

Ciao from Italia! I am currently staying on a campus in Volterra. It has been a crazy week full of learning and A LOT of pasta. It is much different here from my hometown in South Jersey. I am really not use to having so many carbs at every meal. Don’t get me wrong, carbs (and chocolate) are my favorite type of food group; however, I may need to change up my lifestyle while I am abroad to handle this extreme intake of pastas and breads. I have never been in a foreign country for more than a week, so I have never had to change my ways and adapt fully to a new culture. I think it will be a bit tricky to modify myself, but I am excited to embrace this Italian culture surrounding me.

Pizza with prosciutto I indulged in in Pisa with my new friend I made on this trip.
My lunch at the SIAF campus – tortellini carbonara.

 

Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland

Submitted by Dylan O’Keeffe on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…

The lack of a major holiday before Christmas allows London to begin their holiday festivities about half way through November. As a Christmas fanatic, I was ecstatic to begin the celebration. The festivities kicked off on Regents Street, a famous street in London known for its shopping. The whole street was closed down and the holiday cheer was widespread in the area. The climax of the evening began with a countdown from ten and ended with the whole street being lit up with holiday lights hanging throughout the street. My friends and I made our way to a nearby pub and were welcomed by Londoners singing Christmas songs. The whole pub partook in the festive singing including our group.

The next weekend, we spent a night in Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. This celebration was unlike any others I have been a part of. The way it could be best described is a Christmas carnival. Rides, games, bright festive lights, and much more provided my friends and me, one of my favorite nights of our program. The festival attracted people from all over the world allowing us to interact with many different cultures. A large tent in the center of the festival housed a band playing festive music and allowed us to escape the cold. After enjoying a few rides and wasting money on carnival games, we made our way home. The visit to Hyde Park truly put me in the Christmas spirit and made me very excited for the final weeks to come.

Buses in Barbados

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

This past Wednesday, my program and I landed in Bridgetown, Barbados. We are staying at a resort north of the city in Holetown, a small town with a lot of culture to offer. Although it has only been a few days, we have already been exposed to some of the many differences that Barbados shows in comparison to being back in the US. While exploring the main city of the island, we used a few different modes of transportation. Generally, there are three different types of buses, some privately owned while others public under the rule of the government. During our field trip, we used the public government bus, which was bigger and very clean. Later in the night, however, a few of us took a privately owned yellow striped bus into town. What I didn’t expect was to witness the large difference between the two types. This smaller bus that we took was run by locals, and these locals frequently stopped on the side of the road to talk to friends while passengers were on the bus as if we had been in a friend’s car. The music was very loud and the inside of the bus was painted by some of the locals, as a way of personalizing their business.

This surprised me as I had never experienced public transportation like the way I had experienced it in Barbados. Never did a bus driver pull over to see friends or let them hang out in the front while passengers were on. The yellow striped buses clearly were much more casual for locals in comparison to the more formalized blue bus. Nevertheless, I still look forward to using both of these buses in the coming weeks, as they each give me a chance to understand how the locals live.

On the blue bus