Ciao dall’Italia!

Submitted by Stephanie Vicari on the 2012 summer session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures…

 

We’ve now been in Sorrento for a full week, and in this short amount of time we have already seen so much! We walked through the ruins of Pompeii while learning about the civilizations that once thrived there, climbed to the crater of Mt. Vesuvius which is 4,000 feet tall, danced a Polka and a Tarantella with “La Basaluta,” the folklore music group in our professor’s hometown, Baia e Latina, saw the beautiful Palazzo Reale di Caserta, and experienced the uniqueness of each facet of the island of Capri. Each new area we encounter finds us in awe, and Sorrento itself is a true gem. A quaint town set in the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento offers a breath-taking view of the coastline, a diverse population, phenomenal cuisine, and for us, a place to call home. As students of the foreign language department, we have been completely immersed in the Italian culture through a home stay program. Our host families, so far, have helped us improve our Italian language skills, introducing new vocabulary to us, as well as fine tuning our fluency simply by engaging in conversations. They have also provided a sense of their culture through meals, and I personally have had the privilege of discussing the function of other social institutions, such as the school systems, with my host sister. From the language to the history, from the food to the friends, our stay, thus far, has been an incredible experience, and I look forward to the memories to be made in the coming weeks.
Arrivederci!

New Zealand: Stories and History

Submitted by Andrew Lenherr on the 2017 winter session program in New Zealand and Fiji sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…

This second week has been just as fantastic and interesting as the first was! We got to see a lot more of the North Island of New Zealand this week as we traveled by bus throughout the majority of the island to various locations. We saw many amazing sights along the way, including Cathedral Cove, Hobbiton and Raglan. Hobbiton especially was incredible for me because I’m a huge fan of the LoTR movies so getting to go on a tour of the actual site was pretty surreal!


Everywhere we’ve gotten to see so far on the program has been beautiful and I think it’s the most amazing thing I’ve seen, until we head somewhere new and I go through the same process again! We also got to experience a lot more of the New Zealand culture through some of the events we participated in this week. We visited a real Maori village, got to surf in Raglan and go through an awesome eco-tour of an eel farm! In the village, we got to see a showing of some traditional Maori dances and songs and even got to try the Hakka ourselves.

Raglan was very different from a lot of what we’ve seen so far as because of it’s distinct “surfer” culture. Our bus driver, Don, has been extremely valuable to the program as he has been telling so many stories about New Zealand history and culture that we would not be able to hear otherwise and he gives us a lot of background for many of the activities we’ve been participating in. Through our cultural experiences and Don’s cool stories, I feel as though I’m gaining more of an understanding of what the culture and history here is really like outside of what you can pick up in books and websites. It amazes me how even simple activities or things sometimes have extremely deep backgrounds and histories based in this culture, some of which may even differ with stories and histories back in America. Comparing many of the similarities and differences in these histories and stories has been quite interesting so far and has been giving the program a whole new meaning thus far!

Discovering Switzerland

Submitted by Christopher Mitchell on the 2012 summer session program in Switzerland and Italy sponsored by the Department of  Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management…

 

 This week has been an eye opening experience for me. I had not been out of the United States before I arrived in Switzerland on Wednesday and this country is very beautiful. Living in Delaware my whole life, I have not seen a lot of mountains or much elevation at all, but in Switzerland everything is elevated. The views of the Swiss Alps from the Swiss School of Hospitality and Tourism are amazing. The school itself has great facilities and I have a room to myself which will help me get my work done while I’m here. On Thursday, we had our first spa visit to the Waldhaus Flims Mountain Resort and Spa where we were given treatments and spent most of our day relaxing in saunas and the outdoor heated pool. The Waldhaus is a world class spa and the treatments and facilities showed exactly why that is the case.

As part of our Beverage Management course, we had a wine tasting that evening after returning from the spa. The tasting was focused on white wines, specifically Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Both were very good wines, but I prefer the Pinot Blanc because of its apple like flavor. We had a free weekend to travel so a group of us went to Zurich, Switzerland because it was highly recommended by our professors. The city of Zurich is very beautiful and it has a lot of historic buildings with grand architecture. We returned early Sunday morning and completed our assignments for the upcoming week. We leave early tomorrow for Austria where we will be staying at a hotel, which is also known for its spa. This trip is already turning out to be  more amazing than I could have imagined and I can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Spain: Granada is My Favorite

Submitted by Jennifer Shames on the 2017 winter session program in Spain and Rome sponsored by the Department of Political Science and International Relations…

Since my last submission, I’ve visited multiple cities throughout Spain and my appreciation for the culture and the country has really grown. We’ve visited Granada, Ronda and Seville. I’ve learned that I enjoy these smaller, historic cities more than the capital of Madrid. The culture surrounds you as you walk down the cobblestone streets and past ancient churches filled with history. Not to mention, the views of the mountains and countryside are unbelievable. So far, Granada has been my favorite city. It has the Alhambra, diverse landscape, lots of food choices and streets full of stores for shopping. I also loved the Arabic influence on Granada as it was once a Muslim ruled city. This is about the halfway point of my program and I can’t believe how much time has already passed. I’m excited for what has yet to come and for the cities I’ve yet to travel to.

The Queen’s Jubilee Concert

Submitted by Cassandra Simons on the 2012 summer session program in London sponsored by the Department of English…

 

Monday night was the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in honor of her 60th year on the English throne. Queen Elizabeth may be 86 years old, but she definitely still knows how to party! The concert in her royal honor was hosted on the grounds of St. James Park and no expense was spared in creating a breathtaking atmosphere. A laser light show, a plethora of famous musicians, and huge screens for public viewing were all part of the huge celebration. The grounds of St. James Park were full of excited Brits and tourists, dancing to the music of Elton John and waving their flags high.

I have never heard a more whole-hearted symphony of British voices than when the crowd started singing along to Crocodile Rock. It was moving to see such a diverse crowd come together in song to celebrate England’s most beloved monarch.

I didn’t know the words to half of the songs that were played, but I still found myself mouthing the ones I could remember just to be part of the spirit of the event. I wish that we could have gotten tickets to go inside of the concert arena because the ambiance seemed like it was unforgettable.

Hawaii: Mauna Kea

Submitted by Claire Danberg on the 2017 winter session program in Hawaii sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences…

As we drove up the side of the mountain, I could feel my ears pop from the elevation. Once we reached the visitors center, we parked the car and as I stepped out, I could feel my breath shorten. Already at an altitude of 9,391 feet, we had not even begun our ascent up. Like anyone hiking in Hawaii, I was wearing shorts and a flimsy top. I immediately regretted this decision when I glanced at the thermometer which read 37 degrees. I glanced toward the peak of the mountain, an eight hour hike from where I was standing, and saw snow caps. A sign for skiing and snowboarding was to my left. Who would have thought I would see more snow in Hawaii than in Delaware? Mauna Kea Volcano is the tallest point in the Hawaiian Islands, an impressive 13,798 feet. Measured from its base beneath the ocean it is 33,476 feet whereas Mount Everest is 29,029 feet.


We had to hike fast if we wanted to catch the sunset views. In Oahu, the trails we hiked were like rain forests covered in luscious green leaves with waterfalls around every corner, but the terrain on Mauna Kea reminded me of scenes from The Martian, dusty and barren from volcanic ash. The hike was treacherous with forty percent less oxygen than at sea level. As we reached our stopping point, I could not believe the views. We were higher than the clouds and as the sun reflected off of them, it was as if we were floating. We stayed for half an hour and watched the sunset in breathtaking silence. Mesmerized by the views, I didn’t realize how cold my fingers were until we had begun our quick descent.
As darkness fell over the mountain it became clear why the largest observatory in the world rests on Mauna Kea. The stars shine incredibly bright at that altitude especially without any nearby city lights. The island’s isolation also makes the astronomical site less susceptible to air pollution. For this reason, the research done there is funded by thirteen countries. Mauna Kea, which means white mountain, is the most sacred spot in Hawaii. In ancient times, only the Kings could travel to the top because according to tradition the Gods live on the volcano.
It was remarkable to have the opportunity to travel to the volcano and see its views, but at the same time I felt a connection to the natives while at Mauna Kea. The Hawaiian people believe the grounds to be holy and it is not hard to see why. Many Hawaiians protest the observatory for degrading the Hawaiian culture and obstructing the natural landscape of the mountain. As I looked out at the sunset on the clouds, I was torn. The view was so beautiful, I wished everyone could see it, yet preserving the volcano in its natural state seemed a nobler pursuit.

Melbourne

Submitted by Megan Scott on the 2012 summer session program in Australia sponsored by the School of Education…

Display at Melbourne Museum

It’s hard to believe we’ve been in Melbourne for a whole week already! We arrived just last Thursday and we have already had so many great experiences and seen some wonderful parts of the city. Our first week was filled with exploring the city, an Australian footy match, the Melbourne Museum, and the Queen Victoria Market.

This week we visited two elementary (or primary as they call it here) schools in Victoria. Our hosts were so welcoming to all of us! At the first school, the children organized an assembly for us, complete with a story reading and dance routine. Both schools gave us tours of their campuses, answered all of our questions about schools in Australia, and let us observe classes. It has been great to see different approaches to teaching and to learn about the way the education system works down under. We even got to see some wild kangaroos on the grounds of one of the schools!
Tomorrow we’re off to Philips Island to see the native penguins and some other Australian wildlife!

Italy: Attention to Details

Submitted by Paige Pavleszek on the 2017 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science and the Department of English…

Details. Details. Details. It’s all in the details. As a Fashion major, I have a keen eye for intricate, minor details and everything in Italy is making my eyes fill with admiration. I have seen some of the oldest, most historic buildings in the United States as I distinctly remember the first time I traveled to Washington D.C. I was amazed at all of the history and beautiful buildings, monuments and statues I saw, but on Italy’s timeline these structures would be considered new. It’s a really hard concept for me to wrap my head around. As I walked around Siena, I stood in the same place where an ancient civilization was thriving almost 3,000 years ago – it blew my mind. I saw buildings and churches that were extravagant with fantastic detail and I have felt this way in every new city that I arrive in. My mouth drops open as I gasp in shock and I ask myself “How? How did they do this?” I still think about it, wondering how without  modern technology, without computers, without electricity, how did they make this building into a true masterpiece? My mind races as I try to envision 2,000, 1,000, 700 years ago people coming together and combining their skills to create something that people come from all points of the Earth to see. I wonder about how much these places must have meant to them, the hard work and commitment that went into these structures. Someone dedicated so much passion and effort into every inch of the surface, every cervice and there were no mistakes. It’s all in the details and every meticulous detail is rich in Italian history – nothing was there on accident. They represented famous Italians, biblical figures or Roman mythology and the combination was astonishing. Every painting and fresco is painted with such intricacy and everything holds meaning. It is truly amazing to me how beautiful something can become if you put in the time and effort because it truly is all in the details.

G’Day Mate!

Submitted by Nicole Latino on the 2012 summer session Australia EDUC program…

 

Before we even left the States, our study abroad group met a very interesting Australian family in the  JFK airport. Our group talked to a girl in year 7, (our 6th grade) named Lily, who was filled with tips and answers about our intended trip to her homeland. Lily’s family was coming home from a two month world tour, which included stops in South Africa, Egypt, US and other countries. I have found that all the Australians I have met, are the most generous people!…

Hello from down under! It’s only been five official days here in Australia, but my trip has already been pack full of adventure. After a 21-ish hour flight, we arrived on day one, May 31st, at 9 am. The day consisted of the group exploring our new home for the next two weeks, the beautiful city of Melbourne. I have to admit, however, that most of our exploring consisted of finding some sort of food product. (After two days of airplane food you would be thinking the same way).  Surprisingly, we beat jet- lag pretty successfully, with only two members of our group giving in to sleep.

On day two, we attended a lecture on the history of Australia given by Andrew Lemon.  After the lecture, we went to Flag Staff Gardens, a very pretty park with some great views. Very interesting note, we saw basketball hoops with a backboard. (Very strange sight!) After the park, I ventured to the docklands. The docklands is home to a very strange sculpture accurately titled, “Cow in a Tree.” It literally was a cow upside down in a fake plastic tree.

Saturday morning, we ventured to the Queen Victoria Market,( aka. souvenir heaven). The market is acres long and filled with clothing, aboriginal art, food, key chains, basically a little bit of everything. Saturday night was game night! Our group was lucky enough to get tickets to an Australian Rules Football game featuring the Melbourne Demons and the Essendon Bombers. The underdogs, the team we were supporting (don’t say rooting in Australia, it does not mean the same thing as it does back home) were victorious 58 to 52. I must say, I think I like Aussie Football better than the States version! The game is so action packed, and the outcome could go either way. Two of my fellow peers were lucky enough to meet a couple of the players and walk onto the field (which is round.)

Sunday was tourist day. We went to the Melbourne Museum, the Shrine of Remembrance, Botanical Gardens, and China town. The Shrine of Remembrance offered gorgeous 360 views of the Melbourne skyline.  On Monday, we attended a lecture at the University of Melbourne about their master’s program in Education. Tuesday entailed our first school visit to an Australian School. St. Paul’s invited us into their classrooms with open arms (including tea and biscuits). The school was very progressive with its ethos, but I found the school completely enthralling. Without going into too much explanation, I think that American schools could learn a lot from the structure of St. Paul’s, because it focused more on children acting independently, and included an emphasis on positive feedback rather than negative discipline. Can you believe it’s been less than a week?

England: Tea Time

Submitted by Tiffany Canjura on the 2017 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Communications…

It’s no secret that the British are infamously known for their distinctive blends of teas, let alone their love for them. In fact, as I compose this post, I sit in a small and dainty tea shop sipping a warm cup of classic English Breakfast Tea. Upon coming to London, I was well aware of the relationship between the British and their tea, but, of course, still had a lot to learn about British tea culture. In London, tea can be found and bought at nearly every store. It’s accessibility is equivalent to water. Even hotel rooms, mine in particular, are equipped with electric kettles, sugar cubes, milk and of course, an assortment of teas. Between the hours of three and five, you will find tea rooms and cafes filled with Londoners enjoying scones and sipping on the delicious staple that is religiously steeped for exactly five minutes. To the British, “Tea Time” is a ritual, a time to unwind and a social gathering. So far, I am very much enjoying “Tea Time” and even find myself looking forward to the mid-day delight.