Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Date: October 3, 2010

October Adventures: A Preview

October 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Part of CGE’s program goals are for students to get to experience a variety of characteristics of southern Africa, and this month is all about that!

I will be out of town (and, therefore, unable to post any new blog entries – sorry!) starting early tomorrow morning until October 25th. Let me give you a little snapshot of what I’ll be doing:

October 4 – 9

  • Rural homestay with a family in Outapi, a village in the north of Namibia; I have a mom, dad, a 4 month old little brother, and two sisters ages 18 and 22
  • Meeting with different groups, organizations, etc during the day in lieu of class

October 10 – 15

  • Spending time with people of the Ovahimba tribe
  • Visiting organizations that are related to the Ovahimba tribe
  • Spending some time at Etosha National Game Park 

October 16 – 25…Fall Break!!!

  • 5 friends and I are going on vacation to Zambia!
  • Planning on taking day trips to Zimbabwe and Botswana as well
  • Seeing Victoria Falls – one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World!

I am so excited to be having all of these adventures, but it is a little daunting to be leaving the house for three weeks! I will be sure to post lots of updates when I return to Windhoek. Take care this month, and talk to you soon!

The Art of Adaptation

October 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Adaptation is kind of a funny concept. When I arrived in Cambridge 38 days ago, I had a feeling that my study abroad semester would go something like this: Leave USA, go to this “foreign” country for a few months, return to USA and life goes on completely as usual. I had in mind that Cambridge was just going to be a few months vacation. 38 days in, and with 72 days to go, I can already say this isn’t the case at all… Cambridge is starting to feel just like home.

I’m not sure exactly when or how it happened, but life here seems incredibly normal. From the outside looking in, it may seem a little absurd, considering I live and go to class in a house with fifteen other people, have to cook for myself (a big feat when it comes to myself), and am jet-setting all over Europe on the weekends. Normal to everyone? Not at all. Normal to me? Absolutely.

One of the main reasons I chose to study abroad, and quite possibly for other students as well, is the challenge that it offers you. My life has always been incredibly comfortable (not that it’s a bad thing), but my sense of adventure was asking for something a little more. I have learned to change and adapt to the setting around me, and I’m loving every minute of it.

In 72 days, which I’m sure will fly by, I’ll find that once again, I’ll be adapting. This time it will be into the life that I already know and love, in the U.S. Although I know I will probably never live in Cambridge again, I will always carry a piece of my Cambridge lifestyle with me.

Cambridge Beauty

Excitement, danger, or something more?

October 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Police coups and terror threats have comprised my international newsfeed this past week.

Last week, Ecuador underwent a violent police rebellion, which was ultimately suppressed by the incumbent government. Looting was rampant and American students—like my girlfriend—were confined to their homes for safety reasons. I worried about her safety, naturally, and I monitored the news carefully.

A few days later, the tables have turned slightly; the American government has issued a travel alert to all American citizens in Europe. According to intelligence, al-Qaeda has threatened to carry out “commando-style” attacks in several European cities, primarily in the UK, France, and Germany.

But somewhere between reading headlines about police coups, and worrying for the safety of my girlfriend, I found myself a bit jealous of my girlfriend’s plight. How could I wish to be in a country under siege of a police rebellion?

It probably has to do with the adolescent dream I once had of being an embedded journalist in a war-torn country. It’s not so much the danger and the resulting adrenaline that excites me, but instead the idealistic notion of witnessing the drama of human history as it unfolds right before my eyes.

To be clear, I would never wish for a crisis or catastrophe to occur just to feed my picaresque tendencies. But when history happens in the world, I want be there to record it and maybe one day take part.

British airmen laying a wreath of tribute at the Cambridge American Cemetary.


Pictures and Home Sweet Reutlingen

October 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

I’ll begin with pictures from a busy, modern Frankfurt and an enticing, beautiful Dresden.

Following the Sunday morning church bells

Modern Frankfurt

Love in Frankfurt

After Berlin, Frankfurt, and Dresden the last couple of weeks, I was ready to stay in one place for more than five days.  I, along with several others, chose to stay back in Reutlingen this past weekend.  I cannot describe what happiness it brings me to be able to have laundry completed, my room “cloroxed,” letters written and mailed, etc.  For the past week or so, I have had such an intense desire to feel put together, for I haven’t really felt that since I arrived in Germany.  For me, feeling put together usually entails cleanliness and productiveness.  I’m happy to say, my weekend has been just that and more!

Beyond my accomplished “to-do lists” for this weekend, though, is the grace and heart warming moments I experienced.  The nature surrounding Reutlingen University is absolutely breathtaking.  This weekend, I woke up early each morning to go for a long run amongst the Swabian Alps.  When trying to convey the beautiful nature that exists in my “backyard”, I am simply at a loss for words.  Even though the pictures don’t quite do it justice, I’ll let them speak for themselves.

Returning from these runs always leave me feeling so fulfilled.  But, I was especially uplifted when I checked my mailbox Friday morning and found a surprise from a sweet, loved one.  A little friend of mine by the name of Kyle (age 8), sent me a precious paper friend, by the name of Flat Stanley. Having never heard of this before, I read the description:

“Our class read a story called Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown.  A big bulletin board fell on Stanley and made him flat.  In the story, he travels to different places around the world.  We each made our own flat person (mine is in this envelope) and we need you to show him/her around your area.  he/she is very fragile, as you can see, so please take good care of him/her.  Please dress Flat Stanley in clothes that are appropriate to where you live.  Please take pictures with him/her in interesting places in your are and send any souvenirs or brochures back with him/her.”

And I thought that I was filled with joy while taking my run!  Let me tell you, this paper Flat Stanley completely warmed my heart.  My adorable Kylie thought of me, even hundreds of thousands of miles away.  Just picturing her precious face when Flat Stanley returns to her with pictures from all over Germany is a priceless, beautiful thought.  I bet that she will have the best Flat Stanley story in her class, and at that age we all remember just how important that was.  So, I began my photo shoot with Flat Stanley this weekend:

You don’t always have to be visiting the most phenomenally beautiful cathedral in Dresden or the amazing architecture in Frankfurt to experience such pleasant moments; it can be as close as your backyard or as inexpensive as a paper doll.

Morocco in Pictures

October 3, 2010 / / 3 Comments

Last Friday night our group of 41 (38 girls and 3 guys, but that’s a post for another time) headed out to Algeciras to stay in a hostel in preparation for our morning ferry to Tangiers (here’s a map of our entire trip). We then split into three groups (phew!) and set off with our leaders from Morocco Exchange, a fantastic organization dedicated to changing stereotypes between western society and Arabic, Islamic, societies by means of short visits to Morocco. I thought it best to share the trip with pictures, click a thumbnail to see it in full size.

Bottom line: Morrocan/Islamic/Arabic culture is not what we think it is in The States, even if you have tried to guard yourself from media stereotypes. Every Moroccan I met wants peace, dialogue, and understanding between our cultures despite our differences in religion.

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