Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Author: studyabroad (page 1 of 43)

Costa Rica with Ray

August 23, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Ray’s Second and Third Weeks in Costa Rica

Name: Ray Jackson

Program: Valpo Study Center in Costa Rica

Location: Heredia and San Jose, Costa Rica

Spanish Speaking Update

The third week was when I felt my Spanish Speaking skills become the most natural it’d been. During my walks and train rides to and from the university, I had plenty of time to think and brainstorm. But throughout the second and third week, these thoughts slowly transformed into Spanish, and by about Tuesday or Wednesday of the third week, my thoughts during this period of the day were completely in Spanish.

Not only that, but by Wednesday night of the third week, I started to dream only in Spanish. My Spanish is usually at its best when I’m in a more relaxed state, so my thoughts tend to be only in Spanish before going to sleep and after waking up, which is probably why ever since that day, I’ve dreamed almost exclusively in Spanish.

Then came Friday. This was an exciting day for me because for the whole day I could speak Spanish very easily with very little mistakes. I felt my brain working, but it felt more like the kind of work that you do when solving a fun puzzle and doing it successfully. And all I wanted to do was talk; everyone heard my voice today: my host mom, the random Costa Rican students at the university, the grocery store workers… EVERYONE. I could not stop talking 🗣️.

But the interesting thing is that the next day, it felt like I had lost my ability to speak Spanish. I could barely even understand my host family. I guess my brain eventually burned itself out, but it was fun while it lasted 😅. My Spanish improved again by the next week anyway.

front door of auto mercado, a fancy grocery store

Fancy Spanish Speaking Grocery Store

Host Family

This week I also met several members of my host family. My host mom, the dog, and I are usually the only ones at home, but her relatives like to come and visit often. I first met one of her nephews, who is an English Professor. It was interesting to see how passionate he was about perfecting his English. He even learned how to speak in Jamaican Patois.

Souvenirs including a t-shirt, lanyard, patches, and necklace

My Souvenirs from the Host Family

Next, I met three of my host mom’s children. The younger of the three is very charming and social, and he gifted me a shirt that he made himself. The other two are twins and are both usually very busy working in medicine. I was also able to meet the daughter of one of them, who is a very experienced dancer. I am usually FAR from being an only child, so having more people in the house every once in a while, reminded me of home.

My host mom and I also took a visit to her sister’s house who lives on the corner of the same street. There I met her niece, three more nephews, her sister, and her brother-in-law. The niece sells artisan souvenirs, so I was even able to buy some nice things from her. My host mom and I have a lot in common, and one of those things is that we both have very big families. I think it is beautiful that she values family just as much as I do.

Finishing Spanish Class

The fourth week was the last week of my Spanish class. The class had many assignments on top of everything else I had to do. But it’s a good thing I got ahead on all the assignments before the class even began. This week, we had to do a conversation in front of the class with a partner, present what we’ve learned from a previous trip to the museum, write a composition, and do a presentation on a Latin American historical event. And on top of all that, the train system was messed up twice this week, so I was late to class both times. But, with luck, I did very well on every assignment in the course, and I passed 🥳.

I’m going to miss that class because even though it was a lot of work, every assignment truly boosted my learning, and the teacher is really talented at what she does. Also, all of the students in the class were pretty much one big friend group along with the professor. We were very lucky to have such a good relationship dynamic among so many people, and I’m glad I had the chance to meet everyone.

Museum entrance shaped like a castle

El Museo de Los Niños (Children’s Museum)

Mis Majes de Moda

I definitely have to say that one of the highlights of my stay in Costa Rica was spending time with “mis majes de moda”. In Costa Rican Spanish, that roughly translates to “my fashion friends”. Right underneath the foreign studies floor was the “fashion floor”, where most of the fashion design students took class and made their clothing for class projects 🧵. And that was one of my favorite places to linger when I was on campus.

Mannequins with unfinished projects pinned on them

Fashion Floor Mannequins

At first, I didn’t talk to anyone because I was scared to speak Spanish with the natives. But by weeks three and four, I was all up in everything that they were doing 👀. I loved getting to know the students, and it was easy for me to connect to their interests because I’ve always been fascinated by fashion. I even learned some easy techniques that I can use when tailoring my own clothing. Even though I was the only foreigner in the room most of the time, I didn’t feel all that foreign when I was around them. As long as I moved with confidence, no one treated me any differently than just another classmate. I’m definitely going to miss interacting with them, but it’s a good thing that we have social media these days. I can’t wait to see their future work.

With just two weeks left of my adventure, I was beginning to feel the end approaching. My Spanish class may have ended, but I still found ways to keep myself busy. Next time I will talk about how everything wrapped up for me. Hasta Luego 👋!

Costa Rica with Ray

August 13, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Ray’s Second Week

Name: Ray Jackson

Program: Valpo Study Center in Costa Rica

Location: Heredia and San Jose, Costa Rica

Spanish Speaking

During this week is when I started noticing some unusual changes in my Spanish speaking abilities. I was already surprised by how well I was doing in conversation shortly after I first arrived. But over the weekend my mind was starting to get exhausted from it. I found that I couldn’t maintain a high level of fluency for an entire day. So sometimes I would be very comfortable and fluid in my Spanish, and other times my brain just refused. I also started to realize the fear and guilt that I would sometimes feel for not being able to talk in the same way as everyone around me, so in moments when my Spanish didn’t feel comfortable, I had a tendency to avoid talking all together.

All of this may sound bad, but I’m pretty sure it just meant that my mind was adjusting to something new. And I was lucky to have many people around me who consistently reassured me that my Spanish is already fine the way that it is even if it’s unique. People from my university, the praxis center, my internship, and my host family reminded me that I have nothing to fear when I’m talking to people I trust.

Colorful graffiti with writing in Spanish "Chepe Coidad de Colores"

Public Graffiti with writing in Spanish

Getting Sick

After everyone came back from the Limon excursion, most of us started getting sick one by one. I was one of the lucky ones because my only symptom was stomach aches, so while it was a very uncomfortable experience, it didn’t get in the way of anything I had to do. And my lovely program director Heidi made sure that we were all getting better with the help of a doctor.

I’ve heard from other students at Veritas that the same thing happened to them after visiting Limon. I don’t know what it is, but my advice to anyone who is traveling, would be to wash your hands, don’t drink tap water, and consistently DISINFECT. You best believe that after that experience I had spray and hand sanitizer with me at all times, and I washed my hands every time the thought popped into my head. It was uncomfortable, but I’m glad I wasn’t alone. Everyone in my program was there for one another, and we got through our problems together.

Internship

This week I found that I was connecting a lot more with the other workers from where I intern. Before, I avoided talking to most of them because no one spoke English except for my supervisor, and I was uncomfortable speaking Spanish. But this week, while I did have my moments of discomfort, I also had moments when I would speak Spanish freely so that I could interact with those around me. A lot of the people who work there are in the same family, so I think it is beautiful how much their affection and trust permeate throughout the restaurant.

woman holding half of a fresh papaya

Host mom fixing fresh papaya

 Through conversations with my supervisor, I learned a little bit about how it was for him to start his own business as an immigrant from Venezuela. And I think this is valuable because maybe starting my own business is something that I could do in the future. However, I did find it a bit strange how little I was doing in my internship so far. Up until this point, the only things I had done for the company was translate the menu and organize receipts, and I would help clear off tables when I could. I heard that this was relatively normal for interns in Costa Rica because of the more relaxed culture, and I was advised beforehand to be patient if at first, I found myself lacking things to do. But later, I will talk about how I also did other things to learn within the realm of business once I had more time on my hands.

plate of plantain sushi

Plantain sushi from Ray’s Internship location

The First Time it Rained

I came to Costa Rica during the rainy season, so I was already expecting it to rain almost every day. But I learned that the rain out here isn’t like the rain back home. When I first arrived it was in the middle of the “Veranillo” which is a very short dry period that happens during the rainy season. So, it hadn’t rained much at all since I’d been here until Thursday of my second week. I had a relatively far walk to the train station after class, and that day I THOUGHT I was prepared.

I was sure that my coat and shoes would keep the water out; but with all the rain, it seeped right though. The ground also had a lot of running water, so I walked a little more slowly to not slip, and I ended up missing the train because of it. So, I had the pleasure of waiting at the train station for a half an hour soaking wet before the next train came. And to top it all off, I accidentally left my umbrella on the train.

So, after all that, I learned my lesson. I now have a plastic poncho that’s big enough to cover my backpack, and I have a new umbrella. Additionally, my professor was nice enough to let me out of class early whenever it rained so that I had time to reach the train. So now I’m actually prepared 😁

Heavy rain flowing over the road and sidewalks

Rain on the way to class

So, besides being sick, I’d say that this was a pretty good week. It was nice to see my learning develop, in both my classes and in my internship. I feel like I know the country better, and I know what to look out for in the future. It was also really nice to have companions by my side to help me through my struggles. But little did I know, I would have the pleasure of developing many more relationships within the next couple of weeks that really made my experience special. Until next time!

Costa Rica with Ray

August 5, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Name: Ray Jackson

Program: Valpo Study Center in Costa Rica

Location: Heredia and Limon, Costa Rica

Excursion to Limon, Costa Rica

Heading out to Limon

On Fridays I don’t have my evening marketing class; I only have my Spanish class in the morning. So right after I got out of Spanish class, I began my journey to the Caribbean coast. Everyone in my program met up before we left, so I had the opportunity to meet everyone. The other students in my program were doing internships only, so I never got to meet any of them at the University. I also had the pleasure of meeting a lot of people from the praxis center and their families.

Rock formation on coast of Caribbean Sea

Rock formation next to Caribbean Sea

We spent a couple of hours on the road driving to Limon, and when we arrived, we had a place for all of us to stay for two nights. It had an outdoor kitchen and pool included. There were only a few bedrooms though, so we shared with one another. 

Eating out in Limon

I was quite tired after the car ride because it was starting to get dark, so I was ready to relax. But not long after we arrived, I heard that we were going dancing that night after dinner, and all my energy came back to me. So, soon after we arrived, we left to have dinner at a nearby restaurant.

My time at the restaurant may have been one of the first culture shock experience for me because when I say that food took FOR👏-E👏-VER to come, you better believe it. We sat there waiting at that table for so long that I almost went back in that kitchen and cooked the food myself. I learned later that in Limon, people are generally, more relaxed and easier going, so the workers there were likely just taking their time. I think it’s cool that they have a more relaxed atmosphere in Limon. But next time I’m making my own food😅.

We didn’t feel like dancing after spending so much time in that restaurant, so most of us just relaxed in the pool back where we were staying. However, I’m an early bird, and I didn’t want to mess up my hair. So, for me, it was time to hit the hay.

Colorful entrance to the restaurant in Limon

Restaurant in Limon

Playa Negra

As the early bird that I am, I woke up pretty early the next morning, and so did one of my companions from my program. He had the spontaneous idea of walking to a nearby beach before anyone else woke up for breakfast, and while at first, I was hesitant, I could resist the temptation.

Waves washing up on beach in Limon

Beach in Limon

The first thing I noticed when we got there is that the sand is a dark gray color. I later learned that the land’s volcanic nature gives the sand its dark color which is why they call this beach “Playa Negra” which is “Black Beach” in Spanish. My companion wasted no time going far into the water, so I couldn’t help but to get in myself. This water is very different from what I’m used to. It was green, and the temperature was warm and comfortable. The water was salty, and after every wave, bubbling seafoam slowly sizzled away. Too bad for my hair but getting a chance to experience that water was definitely worth it.

 

 

Flora y Fauna

After everyone else got up and ate breakfast, we went on a nature tour in Cahuita. Our super smart tour guide Fernando gave us a great look at the plants and animals of the area. We saw monkeys, sloths, frogs, birds, crocodiles, and more. We really learned a lot. And after the tour, Fernando led us to another beach where we could swim and relax for a bit.

Table with various fruits laid out

Fruits from La Finca

Later on, we went to “la finca”, which I would describe as being a little farm property where we got to see some of the agriculture. Our lovely guide, who lives and works there, showed us the different fruits and vegetables that they cultivate, and we even got to have a taste of a lot of their fruits. We learned a lot about their traditional agricultural practices. Additionally, the family who lives there is a part of an indigenous American tribe called Bribri, so we had the opportunity to learn about the history and beliefs that stand out in that community. The family even prepared a beautiful meal for us using the plants that they grew themselves and the techniques from their tradition.

 

Going out to Dance

That night we finally went out dancing. It was very late in the night, but I still had enough energy to dance. We first went to a place that had access to the beach, so we were able to dance both in the building and by the water. When we got there no one was dancing, but we made sure to get the party started. We all had a blast dancing with each other and meeting new people.

People sitting and dancing on the beach

Beach Party in Limon

We eventually left that place and went out salsa dancing in the middle of the street. It was just me and the people from my program, but luckily everybody already knew what to do. Then after that, we went to another dance party which was also a lot of fun. But it was already probably around one or two in the morning, so we eventually burned ourselves out. Well… at least I did. So, we left to go back to where we were staying the night. Most of the others still had the energy to go back in the pool at three o’ clock in the morning, but you already know what I was doing: I went right to sleep.

The next day we all packed our stuff and left to go back to Heredia to our host families. This excursion was really fulfilling to me because we had the chance to learn new things and spend quality time together. I couldn’t wait to spend more time with everyone, but at the same time, I needed to take this next week easy. The second week definitely came with its challenges, so I’ll make sure to talk about how we got through it all together. Pura Vida!

Costa Rica with Ray

July 23, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Name: Ray Jackson

Program: Valpo Study Center in Heredia, Costa Rica

Location: Heredia, Costa Rica and San Jose, Costa Rica

 

Ray’s First Week in Costa Rica

Traveling
Flight plan from USA to Costa Rica

Flight path from USA to Costa Rica

I had a very early flight during the morning of Sunday, July 7th. I woke up at around 1AM, prepared all my stuff, and by around 5:15, my plane was taking off. After a couple of flights, I arrived in San Jose, and I could already feel the humidity from the airport. My lovely program director, Heidi, picked me up from the airport and gave me a ride straight to my host family’s house. 

 

Host Family
Pinto (Costa Rican Style Rice and Beans), Eggs, Papaya, Orange Juice

Pinto (Costa Rican Style Rice and Beans), Eggs, Papaya, Orange Juice

I had already known a few things about my host family before I arrived. I knew that my host mom lived alone with her dog and had family members who sometimes visited. But it was very interesting to learn that she knew very little English, so I was a little bit concerned about how we were going to communicate. After the first day, I quickly learned that the Spanish I already knew went a long way. A lot of the time, I am away at the University, but I always enjoy chatting with my host mom when I am home. She is also a very talented cook and baker!

Transportation

I started classes on Monday, the day after I arrived, so after having breakfast with my host mom, I was faced with one of my first challenges: getting to the university. The way that I would get to and from class everyday was by train, which isn’t too bad. But it took me a few days to learn my way through San Jose so that I can go from that train station to the University and back. Good thing Heidi was nice enough to walk with me until I felt comfortable. It was stressful at first, especially when it was dark outside. But, after the first week or so, the transportation was hardly an issue. That is, until the middle of the second week when it started to rain and rain and rain. I missed the train and lost my umbrella, but I’ll talk more about that later.

View of a street in San Jose, Costa Rica

San Jose Street on the Way to Class

Class
Flag with University Veritas name hanging in front of the library building

University Veritas library

This summer I am taking two classes: a Spanish Grammar and Conversation course and a Marketing course in English. I quickly learned that I LOVED both of my “profesoras”. My Grammar and Conversation class is very interesting. There is quite a bit of homework, but luckily for me she posted the assignments the week before and I got ahead. The professor’s kindness makes me feel like I belong, and she welcomes learning from your mistakes. She is also HILARIOUS; I crack up every day in her class. My marketing professor is super sweet and friendly too. There are only two other students in the class so we all have fun chatting with the professor and working together to learn new things. And thank goodness I have some time to speak a little bit of English!

Internship

Between my two classes, I intern at a restaurant/travel agency near the University. I met my supervisor, Don Luis, on the first day of class with Heidi, and I was fascinated by his warm and energetic personality. I started my first day there on Wednesday, and my job for the week was pretty much just to make an English version of the restaurant menu. PIECE👏 OF👏CAKE👏.  I hadn’t really gotten to know much of the other workers there during the first week because Don Luis was the only one who knew English, and I didn’t feel the most comfortable speaking Spanish yet. But wait until I start getting a little more confidence 😉.

Restaurant table with a view of the counter

Restaurant Portion of Internship location

So, after everything I’d say my first week was pretty alright. I definitely have some more to learn and get used to, but I have a lot more time to adjust. Technically the week wasn’t over because we’ve still got the weekend! I can’t wait to talk about my weekend excursion to the Caribbean coast 🏖️!

Getting Settled in Viña Del Mar

March 28, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Name: Micah Koppang

Major: Spanish

Location: Viña del Mar, Chile

Hey! I’m Micah Koppang, a second year Spanish major currently studying abroad in Viña del Mar, Chile. It’s already been a unique experience since they’re in the southern hemisphere and  thus in their fall semester, which didn’t start until March! As such, I’ve only been in class for a few weeks (and will unfortunately have a short summer break since classes go until mid-July), but it’s already been so much fun! 

Torre Costanera Center

I flew down here a few weeks before school started and got to explore Santiago a lot. Some of my favorite places were Torre Costanera Center (the tallest tower in all of South America!) and Cerro San Cristóbal, where I took a cable car up to go see so the amazing Christian art and architecture the hill offered (shout out to Professor Buggeln for teaching a wonderful class that gave me such a greater appreciation for this subject!)

 

Cerro San Cristóbal

Since classes have started, I’ve made friends with a lot of Chilean students as well as many of the other international students (most of whom come from Spanish-speaking countries) through the international club. We’ve gone on outings to the dunes of Concón, the Teatro Municipal de Viña del Mar, and the Palacio Vergara! At the time of writing this, I’m going to be attending a lesson in Cueca (the national dance of Chile) later today with the club!

 

Taken on an outing to the Palacio Vergara

If you get the chance to study abroad in Viña del Mar, I highly recommend it as it is accessible to all levels of Spanish-speaking and is just such a unique and eye-opening cultural experience where you really feel a part of the community you’re living in!

Life and Travel in Cambridge

October 24, 2023 / / 0 Comments

My name’s Simeon Klepac, and I’m studying abroad at the Valpo Study Center in Cambridge, England! Here are some of the adventures I’ve had so far during my time abroad.

LIFE IN CAMBRIDGE:

Here I am in the King’s College Chapel, one of the largest buildings constructed without steel in all Europe!

With plenty of amazing architecture all throughout the city, Cambridge is truly a beautiful place to live and study.  I’ve loved immersing myself in the history of the city and working with the excellent professors! One of my favorite parts of study abroad in Cambridge is weekly tea-time, where the students and faculty of the Valpo Study Center come together for fellowship, snacks, and delicious tea!

TRAVELING IN THE UK:

There are also many other awesome destinations in the UK, and with the national rail system they’re pretty easy to reach.

A group of Valpo students went with a tour guide to see the towering pillars of Stonehenge. They’re way bigger in person! I loved learning all about the history of ancient peoples in the area and marveling at how this epic monument was constructed.

Here I stand beside an old Roman fort at Hadrian’s Wall, nearly 2000 years old!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL:

Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see even more countries than the one in which you study, and with the international rail system, getting back and forth is cheap and easy.

Here I am at Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairytale masterpiece of the Dream King, Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Here I am at the Eifel Tower in Paris. After the sunset, I climbed all the way up to the second level and took in the view of Paris in night time. The Tower glows with light from the floodlamps, and once every hour, they have a lightshow running up and down the whole structure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Home Away From Home

September 26, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Name: Grace Jendreas

Program: Kansai Gaidai University (KGU) Exchange

Location: Back Home in the US

It’s been three months since I returned home from Japan, and to say I’m still adjusting to life back in America is an understatement. I miss the convenience of life there, my friends, and all the amazing memories we made together. While in Japan, I was able to grow a lot in my personal, educational, and professional life. I learned so much about the language and culture from the classes I took at KGU, my friends, and the places I visited. While I could talk about all the ways Japan has impacted my life for days; I wanted to reflect on some of my daily life at KGU. 

Dorm life

I stayed in the Global Commons -YUI- which is the international dorm on campus. You live with both international and local students so it gives you a lot of opportunities to become friends with people from all over the world. The rooms are all single rooms but we all spend a lot of time in the shared commons areas which allows everyone in the unit to become friends.

My dorm room!

I have so many memories from hanging out with friends in the lounges and making dinner together in the kitchen. We were always studying, watching movies, or making weekend plans together. Every month our unit would come together to do fun activities planned by our RA’s. Some of my favorite events we had were making maki rolls together for Setsubun (a Japanese holiday in February) and visiting the Sakura Festival during cherry blossom season. 

Campus and classes

KGU actually has two campuses that are only a 10-minute walk away from each other. While you can have classes on both campuses, I only had classes on the main one. YUI is located on the second campus so I had to walk to the main campus every morning. Since I didn’t feel like walking between campuses after every class I spent a lot of time in the International Student Lounge. So many students spend their time in that lounge so lots of international and Japanese students came up to me and started conversations. It’s so easy to make new friends just by sitting in the lounge!

Me and my best friend at the main campus

The classes offered to international students are all pretty interesting so it was difficult for me to decide what classes I wanted to take. They also range in difficulty so if you want to challenge yourself academically or take less tolling classes to allow yourself more time to travel there are so many options for both. Everyone is required to take a Japanese language course which really improved my language skills and confidence in speaking. I also took classes about Japanese religion and art but there are so many other courses like cooking, fashion, and even manga drawing that I would have loved to take. Class sizes are fairly small with a mix of both international and local students. And there is a lot of group work and class discussion that lets you get to know your classmates really well.

Field Trips 

My floor unit at the Sakura Festival

There are so many opportunities to experience the country through field trips as well. Many classes offer at least one field trip if not more than one field trip during the semester. It’s a great way to see the country and experience the culture first hand with your peers. The YUI dorms will also hold field trips throughout the semester with your units and others. My favorite field trip I went on was visiting the Sakura Festival. It was so pretty to see all the cherry blossom trees and there were so many delicious food vendors. 

KGU and Japan quickly started to feel like home for me in the five months I was there. I made so many amazing friends and created so many memories. I have definitely felt a little homesick since coming back but I’m already planning my next trip to Japan so I know I’ll return to my home away from home soon.

When in Rome!

July 5, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Name: Mikayla Flanagan

Program: Valpo Study Center in Cambridge, England

Location: Rome, Italy

Mikayla in front of the Trevi Fountain

My name is Mikayla Flanagan and I studied in Cambridge, England this past Spring. I am a sociology major with a criminology concentration as well as a political science minor. I will be a senior this fall and am planning on graduating next Spring! I have always wanted to study abroad since I was in high school and when I heard of this opportunity, I took it immediately. This would be my chance to see Europe for the first time and this would be the only time I would be a student in a different country with this type of opportunity. All of the trips I have been on have meant so much to me and it is difficult to just choose one. One of my favorite places I visited was Rome, Italy.

Pasta that Mikayla made in Rome.

I have always wanted to go to Rome, and I was able to go during my final days in Europe. It was such a surreal moment walking around the city of Rome because everywhere you turn there is a piece of history waiting to be seen. There are fountains, churches, ruins, and pieces of buildings that have seen so much history. The streets themselves are a piece of history when thinking about all of the people who have walked down them. I took a pasta-making class because what better place in the world to learn how to make pasta than Italy! 

 

When visiting Rome, I was able to see the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and the Colosseum. The Vatican Museums showed so many beautiful pieces of art, and seeing with my own eyes Michaelangelo’s Last Judgment and Creation of Adam was something I will remember forever. Since you are not allowed to take photos in the Sistine Chapel, I ingrained those pieces of art into my memory. The Colosseum was unreal since it has such a rich history. Walking around the ruins where emperors and citizens alike watched gladiators fight was something I never thought I would get to experience. Being in a place where history is so rich and has been preserved for so many years was incredible.

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

Studying abroad has been one of the best choices I have made. I have learned so much about myself as well as the world around me. There is so much to see, and it is at our fingertips! It is an experience of a lifetime no matter where you go. The sights you see and the cultures you learn first-hand are something that cannot be matched. Studying abroad is such a unique experience, and I recommend it to whoever is able to do it!

London Stage: Spring Break Trip

April 17, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Name: Carolyn Dilbeck

Location: London 

My friends and I

Hello! I’m Carolyn , a class of 2026 Communications major! I first heard about the London Stage spring break trip, from a friend of mine, and I knew it was an opportunity I needed to take advantage of. I have long had a passion for theatre, musical theatre in particular, and participated in many productions with my high school as well as CYT (Christian Youth Theatre). In fact, the friend who had mentioned it to me had been in several CYT shows with me, and also had the opportunity to go on this trip, which was so special, and definitely a full-circle moment for me. London had also been a travel destination on my bucket list for years, so I knew I could not pass up the chance to study one of my favorite subjects in the world in a place I had been wanting to visit for so long!

I was initially a bit intimidated, however, because I didn’t know anyone else going besides my friend, and had never been to Europe before, or out of the country with my family, for that matter. However, Professor Lee Orchard, who was leading the trip and had done it many times, was very knowledgeable about the itinerary, which immediately helped put me at ease.  He had learned from his experiences with other groups and was able to tell us everything we needed to know beforehand, which made the process of preparing for the trip much easier and less stressful, for which I am very grateful. Additionally, all of us who attended the trip got to know one another fairly quickly and became a close-knit group by the end of it. Although we all came from different backgrounds and studied different subjects in school, we shared a passion for theatre and an enthusiasm for learning, which was really cool.

I have to say it may have been one of the most exhausting but exhilarating two weeks of my life! In London, we usually had class in the morning, where we discussed the show we were going to see that day. We were split into pairs, with each pair having to give a presentation on one of the shows. We saw ten of them during our time there! They ranged from adaptations of Greek tragedies to comedies like The Play That Goes Wrong, and everything in between! They were all of very good quality, but each was definitely a unique experience and gave us a lot to talk about in our discussions of the shows. Time was also built in to see many of the major historical and cultural sites as well, such as Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Art.

 

Big Ben

Additionally, we had 4 days free for independent exploration in smaller groups, during which we could choose what we wanted to see. For example, I had the opportunity to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, as well as to meet up with other Valpo students studying abroad in Cambridge! As much as we got to see, though, there were also many other things I wish I would have, so I would love to make it back someday. Overall, it was an incredible experience that I would recommend to those who are passionate about theatre, or the rich culture and history of London!

Spring Break Healthcare: Study Abroad Trip in Italy

March 29, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Name: Jasmin Bonilla

Location: Italy

When I first got accepted into the spring break study abroad program last November, I was thrilled! Initially, I was nervous that I wouldn’t get my first choice. It didn’t feel real until the week before my departure date. On March 4th, I was filled with anxiety and excitement as I boarded the bus to Chicago O’hare. After an 8-hour flight and a layover in Frankfurt, Germany, I finally arrived in Rome. I felt a great sense of gratitude as I got to see the famous Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. Overall, I gained so much knowledge about Italy’s healthcare system, history, and its culture. Many are unaware of the concept of socialistic medicine, but I learned that Italy’s National Health Service provides universal coverage to all residents and citizens, including migrants. I also visited Binario 95, which is a social welfare center that provides services to migrants or individuals who need assistance. It was surprising to learn that many Italians don’t obtain a college degree unless they are pursuing a career in STEM.

As a group, we explored Rome, Tuscany, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice. Some of the historical sites we saw included the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Accademia Gallery. Our program tour leader, Matteo, made the experience more enjoyable as he brought enthusiastic energy everyday.

Colosseum

Spring Break, Study Abroad Group

The first thing that I noticed about Italian culture was the food. A typical Italian meal consists of an appetizer, first course, and second course. Now you bet I was full most of the time! Overall, the food was very delicious, and some of the main dishes were risotto, rigatoni mezza maniche, ravioli, and lasagna. The best desserts were gelato and tiramisu! My favorite study abroad experience was touring the vineyard and winery at La Pineta Farm in Florence. I did my first wine tasting and learned to drink it the right way. After the trip, I felt like a changed person, but in a good way. I made new friendships and was exposed to an entirely different life. I learned many aspects of Italy’s qualitative healthcare system, which I will take with me as I work towards reducing health disparities and improving population health. . Overall, if you are unsure of studying abroad for an entire semester, I highly recommend participating in a spring break study abroad trip! It’s a life changing experience that you’ll never forget.

Venice

 

 

 

A picture of me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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