Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Page 11 of 124

Osaka: My Favorite City in the World

May 13, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kate Mitchell

Location: Osaka, Japan

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Despite being from Chicago, I’ve never been a city person. I prefer quieter, suburban areas with less people, more nature and less noise. But once I came to Japan and visited Osaka, I quickly discovered it was the perfect city for me. Even though Osaka is a huge city, it never feels overcrowded or too busy. There are tons of little parks where anyone can stop to take a break and eat ice cream (something I’ve done probably too many times). The parks are especially beautiful during the cherry blossom season. There’s a wide variety of restaurants and shops, so it’s easy to spend the day out and about. Name brands are really popular here in Japan, so if you have expensive tastes, tracking down Apple, Gucci and other luxury goods is easy. But if you’re a college student like me and prefer something more within your budget, there’s plenty of family run restaurants serving traditional Osakan food like takoyaki or okonomiyaki along with small shops selling whatever you want to buy.

However, to me, the most important and defining quality of Osaka is the people’s kindness. Throughout Japan, Osaka is known for being a warm and friendly city contrasted with Tokyo who is normally colder and more formal. I can say this is definitely true having visited both cities. Osakans always seem willing to help out and answer my questions (which I am eternally grateful for being a clumsy study abroad student who still struggles to read a map). On multiple occasions, I’ve had Osakans come up to me to ask questions about where I come from, what do I like about Japan and more simply because they were curious. The Osakan students at Kansai Gaidai University are the same way. So many students have come to talk to me to practice their English and help me with my Japanese. There were even Osakan or other Kansai students who came into my Japanese class to help us all practice our Japanese.

I think one of my favorite parts of Osaka is its dialect, Kansai-ben. Most of the Kansai area speaks with this dialect, but it’s well-known for being associated with Osaka. Like English, Japanese has dialects. If I had to compare Kansai-ben to a dialect in English, it’s something like a southern accent. There’s lots of colloquial terms that replace the more common words used in standard Japanese. Verbs are formed slightly differently with Kansai-ben too, so understanding it can be difficult especially since they don’t teach it in Japanese classes. Thankfully, my Japanese professor here taught us some Kansai-ben, so we can try it out with our Osakan friends. The dialect reflects the more friendly nature of Osaka and I think I prefer it to the standard Tokyo dialect even if I don’t quite have Kansai-ben mastered yet.

I highly recommend visiting Osaka! Most people only see Kyoto and Tokyo during there trips to Japan, but you’d be missing out if you don’t take the trip to Osaka!

The British Education System

May 13, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Westfield House

The academia of Cambridge was certainly one of the factors that drew me to its study abroad program, and as a lover of language, I knew that England would have much to offer. Valpo’s Cambridge program is unique in that we actually can take courses from up to five different colleges! I have been challenged by the British education system in ways that my prior academic experience has never been able to.

Essentially, the only grade I got for three out of my four courses relied solely upon a final paper. Fortunately, as a Creative Writing and Humanities student, this structure was fairly similar to classes I have taken at Valpo, but it was entirely foreign to some of my fellow Cohort members. That being said, I did not fully realize until now how structured my studies at Valpo really have been, and how much those smaller assignments throughout the semester can really take some of the pressure off of the final paper or exam.

Demi and I at the Jane Austen Center in Bath, England on one of our (many) 
British Life and Culture trips.

The best and worst aspect of my courses this semester has been the lack of structure. As someone who works best when under pressure, it would be an understatement to say that my procrastination has always been my downfall. While the lack of professor-enforced drafts and mini-deadlines meant a lot less busy work on my part, the tradeoff was my needing to manage my time well— which was honestly one of the most difficult parts of my semester abroad.

But on the other hand, there were many pros to this academic system. In addition to forcing me to grow in the time management area of my life, it also made it possible for me to travel mainland Europe, explore Cambridge deeper, and invest more time and energy into the new relationships I have formed while here. Furthermore, this lack of structure also gave me a great deal of freedom to choose the topics which I would research and write about for my final papers.

Nolan snapped this photo when we were working on our final British Life and Culture
papers at a favorite coffee shop (Benet’s) across from King’s Chapel.

Below are the courses that I took this semester, and the theses of my final papers to give a general idea of what I learned and wrote about.

Sociology: Modern Societies (Lectures at Cambridge University, Supervisions through Westfield House)

Thesis: Shaping gender and sexuality to be perceived as heteronormative is silent systemic oppression which has been (and still is) implemented to ensure that traditional forms of power remain uncontested; thus, deconstructing these concepts until they are separate, flexible entities can be the first step towards a mission for awareness, resistance, and liberation.

Liz and I pausing to enjoy the Spring sun on our regular 30 minute walk back from our
Sociology lecture at Mill Hall.

British Life and Culture (Valparaiso University)

Thesis: Both Ludwig Wittgenstein and Virginia Woolf were obsessed with language and its contradictions. It is the philosophical experience of exploring the incomprehensible that inspired the prolific and profound words of both Wittgenstein and Woolf, despite—or perhaps even because of—those indiscernible areas where logical language falls short.

New Testament Epistles (Cambridge Theological Federation)

Thesis: The Apostle Paul saw the Old Testament’s role in the Early Church as a foundation for Christian community, but he did not believe it to be the foundation  for salvation. In relation to today’s Church, Paul’s perspective of the Law ought  to remind Christian leaders to continually make certain that their teachings are in line with Jesus’ gospel (i.e., to bring salvation to all people), rather than in line with the Covenant (i.e., to bring salvation to select people).

Nolan casually reading a book before our Theo lecture at Ridley Hall.

British Science Fiction (Westfield House)

This was the only course that did not have a final paper but instead an in-class short essay exam as the main (pretty much only) grade. Unsurprisingly, we studied a lot of novels in this course. With only four students in the class we all collectively read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and then each proceeded to read four different novels that we would then present on to the class. I really, genuinely enjoyed almost all of the books I read: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, Starmaker by Olaf Stapledon, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and The Power by Naomi Alderman (the last two being my favorite by far, and which I highly recommend!).

Jasmine, Demi, Nolan, and I posing in our House Robes in front of Westfield House
before class and weekly House Chapel and Tea (Taken on our first day of British
Science Fiction!).

San Pedro de Atacama

May 10, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Casey Bremer

Location: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Last week, Chile had its national Labor Day, and most businesses, supermarkets, and restaurants shut down for the day to give workers time to rest and be with their families. It actually started a day earlier, with most places closing around 6pm the night before. So with our extra day off, my friends and I decided to take a mini-vacation up to the north of Chile, in the Atacama Desert. It’s widely known as one of the driest places on Earth, with an average rainfall of .6 inches per year. One friend, Delaney, and I went first, with an extra day in the town San Pedro de Atacama before the rest of our group joined us. We rented bikes and rode around for half the day, in search of an abandoned tunnel in the middle of the desert. It was extremely hot, which was a nice change from the cloudy, chilly weather that we’ve started to have in Viña del Mar. On the way, we actually ran into a family of wild cows! They were so cute and fluffy, and actually allowed us to get super close to them!

The next day, four friends from our program met us in San Pedro. We spent the next few days exploring the desert and seeing some of the most incredible landscapes I’ve ever seen. One day, we decided to take a tour to the 3rd largest geyser field in the world, but the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The tour company picked us up from the hostel at 4am so we could see the sunrise over the geysers. Despite being so hot during the day, it was surprisingly cold at four in the morning! My friends and I had to wear multiple layers, scarves, gloves, and very thick socks to survive! But regardless of the below freezing temperatures, it was well worth it. The views were amazing, and even though we were all tired and cold, the girls and I had a great time learning about the geysers, practicing our Spanish, and experiencing the unforgettable sunrise together. After a few hours at the geysers, the tour took us to a few more spots in the desert. This included a natural hot spring, a lagoon, and a cute town with a tiny church and only 5 families living there!

Overall, the girls and I had a great time together. Every night we hiked to nearby viewpoints to watch the sunset, and every night we were in awe. The sunsets in Viña del Mar have been really great, but there’s something extra special about the sun setting in the desert, with nothing but mountains and volcanoes in the distance. My friends and I have decided that the views we’ve seen in Chile, from the northern Atacama Desert to the southern Patagonia region, have been the most impressive we’ve seen in our lives so far.

My short trip (only Wednesday to Monday) to northern Chile has been, so far, one of my favorite experiences this semester. It was extra special for a few reasons. Firstly, I got the chance to see landscapes that, in photos, actually look photoshopped. Each day was full of sceneries that took my breath away. Plus, how many times can you say that you saw the sunset in the driest place in the world? But another really important reason why I loved this mini-vacation was because of the people I spent time with. In addition to the lovely girls from my program that were with me, I also randomly ran into someone I met in the very beginning of the semester in Viña del Mar, over 700 miles away. In the first few weeks of the semester, I went out in Viña with some members of the UVM international club. I ended up spending a few hours talking to a Chilean local, who did magic for my friends and me. It was really cool! Then, 2 months later, over 700 miles away, I ran into the Chilean magician again! It was such a chance encounter, and it made me realize how small this world really is. The more I travel, the more I realize that the world isn’t as big as I used to think. Everyone seems to be connected, and I’ve learned to look forward to the next time I run into someone I know, whether I’m walking in downtown Viña del Mar, or exploring the driest desert in the world.

Housing Advice while Abroad

May 6, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Casey Bremer

Location: Viña del Mar, Chile/Granada, Spain

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

What advice would you give to students (we have one who is concerned about this that will go abroad in the Fall concerned about accommodations?

I was concerned about accommodations before going abroad, but I learned that it really isn’t as stressful as I had thought. The people I lived with were very kind, and gave me a true glimpse into the country’s culture. I wouldn’t stress too much about the accommodations. Your host family just wants to make sure you’re enjoying your experience abroad. Plus, they usually have years of experience hosting students so they’ve seen it all. They give you home-cooked meals, do your laundry, and take care of you when your family back home can’t. For example, I got bronchitis during my semester in Chile and my Chilean host mom went with me to the clinic, talked to the doctor, and helped me get the medicine. Without her, I don’t know if I would have known what to do, or how to talk to the doctor at the clinic. I’m so thankful she took care of me, because getting sick while abroad can be scary! One really important thing students should know is that communication is really important. If you don’t want to eat certain foods, tell your host family and they’ll stop giving it you. If you’re having issues with the host family, tell your program director and they’ll do their best to resolve the issues. It might be hard or embarrassing to talk about the issue, but saying it once will be better than living with it for the whole semester. Just make sure to communicate!

How does setting up accommodations work (what’s the process)?

The process was super easy. VU and the host institutions do a lot of the work for you, and you just need to put in your preferences and restrictions. For example, I told the program directors that I’m vegan/vegetarian and they worked with the families to tell them what I can and cannot eat before I get there so everyone is on the same page. Before you go, there is usually a survey to help find the best fit with students and family. For Granada and Viña del Mar, it was a pretty seamless process and everything worked out really well.

Is it something you should be ashamed of? Were you ashamed?

I’m not really sure what you would be ashamed of. I loved living with a host family in Spain and Chile, and my accommodations at the YMCA in Valparaíso were really great as well. It’s an easy way to get even more immersed in the different culture, and the people you live with are great resources for information about the country and the town you’re living in. Although it might be uncomfortable or awkward at first, I think living with a host family is the best way to experience a semester abroad. It’s also a great way to improve your language skills!

Will you have anonymity and privacy when you tell personnel that you need accommodations?

Yes! Of course, it varies depending on the program. However, in all three of the VU study abroad programs I’ve participated in, the personnel that I’ve worked with are very accommodating. The grand majority of the people working with VU and the other institutions really just want to make sure that you’re safe and you’re enjoying your time abroad. They will do whatever it takes to make sure you feel comfortable wherever you’re living. Privacy can be a big concern, but everyone I’ve worked with has been discreet and only share what is necessary.

Will it stop you from having fun and making new friends and experiences; how does it work abroad? How is your experience?

Absolutely not! No matter where you live, you’re going to have an incredible semester, meet interesting people, and have lots of fun! In my experience, the host families just want you to love the country and enjoy the semester. They don’t mind if you come home late, or skip a meal to go out with friends. They only want to make sure you’re safe. The only frustrating thing is that I couldn’t have friends over to my house (although it depends on which program and the family you live with). However, instead of having that ruin the experience, my friends and I used that as an excuse to go out and explore the city more! I think that no matter what, accommodations won’t stop you from having fun or from making really great friends. And if it does, tell your program director or someone at VU and they’ll work with you to improve the situation! Regardless of where you live, your semester abroad will an unforgettable experience and you’ll meet people that will become some of your closest friends.

Meet Cambridge’s Cohort #102!

May 2, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

VU C-102 in Bath, England (Get it??)

Out of the nine Valpo students living in Cambridge this Spring 2019 semester, only two people were close friends before we got here, and a few of us were acquaintances or had environment-specific relationships with each other.

Four months later, and I think it’s safe to say that our closeness has exceeded the magical, inevitable bond that forms between people placed outside of their comfort zones and natural environments; we’ve really become a family.

Our first picture taken together in front of Westfield House (it feels like this photo was
taken years ago).

We’ve celebrated our highs together— like 21st birthdays, finishing final papers, making British friends, attending each other’s Ultimate Frisbee games and choir concerts, cheers-ing to getting jobs and leadership positions for next year, and Wordfest awards. We’ve supported and leaned on one another during the lows too— from homesickness, to physical sickness, break-ups and broken phones (multiple phones), procrastinated deadlines and everything that falls in between.

We’ve also learned how to survive with each other— it’s no small feat to go from not knowing each other to spending literally all of your time with 8 other people. Perhaps needless to say, we’ve all grown in communicating our needs and feelings, how to forgive, and how to practice empathy.

Nolan, Cami, and Eric in front of our house

As the semester is drawing to a close, our cohort has become an inextricable part of our study abroad experience. The thought of going home and not being able to accurately share with others the depth of these memories and relationships that we’ve so quickly formed is a stressful idea…The quirkiness and inside jokes, the way we’ve so naturally picked up each other’s mannerisms, and so much more. So, in an attempt to capture just a glimpse into our silly, creative, loving family, I’ve asked each cohort member a couple of questions.

Without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce to the world Cambridge’s 102nd Cohort (in order of our favorite colors on the ROYGBIV spectrum):

Emily Neuharth

Emily in Keukenhof, Netherlands

• Favorite color: Pink
• Nickname(s): Em, Maurice, Groovy Cat
• Enneagram Type: 4w3
• Astrology: Libra Sun, Pisces Moon, Leo Rising
• Advice: A suggestion I’d give to future cohort members would be to remember that the advice, “Make the most out of your time,” is going to look different for each person— try not to compare your study abroad experience to others (whether that be your peers at other programs, past Cambridge students, or your fellow cohort).
• Memory: All of our natural, silly, family-moments that we’ve so luckily grown used to…like binge-watching Hell’s Kitchen and Queer Eye, having dance parties in the kitchen, Face-Timing each other to get them to come downstairs and hang out, forcing each other to watch each other’s favorite movies, having photo shoots, working on procrastinated papers and presentations together, roasting each other, and adopting each other’s phrases and habits.
• Growth: I’ve become more comfortable in spending my time alone and can better see the value in it. I’ve realized that I have a lot farther to go in my
growth as a person— and have learned that I was definitely in denial and hiding some things from myself. I think that in some ways I’ve become less sure of my identity after this semester, but I think it’s a step in the right direction. If I hadn’t had this experience than I might never have been forced to reckon with these hard things, and push myself deeper to understand who I am and who I want to become.

Elizabeth Palmer

Liz at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland

• Favorite color: Peach
• Nickname(s): Liz, Lilibet, King Julian
• Enneagram Type: 3w2
• Astrology: Leo Sun and Moon, Virgo Rising
• Advice: MAKE QUALITY TIME FOR YOURSELF! You deserve the same effort you give when you’re with other people. Go for runs, explore, paint your nails, make a yummy healthy meal, read, etc. Don’t be afraid to reach out to one another and love on each other. You’re going to become a family, and looking out for each other makes the experience better for everyone!
• Memory: Playing True American with everyone in the living room, taking myself on a weekend date to Nice, France (see, treat yourself like you’d treat others!!), and walking by the colleges in springtime.
• Growth: BOUNDARIES!! You can’t get mad at anyone for overstepping your boundaries if they don’t even know about them. Learn to communicate and be honest, and you’ll have the best experience possible. Also, I’m finally not scared of public transportation!! 🙂

Dr. Lorraine Brugh

Dr. Brugh and Gary (her husband) at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridge, England

England
• Favorite color: Orange
• Nickname(s): Our Queen, Mom (including British version, Mum, on Mother’s Day).
• Astrology: Pisces Sun
• Advice: Practice solitude before you get here. There’s a lot of it here, and it takes some getting used to.
• Memory: Watching you all from the bridge and see you flow under me (punting) on the Cam.
• Growth: Improved toilet paper and paper towel management, though still a work in progress.

Demi Marshall

Demi at Stonehenge in Amesbury, England

• Favorite color: Yellow
• Nickname(s): Dem-Demz, Dung Beetle #1
• Enneagram Type: 3w4
• Astrology: Aquarius Sun
• Advice: Keep an open mind and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. Make the most of your time here because it will go by SO much faster than you think.
• Memory: All my favorite memories are spontaneous plans with my housemates that I didn’t anticipate happening that day. They are always the most fun. I’ve found saying yes more than staying in really beneficial.”

• Growth: I think I have become a much more independent and somehow calm person. I thought I would suffer a lot with anxiety and depression while abroad, but this has really been one of the clearest points in my life. I have learned to blend with new people and also do things for myself that I never thought possible.

Jasmine Delara

Jasmine in Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany, Italy
• Favorite color: Yellow
• Nickname(s): Mort, Jazz Hands, Jay-Z, Dung Beetle #2
• Enneagram Type: 2w3
• Astrology: Sagittarius Sun and Moon, Aquarius Rising
• Advice: The advice I would give to the next cohort or to anyone reading this, is to connect and create the community you want early in the semester and remember that relationships that you want to work will take continuous work. You get out what you put in and by building a community on understanding, forgiveness, compromise, and laughter you are working towards a really strong future.
• Memory: My favorite memory here in Cambridge has to be the weekly Common Meal dinners. Right from the beginning all of us in the house wanted to create a family-community feeling here in the house and a big setting for those bonds to be made was at Common Meal. I loved getting excited about what people were going to make that week or making others excited about what I was going to make that week. And then sitting down as a big family and sharing conversation to me really can’t be beat. It was always fun and it was always something I looked forward to and I will definitely miss it once I leave.
• Growth: I’ve grown in a multitude of ways, many of them being hard to describe. Most importantly I have grown in my faith, but not in the ways I was expecting to grow in my time here. I thought I was going to spend a lot of time in my Bible and grow in my one-on-one time with God in that way, but I found myself spending more time with him in nature on walks or while playing guitar. I have also found a new love for solitude and understanding its importance in reflection, growth, and understanding. Before this semester I would do almost anything to spend as little time as possible alone, and although I will still spend most of my time in community I will appreciate the time I have by myself.

Eric Wolfrum

Eric in Cambridge, England

• Favorite color: Green
• Nickname(s): Mellie
• Enneagram Type: 9w8
• Astrology: Leo Sun
• Advice: You might have more free time than you are used to, but there is so much that’s going on in Cambridge— it’s just up to you to put yourself out there.

• Memory: Sitting by the canal in Amsterdam while reflecting on my past three months of being in Europe. Also, going on lots of hikes and long walks, and American Mondays!!
• Growth: I have learned that things usually work out in the end and that risks are worth taking. In addition, I learned how to be more comfortable with myself and learned that people are (generally) nice and welcoming wherever you go.

Nolan Filbert

Nolan at the Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseilles, France

• Favorite color: Green
• Nickname(s): Sweet Wedge, Shmehh, Noly-Bear
• Enneagram Type: 2w1
• Astrology: Taurus Sun, Pisces Moon
• Advice: Through all the entrances and exits in life, this program will be one of the best. My advice would be to come with no expectation of what it will be like but prepare to be amazed at the beautiful place that Cambridge is and the beautiful people you’ll live with. Take time to explore and find the green spaces to relax and the coffee shops to study in. Try to soak up the amount of history, culture, and music that is literally on every street and you won’t come close to being disappointed (hopefully). Lastly, your cohort will become your family, full of love and fun-filled memories that will last a lifetime.

• Memory: One hundred and fifty percent would be all the little places in Cambridge that we went to throughout the year to learn more about Cambridge with the greatest tour guide, Dr. Brugh. Of course seeing “As You Like It” in person and in the birthplace of Shakespeare was a favorite memory too. The games we played as a group are definitely up there too.
• Growth: The biggest thing I have learned while being here in Cambridge is that art is cool and I absolutely fell in love with it (Check out David Hockney for my favorite artist). (Go to the Prado Museum in Madrid and you won’t regret a millisecond of it) 🙂

Ellie Hackbath

Ellie in Stratford upon Avon, England

• Favorite color: Blue
• Nicknames: Eleanor, Queen of the Night
• Enneagram Type: 9w1
• Astrology: Capricorn Sun, Libra Moon and Rising
• Advice: First: Don’t be afraid to travel because it’s easier than you think it is, and if you’re smart about it, it’s always a good experience— I haven’t had a bad one yet. Secondly: Don’t be worried to spend time at home because Cambridge is beautiful and everyone needs time to recuperate.

• Memory: My favorite memory in Cambridge was to see a play with Nolan at the Cambridge Arts Theater. And outside of Cambridge was when Demi, Bethany, and I went to Paris. We all sat on the floor of our Air BnB, ate baguettes and brie and drank wine— it was really fun.
• Growth: I’ve become more independent, self-assured, and less willing to take other people’s BS.

Eric Ruzanski

Eric at the British Museum in London, England

• Favorite color: Blue
• Nickname(s): Easy E, Weatherman, RaEric
• Astrology: Aries Sun
• Advice: Find a British topic, that be it science, literature, history, or whatever, and independently research that topic while you’re here. Go out of your way to visit places or do things related to the topic. If you love to learn, it’s a great way to enjoy and appreciate the time allotted in the United Kingdom. For me, this was Margaret Thatcher and BREXIT! I also visited a few places in Cambridge where big-name mathematical contributions came from. This town has so much to offer!
• Memory: Hanging out with the Valpo group at Castle St. Pub after our first British Life and Culture trip to London. Also, writing, researching, and equity trading at various pubs and coffee shops.
• Growth: I have grown to be patient with slow-er European Wi-Fi… 😉

Camden Heinisch

Cami in Windermere in the Lake District, England

• Favorite color: Purple
• Nickname(s): Cami
• Astrology: Cancer Sun
• Advice: Your time here is what you make of it, and there are ways to get involved in Cambridge. Personally, I did this through sports and Christianity. And experiment! I experimented with my fashion here (partly out of necessity because I didn’t bring a lot of things), and it will definitely come back to the States. Own the fact that you’re American. People won’t look down on you just because of your accent. They may grossly impersonate your accent and stereotype you (my personal favorite was being called a ‘yee-haw’ and seeing the accompanying handshake) but it’s all in good fun, trust me 🙂 The Brits that I have met here have an amazing sense of humor, and they can dish it as well as take it.
• Memory: Going to a local pub after Bible study one Tuesday night. It had been a really rough week, but everyone that I went with was just so amazing and fun to be around… It was hard not to feel the same as they did walking out of there.

• Growth: Fashion, emotion, faith, (but mostly faith). The Brits I’ve surrounded myself with here are exemplary Christians in a way I’ve never seen masses of people being, and it really pushed me to take a hard look at myself and how I was acting and going along in my faith. Time will only tell if the changes I experienced here carry over to the States.

Cohort #102 at the Jane Austen Center in Bath, England

Semana Santa in Mendoza, Argentina

April 30, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Casey Bremer

Location: Mendoza, Argentina

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Happy Easter! Here in Chile, they don’t celebrate a very huge, extravagant Holy Week/Semana Santa, like they do in some other Spanish-speaking countries (i.e. Spain or Mexico). Usually, Chileans just don’t have work or classes on Good Friday. Most stores and restaurants are closed, and many Chileans take the long weekend to travel to a nearby city called Mendoza, across the border in Argentina. So I decided to follow the crowd and cross the border into Argentina for the weekend. I took a bus from Viña del Mar directly into Mendoza, which took about 11 hours, mostly because of the long line at the border crossing. However, I didn’t mind because the way into Argentina is well-known as a very beautiful route- it curves right through the Andes and is surrounded by nature and giant mountains. During the bus ride, I actually got the chance to watch the sunrise in the Andes mountains, and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.


Once I got into Mendoza, I walked around the city and visited a few main attractions. I had a full day to myself before some friends from Chile were coming the next day. So I visited street markets and then walked around the giant city park (it has a zoo, a lake, two museums, an amphitheater, a country club, 34 sculptures, and so much more). I also met some really nice people at my hostel, and we all went out to dinner at a very popular restaurant in town called Fuente y Fonda. Our table consisted of two people from Mexico, two people from Argentina, three people from France, and me! We made a point to only speak Spanish at the table, and it was really satisfying to practice my language skills and see how much I’ve improved in just the short time I’ve been in Chile.



The next day was busy, although very enjoyable. Some friends from my program in Chile came to Mendoza, and we ended up taking a few tours around the city together. For the first, we went to thermal baths an hour outside of Mendoza, in the middle of the mountains. Although it was a holiday and full of people, the thermals were really relaxing and had some great views! The next tour that we took involved three vineyards and an olive oil factory. Mendoza is well-known for its high-quality, low-price wine (most specifically a red wine called Malbec), and most tourists actually come to the city just to visit the vineyards. And in addition to the great wine, Mendoza is also known for its really popular olive oil. We ended the day with a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant, because food in Argentina is super cheap compared to the US and Chile! Early the next morning we had to take an early bus to get back to Viña del Mar in time for Monday classes.




Throughout my weekend in Argentina, I was practicing my Spanish abilities and getting more comfortable with different accents. For example, I noticed that Argentinians use the verb tense “vos” instead of “tú,” stress different syllables of their words, and also use a lot of the “sh” sound. In contrast, Chileans talk really fast, barely pronounce the ends of the words, and almost never pronounce the “d” or “s.” As I’m improving in Spanish, I’ve gotten much better at distinguishing different accents, and as more time goes by in the semester, I fall more and more in love with the Spanish language in general. I love that I chose to come to Chile for my semester abroad, as opposed to England or Scotland, where I would speak the native language. Not only am I learning about different parts of the world during my semester abroad, but I’m also greatly improving my language skills. Overall, knowing a foreign language will always be a good thing, because it allows you to communicate with so many more people of the world. And in my opinion, studying abroad and being immersed in a new language is the best way to perfect your skills. If you want to get better in a foreign language, spend a semester immersed in it and by the end, you’ll have improved so much! Even though it can be a challenge, spending the semester in Chile has been so worthwhile and incredibly beneficial for my language skills- I don’t want to leave! I’ve already learned so much, and I can’t wait to see how much better I get by the end of the semester.

Climbing Mt. Hiei

April 30, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kate Mitchell

Location: Mount Hiei, Kyoto, Japan

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Japan is a mountainous country. No matter where you find yourself in Japan, it is likely you will be able to see the mountains in the distance. Japan’s most famous mountain is of course Mt. Fuji, but one of its most sacred mountains is Mt. Hiei, located between Kyoto and Lake Biwa. The mountain is home to multiple Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Monks travel up the mountain as pilgrimage while visitors can just take the cable car or drive their own car to the temples at the top. I decided I wanted to hike at least part of this divine mountain before I left Japan and with the weather becoming warmer with each day, I decided it was finally time to do it.

The mountain itself was absolutely gorgeous. It boasts different types of forests that change depending on how high up the mountain you go. Wild flowers grow on the side of the mountain and aside the walking trails. I decided to take the cable car halfway up the Kyoto side of the mountain and from that height, you can see the entire city down below. Since the mountain is known for its Buddhist affiliation, I spotted lots of Buddhist statues and monuments while walking. It became almost like a fun I-Spy game. From the Lake Biwa side of the mountain, you can see the lake and its coastal towns. My favorite part of the hike was the cherry blossoms barely still in bloom whose petals covered the walking path. Although I say walking path, it was covered in rocks, holes and tricky turns, so anyone who decides to hike on Mt. Hiei should be prepared. It isn’t an easy trek by any means, but if you do get too tired, there’s always the cable car.


I also visited the temples at the top of the mountain. Mt. Hiei has three main temple areas although I only visited two of them. The third was about 5 kilometers away in another section of the mountain. The temples have their own parking lots and transportation, so there are lots of visitors in contrast to the walking trails which had significantly fewer people. The temples, although old, are constantly maintained, so they looked like they were brand new. And while I didn’t enter any of them, I made sure to get a few postcards and pictures for posterity. However, I did take a visit to Mt. Hiei’s Inari shrine. Inari is a Shinto deity who is particularly famous in Kyoto because of Fushimi Inari. Having learned lots of Inari in my religions class, she is particularly near and dear to me, so I made sure to leave a few yen for her as an offering.

For anyone visiting the Kyoto area, I highly recommend visiting Mt. Hiei especially in the spring. The mountain is beautiful and easily accessible by car or cable car. The temples around the mountain are a great spot to visit and on the Kyoto side of the mountain, there is also a gardening museum. Determined hikers can make the climb up Mt. Hiei more difficult if they choose, but I preferred a leisurely walk for taking pictures and sightseeing. The path can also get pretty confusing at times, so make sure to bring a map!

Semana Santa

April 25, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kayla Doyle

Location: Rome, Italy/Granada, Spain

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

This semester I was fortunate enough to be able to celebrate Easter festivities in two countries: Italy and Spain. I went to Rome with a group of friends from my program for the first half of the week before Easter. The second half of the week we were back in Spain and able to participate in Semana Santa. Both experiences were different than I normally celebrate Easter back home in Michigan with my family, but it was very eye-opening and intriguing to witness. 

When I went to Rome, we had to walk through the Vatican City just about every day to get to the center from our Airbnb. We happened to be there during Palm Sunday, so a few of my friends and I decided to go to the Vatican for mass with the Pope. On Sunday, we arrived at the Vatican and had to go through security to get into the main plaza for the ceremony. When we got through, we were given an olive branch to participate in the Mass and a rosary to commemorate the celebration. There were seats in various sections closed off to people who had reserved seats. We did not have a reservation, so we stood right behind a fence that blocked off the reserved seats that still had a decent view. The ceremony was three hours long, but we only stayed for the first half of it. There was a procession at the beginning which included people carrying palms, followed by bishops and the Pope. It was spectacular! Then there were a few readings and the pope gave a homily, however I couldn’t understand anything because it was all in Italian. After the Pope’s homily we left, but remained in awe of what we just witnessed. I have never been to a church service so enormous and surrounded by people from all over the world. I would highly recommend anyone to experience a mass at the Vatican City.

After we came back from Rome, we were able to see the processions in Granada that same night. It is very popular in the south of Spain to celebrate Semana Santa with huge processions the week leading up to Easter. In the processions there are people wearing a uniform that looks exactly like the clothes that the Klu Klux Klan wore, but the two are not associated at all. I’m not going to lie it was a little scary to see at first. There is also a band that plays music for the march. And my favorite part of the processions, are the floats that are carried by men below the structure. The floats are decorated in gold, flowers, candles, and porcelain objects, and the image differs each day of the week. The people in each city and “brotherhood” in charge of the processions planned all year for this week.

The processions are something that people from around the world travel to come see during Semana Santa every year, so the streets are full of people through the night. I enjoyed seeing the streets full of life, as it is a time of anticipation for the processions and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I enjoyed experiencing Easter in a new way this year, but also missed the time together celebrating with my family back home and watching my little cousins hunt for eggs the Easter Bunny laid out for them. But I guess seeing the Pope makes up for all of that!

Exploring and Experiencing the Netherlands!

April 23, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: The Netherlands

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

A couple of weeks ago I went on a trip to exploring the Netherlands with two other cohort members and dear friends: Liz and Nolan. Similar to many other students here, England’s close proximity to mainland Europe was one of the reasons that led me to choosing Valpo’s Cambridge program. Europe’s airfare system is way more advanced and accessible than what we’re used to in the States— sometimes it’s been cheaper to take a plane than a bus! And without the time-demanding extracurricular and social commitments that we’ve all grown accustomed to at Valpo, it is actually been possible for us to take long-weekend trips.

Nolan, Liz, and I at the Keukenhof tulip gardens

Day 1:
(Cambridge > London > Eindhoven > Rotterdam > Kinderdijk > Den Haag)

None of us have class on Fridays so we started our journey very early (like 3AM early)— traveling through Europe can’t be glamorous all the time. We’re still poor college students so we’ll walk a mile to the bus station and take the 6am flight if that’s our cheapest option. Fueled by the adrenaline of traveling, we walked through Cambridge in the witching hour with our stuffed backpacks, talking about which parts of the trip we were looking forward to the most. We landed in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and immediately that instinctual difference between countries could be felt. Relying heavily on our offline translator app, and the good fortune of often finding kind, Dutch people who spoke English, we embarked upon the next leg of our journey: taking public transport to Kinderdijk. We had a hostel booked for that night in Den Haag, but the plan for our first day was to visit the small town of Kinderdijk to see the famous Dutch windmills.

Liz posing with a windmill at Kinderdijk

Compared to other countries’ public transport, the Dutch systems were very straightforward and accessible. We took a train to Rotterdam where we decided to explore and get lunch. As it often seems to happen, this spontaneous detour ended up being one of my favorite towns we visited! The sun was shining and there was a lot of beautiful public art.

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Getting to Kinderdijk was less straightforward than getting to Rotterdam; we ended up only spending a little bit of time at the windmills since we got there shortly before the site closed. But we were all still content with our adventuring for the day. Exhausted (remember, we started the day at 3am), we finally made it to Den Haag where we checked into our hostel.

We finally made it to Kinderdijk!

Day 2:(Den Haag > Keukenhof > Lisse > Delft > Den Haag)

We left Den Haag around 9am to start our journey towards Keukenhof, an incredible and trademark tulip garden. This was definitely one of the trip’s highlights for me. The garden was massive, and while there were a lot of tourists there, the atmosphere was light-hearted and jovial— it’s hard not to feel this way when you are surrounded by so much natural beauty!

(In addition to hundreds of flowers) There were food trucks, flower crown making stations, and
women painted like flowers and dancing on stilts!

It’s really hard for me to choose a favorite between making my own flower crown and the names of the different kind of tulips. Just to name a few: Aphrodite, Energy4All, Update, Destination, Endurance, Mistress Hot Pink, Paul McCartney, Beauty Trend, Blue Wow, Zoe, Desirelle, Pebble, Light and Dreamy, Time Out, Drumline, and Apricot Fox.

Keukenhof, Netherlands

After stopping in Lisse to get lunch, we made our way to a small town near Den Haag called Delft. One of the main reasons why I wanted to visit the Netherlands while I was abroad was to meet up again with my very good friend Cato. Cato and I first met in good ol’ Lankenau Hall at the beginning of my freshman year, where she was a Dutch exchange student. During Christmas break that year, Cato had stayed with my family for a few days so when Cato heard that we’d be visiting, she insisted that we spend a night at her family’s home in Den Haag.

Coen, Cato, and I reunited in Delft!

We met Cato and Coen (another Dutch exchange student that I’d met at Valpo) in Delft where they live and go to university. They proudly showed us around Delft; it was a charming, old town that was full of life. We all agreed that it reminded us a lot of Cambridge. After getting dinner, we rode the tram to Den Haag. We got to Cato’s beautiful home where we were welcomed so warmly by her parents and fluffy cat.

Day 3: (Den Haag > Amsterdam > London > Cambridge)

At this point, we were all feeling a bit overwhelmed from all of the traveling and sightseeing, but we rallied ourselves together because we still hadn’t been to Amsterdam! Unfortunately, we hadn’t booked tickets enough in advance to see the sites we had hoped for (like the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum) but, in retrospect, getting to wander the city with no real plan was probably what was best for our tired state.

The river Amstel, in Amsterdam (if you look very, very closely, can you spot the small orange cat
sitting on a windowsill?)

We took a river canal tour through the city, where we basked in the sunlight and listened to a guide talk about the history of Amsterdam, especially in relation to its river Amstel. After the tour, we explored for a very long time trying to find a restaurant that had a vegan option for Liz. Ironically, the winner was a gourmet burger restaurant.

With happy stomachs, tired feet, and our same overstuffed backpacks, we started the long journey home. We no longer had that rush of adrenaline that had fueled our travel to the Netherlands, but there was a contentedness in our exhaustion. As we walked the mile back from the bus station in Cambridge’s witching hours once more, we talked about how much we had missed the rest of our cohort and were longing for our beds in Cambridge— it’s interesting how it takes going away and coming back again to realize that a place has become home.

Nolan in Amsterdam

As I said, traveling to mainland Europe was one of many dreams I had for my time abroad, and this trip to the Netherlands was my first time traveling outside of the UK since the beginning of the semester; it felt really fulfilling to get to check off a bucket-list goal. Overall, it was an amazing weekend full of new memories and so many flowers. The best part though was definitely getting to see Cato again, and how generously welcoming her family had been to us. I also feel very glad that we were able to experience a less-touristy, and more authentic, varied taste of the Netherlands— I already can’t wait to go back someday to continue exploring.

The paparazzi (Nolan) documenting how much I loved Keukenhof

 

The Untold Stories

April 22, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Alyssa (Aly) Brewer

Location: Outapi, Namibia

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

I distinctly remember before I left to study abroad in Southern Africa, my friend and I got  lunch together for an informal “see you later.” We talked about our lives, school work, and how  excited I was to travel to Namibia. I showed him a picture of Windhoek, the city I would be  living in. To his surprise, the photo displayed towering buildings, paved roads, and modern cars.  I am not telling this story to criticize his views, but to shed light on this mainstream idea of  “Africa.” Africa is a continent full of rich intertwining cultures. Every country, every area, every  city, is unique from the next. There is no blanket definition. Like in the United States, each family  has their own identity, ethnicity, and language. And all of this became quite apparent to me when I spent a week living with a family in rural Northern Namibia.

Before we left to Outapi, the instructors taught us basic greetings and how to ask for food, water, and the toilet in Oshiwambo, the local language. All of us were jittery with nerves. We stocked up on toilet paper, portable chargers, and exchanged ideas of how to properly bathe from a bucket. 

Surprisingly, the bucket shower became one of my favorite parts of the morning!

To be honest, I was holding in my anxiousness the whole 10 hour ride up there. As soon as we arrived and families started singing for us, my worries melted away. The families were as full of smiles as we were of exhaustion. But despite our heavy bodies, our spirits were up. We gathered around, greeted each other, and learned who we would be staying with for the week. My family welcomed me with open arms. I immediately felt loved by Meme Thusnelde and Tate Fillemon. (*Meme is the Oshiwambo equivalent of “M’am” as is Tate with “Sir”). Their daughter Margareth also welcomed and introduced me to her two year old son, Wofa (I never got the spelling but this is how it sounded). After the initial greeting, we were off! I climbed in the back of their pick-up truck and sighed my first breath of relief since we left Windhoek that morning.

While the instructors warned us countless times how hot it is in Northern Namibia, the heat still surprised us. It’s the kind of heat when you sweat, it evaporates before you can feel it. Hats are a necessity and sunscreen becomes your new best friend. Sleeping became a great challenge because my family’s tin house absorbed all the heat throughout the day. At night, I felt like I was sleeping in a microwave. Another surprising challenge was the food. While it was delicious and well-prepared, my body had a difficult time adjusting to it. But these minor inconveniences were drops in the ocean of this entire experience. My host sister and I laughed and danced with each other every evening. Her son and I chased each other around the farmstead. The stars every night speckled the sky is a brilliant hue. The fat chickens slept on tiny tree branches (which still makes me laugh just thinking about it). My host dad and I ran after a goat one night and planted a tree the next. My host mom hugged me warmly in the way only a mother can. While my body might have rejected the environment, my heart belonged in it.

There were dozens of fruit trees across the property. I was honored to help plant another!

I learned so much in my six days living with them. Greeting culture is the utmost importance. It took me until the end of the stay to fully get the sequence right.

  • “Walalapo Meme” (Good morning M’am)
  • “Walalapo” (Good morning response)
  • “Nawa?” (How are you?)
  • “Nawa, ehh?” (Good, and you?)
  • “Ehh” (Yes, good)

Even then, I do not know if that is completely correct. And the greeting changes depending on who you are speaking to and what time of day it is. It was difficult at first to get out of my American way of thinking. Here, you spend a whole five minutes greeting someone before you can carry on with your day. Back in the States I usually go for the classic Midwestern half-smile or “hey.” Here, you must face the person and acknowledge their presence- it is a form of respect. After practicing the greeting so often, it almost became second nature amongst us students. We even greeted each other that way at times. 

This journey has changed how I view life in multiple ways. For one, time is fluid here. There is never a rush. At first, my American “go go go” attitude became frustrated with the lackadaisical atmosphere. Now, I embrace it. In the States, we value time as money. Even when greeting someone we are short and to the point. Here, time is what you make it. My host family never rushed me to wake up, they never had a set schedule. We awoke when we got fed up with the rooster crowing. We made food when we got hungry. We talked when we wanted to and sat in silence when there was nothing to say. There was no pressure, just peace.

Important side note! The picture above is my host family’s field. Normally it would be towering with mahango plants at this time. Namibia is facing an extreme drought due to no rain in the rainy season causing crops and livestock to die at alarming rates. In a nation where 70% of the population relies on farming to sustain themselves, no rain is a crisis. We might not see climate change’s effects in the US, but here it is undeniable.

Reflecting on the experience so far, I am blessed to have met so many people from different cultural backgrounds in Southern Africa. Each of them has their own story to tell. Some are graduate students studying to be doctors. Some are musicians living off donations from passersby. Some, like my host family, are farmers in rural Namibia struggling to overcome the most devastating drought in their lifetime. Every person I meet paints a more colorful picture of what Africa truly is. It is not a single nationality, race, or language. It is a beautiful blend of people who each have a story to share- a story that needs to be heard.

My family and I took a photo together at the goodbye party. They provided me with a traditional Oshiwambo skirt and Ostrich egg shell necklace to wear. I will miss them dearly! (Right to left) Tate Fillemon, Wofa the baby, myself, the cab driver for the family, Margareth. *Meme Thusnelde was not able to attend the goodbye party due to work.

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 Valpo Voyager

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑