Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Page 6 of 124

Friendship in Barcelona

December 9, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Elisabeth Walters

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

While studying abroad, it is important to open yourself up to not only new cultures, but also to new and different people. In the beginning of my exchange semester, I had met a unique girl, named Clara, from Barcelona who was finishing her year in Reutlingen within a month into my semester there. I also met Neil and Ethan, who would be in Reutlingen during the duration of my semester. However, the first time I met these people, I never imagined that in three months I would be visiting Clara with these two other boys.

On Thanksgiving day, Ethan, Neil, and I traveled to Barcelona to meet up with Clara. We arrived late in Barcelona; however, that was perfect because in Barcelona they have a different eating schedule. They usually eat breakfast around 7am, a snack around 11am, lunch around 3pm, and finally dinner around 9 pm or later. Awaiting us at her place, Clara prepared us a Thanksgiving dinner and there we talked and caught up about the happenings in our life. Throughout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Clara showed us around the place she called home.

On Friday, she showed us the Arc de Triomf, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera-Casa Milà, the Barcelona Cathedral, and she took us to a churro shop. Clara had us try traditional Catalonian tapas and Spanish churros, both of which were phenomenal. While on Saturday she showed us sights from the beautiful old city of Barcelona, the Port of Barcelona, and took us to watch the sunset at the MUHBA Turó de la Rovira. Throughout that time, she continued to have us try traditional Spanish foods such as Paellas, in which, she taught us how to eat clams and shrimp properly. On our last full day, Clara took us to see the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, the Museu Nacional ďArt de Catalunya, and finally the Arenas de Barcelona

Although each day seemed different, they were actually really similar. Each day, we joked around, had meaningful conversations, and stayed up late into the night enjoying each other’s company. We played games, visited the local Christmas market, talked about Spanish traditions and customs, and even had a movie night at Clara’s apartment. On Monday morning, I was sad to leave Barcelona, not because I had to go back to school in Reutlingen, but because I was leaving my friend and a beautiful city with amazing memories.

My time in Barcelona, however, is not valued by the sites I visited or even by the food I tasted. When I look back in a few years, I’ll remember my time in Barcelona as the place where I made memories with my friends. Through my whole time abroad and specifically in Barcelona, I have realized that memories do not come from the sites you visit, but from the jokes and conversations that you had with the people you care for the most. Memories come from the friendships you build, and these memories are ones I will remember from my exchange semester abroad.

Reflection: Studying in Japan during fall semester was for the best

December 6, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Brandon Polinski

Location: Kansai region, Japan

Pronouns: He/His/Him

When I first transferred to Valpo, I assumed that I would be able to complete a degree in International Business and cram in a semester long study abroad within a mere four semesters. That was a naïve assumption to make and reflected my lack of experience at the time in understanding how college works and what realistic goals are.

If things had gone that way I originally envisioned, I would have likely ended up studying in Japan during the spring semester. In fact, that is what many of my peers who came before me did. Interestingly, the difference between fall and spring semester at Kansai Gaidai for international students is stark, and it is not just because of the weather. Based on what I have learned and experienced, I would strongly encourage anyone looking at Kansai Gaidai to study abroad to aim for the fall semester.

Firstly, there is much less stress during the initial application process. The application process is fairly lengthy with a lot of different moving parts. There are obligations the student needs to fulfill both on Valpo’s end and on Kansai Gaidai’s end. For spring semester exchange, it is a very quick turnaround because winter break for Valpo students is only three weeks. For fall semester, there is a three-month buffer called summer vacation. I was very on top of everything during the entire process, but if I had made mistakes or lagged, I had more time to resolve issues.

Next, while the Asian Studies program operates on a calendar similar to the one at Valpo, the same cannot be said for the rest of the programs at Kansai Gaidai. Local Japanese students start their classes two weeks later than international students in the fall, but during spring semester their classes do not start until April, several months after international students arrive. This is the majority of the student population numbering in the thousands. During my first two weeks here, the campus grounds were deserted and empty, and it was quite unsettling. Several hundred international students may sound like a lot, but that does not even come close to filling the campus. Spring semester transfer students arrive in January but do not get to see the campus operate at full capacity until April. I would have felt like I was missing out on an authentic experience if I had needed to wait more than two weeks. I also would have made less connections.

Lastly, yes, I do have to talk above the weather. In late August through early October, the Kansai region is incredibly humid. I did not always enjoy this, but I found it much preferable to back home especially given that the Chicago area this year was already experiencing freezing temperatures in October. After this humid period, the region transitions to fall, and it is almost perfect. At the moment, it is almost December, and while my family at home is freezing, I can walk around and still be quite comfortable. Also, while spring students get to see the cherry blossom blooms, I would argue that Japan is just as visually striking in the fall. If I had to recommend a place to check out during the fall that really showcases impressive fall sights, it would be Arashiyama, Kyoto. Anyone who is here during the fall needs to check it out!

A view from within Arashiyama’s bamboo forest.

Kyoto during fall.

Even when the lighting is not the best, Arashiyama is striking.

A Dilemma in London

December 4, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Elisabeth Walters

Location: London, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

At times we all find ourselves in a dilemma while traveling; these dilemmas often catch us off guard. However, the best option is to remain calm and find another solution. My roommate and I found ourselves in one of these dilemmas while traveling during our fall break and, although we did panic, we did find a solution.

The dilemma occurred on the last day of our fall break, the day we were to head back from London to Reutlingen to resume classes. We left our hostel around 7am to walk an hour with luggage to St. Pancras International Station in order to check in to our train. The train in which we had to check in for was the Eurostar, the high speed train that goes from London to Paris. In order to ride the train, we had made reservations about a week prior through the Eurail app. While making the reservations, my roommate and I had difficulties with the Eurail website crashing; however, we were able to complete our reservation, but we failed to notice a major problem.

This major problem was discovered when we handed our reservation tickets to the lady checking us in. The problem we failed to notice was that the date in which our reservations were for had been switched during one of the website crashes. Thus, our reservations were invalid and we could not board the train. We approached a staff member who informed us that we could no longer buy reservations because the trains were booked for the next week and they could not refund us the money for the reservations we had bought.

Panic and uncertainty immediately set in. My roommate and I decided to immediately sit down and try to figure out a solution. At first we had difficulty. After our mini panic attacks ended, we decided to buy a plane ticket to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam, we would take the trains back to Reutlingen. The only problem with our solution was that we could not find cheap flights for that day. The only cheap flights we could find were for the next day. Thus, we would no longer make it back to school for our Monday classes. Although, we would miss class, the later was the more economical option for us so we decided to book a hostel for the night and proceed with our plan.

In short, we made it back to Reutlingen a day later than originally planned; however, we learned important lessons from our experience. In addition to learning to always quadruple check your reservations, we learned that while traveling there is always going to be an obstacle, but we cannot let those obstacles ruin the overall trip. Even though we had this issue, we did not let it take away from the rest of the experience that we had in London. If anything we were able to enjoy the extra day that we were given and make another memory that we can share with family and friends later on.

What I Learned While Studying Abroad in Australia: The Adventure is Never Over

December 2, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Sarah Tubbs

Location: Newcastle, Australia

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Today marks the start of the last week I am here studying abroad, and truly I never thought this time would go by so quickly. I remember everyone saying at the beginning of the semester how study abroad flies by and to be prepared for that. But no matter how prepared I was mentally for the fast motion of studying abroad, I never thought it would have gone by as quickly as it did. As my time here studying abroad in Australia comes to an end, the conversations I have with people start to shift. Rather than talking about upcoming adventures and events, we all end up chatting about how it will feel re-assimilating back into the United States and the sadness we feel leaving all of the people we got so close with these past few months.

So here I am, writing my ‘goodbye’ to study abroad and the experience that it was for me. This past semester I have had my highest highs and my lowest lows. I’ve done things I never expected to do, went places I’ve only dreamed about, and most importantly, I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would. I’ve tried to narrow it down to the five main things I’ve learned while studying abroad, but truly there are so many more than the ones I will mention below. But here are some of the biggest realizations I’ve had these past five months while studying abroad that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life…

I was put on this earth to love and be kind

And yes, it’s really that simple. There are so many things in the world that seem extremely daunting and intense. We as a human species put such an inordinate amount of pressure on ourselves to be perfect, have everything figured out, and know our next steps. But in the reality that not many seem to talk about, this isn’t always true. We can expect certain things to happen in the future, but we will never 100% know what’s coming. Things are always changing and evolving, and to be creatures that can adapt to this change is becoming even more important as the world around us drastically changes everyday.

While I’ve been abroad, this fact of an ever changing and unpredictable world has been a continual lesson I’m experiencing and learning. When you never know what will happen next, you focus in more to the present and those that surround you everyday. I found myself doing this more often that ever since I had limited time in Australia, there were so many moments I didn’t want to forget. When I started actively focusing more on the present moments in my life, I discovered some simple facts. These included being there for people, being kind and open hearted to those you meet, and loving all beings in the world in any way you can. In the end, this is what matters. It’s not how much money you have or how fashionable your clothing is, it’s how you loved and were compassionate towards those who surround you in life. It’s these moments that will bring you endless happiness and contentment, if you are keen enough to push yourself to see the world in this perspective. And it can be challenging… especially in a world that has become so geared towards advertising and pushing things you “need” or want. But overall, studying abroad has made me realize to a deeper degree how important finding connections and loving people is in the world.

Sadness never needs to be justified

While you’re studying abroad, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. And I believe that not many people expect it to be that way. For me, being so far away from home and also being the only one from my home university to be in Australia, there were moments when I was very sad or lonely and couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was making me feel that way. Throughout my time being abroad, I realized more and more that I don’t need justification for the way I feel and what’s going on with me emotionally. If I needed to stay in and be with myself, I didn’t let others make me feel bad for doing what I needed to do for me. This may or may not happen to you when you are abroad, but no matter where you are in life, your sadness doesn’t need to be justified.

When you challenge yourself, you learn more more than you will ever know (Don’t ever doubt your strength)

Growing up as a woman, I was always told to always be aware of my surroundings. To never walk alone in the dark. To never travel alone because of the horror stories of single women traveling to foreign places. To not wear certain things because I would get unwanted attention. I carry pepper spray with me and my heart is never not racing whenever I’m walking alone in the middle of the night… or even when it’s just dark outside. This is how many women were raised. This is how I was raised, and yes I do need to always be aware of my surroundings and be smart when I’m alone. But being a woman should NEVER be a deciding factor for certain decisions I make in my life.

Studying abroad has taught me this in such a profound way, because there were a lot of things I had to do by myself. But sometimes being a woman came with an inordinate amount of precautions before I went anywhere alone. This was shown to me when I went to Cronulla Beach in South Sydney for a weekend. None of my friends could come with me, so I decided to go alone. But before I went, I had so many people telling me to be extremely safe… to watch out for my surroundings… to never be alone in the dark… etc. Which I understand, these need to be talked about. Being smart and safe is something everyone should be aware of. But one thing that all of these precautions made me question was my own strength. I became more nervous because everyone was making me feel like if I went anywhere alone something wrong would occur.

This IS NOT the case!! There were so many trips and adventures I decided to do solo and it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. So DO NOT limit yourself when abroad, you have a lot more strength within you than the world makes people believe.

Reading books can change your life

When I was a younger kid, you would have never seen me without a book in my hand. I remember being made fun of in eighth grade because I would read a book at lunch rather than go outside and play basketball. From teen romance, to fantasy, to mystery, and so many more, my world was one that included solving mysteries with Nancy Drew, sailing on the Pequod with Ishmael, and fighting in the Hunger Games with Katniss.

But things changed when I entered high school. Life got busier, I had more homework and activities to do, and I found myself not having the time to read as much as I used to. Time management became even harder as I entered college and had so many more things swarming my mind than my mind wants to read.

Before I went abroad, I wanted to change this. I made the decision to bring books other than school books for reading. And once I started reading again, it made me realize what I had been missing these past few years of not reading!! Reading is such a positive thing for the human mind since it helps with mental stimulation, stress reduction, vocabulary improvement, and so much more. There have been so many studies showing the benefits of reading everyday and not having our heads smashed in our phone screens, and I believe this to be very true. If you aren’t a big reader or simply don’t enjoy it, I challenge you to try for one week. Everyday for one week sit down and try to read a book, even if it’s a short article or a magazine. Sit down and read something and open your mind to different perspectives the world offers.

Knowing myself and loving her so much

I don’t know if this is from studying abroad, for simply growing up, or just where I am in my life at this moment, but after studying abroad this semester I feel I know myself in such a deeper way than I have before. The challenges I have faced here are things I would have never went through while staying at university in the states. And that’s truly the beauty of studying abroad. You push yourself to do these things you could have never expected to be experiencing, and you feel this internal growth in such a profound way that is hard to explain in words.

I remember when I first was looking into studying abroad. Not knowing exactly what would happen while abroad was a nerve-racking thing to experience. I thought about studying abroad all of the time. Thinking about the adventures I would have wherever I was, the people I would meet, how I would feel being by myself so far away from home, and so much more.

And in my last week of studying abroad, I get teary eyed thinking about what this time in my life has been for me. Studying abroad in Australia was a time I will never forget. And all that I learned while I was here will forever be with me for the rest of my life. The adventure is never really over… it’s truly all just beginning…

The Wanaka Tree in Wanaka, New Zealand

Solo in Seoul

November 29, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Brandon Polinski

Location: Seoul, South Korea

Pronouns: He/His/Him

I recently went to the capital of South Korea for three days. I went by myself, since most people who had interest had either gone during fall break when I was in Tokyo or were starting to run out of money. I’m honestly glad, because I have been too dependent on others when it comes to traveling, so this was a good opportunity for me. I learned a lot about another country I have been interested in, and a future trip of a longer duration is certainly on the table.

Seoul is about a two-hour flight from Kansai International Airport. Currently, partially due to strained relations between Korea and Japan, flights are also very cheap. I was able to get a round trip for approximately 100 USD. This was almost half as much as the cost of flying to Tokyo.

What did I think? I have a lot of thoughts. I had no experience in Korean culture or language, so this was probably the steepest learning curve I’ve ever had to adjust to in the shortest amount of time. Thankfully, in terms of infrastructure South Korean public transportation is functionally the same as it is in Japan. There are a few differences to keep in mind when it comes to navigating the stations, but if you can get around Japan without getting lost, the same will go for South Korea.

Everything else was much more difficult and uncomfortable. I want to avoid generalizing, since I was just in a small part of a country for a very short amount of time, but I want to talk about what I observed.

To begin, this really drove home what draws me to Japan. Not the food, or the cool shiny things, or even the pop culture, but the people. At least to me, there is a level of kindness and hospitality among the Japanese people that I have not experienced anywhere else, not America, and certainly not South Korea.

That’s not to say there are not many, many kind people in all countries. When I arrived in South Korea, without me asking, a man helped direct me to the correct train line and then gave me free food and his contact card. There are stand-out individuals everywhere. The difference is cultural. There is a warmness that permeates Japanese culture. I can count my negative experiences with Japanese people on one hand.

It is true that much of that perceived warmness is often part of an act or service (I do love Japanese service workers though :)) and does not always reflect the true feelings of the Japanese. However, being in Japan as a tourist or visitor, (Especially a western one) feels more comfortable, and arguably that is what matters for a temporary stay. Seoul is a beautiful city, in some ways I liked it more than Tokyo. Cutting edge technology, massive landmarks, but also wisely designed and spacious streets. Aside from the train stations during rush hour, I never felt claustrophobic even though Seoul has an even higher population density than Tokyo. But I felt a certain level of coldness among the residents. Not an aggressive rudeness like you find might in America or elsewhere, but it was there, and it was uncomfortable. Incidentally, Seoul is the largest city in South Korea and one of the largest in the world (It is bigger than New York!), but I noticed far less foreigners there than many smaller cities I have been to in Japan. There was a real feeling of isolation, like nothing I had ever felt before.

Despite some of my discomforts, I enjoyed Seoul. South Korea is without a doubt one of the best foreign destinations for solo travelers, thanks to its public transportation and a high level of safety that is comparable to Japan. For a still very inexperienced traveler, it was a very safe bet. I am glad I did this, things in my life that used to seem difficult or intimidating certainly seem much less so now. When I return, I will try to have learned some basic phrases, see if I can reach a higher level of understanding of the culture, and maybe break down more barriers between myself and the locals.

The entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The most visually striking place I saw in Seoul.

Part of Hongdae district. Known as the “young people’s” district. Full of shops and street performers.

I found the streets and sidewalks to be more spacious than Japanese cities. Not the case everywhere, but I was pleasantly surprised.

A Line Friends store in Lotte World Mall.

The night views did not disappoint me.

Exploring Europe

November 27, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Bianca Gamez

Location: Italy, Greece, &  Spain

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

As my classes started to come to an end, the Boston University Program gave the students a week of vacation before we had to start our internships. A couple friends and I decided that we should use this week to explore the rest of Europe and be “tourists”. We planned out our week to leave immediately after our finals and make our way to Rome, Italy for a day, Sorrento, Italy for three days, then Athens, Greece for a day, and finish up in Barcelona, Spain for the rest of break. At first, we did not realize that we were being very ambitious about our trip until we would talk to others about our plans to explore Europe, and they would just stare at us with shock in their eyes.

Regardless, we continued with our plans and took a flight from Paris to Italy, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Italy has so much to offer and so much to eat! My friends and I ate homemade pasta, pizza, and cannoli whenever we would go out to eat. We also ended up exploring the Colosseum, Pompeii, the Trevi fountain, and swam in the Mediterranean Sea.

(This was inside the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. We only had to pay 2 euros to get in because we were considered EU students)

(This was one of the “mummies” in Pompeii. Pompeii only has this one and three more inside of the city)

When we made our way to Athens, we mainly focused on seeing the Parthenon, the Acropolis of Athens, and the Temple of Zeus. Afterwards, we went to the street markets to look around and we even had the opportunity to experience a Garra Rufa fish session, which is when fish eat the dead skin off your feet.

(This was at the Parthenon and from left to right it was Serenity, Mykie, Allie, me, Ciarra, and Emily. All of us attend the same study abroad program.)

(This was also at the Parthenon, but in the background is the town of Athens and one the mountains.)

In Barcelona, which was our final destination, my friends and I decided to take it easy since we were so exhausted from all the traveling, walking, and exploring so we didn’t do too much adventuring. We did, however, visit some of the well-known cathedrals and attended a paella (a Spanish dish) cooking class.

(We took a Paella cooking class in Barcelona, and this was the final product.)

(My friends and I passed by the Cathedral of Barcelona.)

(We also ended up passing by La Sagrada Familia. The cathedral is still going under renovations, and we were told by locals that it is expected to be done by 2026! The top picture is from the front of the Cathedral and the bottom one is from the back.)

Overall, exploring Europe has given me the opportunity to be exposed to different languages that challenge me to learn new words and be able to appreciate the culture and traditions of other countries. This experience opened my eyes to how the culture is different in the U.S. and Europe and how one has to fully immerse themselves to that culture to truly obtain the essence of that country and culture. On the other hand, I also learned that culture shock is true and can happen at any moment. For instance, I experienced culture shock when my friends and I would walk around to find a place to eat and every place would have someone outside of the restaurant that would try to persuade you to eat there by offering free dessert, free wine, or just explain how wonderful their place is compared to the others. I personally did not like this and found it to be overwhelming and annoying after a while, but I slowly grew accustom to it, and I am now capable to continue walking and just say no thank you.

“Sláinte” to Dublin

November 26, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Elisabeth Walters

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Normally, back at Valparaiso University, we are only granted two days plus the weekend for fall break. However, when studying abroad at Reutlingen University, the students are granted a full week. Thus, majority of the students were able to utilize ten days to either travel to other places or stay within Reutlingen. My roommate and I decided to travel around Ireland and the United Kingdom to once again experience different cultures. During our first two days of break we decided to spend that time in Dublin, Ireland.

We left on a train to Frankfurt International Airport on Wednesday night in order to make our flight at 6 am on Thursday. We decided that sleeping in the airport was more economical than getting a hostel for only a few short hours. Luckily, it worked out for the best and we made our flight and arrived in Dublin at 8 am. When we arrived, we immediately visited the Guinness Storehouse. At the Guinness Storehouse we got to learn about a major aspect of Irish culture, Guinness Beer. We got to learn about the different ingredients as well as how they are grown and how the company mixes the ingredients to get the well-known taste. We also learned about the company’s marketing tactics as well as information regarding the founders of the company.

The day after visiting the Guinness Storehouse, we did a free walking tour of Dublin through our hostel. Through our tour guide, we learned about how Dublin got its name through the Gaelic term dubh linn, which means “black pool”. The city received this name because at Dublin Castle the Poddle Stream met up with the River Liffey and created a deep pool. Also, we learned that Ireland has its own language, known as Irish Gaelic, and one of the words we learned was “sláinte”, which means “cheers”. In addition, we learned aspects of the city through our guide that we would have never learned by just walking to the sites and taking pictures. We learned information that helped enrich our ideas of the beautiful city and the country’s culture.

Dublin Castle

After our walking tour, my roommate and I hung out in our hostel’s lobby. During this time, we ended up meeting two other American students studying abroad, one in Paris and one in Barcelona. We ended up talking with the two other students for over two hours and learned more about their own experiences abroad and about their exchange programs. Thus, through this experience we were able to make new friends with other travelers and learn more about the cultures they were studying in.

Overall, by visiting Dublin, I was able to not only expand my cultural knowledge, but meet new people from where I call home. Also, I am able to come back from Dublin saying that I did more than just visit the sites, but I actually learned about what makes these sites so special to this fascinating city.

Egypt

November 25, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Elisabeth Walters

Location: Cairo, Egypt

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

When studying abroad, students often take the opportunity to travel around their country of study or surrounding countries. For students studying in Europe they usually stay within Europe; however, my roommate and me decided to test the waters and go to Egypt. Originally the idea started off as a joke, but as other students in our program kept doubting our survival in Egypt, it turned into a reality. When planning our trip, we looked into the cultural behaviors and cultural mindsets of the area that we would visit. We learned that wearing loose fitting pants and having our shoulders covered was more appropriate during our stay. We also learned through our research that we needed a travel visa for the time in which we were staying. Luckily, the travel visa was available for us to purchase and receive at the airport in Cairo when we arrived early Thursday morning.

After getting our travel visas and exiting customs at two in the morning, my roommate and I were bombarded with people asking us whether we needed a taxi. Although we were offered several offers, we decided to stick with ordering an Uber on the app because it felt the safest. However, while ordering our Uber another “Uber driver” approached us and offered a higher priced ride; after we declined, he continued to follow us throughout the airport to our actual Uber pick up point. Thus, our first impression of the Egyptians was that they were persistent.

When we arrived at our hostel on Tahrir Square at four in the morning, we decided to sleep in and then explore the city on our own. After waking up, we ventured out and walked on a bridge above the Nile River and around parts of Cairo and Giza. During our walk, we got to experience the crazy streets of Egypt and quickly learned that in order to get to the other side of the street, you just need to walk without fear in the middle of traffic.

The view of Tahrir Square from our hostel room.

On the second and third day of our stay, we had a tour guide to take us to different attractions in the area. On Friday, we visited the Cairo Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammed Ali, here we were required to remove our shoes and make sure our shoulders were completely covered because of religious and cultural reasons.

My roommate and I at the Cairo Citadel

The Mosque was also the place where I learned that more Egyptians were taking pictures of my roommate and I than the actual attraction. For example, while I was taking a picture of the inside of the Mosque, I was asked to take pictures with young children by their mothers. At the time I did not understand the reason why this often occurred, but I learned by the end our trip. After the Mosque, we visited the Egyptian Museum, went on a felucca ride on the Nile River, and visited the Khan el-Khalili. During our time in the museum, once again, people were taking more pictures of me than the artifacts. Then in the Khan el-Khalili, which is a huge market area, we experienced more persistent Egyptians trying to get us to make purchases. Also, we utilized our bargaining skills in the market and other shops in the streets of Egypt because in a majority of shops there are no fixed prices, a notion which was different from both the United States and Germany.

By our third day in Egypt we were accustomed to the persistence of the people. Thus, when we visited the Pyramids of Giza, we were able to ignore the people and truly enjoy our time. At the Pyramids of Giza, my roommate and I witnessed the towering and ancient pyramids by foot and by the backs of camels. While having our hour-long camel ride we were able to witness beautiful views of the pyramids and surrounding areas.

My roommate and I on a camel ride around the Pyramids of Giza.

Therefore, I suggest, if one is ever in Egypt, to ride camels because it is both a unique and weird experience. After the pyramids, we learned about the different types of oils and perfumes sold and produced in Egypt, as well as how it affects the country’s economy. Then, we learned how ancient Egyptians created and utilized papyrus paper. After our tiring day, we returned to the hostel and left the next day to return to our university in Germany.

Although we only spent a few days in Egypt, I learned about a culture that was both different from the one I’m from and the one I’m studying in. Also, I learned that when visitng another country with a different culture, one needs to remain patient and open-minded or else that culture could be misundertsood. When remaining patient and open-minded, the true version of that culture will unfold before your eyes and only then can one accurately say whether they understand or not.

The Bongic Community and Naso People

November 22, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Mia Casas

Location: Bocas del Toro, Panama

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

The next destination of our study tour, following our stop in Panama City was an indigenous community near Bocas del Toro, Panama. Although we slept most of the day when we initially arrived, this trip was by far one of my favorite adventures. We arrived at the Bongic indigenous community early in the morning, after an exhausting 12-hour bus ride from Panama City. Even after we arrived at the bus stop in Bocas del Toro, we still had to drive an additional thirty minutes (maybe even more) to this community. I expected to be in a remote location, very far and distinct from the city life.

Students crossed the Teribe River to the Parque Internacional La Amistad.

My expectations were partially true. The Bongic community was once very secluded from the rest of the country. Up until recently, there was no road from Bocas del Toro to the indigenous people. Before the only way to access the community was by boat. Given this limited accessibility, the community is strongly characterized as self-reliant. For food, the community raises its own plants and modest livestock. It is very normal to see roosters and hens roaming throughout their neighborhood. They also constructed their own homes and other living spaces. Although these buildings were by no means luxurious, they were beautiful. The gardens, the landscape, and the livestock all created a harmonious living space. 

Bienvenidos. A warm welcome to the Bongic Community.

Our hosts prepared a total of four meals for us, which featured typical foods such as yuca or heart of palm. There were certainly some other things that I was not familiar with. Curiously, all of our meals were served on a plate or bowl, but also with a piece of leaf in between the plate and our food. The meals they prepared us demonstrated the generosity of the people. I could see how limited their supply of meat was, for example, yet they still chose to serve us meat. 

You can observe a typical meal prepared by the host, with small portions of hearty food served atop a piece of banana leaf.

Following our dinner, the children prepared a number of songs and dances for us. Then, the women told us stories about the community. I was particularly impressed with their story regarding how they founded a local indigenous women’s organization in 2010 called Organización de Mujeres Unidas Bonyic, which consists of 13 women and one male. Their organization is primarily responsible for the educational tourism that the Naso people have begun. This group of women petitioned funds from the government, affording them access to building materials to begin their project. Ultimately they constructed the Hostal Posada Media Luna, where we lodged.

The Hostal Posada Media Luna can house up to 12 visitors at a time.

This group of women shared an impressive story of empowerment and triumph. Although they lacked formal education, they composed a compelling grant superior to other applicants. In this grant, they needed to articulate their business plan to develop their community through mediums of tourism, ethnobotany, and other indigenous traditions and knowledge. Upon receiving the grant, their next step was to design and architect dormitories and another area to host events. Finally, they realized their plan and worked laboriously to construct these buildings by hand, with very little help from their spouses. This feat highlights their abilities to overcome economic and educational barriers, in addition to personal struggles. They shared that on multiple occasions their homes and livestock had been completely wiped away due to heavy rains and flooding.

Students listened to the women leaders expound on the establishment of their organization Organización de Mujeres Unidas Bonyic.

Due to the hardships the community has faced, the women feel pressed to secure forms of preserving and edifying the livelihood of their community, as they have done with their initial project with Hostal Posada Media Luna. Their organization continues other projects that enriches the lives of its community members on group and individual levels. One organizer had the opportunity to travel to Cuba to attend a business-related workshop. The organization sponsors such events because they aspire to provide better services to their guest, with the aim of benefitting their community, as well. I would have never guessed the accomplishments of these humble women, but now I admire them more than they know. They are full of knowledge and wisdom, and I wish I could have spent more time listening to all of their experiences.

Landscapes of Parque Internacional La Amistad

Trips You Will Tell Your Kids About Someday: New Zealand

November 20, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Sarah Tubbs

Location: Dunedin & Christchurch, New Zealand

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

October 14th, 2019… 9:10PM…. Truly a bittersweet day. My final day of being my current age. Being on the other side of the world, away from close friends and family, turning 21 in less than 5 hours, and just getting back to Newcastle from one of the most monumental weeks of my life. Taking it back to the night of October 5th, four of my girlfriends and I were flying out to New Zealand to start a week long road trip throughout the South Island. We had flown out of the Sydney International Airport and landed in Christchurch, New Zealand not too long after. Finding cheap flights in Australia can be very easy, but the times of these cheaper flights can sometimes be very inconvenient. Due to buying the cheapest flights we could find, we ended up arriving in New Zealand at 2:30am. We couldn’t pick up the rental campervan until 8am, so we all slept on the international arrivals terminal floor for about 5 hours. This was such a wild experience because WE WERE FINALLY THERE in New Zealand, all of us so ready to begin our adventure, but we were completely exhausted and had to wait to pick up the campervan that are international friend Krista had rented. But as soon as 7:50am rolled around, we were up and at it, ready to get on the road.

Krista, Linneya, and Sammi reading in the back of the campervan on our way to Dunedin!

Our first stop was Dunedin, located four hours south of Christchurch. We decided to go here because Holly and Linneya both had friends who were studying abroad at the University of Otago. The four hour drive ended up turning into a six hour one because we kept on stopping at different beaches and lookout points that caught our eyes. These first hours spent exploring and finally being in New Zealand was only the start of the beautiful landscapes and sceneries we were about to see in the upcoming week.

Krista and I dancing on a beach on our way to Dunedin

Krista drawing sand art on a beach

The first night we arrived in Dunedin, Sammi, Linneya, and Holly all went and spent the first night and day with their friends who were studying abroad. Krista and I slept in the campervan alone and decided to get up early, get coffee, and go find a hike to do in the area! We woke up at 6am and headed out to whatever coffee shop we found along our way. After sitting in a coffee shop for a little while and reading (such a beautiful moment, everyone should READ MORE!), we walked around the shops a bit more. While we were in one, we sparked a conversation with the owner who told us her favorite hike in the area was the one called Organ Pipes. She mentioned that not many people knew about this hike, but that is was one of the best ones in the area. After hearing this, we knew that we had to go to this hike. We were stoked to now know about a local hike we could do for the day! The entire time after we had talked with this woman, we kept thinking about how it was such a beautiful experience to be able to have such kind conversations with the random people we met along our way. We searched for the hike in Google Maps, and we hit the road. The hiking path was about 25 minutes outside of the town and then the hike was a total of four hours round trip. We found parking and started hiking along the unknowingly steep path that we were about to experience. And woah!!… we understood why this hike took four hours long after only 5 minutes on the path. This thing was straight uphill and had SO many stairs… but after 2 hours of slowly making our way up, our knees shaking from the climb, we got to see the view that was worth the long haul upward.

Krista and I at the top of the Organ Pipes Trail in Dunedin, NZ

Krista at the top of the Organ Pipes Trail in Dunedin, NZ

The air and the views that we got to experience at the top of this mountain were unlike anything else. We were almost in the clouds and it was a hike I’ll never forget. We sat up there for almost an hour. Simply breathing in the air and finding such peace with the sounds of nature. This day was one of the highlights of the entire trip, from the morning including the hike to the Organ Pipes and the sunset hike to Tunnel Beach later in the night. After Krista and I spent the day at Organ Pipes, we met up with everyone else back in Dunedin and drove to Tunnel Beach to watch the sunset. The experience here was one I could never put into words, and truly something that I’ll keep in my memories forever. So I hope the following pictures help to somewhat capture what it was like that night on Tunnel Beach.

Running around at Tunnel Beach

Sunset Over the Rocks at Tunnel Beach

The View on the Way Down to Tunnel Beach

Lots of Hugs <3

These days were only the first two days of a six day long adventure we all had together. So much happened in the next four days, from the campervan breaking down, hiking in the pouring rain, to dancing with two little girls at a random petrol station, go-karting down a mountain, and so many more amazing memories that I will never forget. It would be such a long blog post if I told every moment of what happened throughout our week in New Zealand, but overall this was one of the most transformative and unforgettable weeks of my life. This trip encouraged me to push myself towards my dreams that I want for my future, and showed me that so many things are possible if you stay kind, attentive, and courageous no matter where you are in the world. Even though this trip wasn’t all great moments of crazy adventure (there was a lot of challenging stuff that happened), I found myself to be so grateful with the women that surrounded me and our ability to communicate with one another and figure things out as they happened. It made me realize that no matter where you are in the world, you can always find comfort and love in the community that is around you if you look for it.

So when you’re abroad, don’t forget to stay in the moment and LIVE your LIFE! A quote that has been following me around while in Australia has been one by Eckhart Tolle. He once said that, “Most humans are never fully present in the now, because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life which is never not NOW”.

Last Hike in Christchurch, New Zealand

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