Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

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Introduction: Katherine Ackerman in Tübingen, Germany!

August 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

“Man sieht sich immer zweimal im Leben”

Man sieht sich immer zweimal im Leben roughly translates to “you always meet twice in life.” When I last heard this phrase, I was 18 years old and had just spent my senior year of high school studying abroad in Germany. After 2 years studying here at Valpo, I’m going back for another year, this time at a German university. I’ll be spending my time reconnecting with a culture that I have grown to love, increasing my fluency and learning even more about the people and places in Germany.

Things will be a lot different this time around. Instead of living with a family I’ll be on my own, living in a German dormitory, cooking for myself and navigating everything on my own. This is my first experience living in a true apartment and I’m excited to learn the best ways to cook vegetarian food in a largely meat-based culture and shop for veggies at the weekly outdoor market. I’m also going to live in a city more populous than anywhere I’ve ever lived before. When I studied in Germany in high school, I lived in a town of 500, which is a radically different experience than living in a bubbling student metropolis. I’m going to take advantage of this by exploring and travelling as much as I can in the area right outside my own door.

Katie in TubingenMy first semester will actually start a bit early with the Deutschkompakt (Compact German) course offered by the university. The course will give me the opportunity to fine-tune my German and get to know Tübingen before classes start. I will also get to know the other foreign students at the university as well as my flatmates. In Germany, dorms are replaced by 6-8 person flats where each person has an individual room, but all share a bathroom, kitchen and common living area. Although there are cafeterias throughout the city, there is no central/formal meal plan so most of the cooking will be up to me.

The picture I included above is important, because it’s from the last time that I was in Tübingen, a few weeks before I came to Valpo. I studied abroad during my senior year of high school, meaning that I did not have the opportunity to go on college visits before applying to college. I had been to a few schools when my sister was looking at colleges, but I had not really had the opportunity to go on my own search. Looking at the university of Tübingen was really the only true college visit that I made. It was a trip that allowed me to codify my college search experience and help me transition into the idea of going to college despite being far away from home and all oft he colleges that I was considering while preparing for it.

And so, in many ways, returning to Tübingen is an experience of coming full circle, of reconnecting with my past and bringing together two different parts of my life. I will get to experience living in Germany again while maintaining my connection to Valpo. I fully look forward to diving into this new experience and finding out what more Germany has to offer. Deutschland, wir sehen uns endlich zum zweiten Mal!

Introduction: Stephanie Black in Cambridge, England!

August 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

―Marcel Proust

Words. For years in school, that’s all that Europe was to me. A bunch of words about important people who did important things that didn’t seem to have any effect on me today. I’d seen pictures of the Eiffel Tower, learned about the ancient Romans and Greeks with their great architecture, and memorized important dates and battles.

Stephanie in BelgiumIt took awhile to realize that these were actual places, not just words on a page. And when I did, I was ecstatic to be able to go to these places I’d heard so much about. Who wouldn’t want the chance to make those pictures and words a reality?

So far, I’ve traveled to six different countries. I’ve traveled by train, plane, bus, taxi, boat, cruise ship, and bicycle. I have seen hundreds of things, taken thousands of pictures, and shared experiences with people that I will not soon forget. But I want more.

When I traveled before, I saw a small portion of the world in two weeks. That’s a nice glimpse of the world, but it’s not reality. It’s not how people live.

I wanted to study abroad because I would be able to completely immerse myself in a culture that’s different from my own. I’d be able to have new eyes, to gain new experiences. I find that when I travel, I have a greater appreciation for the things that I take for granted here in America.London

Don’t get me wrong, I still want to see all the sites. I love the history in Europe, and there are so many exciting places to see. But I also want to participate in the culture I’m seeing. I want to become a part of something bigger than myself. I want to see the world through new eyes, and appreciate the differences in culture.

I can’t even describe how thrilled I am to be studying abroad, and I can’t wait to go. I can’t wait to see the things I’ve always been taught come to life. It will be a once in a lifetime experience, and I can’t wait.

 

Introduction: Margaret Prunty in Windhoek, Namibia!

August 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Deciding to study prunty2abroad was not a challenging decision for me. Growing up, I knew I was interested, and it was highly encouraged in my family. My mom lived and studied in Europe during her college years and after graduation, she moved to Japan for a year to teach English. To this day, she is still enthusiastic about her experiences and I believe that this is what triggered my own desire to study abroad, although it was ultimately my decision.

I was fortunate enough to travel to other countries such as Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. Canada was my first time outside of the United States and although I enjoyed it, it almost felt like I had not left America, because we were just over the border. A few summers later, my parents said we were going on a cruise which is when we went to Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. After seeing part of Mexico, I quickly realized that the world is a very large and unique place and it’s important to acknowledge that it is so much bigger than who we are as individuals. I was happy to be see these places even if I didn’t see everything and grateful for the lessons that I learned and memories that I made. Fast forwarding two years later, I got to see Costa Rica where I embraced a culture different from my own as my family and I lived like locals. We ate the same foods and stayed in a home similar to that of the residents. Living like this was an eye opening experience by taking on daily life in another part of the world, and makes you very appreciative of what you have, which is why it’s important to see new places.

Although my mother is an advocate of traveling, it was my own experiences in the countries I have been to that made me want to go abroad. These vacations gave me a thirst for new sights, adventures, memories, and lessons, which can be satisfied by studying abroad, in my opinion. Overall, I chose to study abroad to enrich my college experience and my perspective on life in general.

Introduction: Sarah Blackwell in Hirakata, Japan!

August 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Last week I finally bought my plane ticket to Japan, so my study abroad opportunity is finally starting to feel more real! It’s definitely one thing to be accepted into Kansai Gaidai University and begin to fill out paperwork for housing, etc.. Those are great things that bring me closer to my destination. However, it’s quite another thing to buy a plane ticket; it puts the paperwork into the realm of reality.

Japanese Spring Festival

Japanese Club Spring Festival with club members Emily and Sabena, and my language partner, Nozomi. We practiced Japanese and sang karaoke, a popular pastime in Japan

I chose the study abroad program at Kansai Gaidai University because I plan to teach English in Japan after I graduate, either through Fulbright or the Japan Exchange Teaching Programme (commonly referred to as the JET Programme). Studying abroad in Japan will provide me with excellent opportunities to learn about Japanese culture, practice using the language in its native context, and get to know new people- things I’ve been wanting to do for years.

I’m probably most looking forward to making new friends and getting to know new people in Japan. From what I’ve heard from others who have been to Kansai Gaidai, students on campus are very friendly and want to make foreign friends just as much as I do.

Honduran Friends!

My friends from Honduras. We still talk a lot!

I also really want to visit a lot of places like shrines, temples, and “konbini” (convenience stores- Japanese konbini are famous for their uniqueness) among other tourist attractions. And just as much as tourist attractions, I want to explore Hirakata and the surrounding area for small, hole-in-the-wall places that make the area unique; I’d love to find a little “mom-and-pop” type ramen stand or something similar that would make the area feel like home. Hopefully I’ll even find time to make the journey from Hirakata to Tokyo. It’s a long way, but it will be worth it to visit Japan’s largest city. I’ve already starting making a list of places in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto that I want to visit. I won’t have time for all of them, I’m sure, but organizing a list ahead of time will make my decision easier when I’m actually there. I just can’t help but start preparing now, even though this semester isn’t over yet!

I’m really excited to simply live in another place, despite the language barrier that I will undoubtedly run into. When I went to Honduras last year, I had been learning and speaking Spanish for about eight years, so I didn’t really have any trouble navigating or speaking to locals. However, I’ve only taken two years of Japanese and learned a little on my own. I’m sure the language barrier will affect more aspects of my life than I’m aware of, but honestly I’m really excited about it: it’ll give me a chance to really practice using the language. I’ll make mistakes when taking trains; maybe I’ll read the maps wrong. But I’m sure it will turn out alright, and very possibly turn into an exciting adventure. Even something as simple as going to the store won’t be as simple as it is at home. None of the products will be the same and I probably won’t be able to read much on the labels. Despite all this, I’m still very excited about it- these experiences will help me grow and develop as a person and prepare me for the career I’ve chosen. Not to mention I’ll have a good time!

Enthusiastic future Kansai Gaidai student,

Sarah Blackwell

Introduction: Katie Rinda in Reutlingen, Germany!

August 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

I have basically three months until I climb on board a plane for Stuttgart. I don’t know how you feel about change, but I’m pretty much freaking out about it. (The added stress from the end of the semester isn’t really helping.) Living in a foreign country is pretty scary as is, but it’s even scarier when you’re supposed to be working there as well.

katierinda3Every time I’ve started working at a new place, I’ve had to learn a whole new vocabulary. Every industry and company has their own jargon, and the differences amplify when you add technical vocabulary to the list. It generally takes me a month to fully understand the lingo. And, in general, going to Germany will mean I have to learn a whole new set of words and procedures for just regular life. Hopefully, those years of studying German will pay off.

What I’m worried about is transitioning to my internship. Will I have developed enough German skills to sort through conversations to find what’s technical and what’s not? There’s always a jump between engineering at school, and engineering in the workplace. Sometimes, they seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. When I get comfortable with jargon, I can generally connect it back to what I’ve previously learned. Will the language barrier keep me from making those connections?

I really can’t answer that until I’ve spend time abroad. However, in anticipation of this problem, I’ve developed a few strategies to combat my ignorance of technical German:

  1. Focus on language for industries I’m already knowledgeable about. I’ve already had one engineering internship, and will finish a different one this summer before I go abroad. Since those experiences will shape my resume, I’m starting to develop a list of words for industry specific terms. (Eg. I worked with aluminium rolling mills last summer: Aluminium Vorgerüste in German.) Thanks to my time at Alcoa, I know German companies who make mill products, and can learn vocab, just by reading the German version of their sites. General dictionary searches rarely can trGerman Vocab!anslate the jargon as well as the industry themselves.
  2. Find Technical Articles.  Similarly to industry jargon, technical articles will be full of official vocabulary from the field itself. Reading these articles not only teaches me more German, but also adds to my knowledge of engineering.
  3. Speaking with native speakers in a casual environment. I’ve attended the weekly Kaffestunde at the German house frequently since I came to Valpo, and it has definitely improved my comprehension of German. Listening to native speakers rapid fire discuss politics or baking or their travels using words I didn’t learn in class, and actually beginning to understand them is really cool. It also tells me that if I can start to understand half the words, I should be able to understand the gist of the conversation.

That’s what I’ve put together so far. I’ll check back in on this after I’ve been over for a bit and report on the success/fail rate, or if I find anymore brilliant prep tips.

So nervous. So excited!

Introduction: Tobiah Meinzen in Hangzhou, China!

August 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

For as long as I remember I knew I wanted to study abroad when in college. Growing up I was
interested in exploring new places, a trait I probably inherited from my father, a high school history
teacher who was born in India and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone.

tobiah2I chose to attend Valpo in part because it provided a flexible schedule for engineers to study
abroad. As an engineer, Valpo’s Hangzhou study center is a huge asset. Given the huge manufacturing
and economic resources of China, collaboration with China has become a crucial element of any large
engineering transnational corporation, especially the consumer electronics industry which I am
particularly interested in.

When the Caterpillar Scholarship became available, it made my decision even easier. My
engineering advisor and I had already set aside the fall 2014 semester for me to study abroad.

I think the biggest way I have prepared for studying abroad (besides Valpo’s pre departure class)
has been by reflecting on my previous experiences moving to entirely new places: Holden Village,
Alaska, and Valpo.

In reflection, I have found that it is often the little things that are most surprising or hardest to
adapt to. I know there will be obvious differences between myself and the residents of Hangzhou,
language being the biggest. But by recognizing the big differences it is often possible to miss the effects
of the little differences.Tobiah in Alaska

For instance, when I worked at Holden Village a political philosophy was very obvious in daily
life and religious services, yet when I arrived at Valpo I found that politics could be a very polarizing
topic and were thus not talked about frequently. This difference in the treatment of political issues is
surely one I’ll have to be aware of in China where the government is relatively authoritarian.

Another difference I found was in attitudes towards recycling and consumption (aspects of
environmentalism). Holden Village was very aware of their environmental impact and we hand-sorted
all the trash and recycling, whereas at Valpo recycling is a much more passive act, simply a different
colored bin and in Alaska there were no recycling facilities, most of their trash is incinerated.

Therefore I have found that awareness for little aspects of a new culture/society can have a
dramatic impact on how I conduct myself in society and can help easy my transition into a new culture/
environment.

!Additional Note: Since graduating high school I have maintained my own blog at
blog.tobiahmeinzen.com (80 posts, 5000+ views) which details my travels including 9 months spent at
Holden Village and two summers working in Dillingham, Alaska. Both experiences have been similar to
study abroad in the sense that I moved to a new location without any connections. My posts from my
time at Holden and in Alaska include photos, details of day-to-day life and reflections on my experiences
in those places.

Farewell to Costa Rica!

May 19, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The following was written by San José Study Center student Malachia Jones-Bone.

magistrates chamber supreme court

The Spring 2014 Costa Rica cohort in the Magistrates’ Chamber

I’m two weeks shy of being in Costa Rica for 4 months. This trip to Costa Rica has been the greatest experience I’ve ever experienced. The beautiful scenery, the friendly people, the warmth in each community, are all aspects I’ve appreciated. I came to Costa Rica looking to find myself. This is a broad statement, but to be more specific I wanted come out of my comfort zone and find my place in the world. The only places I was accustomed to were the Chicago and Valparaiso areas. Of course I’ve visited a few other states, but nothing like Costa Rica or Nicaragua. My experiences of the United States had me initially with high expectations of Central America. Of course the pre departure meetings helped but I was not prepared mentally nonetheless. Walking through the gate to my host family home I was nervous, anxious and somehow ready to start fresh somewhere. The first months here in Costa Rica were exciting. I met new people I’ve never seen at Valpo prior to this trip. I was forced to work with a group of students I had no similarities with, and oddly enough those students became some of my closest friends. Aside from attending Spanish classes we were able to explore Costa Rica. Every week was a different adventure. One adventure that sticks out to me was traveling to Manuel Antonio National Park, on the Pacific Ocean. We planned and executed the trip with little to no outside help. We walked the streets because apparently J-walking is not illegal here. The streets twisted and turned. The weather was exceptionally hot. You could practically fry an egg on the side walk. Every corner had a small business or local restaurant. As we walked we could hear the music coming from various restaurants, cars, and residential homes. There were chickens walking around in the alley as well as roosters who literally became my alarm clock for the next few days. For the first time in my life I felt completely independent and on my own. It was a breath of fresh air but scary at the same time. At that moment I realized new adventures might be scary but they are worth it in the end because I grew as a person! It is worth it to try something new and relinquish my comfort zone because in return I have an opportunity to experience life in a whole new way.

The Gang

Another Sappy Goodbye Post

May 18, 2014 / / 1 Comment
I love them.

I love them.

It’s six in the morning, and I’m curled up on my aunt and uncle’s couch in Buckley, Washington. My mom, sister, boyfriend, and I arrived here on Friday, but the eight hour time difference between here and Cambridge is still taking its toll on my internal clock. Our days are crammed with hiking, going to the city, and eating pizza. Although hopping on a four hour flight to Seattle less than 24 hours after I got off my 9 hour flight from London didn’t exactly sound appealing, it’s probably good that we went on vacation so soon. Helps distract me from what I’ve left.

Toga Murder Mystery

Toga Murder Mystery

When I first got to Cambridge in January, I absolutely despised it. Everything was all old and crumbly. So much precipitation. The half dozen pipes next to my bed let me know whenever anyone flushed, showered, or washed their hands. I was determined to dislike everyone on my trip. At one point, my reason for not liking someone was that they were “unnaturally nice.” Obviously, I was just lonely and missed my friends, family, and Clint. Even more so, I was scared. I was terrified no one would like me, neither my housemates nor any Britons in the town. I had decided to take the immature route and dislike them before they figured out they didn’t like me.

Stereotypical Phone Booth Shot

Stereotypical Phone Booth Shot

And then, after about a week, the sun peeked out (and not just symbolically, thank goodness). I started to figure out how truly wonderful my housemates were. I envied Laura and her relentless confidence, had my days continually brightened by Kelly and her giggly disposition, grew even closer with the hilarious and marvelous Madalyn, suppressed laughter as Jon accidentally offended someone, fell in love with everything about Hannah, and strengthened my friendship with the best friend anyone could ask for. I allowed myself to relax, to be myself, to not care if I didn’t get along with everyone. I learned to revel in and cultivate the friendships I was fortunate enough to have. In addition to my housemates, I was lucky enough to make a few good friends from Anglia Ruskin University. Bonding with Lauryn over our shared love of One Direction and obsession with each other’s countries was easily my favorite part of class. Meeting James and realizing that I was getting to know the most extraordinary person in England was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip.

Hannah, Madalyn, and I in the Lake District

Hannah, Madalyn, and I in the Lake District

As I formed friendships with the people in my house and in Cambridge, I also learned more about myself. Studying abroad helped me make certain realizations about who I was, what I wanted, and who I wanted to be. Living abroad, I caught a glimpse of how massive the world is, of how small I am. I figured out that all the plans I had for the future were anything but fixed. There is so much more to life than some comfort in the tri-state area. Furthermore, traveling on my own and constantly having my expectations not match reality helped me understand that I can’t (and shouldn’t) be in control of every facet of my life. This semester has made me realize, accept, and embrace that many aspects of my life are out of my hands, that Someone infinitely more powerful and able is watching over me. Goodness, what peace that realization has brought. My perspective has broadened, my mind has opened, my trust in God has deepened. Sometimes, I feel as though someone has put my maturity in fast forward (and other times, it feels more like rewind). Ultimately though, I’ve grown up a lot in Cambridge and have changed in ways I won’t fully understand until I completely adjust to life back home.

The Gang

The Gang

There were an embarrassing number of tears in the days leading up to our departure, not to mention the sobbing on the plane and in O’Hare. And in the car. And in Steak ‘n Shake. It was incredibly hard to accept that one of the best stretches of my life was coming to a close. I’m going to miss countless things about my life in Cambridge: talking deeply with Bryn on our journey home from Anglia, doing absurd things to get a laugh out of Daniella, cracking up at Emma whenever she got weirdly excited about things, realizing the full extent of Frances’ awesomeness and ability to get animals to love her, shaking my head at Brendan’s crazy schemes, gawking at Allison’s vast knowledge of, well, everything. And then there’s the incredible blessing of having Matt as a director and getting the pleasure of knowing his family. Oh, and the crepe cart, obviously. However, all I’ve learned and all the friendships I’ve made can thrive back home. And the reunion with Clint, Sam, and my family was so needed. Making who I’ve become while in Cambridge continue and grow in the States is key to successfully adjusting to life at home. In any case, who’s to say I won’t be visiting Cambridge next spring break? (right, Mom?)

 

Cheers,

Danielle

Coming Home

May 16, 2014 / / 0 Comments

So I’m sitting at my kitchen table, surrounded by my familiar house. Out back is a patio I saw for the first time last night, even though it was put in 8 months ago. I saw my best friend and hung out with her all night, I talked to my brothers (like, real conversations… it was strange, I’ve clearly been away too long), I drove a car on the right side of the road and didn’t freak out (too much, it was weird), I’ve slept and showered and eaten in the house that was my home before this. Everything feels so familiar, almost like I never left. But at the same time, it feels like I’ve been gone for ages. Things are the same yet different, people are familiar yet strange, and I’m just slightly not what I was when I left this place 9 months ago. There are people to see, stories to tell, and fun to be had, but for the moment, I’m just sitting here, staring out the window, and contemplating the enormous thing that’s happened to me since I last sat here and saw this view.

Going to Cambridge was a literal dream come true. That phrase gets tossed around a lot, but for me, it really was. I’m not really a future-oriented person, I never had a ‘dream job’ growing up, I never even knew where I wanted to go to college until I was forced to figure it out. But going to England was always there, in the back of my mind, lurking there like a kind of dark horse dream that swiftly overtook my imagination once I went to Valpo and saw that I could actually do it. I applied as quickly as I could, for the soonest semester I could, and did everything I could think of to get there. I don’t regret speeding through that process, and doing this as soon as I did, but I am sad that it’s over now. I have many great things left to do in my life, but that was one of them and now it’s over.

What do you do when a dream has been realized? It’s not that it left, my desire to go to England didn’t magically vanish after I’d been. It’s just that I’ve done it. There’s less mystery in that dream now, there’s less adventure in the prospect of achieving it. But I’m starting to realize that accomplishing a dream doesn’t mean that it has to be over and done with. More dreams come in and replace that burning desire to do that which you’ve already done, but that first one doesn’t really go away. I’ll go back to England as frequently as I possibly can in the future, that much I do know.

I wanted to thank everyone who’s taken the trouble to read all of these, all of my stories and experiences and long-winded descriptions of things I find fascinating. It’s been a long and short 9 months, but it really is true–I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Thanks again.

Bryn

Saying (a Temporary) Goodbye

May 13, 2014 / / 0 Comments

 Today I have to find a way to summarize what the last four months have meant to me, and honestly, I have no idea where to start. I feel like everything I could possibly say has been said a million times before, and yet I feel compelled to say it again because I really wish that more people would take that leap of faith and go study abroad. No words can completely describe how amazing an experience it is or how profoundly it changes you.  It really would be a shame to miss out on this opportunity, so here is my final attempt to convince the masses.

    First there are the tangible things–all the travel, events, and adventures you get to have. In addition to the two 10-day class trips that are jam-packed with activities, we had over 25 other events, including many free meals, concerts, and excursions. During the semester, they keep you busy. And of course that doesn’t even count the long weekends and spring break, when you can just go anywhere and everywhere.

Like Prague:

noname-8

and Paris:

     What’s arguably even more important are the intangible things you gain from this experience. You can meet people from all over the world. You’ll get completely comfortable hearing multiple languages, often spoken in the same room. You’ll learn that there is more than one good way to do pretty much anything. You’ll become a better problem-solver.  You’ll get over all of your dumb little fears.  You’ll learn how to do laundry, shop for groceries, and cook. (But hopefully you already do those things.)

     But what has by far meant the most to me is getting to wake up every single day and be really excited about life. I’ve become much more independent and confident. After you successfully navigate Europe pretty much on your own, you’ll feel like you can do anything. Because you can. If you think about it, there aren’t a whole lot of things that are harder than packing up your life and moving to another country, so once you’ve done that, suddenly, the things that used to scare you just don’t anymore. And more importantly, you come to the realization that it’s the scary things in life that end up being most worthwhile.

     Tomorrow, I have to say goodbye to Reutlingen, but I’m in a different position than most of my classmates.  This goodbye will be easier for me because it is only a temporary one. Because I get to come back in three months, I’m mostly just excited to go home right now. But come August, it’ll be time to put everything I learned to good use again. I guess more than anything else, today I feel grateful, for the transformative experience this semester has been, for the relaxing summer ahead, and for the opportunity to spend another year right here where I belong.

 

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