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Diana in Germany Week Three: Rumor Has It

September 22, 2014

Hi everyone! I feel my focus so far has mainly been on surface details – the nuts and bolts of my experience and of Freiburg, Germany. This week I want to delve a little deeper and analyze some observations I have made. **Disclaimer** The following are my interpretation of experiences and discussions with Germans and Americans that I know. This does not reflect every possible opinion, experience, or perspective.

Analysis of Observations
Almost instantaneously upon arrival, I noticed that Germans tend to be more reserved in public spaces as compared to Americans. In grocery store lines at home I’m used to striking up conversation with others – maybe about the weather, or how I like their outfit, anything to pass the time more pleasantly. So far people in stores and on trams in Germany do not joke or chit-chat with strangers. This difference is most notable between when I ride the tram with and without my IES group. Without the group, the trains are mostly silent. When a whole group of IES students get on the tram speaking in English, all eyes are on us because of how loud we are. I think both systems have their perks and that a respectful volume on public transportation has been enjoyable.

I understand such formality in Germany to be much more fundamental to the culture, especially as compared to the US. In German class our first day, we learned the difference between addressing someone formally and informally. In the US we also tend to address older strangers as Mr. and Mrs. (Herr and Frau auf Deutsch), while referring to younger strangers and familiar people by their first name. However, grammar and language changes due to formality in German. Verb conjugations in German rely on whether you want to be formal or informal, which to my knowledge does not exist in English.

The issue of formality may also seep into how quickly people become friends between the two countries. Before I came to Germany I read that personal relationships take more time to build here than in the US. One of the IES staff members put it differently: Americans tend to make “friendships” faster, but these are often superficial. Maybe what Americans recognize as friendship is acquaintanceship through another lens? Is this why we differentiate between our “best friends” and people who are only our “friends”? Either way, the people I spend time with here are very friendly and helpful and I strive to be friendly and helpful back — even if we aren’t technically friends. And that’s the way it should be!

P.S. People do not walk around in lederhosen and dirndls (traditional dresses) here. Unless you go to Munich right now or you are in a supremely traditional rural area. Sorry if this disappoints anyone.

Social Updates
There is so much to do during study abroad that it starts getting to be too much to remember to blog about it! Last week I left out an amazing exploration of Freiburg’s art galleries with Tobi, my flatmate and Simon, a houseguest from Toulousse. We visited an art gallery in addition to several smaller private collections with art for sale. The gallery is called Stadische Museen Freiburg im Briesgau, and it was full of contemporary/modern art. I found my new favorite piece of art (as shown below). Unfortunately I did not write down the name or artist, but that only means I will have to go back! We visited two smaller galleries as well, and I have never been to such a small gallery with prices listed next to the artwork. There were a multitude of mediums and techniques utilized in the artwork. Some of my favorites included paintings on aluminum using lacquer, 3-D boxed city collages, and amazing line portraits.

My new favorite painting. Though the subject is quite gruesome (a huge massacre of animals?), the mark-making is powerful and expressive in a way that I admire

A painting of Martinstor using lacquer on aluminum. This medium blows my mind and I need to try it sometime!

The simplicity of a few lines can still capture the complexity of a portrait. Amazing.

I also forgot to mention the Apple Pie Contest. Simon created several wonderful dishes and desserts while here. Somehow we ended up challenging each other to a duel where apparently I would have the home field advantage… because all Americans know how to make apple pie, right? Instead of going fully traditional, which would have taken way more baking experience and time, I decided to create an apple crumble Gordon Ramsey style. In addition to apples and caramel and cinnamon crumbles, this dessert has cranberries and lemon zest for extra pizzaz. The Gordon Ramsey apple crumble Youtube video and Simon’s help on making caramel sauce all contributed to me winning in taste. Simon won for presentation with a huge piece of caramel and obviously won for technique. Still – I won in a category against someone who has been cooking and baking his whole life!

The apple crumble seriously crumbled on the plate – but it was still delicious!

Me with my creation. Simon, my competitor, is still cooking in the background.

This week, I also participated in a few social events. My friend Sarah and I went swimming at an indoor public pool. To our dismay there was no hot tub and everyone was swimming laps. I guess the pool is as serious as the gym here in terms of a workout! The planned trip to Titisee on Saturday fell through because I had a cold and ended up sleeping in bed all day. My friend Anne finally got me out of bed with the promise of all you can eat sushi. We ended up each eating 15 pieces of sushi (3 rolls more or less), 2 miso soups, a side dish, and 3 scoops of ice cream. I am definitely going back on a weekday at lunch when the same deal is available for a full 10 euro less. The green tea ice cream was the highlight of my entire day.

Sunday I knew I needed to get out of the house, sick or not. With that goal in mind, I went on the 10km hike through Ravennaschlucht in the Black Forest as planned. Originally there was a group of 8 students, some from Ukraine and Japan in addition to Anne, another IES girl named Katherine, and I from the US. There were gorgeous waterfalls all along the trail and here or there I saw water wheels. The train stop was only one away from Titisee, so we originally planned on hiking then eating lunch in Titisee. Unfortunately, it started raining! This was not the best for my health, but it still was worth it. Katherine, Anne, and I celebrated successfully making it back to Freiburg with a nice, warm falafel pita.

Goats greet us as we make our way to the start of the Ravennaschlucht trail.

Me with our guide Mimi on a bridge in the Black Forest.

One of the many beautiful waterfalls along the Ravennaschlucht trail.

Next week
-Goals in Freiburg and beyond!
-Common topics of conversation during my trip so far
-The end of German class
-Brussels trip

3 Comments | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Adventure, Art, Culture, Food, Friends, Germany, Sightseeing | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Jack in Czech Republic: Pre-Flight Angst

September 11, 2014

Hello readers!

So let me give you a quick 411 about myself. I am Jack and I am a passionate sports fan from Worcester, Massachusetts. I am double majoring in Leadership Studies and Journalism. Oh yeah, and I am studying in Prague this semester.

So in less than 24 hours I will board a flight in Boston that marks the beginning of my coming semester in Prague. Ever since I learned I would be attending Charles University, I have been waiting to type that sentence. Yet, it still does not feel real to me, partially because I am not (yet) nervous about living in a foreign city where I do not know anyone well. I expected to be filled with anxiety the night before I leave, but for the most part, it has yet to come. My best hypothesis for my lack of angst: there are many other things that I am maybe illogically concerned about. Here are a few:

Cooking: Let me tell you, I make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That’s not all; my milk-to-cereal ratio in a bowl of cereal is inimitable. After these two works of art, however, my cooking skills drastically fall. Ideally, I don’t want to live off PB&Js and cereal for months, so I’m going to have to figure out other ways to feed myself. When I explained my cooking deficiencies to my mother a week ago she told me I should have started learning basic cooking techniques at the beginning of the summer. She was probably right. Angst level is high.

Housing: Students in my program live in flats or apartments amongst other Czech citizens, which will be a great way to gain exposure to the city and culture. Currently, I am missing an essential piece of this equation: a flat or apartment. The other students and I will spend the first few days looking for places to live, and our program leaders have assured us we will all find a place to live. I’m sure they know what they are talking about, but, like, what if? More angst.

Maps: My sense of direction is so bad that people will ask me if I’m serious when I request directions to a place I’ve been several times. In the States, however, I use my 4G network-run GPS whenever I have any doubts of where I’m going. In Europe, I will need to (Gasp!) read a map.

Not being nervous: Despite the aforementioned concerns, I am generally confident going into this experience. Shouldn’t I be scared? I am not a daredevil nor am I a veteran traveler. Here’s my best guess why I’m surprisingly self-confident: the amount of encouragement I have received from people who have visited Prague assures me that I will absolutely love the city. This encouragement has suppressed my worries, and now all I want to do is step on my plane.

Thanks for reading!

Selfie of the week: Because I am an egotistical millennial, here is the selfie of the week

One of the hardest parts about leaving has been saying goodbye to my dog, Louie. Oh yea, and my parents and sister, too

1 Comment | Fall 2014, Jack in Czech Republic | Tagged: Adventure, Czech Republic, Housing, Preparation, Travel | Permalink
Posted by jackinczechrepublic2014

Garrett in Bonaire – Mi prome siman! (My first week!)

September 8, 2014

Bon dia!

I have been on island a week now and I cannot begin to tell you how amazing this semester is going to be.

All checked in and ready to go on a 5AM flight to Bonaire!

As I said my goodbyes at the Philly airport at 5:00AM last Saturday, I was beaming with excitement. Time seemed to drag on as I sat in the airport waiting for my flight, but once we were in the air it wasn’t long before I was blissfully greeted by the teal blue waters of Bonaire just outside the plane window.

The brilliant waters of Bonaire greet me as we begin to descend!

Upon arriving at Flamingo Airport at about 2:00PM, two of the CIEE interns, Sasha and Noah, holding a stereotypical clipboard sign, welcomed me and another student, Jack. We then packed our luggage into the research station’s open-backed truck, hopped in, and drove off to our new home. We arrived at the residence hall to find that it was more like a large house; it has a communal full-service kitchen, living area, and study area, with seven 2-4 person rooms. We also were happy to learn that we were the first two students to arrive. There are normally 3 flights to Bonaire on any given day, and we arrived on the first. The remaining 9 students were arriving on later flights that would both get in after dinner. This basically meant, Jack and I had plenty of time to hang out before everyone else arrived. In fact, after unpacking most of our stuff, the interns took us to go swim in the ocean.

The ocean just outside of Yellow Sub will be my classroom for the next 90 days!

Directions: Walk one block north, make a left, and splash. Time: 30 seconds. After making the hike to the ocean, we all donned our snorkel gear and jumped into the brilliantly blue water. Just off the edge of the pier, the water is 8 feet deep. Here there are many bright colored fish, whose images I vaguely recalled from the flashcards I had made prior to coming to the program and whose computer images barely do them justice. However, if you swim just a hundred yards further, you reach the reef crest where the bottom rapidly slopes into the dark blue. This area is teeming with life! I won’t go in to too much detail here, as I will have plenty of opportunities to explore this amazing habitat that’s practically in my back yard. I mean, think about it; this is my classroom for the next 90 days!

The next day, after everyone had made it here safely the night before, we had a fun day of orientation complete with a trip to the grocery store, a formal tour of Kralendijk, stereotypical icebreakers, another dip in the ocean, and of course talks about the various logistical aspects of the program. And this wonderful day would not have been complete without a CIEE staff and student sunset BBQ overlooking the water.

Students, interns, staff, and professors gather for a BBQ dinner overlooking the setting sun over the ocean!

As the program is only 13 weeks, Monday, even though we had been here less than 48 hours, meant the start of classes. Luckily, our first day of classes consisted of a snorkeling field trip to the other side of the island to a protected shallow bay, which is one of the few seagrass habitats on the island. Not only is Lac Bay known for its seagrass and mangrove habitats, but it is also a perfect place for windsurfing, as it’s protected by the reef from heavy wave action, yet catches the wind all the same. While here, we took advantage of the opportunity to talk to the owner of the windsurfing club, Elvis Martinus. He was the first local to view windsurfing as more than just recreation and instead as a way to get the kids of the island involved in a sport and produce world-class level windsurfing champions. It was amazing to hear the about the culture of windsurfing in Bonaire, straight from the guy who started it all.

Later in the week, after some classes on how to identify various fish, corals, and coral diseases, it was time for our first scuba dives! Coming into the program, I had only acquired a PADI referral. This basically means that I had no prior open water diving experience. So these dives would count towards my four Open Water certification dives. Spread out over two days, we completed four open water dives exploring the reef just off shore and with that I am now a certified Open Water diver!

Congrats to Graham, Allison, and myself for completing our Open Water certification! We are the three newly certified divers!

As you can probably tell, I’m having a blast and cannot wait to further explore the island, the culture, and the reef of Bonaire!

Comments Off on Garrett in Bonaire – Mi prome siman! (My first week!) | Fall 2014, Garrett in Bonaire | Tagged: Adventure, Bonaire, Housing, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by garrettinbonaire

Oliver in Spain: Today’s the Day!

September 2, 2014

It is finally September 2nd! In less than 12 hours I will be boarding my flight at JFK and beginning my adventure. I spent all day yesterday packing so I think I’m ready to go, other than small tasks like shaving my face in preparation for the 4 month beard that I’m shooting for (we’ll see how long that lasts).

There is really nothing like the day of your flight though. My closet is completely empty, my room feels stripped, and there is a nagging feeling of apprehension. I’ve been traveling all my life, thanks to my English parents, but living somewhere new by myself is a different sensation. The excitement is unparalleled. But with that excitement comes a whole lot of nerves. How will I survive with speaking Spanish 24/7? Will I be able to make new friends quickly? Will I lose some friends from UR because I won’t see them for 8 months (including summer)? I have all these questions running through my head and I have been doing well taking it day by day. But now they are all crashing down on me because I don’t have any more days to spare.

But I am ready. It is as simple as that. Even with hundreds of questions swirling through my mind and subconsciously speaking to myself in Spanish while taking a shower, I am mentally prepared for this trip. Everything has fallen into place thus far and I am confident it will continue to do so in the coming weeks with classes and what not. My plane will land in Valencia at 1 and I will then take a bus to the Valencia Soccer Stadium with the program, where I will meet my host family. Step by step, I will get accustomed to living in Valencia. After all, that’s my new home for the next four months.

With this checklist completed, I feel ready to take on my semester abroad!

This semester will be like nothing I have ever experienced. I will be pushed out of my comfort zone and thrown into a situation with almost no one I know. I will miss spending a semester with my friends at Richmond, but who could pass up on going to school in Spain and traveling to new countries every other weekend. This is going to be a crazy ride and I am about ready to buckle up!

My bags are packed and ready to go

My next post will be from Valencia! I should have a bunch of pictures for that one. Until then, wish me a safe flight!

Cheers,

Oliver

Comments Off on Oliver in Spain: Today’s the Day! | Fall 2014, Oliver in Spain | Tagged: Adventure, Packing, Preparation, Spain | Permalink
Posted by OliverinValencia

Diana in Germany: The Preparation Stage

September 2, 2014

Born and bred “Baltimoron” attempting to double major in biology and environmental studies here! It is my pleasure and privilege to share my thoughts with you as I experience IES Abroad’s Environmental Studies and Sustainability program in Freiburg, Germany.

Originally, I entirely avoided looking at Europe for study abroad and instead set my sights on Trinidad and Tobago. Hands-on exposure to the biodiversity there was the driving force behind the idea. However my mom saw the murder rate is top ten in the world and asked me to consider more options first.

Heading into the Office for International Education at my school, University of Richmond, I was pretty clueless on what to do next. My study abroad advisor, Abby Ward, had the solution up her sleeve: an environmental program in Freiburg, Germany with plenty of hands-on experience. Freiburg is also arguably the most eco-friendly city in an already eco-conscious country. The city is close to both the French and Swiss borders (see map below), so is a prime location for the various field trips to the Black Forest, Swiss Alps, Rhine River and Vosges Mountains. After that conversation there were no doubts that this would be the study abroad experience for me.

Freiburg is located only 32 and 20 miles from the Swiss and French borders respectively
Source: http://www.kraftyone.com/GermanyMap.gif

Thankfully I have already finished shopping and packing at this point, but now the “waiting” part is driving me insane. To distract myself from the huge transition looming in my future I made a road trip from Baltimore to Philly to New York City and back. In the past week I also went to a 21st birthday party that actually signifies a milestone, a classic rock concert, and an Orioles baseball game.

Statue of Liberty with my UR roommate as part of my mini-American tour

Baltimore Orioles game with my father

Stuffing “home” and “region” into a few weeks was a beautiful distraction, but it’s time to face the truth – the time between now and my flight to Germany is approximately 60 hours. I feel anxious, excited, and sometimes scared out of my mind (For instance, I don’t speak any German yet). Overcoming that fear and feeling of strangeness is going to be extremely rewarding. The next few months will be a roller coaster of emotions and experiences.

Indeed the Student Handbook for the IES program contained an image depicting the 10 stages of psychological states in the study abroad process and it looks quite like a roller coaster track. There are dips, (missing home, not feeling immediately attuned to the new culture), curves (periods of rapidly changing perspective), and peaks (gaining comprehension of German language and culture, greater knowledge of the surrounding area). My one experience with transition (from home in Baltimore to college in Richmond) is nowhere near as extreme as the one I am about to embark on. Understanding these emotional ups and downs might help, but past experiences and this graphic are not the things that have prepared me for this trip. I’m ready because my spirit is open for the new people, places, and perspectives waiting for me just around the corner.

Study Abroad Emotional Roller Coaster

Tune in next week to hear about my travel and orientation experience!

3 Comments | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Adventure, Germany, Preparation, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Diana in Copenhagen: My First Week

August 29, 2014

Hello from Copenhagen!

After I had less than 48 hours to get ready and pack, I somehow made my way to Logan airport in time for my big European sendoff. I waddled around the airport equipped with a backpack “carry on” that was about the size I am, a tote bag “purse” heavier than most children I’ve seen, and a suitcase that tested the airline luggage worker’s strictness on weight limits. I was ready to begin my journey.

Me at the gate at Logan Airport

To be fair, the said journey had a rocky start when I found that I was the lucky one placed at a middle seat with a broken screen on the seven-hour flight to Germany and, of course, the air conditioning on the flight was broken. Alas, things started to look up once a flight attendant restarted my screen and the AC finally started working.

The flight from Germany was short though, and before I knew it I was touching down in my new home. The Copenhagen weather welcomed me with rain, which I’ve learned is not surprising. Rare is a day here where there’s not a single shower—something I have yet gotten used to. On a brighter note, I walked into the lobby area of the airport to a smiling Dane waiting there to greet me.

This semester I’ll be attending Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and they have a program that matches its exchange students with a Danish student to show us the ropes. I greeted my buddy Kristoffer with a hug and spent the entire metro ride to my dorm asking him all of my questions about Denmark. Topics of conversation ranged from what Danish food is (apparently lots of heavy foods), Danish clothing (all black everything), and Danish people (extremely happy but not often outwardly friendly).

Time went quickly and soon we were walking into my dorm Kathrine Kollegiet in a municipality called Frederiksberg. The dorm room is for exchange students only and my hall has students ranging from Connecticut to China, so I’m even expecting dorm living to be a multicultural experience. My single here is huge too! I’ve got a kitchenette, two big windows that open to a playground area, and my own bathroom. The kitchenette with two burners, a small sink, and a microwave is…quaint. It’s served me well to make pasta, grilled cheese, and eggs so far but we’ll see how far I can survive on those meals. I’m hoping to write a food entry later once I get more creative!

My single in Kathrine Kollegiet

The bathroom really surprised me though, because in Denmark they don’t differentiate the shower from the rest of the bathroom. The “shower” is really just a curtained off corner of the room. Just a curtain—yep. Getting used to this has been interesting, but I guess the system has its perks? I never need to worry about tripping on the little lip on the ground when getting in and out of the shower and I can put my foot on the toilet to shave my legs with ease. The whole room gets soaked though; I can only defend the system so much. Outside of this odd cultural design difference, I’ve truly enjoyed playing house so far and I know it will grow my independence tenfold.

The shower area

I arrived in Denmark a week earlier than most to take something called a “Danish Crash Course” consisting of classes to help familiarize us with the Danish language. While I’m still quite the novice (this is a nice way of telling you I can say hello, thank you, and goodbye), this course was an easy way to get to know people. Now comes the real orientation week where we have the opportunity to meet even more students and hear about life at CBS. I’ve loved my time in Denmark so far and can’t wait to have more adventures.

Thanks for reading!

Comments Off on Diana in Copenhagen: My First Week | Diana in Denmark, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Denmark, Housing, Language, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaincopenhagen

Oliver in Spain: One week Away!

August 29, 2014

Hey everyone! My name is Oliver and I am a Junior at the University of Richmond. This fall I’ll be studying abroad in Valencia for three months. I cannot believe I am officially one week away from departing the US for a whole new country. I don’t know all too much about Spain, other than what you read about in books, so I am hoping that my Spanish minor abilities will be enough to get me through the transition. Thinking of transitioning to a new country with a new language is nothing short of terrifying…but seeing as I am an International Studies major I feel as though I should be able to handle it. Right?

To be completely honest with you all, I haven’t thought about being in Spain in one week very much. Although it is always kind of in the back of my head, it doesn’t really feel real just yet. I don’t think it will until Monday night (the night before I leave). With that said I’ve done my best to prepare myself for it…actually that’s not true. I have barely done anything but make lists. Procrastinating by planning is one of the most effective ways to put off work if you were curious. I’m not even sure where to start my actual planning so I’ve decided to just listen to Spanish music instead (Shout out to Marc Anthony for “Vivir mi vida”).

With the summer coming to an end I can finally wrap my head around the idea of study abroad. I’m pretty upset that I’m not at UR with everyone else right now, but that’s just because I’m sitting at home doing nothing. One week from now everything will be different. Until then, I’ll sit here in this chair procrastinating. Next up, “Darte un beso” by Prince Royce!

I'm looking forward to getting used to this type of view

I’ll check back in the night before I leave to let you know what’s going through my head. Until then, I’ll wrap my head around the fact that this is my new Jersey Shore!

Cheers,

Oliver

Comments Off on Oliver in Spain: One week Away! | Fall 2014, Oliver in Spain | Tagged: Adventure, Preparation, Spain, Travel | Permalink
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Garrett in Bonaire – Bon dia!

August 29, 2014

Bon dia!

(That is “Good day!” in Papiamentu, the official language of Bonaire.)

My name is Garrett, and I am a rising junior at the University of Richmond as a Mathematics and Biology double major, with an as-yet-undeclared minor in Integrated Science. However, this upcoming semester I will be studying abroad in Bonaire as a part of the CIEE program in Tropical Marine Ecology and Conservation.

First thing’s first. I know most of you are asking “Bon-where?” Well, it is in fact a small Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela. It is a special municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and was formerly part of the Lesser Antilles. It is located in the southern Caribbean as a part of the ABC islands, along with its neighbors Aruba and Curaçao.

Fifty miles off the coast of Venezuela, Bonaire is situated in the southern Caribbean along with the rest of the ABC islands
From Google: http://www.harbourvillage.com/art11/bonaire/image001.jpg

The island itself is approximately 114 square miles and is home to about 17,500 people. To give a size reference, it is less than half of the size of New York City (that’s including all five Boroughs) and has a population size that falls somewhere between the undergraduate student populations of UVA and Virginia Tech.

A map of Bonaire shows that it is only about 24 miles long and 3-5 miles wide.
From Google: http://www.lovebonaire.com/images/BonaireMap-MED.gif

Additionally, you may be wondering about CIEE. Well, my specific program is not run through a foreign university like many people would think of a stereotypical study abroad experience. Instead, my study abroad experience is run through the Council on International Educational Exchange or CIEE. Through their program, I will be staying at a research station, with 12 other students, in Kralendijk, Bonaire, where we will be taking classes in marine biology and conducting our own marine research. And that is precisely why I chose this program. Not only can I take upper level biology classes that transfer credit back to UR, but I will also be getting a once in a lifetime experience living on a Caribbean island steps away from the ocean, where I will be scuba diving for my classes and gaining firsthand experience in a potential career field. In a week’s time, I will be out in the water with the coral reef as my classroom.

I can’t believe it. I leave in 4 days!

It may be because just four days ago I was moving my sister into her dorm room for her first semester at Arcadia, but right now, I’m experiencing the same emotional rollercoaster that came just before I moved off to college two years ago. Nervous because I don’t exactly know what is to come. Detached because I know all of my friends at UR are having a great first week of school. Excited because I know it’s going to be an amazing experience. Worried because I still have yet to pack. Stressed because, apparently, memorizing 100 fish ID’s in a week is something I also need to fit into my schedule. Eager because everyone tells me Bonaire has some of the most beautiful diving in the world. Whatever my emotions are now, I tell myself that I have to stay open-minded and be ready for new experiences.

Change is on the horizon, but it’s going to be the best sunrise I’ve seen in awhile!

Stay tuned for my adventures!

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Posted by garrettinbonaire

Kimberlee in Mongolia: ISP Period

June 11, 2014

We are now at the point of our program where all of us students pick our own topic of interest and research it for a month. Our Independent Study Project (ISP) allows us to go anywhere to study anything for four weeks, and gives us a great deal of independence and control over what we want to learn about Mongolia. At the end of the four weeks, we have a 25-50 page paper and oral presentation due. The other students are researching a variety of topics, including: accessibility for people with disabilities, how climate change affects herders, street cleaning, emergency medicine in the countryside, and the use of the traditional Mongolian characters in modern society.

I first decided to study distance education in Mongolia, but soon decided that the topic was a bit too outdated. The further I researched distance education in Mongolia, the more I realized that most of the projects were conducted from the 1990’s to around 2007. I could continue to research and interview people on these past projects, but I decided to change my topic to technology in the Mongolian education sector. As you might guess, this topic is huge. I’m covering both the formal and informal education sectors, and it ranges from teacher training to e-learning to changes in classroom culture. It’s large, but I find it so interesting and don’t want to cut anything out.

My main research methods have been attending a conference, conducting 26 individual interviews, and observing classrooms. It was pure luck that the day our ISP research began was also the beginning of a 2-day international conference on technology in education in Mongolia. It was great to be able to experience it, and thankfully, most of the slideshows were in English. At the end of the conference, we were given a CD filled with each presenter’s individual Powerpoint or research papers. I don’t think it can get more helpful than that!

One of the best parts of my ISP time is getting to know Ulaanbaatar city on my own terms. I get to make my own schedule and plan what I want to do during my days, and I love having the opportunity to explore during my free time. The longer I live here, the more I realize how much I love it. This is the first time I’ve gone to a new city and explored it thoroughly on my own, and I love knowing the area so well. The city is relatively small (1.5 million people), but big enough to discover new areas! It’s strange to come from a smaller town in Maine and to realize how much I have fallen in love with this city. I never thought I would like to live in a city so much. This is something new that I discovered about myself abroad! I know that I’m going to miss UB when I have to leave.

A cafe where I go so frequently they know me by name! I also walk on this street almost daily.

Another perk of the ISP is getting to interact with locals more. I interviewed around 1-3 people a day, and so I had to engage with Mongolians on a daily basis. I also used university students as my translators, so I had the opportunity to hang out with them between or after interviews. I learned so much from them, and it’s fun to hang out more as friends outside of interviews. I think that if ISP taught me anything, it’s how to begin to really live in UB. The rest of the SIT program was wonderful, but this time period definitely gives me more freedom, independence, and a look into what life here would be like if I didn’t go to university classes.

My friends Kit & Anni at an open mic night we went to as a group.

Leave a Comment » | Kimberlee in Mongolia, Spring 2014 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Culture, Host University, Language, Mongolia | Permalink
Posted by kimberleeinmongolia

Austen in Ireland: Reflections of my Semester Abroad

June 9, 2014

After being back in the USA for two weeks, I figured I would finish up with some reflections from my semester abroad.

Looking back at my first blog entry, I’d hoped to really assimilate myself into the Irish culture. I feel that I was able to do this to a certain extent, as I became a member of the UCD softball club and made good friends with many of them.

The UCD Softball Club

There was a mix of Irish, American, and Canadian, so I was able to meet Irish students as well as other Americans. It was a really great choice to join this club and I enjoyed the social aspects of it too–the tournaments and the nights out in Dublin. I also was able to enjoy the Irish culture outside of Dublin by visiting the cities of Galway and Cork. These cities had a very different and more local feel to them than Dublin and were a nice change of pace.

However, I didn’t hang out with my Irish apartment mates as much as I had planned to at the beginning of the year. I did spend a decent amount of time with them the first couple of weeks, getting to know them and such, but it seemed that they were very different from me and we did not have much in common.

Although we all got along very well, other than saying “hi” to them in the common room or the kitchen, I did not spend much time with them. I played video games (FIFA) with the guys sometimes, but that was about it. This is one of my bigger regrets of the semester. However, I really was able to bond with most of the Irish people I met and they really were some of the nicest and funniest people I have met. Their ability to enjoy life is really remarkable.

Another goal I had was to compare the different learning environments between the Irish universities and American universities. Overall, I would say my classes at the University of Richmond were more challenging than the classes I took at University College Dublin. The small class sizes at Richmond really require you to pay attention and not get behind in learning the material in class.

The larger classes at University College Dublin were held in lecture theaters and solely consisted of lecturing and very little class participation. As for grading, there were very few assignments throughout the semester, and as a result, they counted for a fairly large portion of the class grade. Through the whole first month, I did not really have much work at all. Most of the classes had a sort of midterm essay assignment worth about 30% of the grade, and then a final exam worth about 70% of the grade.

However, there were some variations between the classes–one class had a couple of group assignments during the semester, another class had one large journal (7,500 words) for its sole assignment, and my Irish class had smaller continuous assignments as well as an oral exam.

The only stressful time during the semester was finals because there were so many exams occurring at the same time and they counted for a much larger portion of the grade than finals at Richmond. It mainly consisted of essays so writing for a full two hours could definitely be demanding and intimidating. Although I felt that I have learned many important things at UCD, my closer relationships with the professors at Richmond have allowed me to acquire more knowledge than when I was at UCD in Dublin.

Gaining my independence was also an important aspect of my study abroad experience. Being an only child with somewhat sheltering parents, I felt that this would be a great experience for myself. Although I did study abroad the previous summer as well, that was only for a month and this was for four months.

This study abroad experience definitely did help me become more independent, from planning trips across Europe by myself to cooking meals. I definitely did miss my parents at times being halfway across the world from them but it was a great learning experience.

Also at the top of my list was being able to travel throughout Europe. On my first blog post I made a list including the Cliffs of Moher, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Rome. Although I did not make it to Prague and Rome, I did go to the Cliffs of Moher, Amsterdam, and Berlin! Also other places I was able to visit included southern France, Munich, Liverpool, Newcastle, Belfast, Edinburgh and various places around Ireland.

Although I did not make it to some of the places I had hoped to visit (mainly Eastern Europe) I did travel a great amount and it was nice being able to visit some less-touristy cities such as Liverpool and Newcastle. It was nice meeting locals there too since they apparently loved Americans there.

Being able to travel and see new places has ultimately become more of an interest as a result of this trip and I hope to be able to do a Euro trip of some sorts next summer after I graduate.

Although I was very nervous and anxious about the semester I felt that I navigated along very well. I was homesick at the start, but once I got acclimated and made friends the time flew by so quickly. I still cannot believe how fast those four months have been. I was really able to experience the Irish culture and all that it had to offer and I am sure to be there again in the near future.

Overall, saying I had the most memorable semester abroad is an understatement. I not only had a fantastic time but I also was able to learn a lot more about myself from becoming more independent to also being more outgoing since I was in a new country and trying to meet new people. It was a fantastic experience and I would most definitely do it again if I could. The places I saw, the people I met, and the experiences I had contributed to the great memories I have of this semester. Although I look forward to my senior year at the University of Richmond, I will always have an Irish part of me from these past four months.

Until next time, sláinte (cheers) Ireland.

The Temple Bar

The UCD Campus

The River Liffey

Leave a Comment » | Austen in Ireland, Spring 2014 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Host University, Ireland, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by austeninireland

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