Dominique in Toledo!

¡Hola desde Espana! 

Toledo at sunset

I left the States believing that six months was a long time. I mean, it’s half a year! Yet here I am in the beginning of April already depressed that I have to leave in 65 days. I remember calling my parents two days after I arrived in Toledo and telling them that I was never coming back! My experience in Toledo has been AMAZING. It’s not been without its ups and downs (not finding an apartment right away, trying to figure out the very different school schedule, realizing my Spanish wasn’t as good as I thought it was, etc.). However, in the last three and a half months, I have learned more about myself and what I want to do with my life than I ever imagined. 

Toledo at night

While I didn’t really go through that period of culture shock, I have really enjoyed taking note of all the differences not only between Greensboro and Toledo, but also comparing life in a small city like Toledo to some of the bigger ones like Madrid. I have to be honest and admit that my favorite part has been siesta. I’ve definitely gotten used to living in a country where napping is a national institution! I love living in a culture that’s so family-oriented. My apartment is right in front of a school so one of my favorite parts of the day is listening to all the kids chatter with their parents as they walk home from school. Also, Spaniards have zero sense of personal space. I don’t think I’ve given so many hugs and kisses in my entire life as I have here! That was certainly an adjustment.

Hiking

School was and still is rather intense. I learned very quickly that my Spanish was not as good as I thought. Between the accents and the speed, sometimes it takes complete concentration to understand even the simplest sentences. Thankfully, my Spanish has improved a lot! The professors here are so relaxed. It’s so weird to me that they don’t care if you come to class! Then there’s the fact that there is little to no homework. So easy to fall into the trap of not studying!

When you try to feed the pigeons.....

 

One of the best parts of studying abroad in Europe has been how easy it is to travel. So far I’ve been to Lisbon (my favorite so far), Sintra, Paris, Madrid, and London. I have plans to visit Barcelona, Dublin, Valencia, Cuenca, Venice and Rome in the coming weeks once school winds down a little bit.  

Wandering around Madrid

Adventures in Portugal

London trip!

 

I have to say my favorite part of studying abroad has been all the wonderful people from all over the world that I’ve met. My roommates and I hosted an international potluck with a bunch of the other international students from our school and ended up with thirty people representing fourteen countries! It was so cool to taste a little piece of each country! We had a blast and created some great memories!

International Dinner

International Dinner

 

I’ll end with this. Don’t take the opportunity to study abroad for granted. Do everything! Face your fears, travel, get to know people. I know it’s cliché, but SAY YES! You never know what amazing memories you’ll have the chance to make. 

 

I can't believe I am living here!

!Hasta luego!

Dominique Brown

Universidad de Castilla-Mancha, Toledo

Toledo, Spain

Allison in Plymouth!

The world is a vast, expansive place filled with different cultures, colors, rules, religions, sexualities, norms, et cetera, et cetera, and the list goes on. Some of us are comfortable with sticking to what we know, but for those of us who have a thirst to explore and understand the differences this world has to offer here is some advice for you. The post I am writing today is for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s International Honors College and for any student who is considering studying in another country. 

A beautiful seaside view of Plymouth, my new home.

 

Forget All Expectations

When traveling to a new country we often make fictional expectations based off what we see on television, read from books, and see in pictures. However, the only expectation you should have is to have a good time. Don’t expect a prince charming to appear on a moped, show you around the country of your dreams, and have you become an international popstar. Lizzie McGuire tried that and we all know that romance was a bust. The problem with setting the bar high is that there is a chance that you will be let down. 

Paulo may be handsome, but is quite deceiving.

 

Sticking Out like A Sore Thumb

As an American studying in England I did not expect to feel so estranged some days. Quickly, I discovered that my differences would draw a lot of attention from the locals. I distinctly remember giving a presentation in front of my coursemates the second day of classes. The instant I opened my mouth everyone heard my accent, their eyes averted directly towards me and the quiet chatter ceased to exist. As a person who hardly gets nervous I couldn’t stop myself from stuttering. There are negatives and positives to being a foreigner. Many people will be intrigued by your differences and will be open to getting to know you and forming a friendship. However, there are people who will be prejudice towards your differences as well. As an American I've received a lot of positive reactions. For those who have biased opinions towards you, you will have to charm them with your good looks and wit. 

No matter where you go, good people are easy to find.

Socializing Steroids

My biggest fear before traveling to England was that I wouldn't make friends. I consider myself a fairly sociable person who is comfortable with making small talk among strangers. However, I would not say that I am entirely extroverted.  Socializing can be exhausting and sometimes being the life of the party is often draining. No matter if you are the social butterfly or the shy caterpillar socializing with locals, internationals,  flatmates, anyone, and everyone is so important to the experience. A new person is another story, connection, and friendship. Introduce yourself to the Canadian sitting in the back or the gang of chatty Geographers in your course. Trust me, you'll be glad you did! You might even get invited to go a British roast or a trip to Europe like I did. 

A delicious roast made by my good friend Harriet.

Sing, Sang, Sung: Join a Group

In our everyday lives we often get bogged down by responsibilities. Studying abroad allows you to take a step back from all the typical chaos of your friends, family, and work. I took this free time to do something that I was passionate about, singing. I joined Plymouth University's student choir in order to get back in touch with my love of music that I packed away long ago in high school.  By doing something I love I was able to surround myself with others who have a similar interest as me. I even received a solo in our Spring concert. I sang "You'll Be in My Heart" from Tarzan (Video coming soon). 

Myself and a couple of girls from choir watching the school's Sweeney Todd production.

There's No Place Like Home

Studying abroad in England has been an experience of a lifetime. Plymouth, a once unfamiliar playground, has become a home to me. However, the biggest dilemma I face is missing my friends and family from time to time. It's hard leaving a place of comfort and familiarity. But your friends and family will be waiting for you while new ones are awaiting to be made abroad. I won't lie to you it can be quite difficult and time differences are annoying. You will wake up at 4 AM to talk to your best friend about her life problems or stay up on the phone way past your bedtime. As you grow during this experience, their lives and yours will continue to move forward but will always remain intertwined. 

A seaside view of my home in North Carolina.

Allison Sermarini

Plymouth University

Plymouth, UK

Claire in Poland!

Dzién dobry! I just hit the two-month mark in my semester abroad in Wrocław, Poland.

It's pronounced "Vroht-swav"

Wroclaw, Breslau, Vratislav…it has multiple names and a rich history. It’s a beautiful, formerly German city, now in a country that I knew very little about before coming here.

When I first announced that I’d be spending my semester abroad in Poland, the only reactions I got were confused looks and people asking why I would want to go here. Well, the initial reason I chose Poland was because the concentration of my studies (History and International Relations) is primarily on Eastern Europe; I also thought that since I knew almost nothing about Poland, it would be really interesting. But before I arrived, I had a hard time finding anyone who had come here to study before—most of the people I knew who had studied abroad had gone to England or Wales, so I really had no idea what to expect. That mystery both appealed to me and scared me.

Before coming to Poland, I’d already experienced culture shock once before in my life—I spent a month in Russia this past summer—from new settings and language barriers. Very few people in Poland speak English, but apart from the cranky doormen in our dormitories, most people are happy to help.

           

The transition period here was a little tough because some of the university employees, and much of the administration in our dorms, don’t speak any English. We all had to figure out how public transportation worked, to move into the dorms and sign paperwork, and to find the office to pick up the extremely essential “legitymacja” (a student ID that allows us to enter the dorms—just like a Spartan Card).

Luckily, the University of Wrocław offers a free introductory course for the Polish language, two weeks before the semester starts—and it was a lifesaver. The best decision I made in the beginning was to take this class. At first I felt scared and lost in a city where I knew no one, but during this class I met people from all over the world, many of whom have become the close friends that I spend much of my time with and will hopefully keep in touch with for years to come. At the beginning, everyone is new, and everyone sticks together to figure things out, especially in a country like Poland where nothing ever goes quite as planned. I use the Polish that I’ve learned on a daily basis and hope to improve throughout my stay; the language is one of the most important things I’d like to take away from this experience.

Zamek-Ksiaz

Another great thing about Wrocław is that the location is ideal—I’m just three hours away from major cities like Prague, Berlin and Krakow.

A sign in Krakow

Wrocław is definitely a college town, meaning that apart from clubbing and going to bars, there’s not too much else to do on the weekends. Transportation here, and in most of Eastern Europe, is so easy and cheap that it’s no problem to take a bus or train just a few hours away on the weekend, so when the mood strikes and we feel like seeing historical sights or just a new setting, we can just get tickets to wherever we want to go. Poland, and the rest of Central/Eastern Europe, is so full of history, especially the legacy of the 20^th century.

My first trip out of Poland was Berlin, Germany

Rynek (Main Square) in Kraków, Poland 

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Coming to Poland to study was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made; I was really nervous before I arrived, but since I got here I haven’t questioned my decision for a second. Poland is a beautiful country and I’m glad that I gave it a chance despite being worried about the lack of information I had beforehand.  The culture and language is so different here, so it was a big hurdle to overcome. It can be confusing and just plain scary at times. But despite these problems that I wouldn’t have faced if I had picked somewhere that English was widely spoken, this was a great way to fully immerse myself and get the most out of my study abroad experience. That’s why I would recommend to anyone who’s up for a challenge to pick somewhere like Poland, where you know you might be getting in over your head—I can promise that the language skills and independence that you pick up along the way are well worth it. And the people you meet along the way will help make it the biggest adventure of your life.

Claire Daniels
University of Wroclaw
Wroclaw, Poland

Madison in Lyon!

This is Madison's second post for There Be Dragons from her program in Lyon, France.  Please see Madison's first post here, in which she talks about encountering cultural difference.
 

I want to preface this blogpost by stating that I do not claim to represent the opinions of UNCG or the Lloyd International Honors College.  These are simply my insights on the tragedies which have ensued as of late, especially in regards to the effect they have on study abroad.  

Last Tuesday morning, my friends and I were discussing where we would travel for our long Easter weekend.  One friend had planned on going to Brussels for the weekend and had already bought her plane tickets and rented a hostel.  Along with a few others, I was considering joining her on her trip when, suddenly, we heard the news: an airport in Brussels had been bombed and the death count was slowly rising. 

I had been warned numerous times before leaving to study abroad in Lyon, France that I need to be careful and hyperaware of my surroundings because of the Paris terrorist attacks, but it never felt as real to me as a few nights ago.  On my routing bus ride home from university, I noticed a passenger get off the back of the bus who was covering his face with the hood of his jacket.  I made eye contact with another passenger and we gave each other that “I have no idea” expression.  When the suspicious passenger descended the bus, the other passenger and I both noticed that a bag was left beneath the man’s chair.  We are always told to be on the lookout for suspicious activity and to report if a bag has been left in a public space, so you can imagine our fear in that moment.  The other passenger got up and slowly nudged the bag with his foot and then opened it.  Thankfully, it ended up just being some trash, but I am so grateful for that other passenger and his care in the given situation.  

Although it turned out to be nothing dangerous, that night was the first time in my study abroad experience in which I have truly felt the fear of the people living here and the threat put upon them presently.  The thing is, this fear which has recently been felt by much of the Western world is the daily existence of many in other parts of the world.  That does not, by any means, diminish the validity of our newfound fear, but rather allows some perspective on what life is like for others.  

After the Paris attacks, the world was on high alert and many people with plans to study abroad made the decision to remain in their home countries.  I understand this decision completely as the risk of traveling is definitely elevated right now, but I also do not think that we should let this fear control us.  As Canadian rapper Drake so eloquently proclaimed, “You only live once”.  For those hoping to travel or study abroad next semester, I urge you all to please take the incredible opportunity while you can and do not let these occurrences hold you back.  I do not deny that I had my worries prior to coming to France and still have some, but the chance to travel to different countries and experience cultures which are entirely new to me does not come often and I am so glad that I made the decision to go. 

Madison Shelton
Jean Moulin University Lyon 3
Lyon, France