Nyomi in Oulu, Finland!

How To Survive Study Abroad (Even if you’re really introverted)

1) First, plan for Murphy’s Law

The idea that “everything that can go wrong will go wrong” is a valid one. In fact, I hadn’t received this advice before I left, I would not have survived the first few days. The airline lost my luggage and it took them a few days to find it. Luckily, I has packed a travel kit with clothes, pajamas, and hygene essentials in my carry on. It also had a couple pairs of thermal underwear, which was extremely useful because the next day I had orientation and it was -20°C (-30°F).

A warm day this winter in Oulu, Finland

2) Then, know that planning won’t eliminate all problems

Before I left, I felt like I was prepared for everything. I had researched the average temperatures in Oulu, Google Translated a few Finnish phrases, and talked with a returning exchange student.  Unfortunately, there were a few things I was still unprepared for. For one, Finnish is nothing like English. This caused even simple tasks to become extremely difficult, such as finding food. Which brings me to my next point.

One of Santa's reindeer at the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland

 

3) But, everything will work out (eventually)

Thankfully, the University of Oulu gives exchange students Kummi students who assist them with the transition. Due to the help of my Kummi, I didn’t starve my first few days. She took me to a grocery store near the airport after she picked me up. I lived off of sandwiches and Honey Cheerios until I was acclimated enough to the cold to find the grocery store near my house, but I didn’t starve. 

Snow Castle in Kemi, Finland

The restaurant at the Snow Castle in Kemi, Finland

4) Lastly, have fun!

Despite losing my luggage, having to brave negative temperatures, and the lack of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, I can honestly say that I’m having the best time. I’ve met people and made friends from all over the world. I’ve learned more about myself and grown immensely. I’ve seen a castle made of snow, slid down two ice slides, seen live reindeer, met (the real) Santa, and officially entered the Arctic Circle. I’ve also witnessed a few restaurants made of ice, walked on a frozen sea, and taken selfies with snowmen that are larger than me (which isn’t hard since I’m only 5’2). So, even though I haven’t had a decent pepperoni pizza or biscuits (not cookies) and 32°F feels warms now, I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.

At the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland

Nyomi Hemphill

University of Oulu

Finland

Haley in Plymouth!

I’m Here!

Even before coming to UNCG, I had known for years that I wanted to study abroad. I was so excited when I joined the LIHC and found out that I had the opportunity to study abroad! Throughout the entire process of applying and preparing to go, my excitement grew, along with the terrified feeling of the unknown… But after my first day or two of being here at Plymouth University, a lot of that fear subsided and now I’m just happy to be here!

Plymouth Lighthouse

Life in England

Living in England is definitely a lot different from the U.S. Just about everything is within walking distance, so my legs have definitely been getting a workout! British food for the most part is actually kind of bland, but I have discovered a love for fish and chips. The people are very nice and don’t stereotype Americans as much as I had expected them to, although I do still get asked all of the time on what my opinion of Donald Trump and guns are. Pool is a huge past-time here, and because of my new friends I probably go play pool at least 3 or 4 times a week! 

First fish and chips dinner

Plymouth

Plymouth is nicknamed “Britain’s Ocean City”, being located right on the Southwest coast of England in the county of Devon. It is home to Sutton Harbor, which is big for the navy, merchants, and fishing. It’s also a smaller city compared to others, so like I mentioned earlier most things are within walking distance, including the university, Drake Circus mall, city Centre, Sutton Harbor, the lighthouse, and most of the restaurants and bars. Plymouth is also where the Mayflower and the pilgrims set sail for New England, which now makes sense to me why they named the settlement Plymouth in Massachusetts! 

The exact spot the Mayflower sailed from

Sutton Harbor

  

Travelling Around

So far, most of my travelling has been within Plymouth. I’ve been to the harbor, the aquarium, the famous Plymouth Gin Distillery, and many parts of the city. On Valentine’s Day I did travel to the Eden Project in St. Austell, which was absolutely gorgeous! I’m hoping to plan more mini-trips like that within the United Kingdom. I did book my plans for spring break, which will be spent in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Paris. And later in May when classes wind down I’m looking into travelling to Italy, Vienna, Budapest, and maybe even Portugal and Spain. 

The biomes of the Eden Project in St. Austell

Inside the Mediterranean Biome

The skyview within the Rainforest Biome

  

Growing as a Person

I feel that this experience has already been changing me as a person. I kind of feel more grown-up than I did before, having to be more responsible for myself and especially be more responsible with money. I’ve also made so many new memories with my new friends that I will always cherish, as cheesy as that sounds! I know that the person who returns to the U.S. in June will not be the same person that arrived here in England back in January. 

Haley Penk

Plymouth University

Plymouth, United Kingdom

Camille and Pepe in Spain!

Camille Bailey and her dragon companion Pepe share the story of their adventures in Spain in our second video post.  Camille shares some of her toughest moments and most rewarding triumphs. Enjoy!

Camille Bailey
Universidad de Castilla-LaMancha-Cuenca (UCLM-Cuenca)
Cuenca, Spain

Anastasia in Germany!

When departing for my semester abroad, I thought six months was a long time…. Today I am two months into my adventure and it has gone by in a blink of an eye.  I truly feel sad when I think about the fact that I will have to leave soon.  Before departure, I was nothing but excited. This was it! The thing I strived to do since 10^th grade. And with excitement came a lot of research and preparation. I cannot say there has been a lot that has surprised me, which is the absolute miracle of living in the 21^st century I guess.  But my preparation in no way meant that everything was smooth sailing or that my life in Mannheim is somehow boring. I think any student abroad is bound to run into some sort of problems, especially at the start.  Everything is literally foreign, and leaning to navigate a new country is a feat.  But I remind myself that countless students have survived before me and so can I!

Marktplatz in Mannheim

View from my window during sunrish

Everyday Life in Manhheim

           

If you plan to attend Mannheim, you will hear “it is not the prettiest of cities” A LOT!

Thus, I anticipated it. And while Mannheim is not as picturesque as the neighboring town of Heidelberg, for example, I found it to be a suitable place to live and study.  It is a very college student friendly atmosphere, and therefore people are willing to help and there are a lot of people to meet.  Surprisingly, I adjusted fairly quickly and instead of driving 40 minutes to school, my norm became walking 20 minutes to class.  Instead of driving for groceries, I now walk down the street with a backpack full of them. I live in the city center so everything is within walking distance, although for those who live further there is plenty of public transportation to help you get around.  When it comes to school, University of Mannheim is primarily a business school. By that I mean, 98% of people I meet are in the business school. I am however in the Humanities and Social Sciences, both departments are very small. I heard that students skip class a lot to travel and professors do not take attendance.  Well, that is mostly true of business lectures with hundreds of people. All of my classes are small seminars, where the attendance policies are stricter than those at UNCG.  So be careful when making travel plans; confirm your class policies.  A big difference between Mannheim and UNCG, is that the university plans a TON of parties and social events (especially for exchange students).  Currently, no joke, there is a party happening every single night of the week.  It is hard to be lonely or bored.

I god to school in a castle!!!

Every-weekend life in Europe

           

I cannot recommend Germany enough as a study abroad destination. It is such a fascinating and diverse country. In addition, it is centrally located.  It is ideal to travel to any place in Europe. Because classes take place once a week, not only do I not have Friday classes, but I also don’t have Thursday classes.  This means four day weekends every weekend.  It is the ideal time to travel, which is what a lot of students are doing. You can always find a travel buddy should you want one.  Today I will be departing on my fourth weekend trip in a row. And even as an avid adventurer, I have to admit it is exhausting. Thus far my big trips include Prague, Brussels, and Berlin.  And when I travel I have the need to see everything. I don’t take it easy. So getting back I am always exhausted, but instead of resting I have a pile of reading, work, and chores to do.  So I would definitely recommend that you find your own, manageable pace when it comes to traveling, otherwise you will drive yourself insane.

            

At Brandenburg Gate

When traveling my best advice is to see everything J You will regret it later if you were near a museum or monument and you didn’t see it. Eat all the food, you can be skinny when you’re dead. Be safe, be smart; things can happen to anyone, but take precautions. Climb all the stairs, the best views are at the top. Take pictures, but also see it with your eyes.  Enjoy the once in a lifetime experience.

Climb the stairs!  The best views are always at the top (Speyer, Germany)

Anastasia Shymanovich
University of Mannheim
Mannheim, Germany

Kristina and Lucifer in Keele!

Let’s Crack On!

Intro

I’ve been in England for about 6 weeks now, learning and growing. Being on a college campus is a fairly insular experience, especially on this campus that is considered rural with acres of beautiful English countryside surrounding it. I’ve had opportunities to travel so far to places a few hours away from campus.  I visited the National Football Museum in Manchester, (and tried my first margarita!), went to the Jane Austen Center in beautiful Bath, and witnessed a historical and scientific marvel in the form of Stonehenge. The ease and affordability of transportation is amazing and one of the best parts of being here so far. Having the access to so many different cultures is, to me, an incredible opportunity to learn about history, customs, and ways of life that are different from my own.

Alley in Bath

Chinese New Year in Manchester

John Rylands Library

 

The arts

One of my goals in coming abroad is to experience the arts in as many forms as possible. I recently attended a local production of Robin Hood and Marian, performed in the round in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, the city around my university. It was an absolutely delightful production by talented actors and actresses. I saw the show with the Drama Society and it’s off campus activities like this that I love to take advantage of to meet new people and explore the area I live in, at least temporarily. Another society I’m involved in here, Harry Potter Society, recently held a 24 hour filmathon screening of all 7 Harry Potter films in a row. I wasn’t strong enough to stay the whole time, but I loved spending time with my fellow Harry Potter enthusiasts enjoying movies we love and generally geeking out! Next up on my culture tour of Europe takes place mainly over my Easter Break, a common time to travel for international and local students alike. I have 3 West End (think London Broadway) musicals, a concert, an island tour in Scotland, and multiple museums and historic landmarks waiting for me to discover. 

Lucifer on the bus to Stonehenge

Sinclair's Oyster Bar in Manchester

Street corner

The Weather

At least where I’m living, it definitely has not stormed every single day like I might have expected. The rainfall is pretty typical of the climate I’m used to, and it’s not a nuisance in the slightest. The area around my campus is filled with trees, many squirrels, and beautiful landscape such as a lake with a walking path around it. The air is consistently cold during these winter months, but is as crisp and refreshing as the air at the top of a mountain. It’s easy to keep myself busy with my computer sitting in my comfy bed, keeping up with news and happenings back home. I’ve actually found, unsurprisingly, that the most memorable times I’ve had so far have been outside my room with new friends, having exciting adventures exploring new cities, or even simply going out for pizza Friday at Lindsay Bar. Speaking of friends, I have made many wonderful friends so far, but it didn’t happen instantaneously, and this is an important part of culture shock. I came here knowing no one, and it’s been difficult at times dealing with loneliness and missing the people back home who I’m comfortable with. Being here has been a study in learning how to be by myself, but also how to place myself in unfamiliar, and sometimes uncomfortable positions, to take a chance at making meaningful connections with people from all over the world, and all walks of life. Sometimes I feel like I have one foot in the states, and one foot here but I view this as grounding rather than distracting. This is one of the reasons I’m writing this post, I want to share my experience with the people I care about and inspire other students to take a chance and go someplace new. 

Lucifer at Stonehenge

Stonehenge

My Advice to Students Considering Going Abroad

1. You’ll pack too much clothing. I promise you will, I only brought 1 backpack and 1 large suitcase and I still brought too many clothes. That being said, especially if you come to Keele University, the weather is not drastically different so just dress like you do at home.
2. If you have the financial means to study abroad, don’t hesitate to spend half your money on spring break, but be smart about it. It’s easy to forget about conversion rates and transaction fees.
3. This one might seem cheesy but SAY YES. It’s a cliche piece of advice for a reason, 9 times out of 10 you’ll be happy you did. Trust me, it is very hard for me to break out of my shell but every time I’ve said yes, I’ve been so glad I did. 
   
   
   
   
   Kristina Bowers
   Keele University
   Staffordshire, United Kingdom

Madison in Lyon!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Lyon, France!  I signed up for this day because I thought it would be fitting for the There Be Dragons Valentine’s Day post to be from the country known for love and romance.  For my first blogpost, I have decided to create a sort of guide for prospective travelers to France.  There are many things in France which someone from another country might see as being bizarre upon their first trip to France.  I myself have encountered (and am still encountering daily) these fascinating cultural differences so far in my semester abroad in Lyon.  I hope this list helps you understand French culture a bit and perhaps even produces some laughter.  Allons-y!

1. Public Displays of Affection

Sticking with the Valentine’s Day theme, I thought this would be a good point to start out with.  I don’t have any pictures to demonstrate this first cultural difference because I thought people might be a little unnerved by a stranger taking pictures of them kissing.  Standing on the street, riding the bus, in a café, on the métro...wherever you may be, it normal to bare witness to displays of, oftentimes, intense affection.  This can seem inappropriate to us outsiders, as it is quite more than just the simple public hand-holding and pecks that we are used to.  

2. Pigeons (AKA: flying rats)  

Growing up in rural North Carolina, I was never really exposed to the mass amounts of pigeons present in cities.  You can imagine my shock when, walking into the métro station, I encountered several pigeons.  Inside, they strut around like they belong there and people pay them no attention.  Outside, they come swooping down at you out of nowhere and can give you quite a fright.  I would liken them to the squirrels of North Carolina; they are everywhere and they have distinct personalities in each different city.   

Here is a pigeon presumably waiting for a bus.

3. Hide your kids, hide your dogs

Maybe it is the excessive friendliness of the Southern United States that causes me to do this but, when I see a cute dog or child, I smile at it and wave.  If you try to do this in France, people will most likely give you an odd look and hurriedly pull their child or dog away from you.  There is a common stereotype that the French are very cold and rude and I think this is because their reserved and cautious behaviors are misinterpreted by us foreigners as being impolite.  While I have learned to avert my gaze on the streets, I have found one place in Lyon where I am free to gawk over animals as much as I want: Le Chamourai.  Below is a picture of one of the cats at this cat café.  Coincidentally, the cat is making a similar face to the one French people will if you try to play with their animals or kids.  

4.  Bon appetit!

You’ve probably heard this before, but the French really value their food.  Don’t go to a nicer restaurant or café with the expectation of being out of there in less than one hour.  Many French restaurants offer you a three course menu with the éntrée (appetizer), le plat principal (main course), and le dessert (this one is pretty easy) which will take you 1-2 hours to finish.  After finishing a meal, many foreigners assume that a check will be brought to them by their waiter/waitress.  If you stick your ground at your table and wait for your check to be brought to you, add on another hour to your meal time.  This is one of the aspects that I, as a foodie, particularly enjoy because it allows time to truly enjoy the food and socialize over it, but the American in me also just wants to hurry up and get out.

This meal was divine, but took about 3 hours total!

Well there you have it; a few of the main things that provided me with the culture shock guaranteed by the study abroad experience!  I have come to love most of these differences and more and find each and every one of them truly fascinating.  I hope all of you have the opportunity to one day travel to France or to just travel in general and truly step out of your comfort zones.  I won’t say that it is easy because there are so many challenges and rough nights, but I genuinely believe that the experience is worth it.  I hope all of you reading have had lovely Valentine’s Days full of hugs and friends and family and that this blogpost brings you some joy.  Thank you for reading and stay tuned for my next blogpost!  

Love,

Madison Shelton

Jean Moulin University Lyon 3

Lyon, France

Jessica and Apfelmus in Scotland!

We have a first on There Be Dragons today....a video blog!  Jessica Askew and her dragon buddy Apfelmus have only just arrived in Scotland and are getting their schedules set for the semester.  Jessica shared her third video blog with us, in which she talks about her triumphs and frustrations from her first few weeks in Scotland, touching on subjects like getting her schedule set, figuring out how the laundry works, getting used to strange accents, visits from friends, and traveling to other cities.  Enjoy her video below, and if you'd like to see more, you can visit her blog From the Mind of an American Abroad.

Jessica Askew
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow, Scotland