Savannah in England

Hello from England!


My name is Savannah Lewis and I am studying this semester or as the English say “term” in Plymouth, England. Plymouth or better known as “Britain’s Ocean City” (there’s even a geofilter on Snapchat for it) is an absolutely beautiful city sitting right on the English Channel. There is so much to Plymouth with its modern inner city, historic Barbican area, giant shopping centers, and breathtaking ocean views from the Marina. What more is there to ask for than plenty of opportunities for a gorgeous picture?

We took a walk down to the shore where the Marina is and it was like a scene from a movie it was so pretty.

 When I first arrived in England we landed at Heathrow Airport at 7 am and had to wait for a bus from the school to come pick us up till 10 am. Then after a 5-hour bus ride we had finally made it to Plymouth but the journey had only just begun. I then had to drag my 50-pound suitcase up 4 flights of stairs because my flat is on the top floor with NO LIFT (talk about having legs of steel when this is over).  The view from my skylights is absolutely amazing though definitely worth the hike up stairs! Then came the task of finding bedding and food two very important essentials for the afternoon spent shopping. It took about a week until I finally felt settled into my room and the new city. I’ve already met so many people from different parts of the world such as Malaysia, Spain, Mexico City, Germany, Poland, Holland, Nebraska, and so many more! After finding some friends we started to explore the city and all of its unique areas.

This area is called The Hoe (yes I laugh every time someone says it) meaning “a high place” which has the famous lighthouse and is a great place to sit and have a picnic.

Fish and Chips are AMAZING I would eat it everyday if I could.

 

Also something Plymouth is famous for the Mayflower Steps. Yes this is the actual location where the Mayflower ship left for America!

 

 

 

Our first trip was into London for a weekend and I have never been so excited to see all the famous museums, monuments, and of course my favorite, FOOD!  We took a coach bus (tip megabus is SUPER cheap) and 6 hours later we were walking around London at midnight just marveling at all of the gorgeous architecture and cute townhouses. We used Airbnb and it was a great experience my only tip would be to spend the extra money to get a hostel/Airbnb in the city to cut out time and money getting back and forth every day to the city. We were only in London for 3 whole days so we really made the most of it seeing Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, National Portrait Museum, Globe Theatre, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Harrods, Museum of Natural History, Kings Cross Station (s/o to the HP fans) and the Shard. We walked miles, rode buses and even the Underground, which was surprisingly easy to navigate, and my favorite way to get around.

The typical tourist picture of Big Ben it’s so majestic in real life!

Of course we had to be major basic tourists and get a picture in the famous red telephone booths. TIP: Don’t be afraid to be the biggest tourist ever and take all of the funny pictures you want, even if people stare at you haha!

Along with seeing the sites we made it our mission to find a café/pastry shop everyday and have whatever dessert we wanted! This was possibly the best decision ever seeing as we had Nutella and Ice Cream Crepes one day and Double Chocolate Gateaux Cake with Hot Chocolate the next.  NEVER be afraid to spend money on food because it is truly my favorite part of traveling (especially when there is chocolate involved)!

Doesn’t this crepe make you want to cry it looks so good??

This is still the best cake I’ve had so far and who doesn’t love hot chocolate on a cool London day?

On our last full day in London we went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour having bought tickets online in advance (only 35 pounds so not bad at all). It was with out a doubt the best day of my life and all my childhood dreams came true as we walked through two ginormous studios filled with sets, costumes, props, interactive games and of course BUTTERBEER! I took a million pictures and had the best time so if you are an insane Harry Potter nerd like me I highly suggest you take the trip because it was totally worth it!

My inner 11 year old self was screaming when we got pictures at Platform 9 3/4 seriously a dream come true!

 

Deciding to study abroad is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Everyday is an adventure and every moment is a gift you will want to cherish forever! If any of you ever decide to study in England I promise it will be nothing less than amazing! 

Next week I am traveling to Germany and Amsterdam but for now so long Greensboro!

Savannah Lewis

University of Plymouth

Plymouth, England

 

 

 

 

Sierra in Italy

Ciao Ragazzi! 

First let me start off with saying, If any of you know me, you know that going to Italy has always been important to me as I am an Italian American. Sadly, I can’t speak Italian and there are many things that have not been passed down by my family. Being able to come to Italy and study abroad has been such a wonderful opportunity for me! 

Of course it is always a bit stressful traveling to a new country on a different continent. I arrived with my father about a week earlier then my check in date. My biggest issue arriving here, and so far my only big issue, was that on the first night staying in Fiuggi, a very small and beautiful Italian town outside of Rome, I lost my Lloyd Dragon on the first night ….. (I’m sorry Dr. Muich!). I was not very happy, but at least I got a picture with him. Really, it wasn't as awful as it seemed, but I spent the next day soothing myself with my first gelato (It worked). 

Capri, Italy. The water is so blue. So beautiful there. 

Statue looking over the ruins of Pompeii 

Besides that, Everything else has been wonderful. Here is Firenze (Florence), I live with an Italian family, and it was probably one of the best choices I have ever made. They gave me such a warm welcome. Caterina, my host mommy, makes the best food I have had in Italy. She understands how much I love dolce (dessert). She is so warm, welcoming, and hilarious. She pushes me to learn and speak Italian, all while teaching me about all of the culture while I tell her about what it is like where I live (Which is not as exciting as Firenze of course). I also live with two other students which is very nice. One comes from Hawaii and the other from Taiwan! How Interesting! So I am also learning about their cultures as well! 

Sitting on the ancient steps in the Coliseum in Roma, Italia. 

Standing at the back side of the Ara Pacis

Yes, I have been eating as much food as I can. Mostly Gelato. If I hear any student comes to Italy and is on a diet, then we just can’t be friends. It’s impossible. I just can’t let it happen. But let me just say, sometimes I feel like I really was meant to be Italian. Why? I have a good example. Here in Italia, breakfast (La colazione) is usually sweet food. I always have sweet food for breakfast. I don’t care for bacon and eggs. Also … Nutella … Nutella everywhere … Is there any other place you can really call paradise? I think no. My sweet tooth is at a true paradise here.

Standing at the front side of the Ara Pacis! 

Selfie with The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, in the Uffizi Gallery. I live 5 minutes from it. 

Besides the food, I’ve already traveled to Rome, Pisa, Pompeii, and Capri. I plan to see much more. It’s just so beautiful here, where ever I go. I’ve fallen in love with Capri. It’s so beautiful. The water is truly clear and a deep, rich blue. I got to swim in the water. Truly blessed. 

look at how beautiful this gelato is. Gelato -- 2.50euro, happiness -- priceless 

 First glass of wine in Italy, Right before I lost my dragon!

I live right beside the river here in Firenze, This is the gorgeous view from the bridge. 

It’s been so weird, yet so great, for me to all of a sudden stand in front of all of these important art pieces or historical Italian monuments that I would study in class in the United States. My freshman year at UNCG I took Dr. Muich’s course “Trojan War Narratives” (Great class, I recommend). Towards the end of the semester, I remember sitting in class learning about Augustus and the Ara Pacis (The Altar of Peace). Now here in Italy, I have already found myself standing in front of it, looking at it and walking up its steps. It’s so crazy! It had the same feeling when I saw the Coliseum, Statue of David, Pompeii, and all of the other places I’ve explored. 

My first Tiramisu in Italy, Not only did it look stunning, but it tasted stunning .. amazing 

If you consider coming to Italy, please do it. Not only is Nutella everywhere, but the people here are so kind and welcoming. At Lorenzo de Medici, I am required to learn Italian, and I always test my Italian when buying anything or talking to any Italian. They are so nice to someone who butchers their beautiful language. I have never been so happy with myself. I pushed myself so hard at UNCG, and now I get to be here and live like an Italian. I plan to see so much more .. (and buy more) in the next 2.5 months. I hope to come back to UNCG with more amazing stories to tell and more pictures to show. Right now all I can say is …. Io amo i gelati (i love gelato!) 

The side view of Michelangelo's David. You can see his rib cage! How flawless

Sierra Rufino

Lorenzo De Medici

Florence, Italy

Tori in Cape Town!

Leaving home and heading across the world to another continent, timezone and even hemisphere is a pretty daunting task. Before leaving in July, I had my own set of worries, most of them being getting lost in an airport. Thankfully I was able to navigate through all the airports and landed in Cape Town, South Africa safely. After a few minor bumps, I was able to settle into my new room and start my journey through the University of Cape Town and the city and country itself. 

Traveling alone to a foreign country to study has its ups and downs, and I have not been immune to this at all. My first bump came when I had ended up being mislabeled on the airport pickup list, and was stranded for a bit of time. Thankfully I wasn’t the only study abroad student trying to figure their way to the school, and we both managed a safe travel and were welcomed by the international community at UCT. My next bump came in the form of what I like to call, FOMO (fear of missing out). I saw all my friends moving and starting classes back home and desperately missed that time. I had already been in school for a month and was knee deep in papers, tests, and group projects. It wasn’t until my friends told me how jealous they were of my experiences, and extremely warm winter, that I knew I was still enjoying myself and having a great time in South Africa. My most recent bump came on a trip. A few friends of mine and I had discussed what we were doing for our short vacation, similar to spring break, when most of my friends made plans that didn’t include me. Scattering last minute to make plans, two other friends and I signed up last minute for a tour of the Eastern Cape through a travel company, which ended up being the best decision for my break. I overcame my fear of heights by bungee jumping off the world’s tallest commercial bungee bridge, became better friends with students I hadn’t met yet, and learned about conservation efforts for many animals in South Africa. Many of my downs and doubts ended up revealing great experiences and wonderful memories, everything that helps make up study abroad. 

I wish I could say I have only been traveling and having fun exploring, but school is a real thing. Getting used to a new grading system and set of expectations was a bit easier than I imagined, but didn’t mean I could put in any less work. While my classes have been challenging, they’ve helped me understand South Africa as a country more, and even the world from a different perspective. School is something that brings a lot of people together, and I’ve had incredible discussions with students from all different backgrounds about many different issues facing South Africa, America, and the world in general. It was moments like these, conversations like these that were the reasons I wanted to study abroad. You can learn so much more by just engaging in conversation with different people, and I can honestly say it has changed my perspective on some ideas. 

 

Despite my enjoyment of classes, I haven’t actually have had class for about two weeks. Students around at different universities, from Joburg to Cape Town, have protested and shut down campuses, in response to the government saying they are raising fees. This has hit close to home, especially seeing all the protests taking place at home, and has opened up even more conversation between students. It was inspiring seeing these students stand together so they could have an affordable education, just as it has been inspiring to see students at home banning together and supporting each other in their own protests and movements. 

In all, I have had a whirlwind of experiences so far in South Africa. I’ve hiked mountains, studied late for tests, made friends with a cheetah, and created lasting and deep friendships with the city and the people I’ve met here. I still have a few months to go, and I can’t wait to see how the protests resolve, and how my journey continues. 

Tori Crook

University of Cape Town

Cape Town, Africa

Abigail and Finny in Finland!

So far Finland has been great. I have not even been here a month but so far I have had many adventures. I arrived here August 15th  and the first week was basically settling in time. I actually went to Kemi and Helsinki the first. My mother got the opportunity to come so we visited a near by town and went to drop her back off in  Helsinki to catch her flight. Since the first week was so crazy I forgot to bring my dragon Finny along but I have included a couple photos of Kemi and Helsinki.

 Since being here I have made many friends. I actually have two American roommates and one from the Czech Republic. They are all extremely nice. We got the opportunity last weekend to go and stay in a cabin in the woods. We hiked 20 miles in just two days. The paths weren’t the best either, a lot of fallen trees and muddy areas. Finny did get to tag along during this journey. The sights were beautiful from the lookout. We also got to see reindeer!

This past weekend we got the opportunity to go to a small town just 30 min north. The towns name was Ii. It was very small but filled with history and art. It was also quite beautiful. Finny got a chance to go to the beach here in 50 degree weather.

My time in Finland so far has been great. I have learned so much about different cultures and how to use a map. Not a lot of people speak English well, mainly because it is their third language to learn, so it is difficult to speak and figure out things. But as long as there is a will there is a way!

Abigail Kidd
University of Oulu
Oulu, Finland