Yasha Naxir

Lahore, Pakistan

Since working as a cultural Ambassador at the U.S. Department of State and building a cultural bridge between the two friendly countries Pakistan and the U.S., many things have been gained and many given in return.

This cultural voyage that had always appeared seemingly endless to me, is now heading towards the end.

Days have passed away like clouds, and yet it is appreciable since all the happy hours that have been spent in the U.S. during my stay of one semester as an International student at Keene State College has always made me feel like a celebrity. People have shown great interest towards many impacting stories and significant descriptions of different places in my homeland, which I had packed along to share.

Contributed Photo:
Naxir said, “New Orleans has really delicious food and colorful beads.”

When students usually return from their study abroad experience in different countries, they share many exciting moments with their friends and family.

My studying abroad experience in the U.S. is the best thing that has ever happened to me. My vision is more broadened now and it has added colors to my life.

This experience has not only made me see the things differently but polished my learning potential too — since I found a lot of creative stuff here, including on-campus club activities, Alternative Spring Break community service experience in New Orleans, research paper writing adroitness, frequent class presentations and extra class sessions of x-ray crystallography — one of my favorite subjects—with Jerry Jasinski, professor of chemistry at KSC.

Moreover, this study away experience has made me learn how to stay serene and cool, while tackling any untoward daily life problem that arises and how to make some important decisions.

Building good relations between two countries requires the element of true sharing, involvement and efforts. Throughout the spring session, I’ve tried to talk to many friends about my cultural norms and traditions.

The recent country presentation I presented on April 10, depicted the same idea of bringing both countries together by highlighting the nine-tenth of a culture that we people are normally unaware of, because it exists below the surface of the iceberg.

From all the things that have been the part of learning here at KSC, one of the things that earn a greater credit includes getting a chance for the free study session hours learning and practicing x-ray crystallography.

It makes me feel lucky for how I got a chance to study, install, transfer data, solve and design pictures for the publications regarding some unique crystals.

Many thanks to Dr. Jerry for letting me have this wonderful opportunity to learn and work with him.

It amazes me how we can be the first people ever on this earth to see a unique new crystallographic molecular structure and solve it which is a bit tricky task to do.

Until now, I’ve successfully solved some crystals and hopefully I’ll become a co-author someday, which is no less than a big dream.

The second best thing that I’ve also scribbled down in my journal includes spring break community service.

We drove to New Orleans,  and stopped by 13 different states before reaching Louisiana, and worked with the United Saints, which was quite awesome.

New Orleans has really delicious food and colorful beads. Since I enjoyed my stay a lot, I’d love to recommend my friends not to miss this enjoyable trip next break.

Every other country that we know has some really inspiring places that we should spare some time for, in order to live good cosmopolitan lives.

Contributed Photo:
Yasha Naxir is studying at KSC for the spring semester. Naxir visited New Orleans, Louisiana, during Alternative Spring Break and is photographed here at a parade of local people dressed as Native Americans.

For all those people who keep passion of traveling and visiting different amazing places, around this big wide world that we know very little about, I welcome you all to my homeland. Come see its great monuments that have been fascinating sightseers for many years to embrace their exclusivity and the different taste of culture that they have never experienced before.

The beautiful Himalayas, attractive meandering valleys, nice welcoming people, spicy biryani and  colorful events reflect a savor that people have enjoyed during their stay already.

Being more outspoken; nothing you guys should be afraid of till your friends are there.

There are many friendly families ready to demonstrate their generosity by hosting and receiving people from the West like they always did.

Now will be the time to spread the good words regarding the U.S back home.

People that I know in my country love the States and are eager to hear my experience when I return.

Though I was the first student from Pakistan to study at KSC via this Fulbright Scholarship Program, students should continue coming to this endearing place and have lots of opportunities and fun.

Michelle Green

Seville, Spain

¡Buenos días!

I am a sophomore studying in Seville, Spain for the spring 2014 semester.

Being in a different country has proven to be amazing so far, if nothing else, with every building in this city dripping (literally, it’s rained every day since I got here) with history.

Everything here is an adventure! When I arrived, the taxi driver dropped me off at the front door and that was it—I was on my way.

It was crazy for me to realize that I was really on my own in a different country, and the taxi driver hadn’t even waited to see if I got inside the building.

Contributed Photos: Michelle Green

That day, I met my host family and my roommate, and I couldn’t imagine living here with anyone else.

I have two little sisters: Ochi, who is seven-years-old, and Angela, who is ten-years-old. Also in the house is my roommate from the University of Maryland and my host mother, Roció.

I have begun tutoring Celia, one of my sister Angela’s friends, in English.

As a future educator, I think that it is very important to meet the needs of every student in the classroom, and it has been rewarding to see that I can communicate with her and help her understand English much better.

She has improved greatly even with the few times we have worked together, and it has been an eye-opening experience for me.

I live in a neighborhood of Seville called Los Remedios.

One of the most interesting things I have found about it is that there are orange trees everywhere, but you can’t eat the oranges because they are really acidic and can make you sick.

I walk back and forth to school every day, which only takes about 15 minutes and is absolutely beautiful. Along the way, I cross the San Telmo Bridge, which connects my neighborhood with the neighborhood on the other side of the Guadalquivir River.

The school that I am taking classes at this semester is called the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies and is entirely American students taking classes taught by Spanish professors.

In just the short time that I have been here, I have seen ancient palaces and the surrounding gardens, the third-largest cathedral in the world, and the place where part of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones was filmed.

I went to Córdoba, a culturally rich town about an hour from Seville, and saw Catholic churches and Jewish synagogues within a ten minute walk of one another.

Later on during my trip, I have plans to visit Portugal, many different cities in Spain, England, Germany and Italy.

It is so easy to travel here, and I fall in love with the people and the language more and more with each day that passes.

It’s true what they say; the world is a novel, and those that don’t travel only read a single page.

The more of the world I see, the more I learn about myself and about how I compare with those around me.

I have found a whole new kind of appreciation for the way I grew up and all of the experiences I have had in life.

Also, I have learned how to appreciate the world for what it is, in all of its natural beauty.

Although I’ve been a little homesick, and some days are worse than others, I have already had great experiences here.

I am looking forward to coming home to my family and friends, but not until I finish adventuring here!

I’ll see you soon, Keene State!

Greg Fisher

Florence, Italy

So you wanna hear about Florence. Geez, where do I even start? Well let’s just say that Firenze is something else.

The people, the culture, even the way they [Italians] think is different. It is much more relaxed—that is, if you’re not in the way of a taxi, a bicycle, or a vespa. It’s been a little over a week since I’ve moved in and I haven’t had too much trouble adjusting.

People are musical, and after being around a foreign language (that I had only known one word of) for just a week, I’m amazed at how much I’ve already learned.

Getting around is the hardest part. The cobblestone streets lead to other cobblestone streets, and if you follow the same cobblestone street for a few blocks the street name will change without you even noticing. Before you know it, you don’t know where the hell you are.

So then you have to look up and see the architectural masterpiece built by Brunelleschi during the Renaissance, and head towards the Duomo. It is the exact center of this city. It’s not that big of city, which is nice. But the sidewalks and streets are so skinny, New Yorkers would throw a fit, and if you had a pickup truck or an Escalade, or even a Jeep you’d be running over practically everything without even noticing. The biggest vehicles are busses and ambulances, and even then they’re half the size they are in America. But it all makes sense, at least environmentally.

Contributed Photo: KSC junior Greg Fisher gazes over Piazza Michelangelo with a view of the Duomo in Florence, Italy. Fisher is studying in Florence this spring 2014 semester. Fisher commented on the various cultures that exist in his classes and how this opportunity has expanded his, “mind and soul.”

I have found that the beauty of the history and art here is exemplified in everything, even the smallest nightclubs.

Last night I was at a small music venue called “Be Bop,” and an Italian band was playing American rock-and-roll. I felt right at home—in fact, I pulled out my harmonica and got invited up on stage for a Muddy Waters’ tune, which was a blast.

My roommate, who is an excellent violinist found a violin and cello workshop that’s been handed down since the 1930s, and the brothers who owned it welcome us musicians in and let my roommate rent one of their violins. You can buy them for about £1700, but he was offered a deal for £30 a month.

The food is the best part. It seems like it’s against the law to have any ingredients older than week here, so everything is so fresh.

You can walk down the street and be drowned with the stench of pure leather and walk right up to the open market that was built in 1816 with the cheapest, freshest food I’ve ever drooled over. Certainly, the wine is something else, but the restaurants have such great deals. Buy a drink and have an all-you-can-eat buffet, or pay £15 and have an antipasto (appetizer) and three-course pasta meal with unlimited wine. My time thus far has been pretty wild meeting people from all over America, all over Italy and all over the world.

My classes are filled with students from Turkey, Mexico, Panama, Holland and Germany. It’s really incredible mixing in with young people just like me, and when I talk to them they obviously grew up in different cultures—but they’re not too different than most Americans.

The thing I found is that around the world, people think Americans are babied and pampered and get what they want—and what they see is true, but not all of us are like that.

It seems like they’re too quick to judge because they’re used to just one type of culture, while in America we’re used to a mix of culture and a mix of race. Depending on when and where you grow up, you never really know what you’re going to get. I had a really interesting talk about that with my roommates.

After the violin workshop, (where the brothers explained the struggle of the Italian economy and how they’re not far behind Greece), we thought that maybe it was because people here just live. Their philosophy is to enjoy life, food and family.

In America we work to live, or to survive; things are moving so fast and standards are so high in America, you kind of just get run over. That’s why there may be such an imbalance in power and wealth.

Here, there are no Italian celebrities, nobody is better than the other, and everyone is pretty content with who  they are because they have their food, wine, family and good times. It’s this kind of philosophy that has captured me most about this place.

It’s lovely, and beautiful and I can’t wait to spend the next three months here. I’ve learned so much in seven days.

This opportunity has already given me what I came here for—an expansion of my mind and soul. I’m so fortunate, and it’s mighty fine to be alive.

I’ve been sleeping in 14-hour increments and staying up for two days straight, and slowly getting back to a healthy routine. The quick espresso shots help, there is no slow drip coffee, and certainly no Styrofoam coffee cups either. Everything is glass. There’s no peanut butter, but a whole lot of Nutella which I am okay with. The bakeries at night open up their back door for £1 pastries and man oh man, they’re so fresh. I’m already missing it three months from now.

Grazie! Ciao!

Olivia Griffin York, England 

Surreal.

After describing to my friends and family countless times how my first week abroad has been, there is no better word to capture what I’ve experienced.

I spent the majority of last semester with butterflies in my stomach, scrolling through pages of images and information about the beautiful city of York, England, trying to picture myself living there.

Even though the anticipation was exciting, the pictures could never measure up to the way I felt when our bus drove into the city center.

Contributed Photo:
KSC senior Olivia Griffin siting on the city walls of York, England where she is studying this spring 2014 semester. Below: Griffin visiting Newcastle upon Tyne in England.

Seeing the place that I have been imagining for months was a crazy and overwhelming experience (especially after having spent a full 24 hours traveling and maybe being a little bit delusional).

As soon as we entered York I realized what a breathtaking place it is. When I first walked through the city, it became clear that I would need four months (at least) to see it all.

There is a poetic juxtaposition of old and new; something I’ve rarely found in the United States.

The cathedral looking over the city is ancient, the roads are all cobblestone­—yet the shops and nightlife are young and energetic.

It is so easy to go out on your own and walk around, you never know what you’ll find or who you’ll meet.

Since being here I’ve had a burst of energy that seems like it will never end. There is always something to do, always people to get to know. In the past week I’ve made friends from all over the world, explored this amazing city and all it has to offer and began to catch on to the subtle (and not so subtle) differences of living in the U.K.

I’ve been lucky to find that the British are some of the friendliest people I’ve met.

Immediately upon moving into my room, my floormates brought me tea and biscuits and were more than happy to take me into the city and show me around.

The other international students have been nothing but inviting; having 30 people in the same situation as you (where everything is new and you don’t know anyone) makes you feel as though you are always among friends.

It is interesting to learn about cultures from around the world and meet people that you would have otherwise never crossed paths with.

Contributed Photo: Griffin visiting Newcastle upon Tyne in England.

While I have to admit it can be terrifying at first to be alone in an unfamiliar country, it’s quite exciting to know that there is so much room to grow.

Being able to accept that you are scared or worried or upset about something and then move on from it is essential in traveling, and in life.

Things like losing your phone in Newcastle within four days of buying it don’t seem as daunting. In fact, I’ve found that small moments of panic can become meditative if you let them.

This is an opportunity which I would recommend to everyone. To spend four carefree months traveling through a beautiful country and experiencing the world in a different way is bound to change your perspective on life.

Choosing to study in England for me was accompanied a feeling of fearlessness. Each time I do something new here, that feeling is reinforced. I still have three-and-a -half months ahead of me, and I don’t know what’s to come.

All I know for sure is that I plan to appreciate every curveball thrown my way, do things I never thought I would do and have the most awesome semester I could possibly imagine.

Sophie Spiers

Birmingham, England

Greetings again students of Keene State College! For my second article for The Equinox, I have decided to talk about how I spent my break, when I flew back to England and spent Christmas with my family. For me, this year Christmas was more than just opening presents and eating obscene amounts of turkey and chocolate—though plenty of that was done.

As much as I love Keene, being away from Birmingham for so long made me realize how much I have missed my family, my friends and of course going to the pub (the drinking age in the UK is 18). I was reunited with my best friend Andy, who has been undergoing intense training in order to become a Royal Marine Corporal.

For those unaware of this, British Royal Marine training is one of the longest and most physically demanding infantry training regimes in the world, so I was looking forward to hearing about how he was getting on with the system.

So, my Christmas Day consisted of Andy and his brother James coming around and making toast after toast with Sambuca shots. However, I also made sure to bring to this gathering an important American custom that I felt would only bring us closer on this festive day…we played three games of beer pong before retiring to the living room for karaoke. Perhaps not the most traditional Christmas, but in the Spiers family household they never are!

The weekend following Christmas Day was my friend’s mother’s engagement party, so I travelled up to Exeter to join in with the celebrations. Exeter is a town located in Devon, which is a seaside vacation resort that is probably most famously associated with the “Devonshire Cream Tea”—a culinary custom that is made up of scones, jelly and clotted cream and is very popular within the UK.

At the engagement party, I met many former marines. Not only does my friend’s mother work at the base, which is situated in Exeter, but her fiancé is also a retired corporal. Meeting them was an experience that was completely different to my expectations. All night, these men in their fifties kept egging me on to knock back tequila and whiskey shots.

On New Year’s Eve, I arose early in order to catch the four-hour-long train to Skegness, where I was to stay with another British girl who was here last semester at Keene State College.

Contributed Photo:
The city of Bath, England, is where international student Sophie Spiers visited her sister during winter break. Spiers is studying in Keene for a second semester this spring 2014.

Skegness is another seaside resort popular with English holiday makers; however the clear blue skies and blazing sun that people flock to see in June was long gone. Instead, we experienced torrential rain and powerful winds that broke our umbrella and sent my friends hat flying down the high street. Nevertheless, the blocked nose and sore throat that I awoke with the next morning was worth it, as I had a great time counting down to 2014 at the Skegness clock tower and dancing at the local clubs.

My last trip outside of Birmingham was to the city of Bath in Somerset, where my sister is undertaking a fashion degree at Bath Spa University. Bath is the home of the Roman Baths—a preserved Roman site for public bathing—though of course, no one bathes there anymore.

Bath is also the hometown of a number of celebrities, including shoe designer Jimmy Choo. Johnny Depp also owns the luxurious townhouse next door to my sister’s university, with some students claiming to have spotted him there during one of his filming breaks. Bath is one of my favorite cities to visit in the UK, as there are lots of unique and quaint little shops, beautiful architecture and many cobbled side roads that you could spend days on end exploring and still not uncover everything. However, there are not many buses so exploring consists of much walking up and down steep hills. After a few hours, I could feel the burn shooting up my legs. I still have no idea how my sister manages to do it every day.

Having a month off to catch up with all my friends and family was much needed after the stress of finals.

However, as the date for my return flight to Keene drew nearer, I began looking forward to seeing my new friends and suitemates again, as well as getting back into schoolwork and my Night Owl Café shifts.

As much as a blessing it was to not have stress about deadlines and portfolios, I feel too much television has turned my brain to mush, and I can’t wait to start learning new information again!

One last semester to go. Let’s hope it doesn’t go by so quickly this time.

Danielle Dickstein

Florence, Italy

I write this sitting more than a thousand feet in the air.

I am off again on another trip, because as my cousin put it, “It’s Thursday, so Dani must be travelling again…”

This most recent travel binge has only reminded me of how much I love Florence. I love coming home to this city.

As my time here is quickly winding down, I am panicking.

How did this semester get away from me? How have I not climbed the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly known as the Duomo of Florence?

I still have yet to visit the Basilica of Santa Croce, housing the tombs of both Galileo Galilei and Michelangelo.

Contributed Photo: Study abroad student Danielle Dickstein stands with a friend in front of the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge in Florence, Italy, where she is studying for the fall semester.

And I seem to have waited until the last moments of my stay to wander through the Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s oldest and most famous art museums.

Truth be told, I could never have enough time in this city.

From climbing the San Niccolo Tower on the other side of the river, named for the man we lovingly refer to now as Old Saint Nick, or better yet, Santa Claus, to haggling for a lower price on a vintage Louis Vuitton bag at the monthly Santo Spirito Market, this city offers it all.

I struggle with finding only one semester’s worth of time here an adequate amount of time to take in all that there is to take in. But, that may be a battle for another day.

This city is seeping with art, and culture leaches from every corner.

One of my favorite finds of art in the city is one that hundreds of people walk past every day without the slightest clue of what it is they are missing.

In the corner of the Palazzo Vecchio, closest to the Uffizi Gallery, there is a carving in the building of the portrait of a man.

This engraving is said to be accomplished by Michelangelo, chiseling behind his back on a dare.

Being the nearest any person can come to a work completed by Michelangelo, this was the piece of history that struck me the most.

With no guard rails, and no red velvet ropes, it helped me recognize that I’m living in a world of art by living in this city.

While I am not, and probably will never be, an expert in any form of art (of The Renaissance era especially), my time here has nonetheless been affected by its presence in the city.

While Barcelona is known for Antoni Gaudi, and The Netherlands can claim Rembrandt as their own, Florence has given the world numerous masters such as Donatello, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, and even Leonardo da Vinci for a period of time.

Living in a city in which these experts existed in, I am moved to a new level of appreciation that I have never previously had.

While I have been exposed to mostly modern art in my life so far, I am trying my hardest to absorb all that surrounds me.

Though I lack a critical eye, I will forever be impressed upon and grateful for my time in Italy.

Tiffany Chou

Florence, Italy

As the Vice President of Community Service of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars at Keene State College, I am very passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community as well as others.

I find it extremely rewarding to help out and make a difference in another person’s life. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be something small, such as making someone’s day and making them smile.

I love to volunteer because it’s not about what you give, but what you get in return. In situations where there once may have been despair, words cannot express the gift of seeing that despair replaced with hope.

Volunteering will always be the biggest part of who I am as a person.

Contributed Photo: Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Duomo, a tourist attraction in Florence, Italy.

Since I’m studying abroad in Florence, Italy for the fall 2013 semester, I’m missing all of the community service events that are happening in Keene and in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).

It was my first time volunteering in Europe, and it was quite an experience.

I received an email from my advisor telling me about a volunteer opportunity from professor Luca Zoccadelli, the Lorenzo de Medici coordinator for volunteer service and cultural exchange.

On Saturday, Nov. 16, the center of Florence was filled with Fondazione “Angeli del Bello” (Angels of Beauty Foundation), which is an association of about 1,500 volunteers that care about historic architecture, monuments and the city’s general living environment.

It aims to reduce urban deterioration in Florence.

Together with other Italian volunteers, we worked to remove unauthorized posters, erase writings and graffiti from walls and repaint them in the area of San Lorenzo.

All volunteers were given vests, gloves, brushes and proper tools to do the job. The purpose is to show people how important it is to love and take care of Florence.

We want to bring awareness to everyone in our community.

I absolutely love Florence, but I don’t appreciate the defacing graffiti that is sprayed on the walls of the buildings.

Florence is a city of historical monuments, even though some of its most valuable assets are being destroyed by the pollution of bad graffiti.

I admire the beautiful art on the walls of Florence, but I think there is a fine line between illegal marking and public paintings.

I’m definitely all about covering the illegal marking that is on the walls of Florence.

Most of the defacing and ugly graffiti makes Florence look degraded and is primarily found around the train stations and more industrial areas, but can also be found in every corner of the historic center.

Alleyways and small streets have been tagged multiple times, covering large, wooden doors.

While we painted over the bad graffiti right by the area of the San Lorenzo market, many people stopped and looked at what we were doing.

They told us that we were doing a good job and one of the sellers in the market thanked us for devoting our time to take care of the city.

Honestly, it reminded me why I love to do community service. Being able to have the opportunity to volunteer in the beautiful city of Florence made me feel alive again.

It made me realize why volunteering is one of my true passions in life. I felt that spark, and it was an amazing feeling.

Student leaves England behind to experience beef jerky, Oreos and carved pumpkins

Alannah Leonard

York St. John, England 

Studying abroad wasn’t an opportunity I was going to miss out on. A new continent, culture and everything was just too exciting. I’ve always wanted to go as far away as possible.

As time flew by, and there were only days left at home before my adventure here started, I wasn’t getting cold feet — despite the fact that my sister told me I was going to come home fat. My mum said I would never come home because I would fall madly in love with a rich Texan, and my dad said we weren’t going to pay for a flight back and I’d have to stay here illegally and get deported back home for free. I couldn’t care less, I couldn’t wait, I was so excited. I was counting down everything; last Monday at home, last cinema outing, last night out with my friends, last wine and dinner with my parents. I wasn’t upset to be leaving.

As I landed at Logan International, nothing seemed different yet. It was during the drive from Boston to Keene that it started to sink in. Dunkin’ Donuts actually existed. And not just that, but there were American flags everywhere. I started to count them, and one hour in, I had 183 and decided that it was time to stop. There were flags on bridges, cars, and thousands on houses. ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ is what came through my mind. It made me scared to be a foreigner here. I did research before coming here by asking my American friends and browsing the Internet, which already made me uneasy about certain things such as religion, racism and opinions like “America is the best.”

Contributed Photo

We moved in a couple of days before the transfer students and the freshmen. For the first few days, we had small lessons about New Hampshire, the education system and social norms. This was preparing us for our stay here. It was nice — it meant that we had some sort of orientation, we could put pieces together.

At first, the other students didn’t really know how to act with us or approach us, some were overly excited and some were worried about a language barrier. But I was just greeting everyone I came across and asking them questions and everything. Now, some of those people are the most important people I’ve met here.

I ask them now, “What were the first things that came to your mind when you found out about us?”

Most of them said they were afraid but decided to have an open mind, and now they’re glad to have met us. “It was a breath of fresh air to talk to people from somewhere else” was one reply, with a few others agreeing with it.

Kelsey, one of my flat mates, said that one of the first things that came to her mind was “Oh shit, we’re in trouble. Europeans don’t shave or shower.” She now admits, “every expectation I had wasn’t at all accurate.” They were all expecting  us to be weird, dirty and rude. Like savages, but we’re not, we’re the same just with a few twists.

“I realize that by knowing you I’m lucky because it’s not an experience many people get to have.”

I get asked questions everyday, such as, “Does sarcasm exist in Europe? To which I reply, “no”.

I convinced one guy that Luxembourg didn’t have electricity. A lot of people don’t ask their questions because they feel like there stupid, but they’re not.

I have questions everyday too and I’m not embarrassed about it. What’s peach cobbler? What does swerve mean? What is a Hunter Hayes?

A lot of them mentioned our funny accents and how even all their friends went on about us and our accents. From our perspective, the accent here is quite flat, one we’re already used to from films and music.

Being here, I have experienced so much. The education system, the living system and the partying system are all different. I still get amazed every time I see something like yellow traffic lights, a pickup truck and food of all types of colors.

I have had my first beef jerky, my first root beer float and my first sip from the famous red solo cup.

Contributed Photo

I have learned new words, such as ratchet, swerve and wicked. I’ve learned that it’s okay to walk around in your pajamas during the day and to have your stomach hanging out from a crop top during the night. No one judges you for eating 15 slices of pizza. Skateboards aren’t cool anymore. Oreo’s are delicious when dipped in peanut butter. Whenever we question the reason behind things, the reply always seems to be “This is America.”

Pamela Bump

Galway, Ireland

On a normal Monday afternoon, I walked to campus and entered a classroom with fellow a journalists of the school newspaper, The Student Independent News. Without hesitation, we stripped off most of our clothing. I sat down in front of a camera and unfolded my newspaper. As I worked to keep myself hidden with the pages as my shield, I realized that this was something I definitely would not have done in the United States.

After the photos were printed and revealed to the rest of the student body at the National University of Ireland Galway, I was still proud of what I had done. I had no regrets as I posed and bonded with the members of the SIN; one of 12 groups on campus who participated in NUIG’s annual Naked Calendar. The proceeds of each calendar sold would go to both the ISPCC Childline and the Galway Rape Crisis Center. As a visiting student, getting involved and taking risks were things I embraced. I was not going to leave this country unchanged or unspoken for.

Contributed Photo: Pamela Bump crossing the Rope Bridge on the Giant’s Causeway tour in Northern Ireland.

The important part of studying abroad to me, was to live and learn from my surroundings. I have gone on many vacation-type adventures, met great people, seen the green rolling hills of Ireland, searched but did not find the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, and experienced crazy nightlife. On the other hand, many experiences have taught me important lessons about life.

In Belfast, I learned more about Ireland’s religious and political conflicts on a deeper level. I realized early-on that there were big differences between the Republic of Ireland, where Galway is located, and Northern Ireland, a member of the United Kingdom, where Belfast is the capital. As I traveled through Northern Ireland, I gained more insight on why the northern and southern ends of Ireland were so different.

When we visited the Peace Wall in Belfast, a wall splitting up neighborhoods of the Protestant and Catholic faith, it was hard to ignore the tension that is still in the area today. It was one thing to read about these events. It was another to be in the place where the conflicts happened during my own lifetime. It was very different to the area of Galway which I had grown accustomed to. This was also one of those experiences that taught me not to take opportunity, friends, family or peace for granted.

Despite learning harsh facts about the past, the trip to Belfast was also one of the most fun and memorable weekend trips. Although I have stayed in hostels before with friends sleeping in the same room, I was admittedly nervous about staying in a hostel room by myself for the first time. However, this hostel seemed like a safe place with the most genuine staff and guests I have ever met. One night, we all sat on the porch of the hostel involved in a deep discussion of everything from politics to our own personal backgrounds. Later that night, we all went on a pub crawl, where we checked out a few interesting night clubs, danced, had pints and got to know each other. Despite learning about its darker past, I learned that Belfast has become a place of great people, culture, entertainment and music.

The next morning, my friends and I followed our fun night of pub crawling with a trip to the Giant’s Causeway, a mysterious set up of oddly shaped rocks on the Northern coast of Ireland, which has been mentioned in many old Irish fairytales and myths. We hiked to great heights and crossed a rope bridge suspended hundreds of feet over steep cliffs and a fast current of water. The views were unbelievable. At some points we could even see Scotland. At the conclusion of this weekend visit, I felt like I had seen a small glimpse of both sides of Ireland, while also meeting people from all over the world in our hostel.

Contributed Photo: Pamela Bump crossing the Rope Bridge on the Giant’s Causeway tour in Northern Ireland.

As I think back on my time in Ireland and all of the interesting things I’ve done here, I realize that I am nearing the end of a bigger journey than just a semester abroad. I think about the day where I will leave Europe.

I know that the first question I will hear when I get off of the plane will be a very broad and very vague, “How was Ireland?”  To the person who asks, it will seem like the simplest question. To me, it will be the most complex and challenging to answer. One thing I know is that I have been forever changed by the last few months.

When I return home, it will not be the end of a journey, but the beginning of a new one. I will miss all the friends and memories that I leave behind, but I will welcome many new ones. I have taken risks I never thought I would and learned how to live with no regrets.

I have learned about the bad, the good and other things that make life so interesting and beautiful.

Florence, Italy

How can I articulate this?

How can I possibly explain the experience of studying abroad? There are the cliché, to-be-expected statements I could use, of course.

“It’s life changing!”, “It’s the time of my life!”, “I can’t believe I really live here!” But then, how can I convey to my audience that these statements couldn’t, in fact, be truer? You’ve heard it a million times from every single person you have ever spoken with that has studied abroad.

We all say the same thing. And yet, I don’t believe a single one of us has ever had the same experience.

Contributed Photo: Danielle Dickstein visiting the Exotic Gardens in Eze, France. Dickstein is living and studying in Florence, Italy, for the fall semester. Dickstein has also visited the concentration camps in Dachau, Germany.

I came to Florence, Italy, ready to study. I knew I wanted to travel, but to where? I had signed up to live in Italy for a reason. I wanted to be here. In this city. And I could not be happier with my choice of location.

The city is warm and welcoming, but is resilient in maintaining its authenticity despite the rate of tourism. But the travel bug always works its way in and I couldn’t resist.

Oktoberfest was a given first-trip to book. And as a birthday present from my parents, I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate my 21st birthday.

Having come for the first weekend of festivities, we were given the day on Friday to explore the city of Munich, Germany before the party began on Saturday. An early-lunch visit to the Hofbrähaus started the day off just right.

Contributed Photo: Dickstein at the Hofbrahaus Tent at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, during her study away in Europe.

Wandering around the streets of Munich, finding the best possible deal for a Dirndl, a traditional Alpine peasant costume, followed the lunch of roasted chicken, mixed meats, oversized pretzels and large steins.

We capped off Friday with a bike tour of the city, leading us from castle to church to castle, and finally to the English Gardens. Larger than New York’s Central Park, the gardens offer rolling greens and ripping waves in the man-made river for surfers to ride. The party that ensued the following day at the festival is certainly one for the books.

While the festival will forever be an experience I will never forget, the Sunday of my time in Munich was the most important of the weekend for me. Being raised in this era of advanced civilization, that I have been so fortunate to have been born into, there was no shortage of history lessons on the tragedy that was the Holocaust.

Sunday, my best friend and I explored the concentration camp in Dachau, Germany. While wandering the grounds, listening to audio clips of each location where we were currently standing, it strangely felt a little fake to me.

So much of this camp had been dismantled, that the replacement replicas of the bunks, and the conversion of the Central Maintenance Building, that once housed the prisoner’s kitchen, bath house, laundry, and workshops,  into a museum, has tarnished the aura of the campground.

We visited every site nonetheless, but it wasn’t until we came to the Crematorium and Gas Chambers that the chills set in. Original in its structure, the ovens and “shower” rooms remained untouched.

And suddenly, this was no longer a museum or memorial. This was the concentration camp that took innumerable lives.

I wasn’t sitting in a classroom, thousands of miles away, reading this in a textbook, even looking at photographs online. I was here, and the Grave of Ashes was at my feet.

If you asked me a few years ago if I thought this would be my current life, I would have responded with “Oh yeah, I wish!”

I have always loved traveling. There is a reality in new knowledge when you travel that simply can’t be read. But then again, I’ve always been more of a hands-on learner anyway.

Given the opportunity to study abroad, even if you don’t travel around, I would have to encourage anyone and everyone to do it.

As popular and cliché as it is, I have always felt St. Augustine’s quote to be utterly true and a resounding summation of the need to roam, that “the world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.”

I beg of any person even slightly considering this opportunity to pursue it.

I promise, you won’t regret it.