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Voices From Abroad
Photos courtesy of USAC
Collegian Travel & Adventure Magazine
Spring/Summer 2005 |
Heredia, Costa Rica: Fall 2004, Story by Krista Roberts
I stepped off of a plane into a whole new world not knowing what to expect, but only knowing one thing-all of the sudden the faces around me were unfamiliarly darker and the words spoken were not the same language I had grown accustomed to using for the last 20 years of my life, and wait, were those monkeys in that palm tree?
I had arrived in Heredia, a small city directly outside the capital of Costa Rica. Even though from the moment I stepped off the plane I knew I could count on a semester full of fun and traveling, I had no clue just how much learning these four months would provide.
My new mom and little brother took me home from the airport and said the line you would expect to hear in this situation, ‘mi casa es su casa.’ Something about the way she said it was so sincere. My family spoke no English, which was incredibly intimidating at first, but soon my mom and I were talking long hours as any mother and daughter should.
From my house I would walk every morning to the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica for class with the 40 other students in the program sponsored by USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium). Sure classes were a challenge, 18 units all ‘en español,’ including my personal favorite: Salsa dancing. However the real learning came outside of class. I went to Costa Rica to learn language and culture; instead I ended up learning so much more about myself.
All of a sudden I was thrust into a completely different culture that is defined by going out, dancing marangue on the shores of paradise, and enjoying everything the ‘pura vida’ has to offer. I had no parents, no RAs, nobody to enforce the rules in my life. Just me, God, and my integrity. I was away from all my fabulous friends who were either still on the Westmont campus, or experiencing their own off-campus adventure.
Thank God for emails and friends who care enough to keep in touch across the many miles. As I said, it wasn’t easy, but during this time my faith was stretched and has now been made so much stronger. My Spanish has increased about a hundred times; I have learned history and culture, and the joys of dancing. I’ve accumulated new friends and fun memories - from cliff diving into waterfalls, to snorkeling in the crystal clear Caribbean waters.
However, the greatest benefit of being abroad was breaking out of the routine, comfortable life, where we often forget to stop, reflect, and ask questions.
My advice to you: Go abroad; shake things up a little bit! I wouldn’t trade this last semester for anything! |
Turin, Italy: 2004-05, Story by Jeb Scicluna
I have visited many of the Olympic sites around Turin and there are many new and innovative changes as the city breaths the air of brotherhood, loyalty, and participation. It certainly is neat to be here now to feel the growing emotion as the Games approach.
Turin's deep Italian culture, friendly international spirit, snow covered Alps that blast into the sky,
history and city art make it a choice place to host the Games. And when it comes to gelato and food, Italy doesn't mess around. Yet, strangely there isn't much snow in the Turin area, so the students have been venturing out to the North Italian Alps in the Vale D'Aosta to ski Cervinia at the foot of the Mattahorn. I participated in a couple snowboard competitions to pretend being in the Italian Olympics... one being a slope style (combination of kickers, funboxes, and rails) competition in Cervinia on a team with 3 other Italians where we took 2nd place.
The Alps here in Italy are amazing. What I mean is that the views are panoramic, widescreen, crystal clear, high definition, surround sound, bellissimo. Yet I won't flatter you... Torino is industrious and the air here isn't like Lake Tahoe (the snow either, so we hear and cry over). Even though the Alps penetrate the clouds around Torino, we see them only after a windy day clears up the sky. However, the new architecture projects to house the 2006 Olympic Games are incredible. Most impressing is the Olympic half pipe.... Perfectly carved into the ground reinforced with dirt, small rebar, netting and chain linked fence-just beautiful dirt art, closed to the public to stay fresh for the 2006 games. Most importantly, there are a lot of awesome students studying in Torino, we represent the hometown and radiate our country’s love here and definitely have come to appreciate the multitude of blessings you are all surrounded by in the USA. |
| Established in 1982, the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) is a consortium of 30 U.S. universities, and provides 35 quality study abroad programs in 24 countries including intensive language and full curriculum programs. Month, summer, semester and yearlong programs include field trips, university credit, small classes, numerous housing arrangements, scholarships, and internships. USAC currently sends more than 2,000 students abroad each year with students coming from over 650 universities worldwide. Visit our website at http://usac.unr.edu to see the latest news and information about our programs. Request a catalog, apply online, and read more student essays. |
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