Ashley in Italy, Winter 2011 - Post 3

All I can say is WOW. I really had a great time in Florence this weekend. I learned that I like it better in Genoa but I still had a wonderful time. I like Genoa better because it has fewer tourists. Genoa allows me to use the Italian skills I am learning but there are so many things to do in Florence!

First we went to the Galleria degli Uffizi. It was beautiful. There were so many exhibits I don’t even think I saw them all. My favorite part was the ceiling. The whole thing was painted illustrating different ancient stories of gods, as well as other things. Unfortunately, pictures weren’t allowed, so I don’t have any.

Next we climbed the steps of the dome in Florence’s cathedral.  There are a total of 463 steps. I thought I would die before I reached the top, but the view made the climb so worth it. 

The view from the top of the Dome in Florence

Monika and Malaika in Australia, Winter 2011 - Post 3

Monika's Take on New Year's Eve in Australia:

For New Year’s Eve, we were encouraged to view the fireworks from Rushcutters Bay. At first I was not as excited to see the fireworks since we typically see them every year in the U.S. on July 4^th for Independence Day. But after receiving the picnic baskets with snacks and blankets, I was excited for the opportunity to bond with every student in the program and get to know each other better. We all walked together from our apartments in Newtown to the bay and enjoyed trying to figure out the route together on our own. When we finally arrived, we laid out the blankets, ate the snacks, and played a number of fun icebreakers. After the first round of fireworks at 9pm, we walked towards a DJ that was playing and started dancing on the lawn to techno-style Australian music. At that moment, I felt like we had truly immersed ourselves into the Australian culture. Later that evening, we took a taxicab to a local restaurant not realizing that the majority of the city stays out by the harbor to wait for the midnight fireworks. Since it was relatively empty, we decided to walk back towards the fireworks. After midnight, all of the roads became filled with thousands of people who were heading home. Since our feet started to hurt from all the walking, we decided to head home too. The journey back home was an experience that I will never forget. The trains were filled to capacity with everyone literally crawling onto each other just to find space to stand. Several people were angry and screamed at others to stop pushing. But I decided to yell out “Stop fighting! It’s New Years!” People around me started to laugh and smile, which led to everyone calming down. At that moment, I knew that 2011 was going to be a good year.

Photo taken by Malaika

Malaika's Take on New Year's Eve in Australia:

New Year's Eve in Sydney was different from the ways I have spent it before. It was different in good and bad ways. First I really enjoyed the walk along the coastline of Sydney's beaches in the beginning parts of the day. If I had been alone I would have sat up on a high cliff and reflected on my past year and the many new things to come in the New Year. Later in the day when the whole group got together and went down to Rushcutter's bay we had a good time together sitting the park on our blankets amongst the other thousands of fireworks viewers.  We laughed,a te and got to know each other better.The 9pm fireworks started and they were beautiful. I have not always been fascinated by fireworks, but I thought these were really nice.

The wait between the 9pm and midnight show was a long wait. Victoria and I went and walked to find food and pass time, and the rest of our group was splitting up with everybody wanting to go in different directions. Finally, at midnight the fireworks started and I got lots of pictures using a "continuous burst" setting I found I had on my camera that takes several pictures in a row when you just hold down the button. Once the show was over, the walk back to the train station amongst thousands of people was a bit crazy.

Although I'm used to being with family and friends on New Year's Eve and doing the countdown, I can still appreciate the experience of being in a different place and experiencing how another culture celebrates a universal holiday. This may not have been the most spectacular of celebrations, but it is definitely a memorable night because it was in Sydney, Australia. I will definitely share this experience with my friends in hopes that they may want to come to Australia as a group in the future and experience this together.  In conclusion, thus far the trip is proving to be an enriching experience. I have already learned so much about myself and my own culture in comparison to Sydney’s culture. I have so much that I will take away from this experience.

Stephany in China, Winter 2011 - Post 3

Beijing is certainly very different from Shanghai. Today we had the opportunity to see Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall of China. There seems to be many more sightseeing attractions in Beijing, but far fewer entertainment choices than in Shanghai. Our tour-guides said that if we want to see an 100 year old China, then visit Shanghai; but if you want to see a 500 year old China, then visit Beijing. All the stores in Beijing seem to close between 9 to 10 PM and we were warned that it isn’t safe to walk on our own after 10 PM in the city. In Shanghai, most of the stores were open till 11 PM or later and I felt very safe wandering the streets on my own during later hours. It’s interesting to see just how different these two huge Chinese cities can be.

We’ve had many class-related activities, from our visits to Accenture and Johnson & Johnson while in Shanghai, to our extreme amount of sightseeing in Beijing. The company visits gave us a lot of insight into just how diversified and complex the Chinese market is. It is impossible for a business to survive in the Chinese market if it is unable to adjust itself to appeal to the many segments within China. One of the greatest class-related activities was the “Shanghai Scavenger Hunt” where we had the opportunity to explore the city on our own within small groups. With the objective of visiting key locations and observing how business was conducted there, we were really able to observe and experience the Chinese marketplace firsthand. From this experience, we were forced to learn to navigate on our own, without the assistance of a tour guide. We were also able to observe the differences and similarities between marketing and advertisement in both countries. All this information will be highly useful to our final presentation on this upcoming Friday.  In addition, by simply exploring on our own, I feel we were able to pick up some important survival skills for the next time we’re in a foreign country. 

Ashley in Italy, Winter 2011 - Post 2

I have spent one full week in Genoa, Italy, studying the Italian language and learning about Italian culture. So far this is one of the most wonderful and exciting experiences I have ever had. I love the food. I love the people. I love the stories. I just love everything about this city. 

I have made 8 new friends. We are all bonding through this experience. We are learning more and more about each other every day. I hope we all remain friend once we return to Maryland and resume our regular schedules. Maybe we will have dinner once in a while. 

My professors are wonderful and I am learning a lot. I hope to have a functional Italian conversation before I leave. Signora Branchiforte and Signora Amedeo (my professors) have different teaching styles, but they are both very helpful in different ways. Signore Branchiforte knows a lot about the history of Genoa. I feel like she knows everything. Whenever we are in a museum or a church she can answer any questions we have. I have seen a lot of Genoa in this first week and I am excited to see more in the coming weeks. This weekend I will take a train to Florence, Italy. I am really excited to see the museums and eat the food.

Monika in Australia, Winter 2011 - Post 2

On December 27^th, I finally boarded the plane for Sydney, Australia! I was excited to experience warmer weather but I was already starting to feel homesick during the plane ride. I knew absolutely no one on the plane, I was exhausted, and I couldn’t find a comfortable sleeping position. So, all I wanted to do was just head back home. But fortunately enough, I’ve been able to completely adjust to the Australian culture, forge new friendships, and feel like I’m at home in this beautiful city of Sydney.

             

As an American-born citizen, I personally do not find it to be difficult to adjust to the Australian culture. Sydney’s transportation system and economy compare quite similarly to the United States. Furthermore, the lack of a language barrier makes it even easier for English-speaking Americans to feel comfortable traveling on their own in Australia. But I have noticed a few remarkable differences between Australia and the United States. First of all, the local Australians appear to be extremely friendly and have often helped us when we’ve been lost. Secondly, the Australian land and ocean water are considerably cleaner. I was amazed by the bright blue tones of the water that I saw while hiking from Coogee to Bondi Beach. Lastly, as our coordinator mentioned on the first day, the country has a healthier economy system. The Australian dollar currently holds a strong value, the government budget is in surplus, and the income levels of working citizens are all relatively stable.

Even though I haven’t found it to be difficult to adjust to the Australian culture, it was initially challenging to feel comfortable with the students in the Australian Performance program. I typically am a shy, reserved person around those whom I meet for the first time. But I was surprised by how easily I was able to open up to others in the program on the first day. I found myself holding long conversations and taking numerous pictures with people who were essentially strangers. But my ability to open up must have arisen from the fact that all students in the program were also strangers to each other and were experiencing the same exact uneasiness that I was feeling.

 I was also surprised by my ability to completely immerse myself into the Australian culture. My friends in the program and I have been approaching numerous Australian locals just to talk to them and get a better idea of their perspectives on Americans, or “yanks” as they like to call us. We’ve also been traveling on our own quite a bit and figuring out Sydney’s bus routes and train station stops. Lastly, I’ve even tried to eat and dress like an Australian. I tried Kangaroo meat for the first time on Wednesday and I also bought a top with a distinct style that I’ve only seen worn in Australia.

Even though I spent fourteen hours on the plane ride to Sydney doubting my decision to study abroad in Australia, I wish I could stay in Australia for an entire semester. This past week has been filled with so many unforgettable experiences and I am looking forward to spending these next two weeks in Sydney with my new friends.