Coming back more confident, more outspoken, more insightful

As the end is approaching of my study abroad, all I can say is how blessed I am to have experienced and seen everything I have seen. I now can say that I’m coming back as a better version of myself. During the past couple of weeks, I traveled to Taiwan and Japan, countries I never in my life thought I was going to ever be able to see. The sights, the people — the experience — was perfect.

My experience in the classroom has been as impactful as my experience outside of it. In my North Korean human rights class, as well as my social change class, we have an hour of class per week dedicated to discussion. In my North Korean human rights class, we consider global situations and put them into perspective considering North Korea.

During my class discussions we form mixed groups. And so my group is a mixture of Korean, American and Japanese students. Hearing their opinions and perspectives is interesting. Even If I do not agree with their position, it’s interesting to hear their reasoning as to why they think the way they do. Due to members being shy about speaking English out loud, I become the spokesperson of the group and that’s powerful.

Relaying others’ opinions about serious topics has definitely improved my public speaking skills and my confidence. It also has made me become aware of my lack of knowledge of political and crucial events that have happened.

As for my social change class, we examine sociological patterns and students present on a question posed by the professor. It makes me critically think of things I take for granted. During our last class, the question “Why is inequality growing?” was posed. Inequality is something I know is present but never thought of reasons for it myself. It made combine what I’ve learned in all of my classes and think about it as being something bigger than myself.

I’ve learned from my time here how often we restrict ourselves from exploring and learning more. There are topics such as the Civil Rights Movement that I thought I knew everything about. Turns out I don’t. I’m doing an in-depth analysis with a group of Korean students comparing the American Civil Rights Movement to South Africa’s Apartheid. I was amazed at how little in-depth information I knew. And so my class challenged me to learn more of something I thought I knew everything about.

As for my travels, I did a solo trip to Taiwan. I didn’t realize how little worth I put on myself until this trip. I enjoyed being by myself and learning how to use the metro system, getting lost and finding and spotting some of the most gorgeous sights I’ve ever seen in my life. The details of the temples I visited intrigued me, as to every single one of them meant something.

The week following Taiwan, I visited Japan. The places I visited in Japan reconnected me to nature. Japan merges history, nature and city life beautifully — I need to go back and visit other cities! I’m sad to leave soon, but I feel good as I’ve done everything I wanted to do and experienced everything I wanted to. I became best friends with my Korean roommate (which I’m definitely crying for at the end) and met people from all over the world whom I can now call my friends. It would be a lie to say that I might see all of them again, and so instead I’m saying, I’m grateful to have gotten to know each person and their story.

I’m coming back to the United States more confident, more outspoken, and with an insightful and curious mind ready to question more of what surrounds me. I also gained 30 pounds here, and so that’s a personal souvenir I’m bringing back :D I know BU is finishing the fall semester, but the semester ends late here and so I will depart the beautiful land of South Korea on Dec. 22. I will definitely come back, but this time with family and friends. The places I’ve visited are stunning, but the memory is more meaningful when shared with those you love.

If I hadn’t chosen Bloomsburg as my undergraduate institution, I wouldn’t have had this life-changing experience; and so I’m eternally grateful for the donors of all the scholarships I received to make this happen.

— Liz Hernandez, a health sciences and sociology dual major, is studying abroad this fall in South Korea at Korea University in Sejong, studying such topics as North Korean socio-culture and human rights, as well immersing herself in the Korean culture such as experiencing Chuseok and learning to cook japchae.

#HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU #BloomOnward #HuskyUnleashed #BloomUpward

Spectacular views and a few tears

We’re getting close to midterms here. And since my last blog, I’ve had the most fun and rich learning experiences in my life. It’s been over a month since my landing, and I can truly say I’m coming back to BU a little different. Three typhoons have passed by Korea — the rainy weather reminded me of Bloomsburg, so I haven't been homesick 😂 … but the typhoons haven't stopped me from experiencing Korea.

I’m part of a travel club, and we traveled to Jeonju in late September. We stayed in a traditional Korean house, in a Hanok Village with houses dating back to 600 years ago. It was a humbling experience to sleep in such a historic house and town.

My club dressed in traditional Korean clothing called hanbok and walked around the town. I felt like a princess, and it was so fun — all of the guys dressed up as girls. After returning to the university the following week, I fully grasped how to read in Korean. I’m still a bit slow at it, but I’m proud of my progress. I think being in a setting where I don’t fully understand what people are saying has made me become a better listener.

Back in the states, I was told by my friends I spoke too much about myself and that was something I wanted to work at to become a better person. My experience here has given me just that. I have to listen more closely to other people to find a few words that I know in Korean. Also, because I want to get to know my fellow Korean classmates more, I ask them more about their life and minimize my talking about myself. This personal growth is going to allow me to be a better physician assistant for my patients.

The day before heading to Jeonju we took a trip to the Independence Hall and the Gakwonsa Temple. The Independence Hall ignited my love for history. I knew so little of the colonization of Japan and of the atrocities they committed to the Korean people, I felt ignorant, but I’m glad I became more informed. Following the museum, we headed to the Gakwonsa Temple where I vowed to the Buddha three times and felt an immense sense of peacefulness. My trip made me realize I love culture and history. I’ve always been interested in museums but did not think it was love but rather an interest. My experience is making me consider pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology after I establish my career as a physician assistant. The world has so much to offer for me to just stop learning after graduate school. And so my conquest on expanding my knowledge continues.

Just last week, I visited the majestic and beautiful Jeju Island along with my Korean roommate. I got the opportunity to eat dinner with a 할머니, an elder Korean grandmother my roommate knew, and truly experience the seafood cuisine Jeju offered. The views were so spectacular, I shed a few tears.

Part of Jeju Island still is Udo — a smaller island only 10 minutes by boat from Jeju to reach. When there I went to a lighthouse, it took forever to get up there and the day was super windy too. Fighting through the wind and exhaustion, we made it. I saw the whole island of Udo from that standpoint. That is something I never in my life thought I would be able to see. The view from the lighthouse made me realize why I want to become a physician assistant. I wasn’t completely sure of my career path before this experience, but now I am. I want to become a physician assistant to give people health and the opportunity for them to see what I saw that day.

The natural beauty of nature and the peacefulness of the sea was soothing, made me forget I was even studying abroad. We’re always bombarded by social media and are in a rush to do things because of our busy schedules. But what I’ve realized is that it’s okay to disconnect from that world and go into another. Life is really short and it’s hard to do everything you want to do, but if you just value yourself a little more, you’ll know a little time.

PS: Update on my chopstick skills: An elderly Korean woman complimented me on my chopstick skills. Remember I was a beginner? A Korean told me I'm good — so I'm basically a pro now 😎

— Liz Hernandez, a health sciences and sociology dual major, is studying abroad this fall in South Korea at Korea University in Sejong, studying such topics as North Korean socio-culture and human rights, as well immersing herself in the Korean culture such as experiencing Chuseok and learning to cook japchae.

#HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU #BloomOnward #HuskyUnleashed #BloomUpward

Japchae with a touch of Chuseok

It's been almost two weeks since I’ve landed in South Korea, and it already feels like I’ve been here forever! After stepping outside at the airport, I was hit by high humidity which my straightened curly hair did not like. It did not hit me that I was across the other side of the globe until I saw signs everywhere in Korean, a foreign language I only know a little bit of.

I’m staying at Korea University-Sejong campus in the university dormitories and have two Korean roommates. The university is located in a rural setting, and so the locals don’t speak much English. I found this out when going to the market for the first time; this is a unique experience for me to dive in another language. This will surely be a challenge, but I’m ready to take on this language barrier.

Bloomsburg prepared me to be fearless.

My roommates are so welcoming and informative. I’ve not experienced culture shock, because I’ve made an effort to ask my Korean friends on how to be polite to others and not be disrespectful. Elders are extremely respected here, so much that there are two different ways of talking — formal and informally, all of the endings are completely different for both. It’s been a great learning experience so far. Academic wise, I’m taking a North Korean socio-culture and human rights class with other South Koreans and though classes just started, it’s been really interesting.

I have a short week this week, it’s Thanksgiving here and so we don’t have class Thursday Sept.12 and Friday, Sept. 13. Thanksgiving this year will be celebrated on Friday, Sept. 13. It’s called Chuseok, and it’s not celebrated like in the United States. In my South Korean culture class, we learned that in Chuseok (literally meaning Autumn Eve) South Koreans thank their ancestors and celebration for the bountiful harvest.

I’ve already learned so much about the customs here, and I’m pushed out of my comfort zone every day. I will be visiting a Korean folk village and the DMZ with my class and will be visiting temples and palaces on my own, which I’m super excited for. I love history, and I know the Asian continent is full of it along with hundreds of years’ worth of traditions.

I’ll also be cooking japchae, a Korean noodle dish! Something I’m not used to yet here is the spiciness of the food. The food is so delicious, but every meal has a spicy component (or is spicy itself), which I’ve not completely adjusted to yet. I hope to become accustomed to this and a pro at using chopsticks by the end of my stay here. I’ve never used chopsticks in America, weird right? Chopsticks are used for everything here, even to eat fried chicken.

— Liz Hernandez, a health sciences and sociology dual major, is studying abroad this fall in South Korea at Korea University in Sejong, studying such topics as North Korean socio-culture and human rights, as well immersing herself in the Korean culture such as experiencing Chuseok and learning to cook japchae.

#HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU #BloomOnward #HuskyUnleashed #BloomUpward

Chernobyl Tour

When we awakened after our first night in Kiev, it was dark. The tour begins at 8 o’clock, breakfast is served at 7, so naturally, we awakened at 6. After chowing down on some wonderful hotel-given food (and coffee… so much coffee), we boarded the bus headed toward the most damaging nuclear accident in history: Chernobyl.

Our extremely helpful tour guides, Tania and Anastasia, presented to us a brief safety talk, as well as some history of the site.

One of our first stops was to the abandoned kindergarten in the exclusion zone: Kopachi Kindergarten. The inside of the building is eerie. It was so clearly lived in, only to be totally abandoned. Dolls are left out of place, some half-buried in the dirt in the front garden; some pensively looking through the dirt-covered window. Posters teaching the Cyrillic alphabet falling off the wall; open books teaching basic grammar like a Soviet Jack and Jane.

After a wonderful lunch consisting of potato soup and roasted chicken, we delved further into the exclusion zone. It is important to note that the radiation endured through the tour was only marginally above the background radiation experienced just through everyday life. There are, however, hotspots scattered throughout that our guides pointed out and led us through unscathed. The highest amount of radiation we encountered was in Pripyat, the abandoned town close by, which will be discussed a little later. The tour led us 200 meters away from the reactor, well within what 30 years ago would be deadly to stand in for as long as we did, but the cleaning crews following the meltdown has reduced the radiation in the area back to safe levels.

Below is a picture of me standing that 200 meters away, the reactor itself is covered by an absolutely massive complex that is the largest moveable structure in the world. The reason for its mobility was for the safety of the crew who constructed it; the length of time it took to build would have dosed the workers with lethal doses of radiation relatively quickly, which doesn’t look good in reports. The Soviet Union or any following governmental institutions have avoided releasing any studies on the full casualties of the accident, but estimates place the victims at well over 10,000 people that later died of cancer and other complications due to high radiation intake.

After our visit to the reactor, we made our way to the abandoned city of Pripyat.

The Soviet leaders neglected to tell the inhabitants of this worker’s town for three days following the accident, and additionally led them to believe that the city would be inhabitable in the not too distant future. Alas, thirty years on and human life is still no fully sustainable in Pripyat, its abandoned buildings slowly falling apart from decades of neglect; an eerie reminder of the lives its inhabitants left behind.

The most famous attraction within Pripyat is the abandoned amusement park in the center of the city. Ironically, the park was never officially open, it was set to be unveiled five days after the accident. It’s rusted ferris wheel and carousel now lie rusted and totally unused, containing the most radioactive areas of the exclusion zone and the tour. The background radiation within the exclusion zone was approximately 0.3 µSv/hr. A piece of debris on the bottom of one of the carriages of the wheel measured in at over 500 µSv/hr.

As a physics major, I found the tour of Chernobyl quite enlightening. It shows that even the best of intentions and discoveries can be warped by power-hungry megalomaniacs. This accident has placed a stigma upon nuclear fission power plants as being unpredictable, but as long as the safety measures are all in place (the Soviet scientists had turned them off at the time of the accident), it is by far the cleanest form of energy we currently have. Unfortunately, the horrible result of this plant’s meltdown has permanently tainted the view of this form of power.

— Andrew Clickard, a freshman mathematics and physics dual major, is studying abroad this winter for four weeks in Eastern and Central Europe, taking trips to the Schindler's Factory, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Auschwitz Concentration Camp. #HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU

Auschwitz Tour

I’m not exactly sure what I should say about Auschwitz. To read about the Holocaust is one thing; visiting a memorial is another. But standing in the place in which over a million people suffered and died… It’s difficult to put that feeling into words.

I suppose it is a sort of melancholy sonder. The realization that every single one of those 1.1 million was a life just as complex as my own, only to be snuffed out as if they were nothing. I don’t know. That is the best description I can think of right now.

I could not bring myself to take photos of the camp, it just felt wrong. And frankly, photos would not do it justice anyway. Being witness to a room filled with 40,000 pairs of shoes is incomparable to viewing an image of the same room. Seeing a literal ton of human hair, shaved off upon entry to the camp to be used in textiles, cannot be conveyed meaningfully in a photograph.

I think that this tour is the one that affected me the most of all. And that seems to be the consensus within the larger group as well. It was a very quiet bus-ride back home to Dom Profesorski, everyone felt the heaviness of the atmosphere at Auschwitz; the pain that racism from an authority figure can dole out; the result of bystanderdom and fear under oppression.

— Andrew Clickard, a freshman mathematics and physics dual major, is studying abroad this winter for four weeks in Eastern and Central Europe, taking trips to the Schindler's Factory, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Auschwitz Concentration Camp. #HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU

Laughs, pasta and really sweet crepes

Thanksgiving went by smoother than I anticipated. I knew it would be tough to spend the first major holiday away from my family, but it helped that I was in a country that didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, as well as being surrounded by amazing people.

Although most of the students on my flat are not from the United States, they all shared in our tradition the next day, and we all went out for a nice deal in town for Friendsgiving. It was a night full of laughs, pasta and really sweet crepes. It’s hard to believe time has gone by so quickly, but I know that’s because I’m enjoying myself so much.

I’ve realized some new things about myself, but those were mostly trying out new things, etc. In the last few weeks, I’ve realized why being abroad on your own can bring such a fundamental change within people; it’s because you’re forced to be by yourself at times when you would usually have people.

To hear out the thoughts you had been putting off for months. You’re forced to do things on your own you never had to do by yourself. At one point during the summer I did not think I would be able to come to England, because I was battling health issues. I overcame those and was able to come, but I found myself feeling sick one late evening and was forced to go to the hospital by myself. I ended up going on a 40 pound ($50) taxi adventure, because I first went to a private hospital that I could not be seen at only to end up at a hospital I might’ve had to pay out of pocket for. All at 1 a.m. But I didn’t have a choice or someone to hold my hand, I had to do it. I was forced to experience that, and I hope I’ll grow from realizing how grateful I am to have people by my side during difficult times. That’s the beautiful thing about being abroad, life pushes you a little harder and you’re forced to grow.


— Elayne Che, a junior psychology major, is studying abroad this fall at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. #HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU

Education in England

The most intriguing and important part of studying abroad is, of course, the ‘studying’ part. Coming to a whole new country also means being introduced to a whole new education system. I have undoubtedly been challenged, confused, but also infused with excitement to retain all of this new information in a different format.

My main course of studies at the University of Essex, in Colchester, England, are Performance and Communications, so under this umbrella I took one theatre class, Models of Practice, a literature and drama class, Origins and Transformations of Literature and Drama, and a media class, Approaches to Film and Media. As a mental health advocate, I also wanted to venture into the mental health views in England, and I also purely wanted to learn more about it, so I took a psychology class, Emotion.

The structures England has for education, at least the part of England the University of Essex is in, is based on a very independent learning style. There is significantly less coursework, and no strategic attendance policy. The general term for the class as a whole is a “module.”

The module is set up into two different halves: one is a lecture, of which, every other lecture a different professor will be presenting their area of expertise, and the other half is called a “class,” which is very similar to our general teaching/learning style: one professor, and 30 or less students in a more laid-back, personalized session. A student generally has one lecture and one class every week, but as aforementioned, attendance is not as eminent as it is in most of the Uni’s here in the States.

Some professors can, however, count attendance as a percentage of the module, most likely if it's a class like Theatre, where participation is imperatively necessary. Further on, when attending the class, the student has to “tap in,” which means to wave their student ID card on a black sensor in the room to track their attendance.

Lastly, just to share some fun facts about the finals week here in England: We have almost no quizzes/tests throughout the semester, just one approximately 10 page research essay, and a two-hour exam during their finals week. Again, professors can add a test or coursework here and there, but it's only one to two times within the semester, for revision purposes … and that’s another positively intriguing thing: they don’t say “study” here, they say “revise” like “I have so much revision to do for exams” etc!

In totality, I have found this way of education to be so lovely and refreshing, but also very stressful. I felt as if I had so much more time on my hands, with how their scheduling was and the less coursework/attention to attendance, but I also felt very behind in my studying mostly because this independent way of education is very self-management heavy. I relentlessly learned how to stop procrastinating more (but not completely, of course, I’m still the average college student), and how to put more pride and enjoyment into what I am learning.

England has honestly been so encouraging to not merely remember material, but to actually retain it and believe in, or even challenge, what is being taught.

— Emel Rasim, a junior theatre arts major, is studying abroad this fall at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. #HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU

Something's different, just may be me?

When I first stepped outside the airport into the English air I was … surprised.

It wasn’t what I expected. I expected to feel a significant difference that would mark the beginning of my adventure abroad. I was disappointed, but that was all soon forgotten as I took in the London streets as they swooshed by through my Uber window.

I told myself later on that it was silly to think the air would be different, and that didn’t take away from the fact London was beautiful and worthy of happy tears. Three weeks later, I’m walking home with my friends one evening and notice something; the air.

It was different, somehow. It dawned on me perhaps it wasn’t the air that was different at all, but rather myself.

I’ve been in England for a little over a month now. Although it feels like I just got here, it also feels like I’ve been here forever. I’m still finding new things to ponder over, while I’m hanging out with people who can pass as lifelong friends.

I have learned so much about myself in such a short amount of time, it’s somewhat baffling. I’ve faced hardships that made me wish I could book a ticket home. I found out I actually really like coffee after years of believing I could only stand it in Frappe form. I’ve gained unconventional friendships and unfortunately lost some in the process.

And to my surprise, found what I believe I want to pursue after graduation.

I was so nervous to come abroad and leave everything I felt comfortable with behind, but I’m more thankful I did with every day that passes. I’m thankful I didn’t run home when things got difficult, because now I’m surrounded by amazing individuals and learning incredible things.

— Elayne Che, a junior psychology major, is studying abroad this fall at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. #HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU

Wanderlust tamed in England

I have always loved traveling with my family, but this year I am experiencing it for the first time independently! From the gorgeous views, to the complicated reality of traveling, I am reveling in it all! I come from a very cultural background, while also being first-generation American, but I wanted to venture out and discover some nuances in this vast world.

London

Spending about four days in London, the capital of the country, has opened my eyes in a tremendous way- I am in utter awe from its culture. Living in Brixton, through the lovely AirBnB I booked, I met very intriguing people, and was in the center of street art and urban life of the younger generations. Venturing out to Central London, my eyes were dry from not being able to miss a second of the views: the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, the Seven Dials Shopping Centre, Piccadilly Circus area, and the British Museum. I took a risk and had some adventures to find the less well known but yet still incredibly intriguing parts of London such as Neal’s Yard; the pub covered in flowers from floor to ceiling, The Churchill Arms; the extravagant luxurious hotel, the St. Pancras International.

Lastly, regarding my career track, I took on new adventures in London. I enrolled in screen actor workshops at The Actors’ Centre in Covent Garden. I got further information about the differences between acting for the stage, and acting for the screen. I was actually incredibly blessed to be able to get perspectives of other acting instructors than the ones I was used to in the U.S. I also saw what was probably the most hilarious mistake-driven show ever- The Play That Goes Wrong. Internationally known, but native to London, this show takes any and every mistake possible with the technical and actor elements of a theatre production, and creates a hilarious show about it! There was the stage manager that ended up filling in for an actor, some props getting lost and sets breaking, the actor constantly wanting the spotlight, and so many more hilarious stereotypical things that can go wrong- and they made it go so right!

Finally, three trains and a bus later, I got myself into what the University of Essex calls, “Freshers Week.” Tune in to the BU Blog in a few weeks, when I share a little bit about the education system in England!

To me, it is a privilege to see and capture the beauty in this world...

— Emel Rasim, a junior theatre arts major, is studying abroad this fall at the University of Essex in Colchester, England. #HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU

Captain’s log, Day 3: Last day in Budapest

Dorm rooms at the University of Pécs. Way cool.

It’s our last breakfast at the hotel so we make it count: eggs on eggs on eggs, yogurt with mad granola, and a heaping slab of the coldest of cuts. A few of us headed to the market to buy hand-carved chess sets before the long drive to Pécs.

Time for the drive. We bustle in to spacious luxury shuttles equipped with Wi-Fi and fueled with love, and we start our trek to a new home. The drive is a sea of hills and fields, grassy knolls, and it looks like something out of Toy Story. “Picturesque, to say the least,” reports Dan. We stop at a gas station along the way to stock up on grapes, the loveliest fruit in the land. Nick buys a pastry that turns out to be an undercover steak, but he’ll live. (We hope)

Dr. Zsuzsanna Schnell showing us all the cool historical stuff in Pécs.

Entering Pécs. Sarah scours the streets for dogs, or “good boys,” as she’s taken to calling them. We’re surrounded by hills lush with greenery and beautiful architecture. We get to the dorm building, our home for the rest of the trip, and slog our luggage up the stairs like worker ants vigorously transporting bread to their anthill.

It feels like college move-in week all over again, but without any stress or responsibility. We make the discovery that our windows open up in a way that allows us to hang out on the roof and talk between rooms, all the while staring at the gorgeous city ahead of us. The Box has truly blessed us on this day. Amen.

We decide to get a taste of the city with a visit to a local cafeteria, where the food is unfamiliar and the language barrier is strong, but we press forward with valor and might. Next up is a tour of the city with Dr. Zsuzsanna Schnell, professor at the University of Pécs and celebrity superstar from our past semester’s “COIL” course (Jamie maybe insert link to your article here). We visit more places than we can remember, mosques made into churches, cathedrals, fountains, and a wall of locks.

See the umbrellas – an amazing ice cream joint called, Ciao Bella Cukrászda.

Most of the locks represent a couple pledging their love to one another, but we can already tell that we’ll be needing to leave one for the city of Pécs at the end of our journey. After the tour, we all felt the same: a strong desire for ice cream.

“Not just any ice cream, but soft, creamy… soul-saving goodness… that you can just suck in… I can’t talk about it anymore,” raves Dan, who has been steadily consuming cones ever since. While attempting to prevent Dan from getting another scoop, we have a long chat about the trip, our thoughts so far, and the truth about the moon landing. Before we pack up for the night, a Pécs student named Justin takes us to a local grocery store to stock up on food for the week ahead. Sarah continues scanning the premises for good boys. We return to the dorm, where Dan and Nick engage in a violent battle of mental warfare on their newly purchased chess sets.

Like the wise Mr. Miyagi before him, Nick teaches Stew how to play, and sets him on a path of destruction the likes of which has never before been witnessed. Dr. P, our father, reminds us to write this blog, so we decide to play cards instead. All goes well, and by the end of the game our throats are raw from screaming at each other like jackals in the night.

Finally, we sit down together to write the blog. Truth be told, we were dreading doing anything that resembled work, but after we started, we just couldn’t stop. All of our fun memories came back to us like scorned lovers, and if our laughter could be translated into written words (in Hungarian), we would outsell Shakespeare himself (though he might not be very popular here).

Days since Sarah has last pet a dog: 3.

Led by Christopher Podeschi, associate professor of sociology, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent 10 days in Hungary this summer studying first-hand the Hungarian culture, history and identity. The study abroad trip was part of Podeschi's spring collaborative online international learning course, Seminar on Identity and Locality, which included videoconferencing during the semester with a class from the University of Pecs. The abroad experience also featured visits to Budapest and a rural Hungarian community that provided social and cultural context explored during class discussion earlier in the spring.    #CollaborativeLearning #HuskySummer #HuskyAbroad

Not too shabby Budapest

Us at dinner, still happy because the check had not yet arrived.

We had an early start to our day, because we had to meet a professor for a historical tour of different residential areas of Budapest. We all had breakfast at the hotel and were rather surprised to see a platter of sandwich meat available at the buffet. After breakfast we got on a really nice minibus with Dr. Marianna Nagy from the Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary.

She took us to three different residential areas and connected each to the history of Hungary and Hungary today. It also provided us the opportunity to see daily Hungarian life up close and take note of things like socioeconomic class differences and how class-based segregation is not as pronounced in some Budapest neighborhoods as it is in the U.S.

Dr. Nagy schooling us about Hungary’s history and identity
under communism, while we visit a residential
neighborhood built during the communist era.

Dan and Nick jumped off the bus a couple times, the second time for good. Dan wasn’t feeling well so they went rogue in Budapest and saw a Holocaust museum and walked until Dan felt better.

After seeing the residential areas we went to the Zwack Museum to learn about a Zwack Unicum, a beverage that is key to Hungarian identity. After that the whole group reconvened at the Central Market Hall on the south end of downtown Budapest near the Danube. It’s a beautiful old indoor market place with many restaurants and vendors selling fruits, meats, vegetables and, traditional crafts.

Later we took the bus and trolley back up to the Parliament building for a tour, specially arranged by one of our gracious hosts, Virag Rab. The facade of the parliament was grand and ornate and the interior was equally so. The pictures tell the tale here. The couches were a century old and still comfortable! They felt like trampolines! There were also cigar holders near the windows in the hall outside of the main chamber of Parliament . . . they had to leave their cigars outside the main chamber in a numbered slot for only their cigar.

Central Market Hall near the Danube on the south end of downtown Budapest

Dr. Podeschi let us choose where to eat for dinner, and we chose to have dessert first. While eating our dessert, we avoided a really bad rainstorm. Then Dr. Podeschi left us to our own devices while he went looking for souvenirs for his family. After a tumultuous discussion of where to eat we decided on an American-style restaurant (don’t worry – we’ve been sampling authentic Hungarian fare!).

 The food was amazing and we all loved it. We were having a nice time at dinner, covering various topics (e.g., Sarah informed us that whales sleep vertically and that horrifies her). Then the check came. We should have touched The Box beforehand. It would perhaps have been easier for us to fly an airliner home than split this bill sensibly. We headed back toward the hotel in three groups, one hailing from the East, one rising from sea, and one departing from the Trolley. We all finally found dad (Dr. P) at the appointed bus stop and made it safely back to the hotel.

Thank The Box! Amen.

The view from the Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsébet híd in Hungarian) as we walked back to the hotel. Not too shabby Budapest.

Led by Christopher Podeschi, associate professor of sociology, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent 10 days in Hungary this summer studying first-hand the Hungarian culture, history and identity. The study abroad trip was part of Podeschi's spring collaborative online international learning course, Seminar on Identity and Locality, which included videoconferencing during the semester with a class from the University of Pecs. The abroad experience also featured visits to Budapest and a rural Hungarian community that provided social and cultural context explored during class discussion earlier in the spring.    #CollaborativeLearning #HuskySummer #HuskyAbroad

Sociology trip to Hungary starts with a box, ends with a community

Standing around The Box at this point, waiting for one more traveler

We literally stood around a box as though it were a sacred artifact while we waited to get our tickets and go through security at Philadelphia International Airport. From that point on, The Box became pretty important. Everyone was safely at the airport, and we were all through security and waiting at the gate without any hitches or problems. This worried Dr. Podeschi. Things were going too smoothly. But then they didn’t. Our flight was delayed and we were relieved (right?). We felt like something bad needed to happen, and a small bad is a good bad. Or perhaps we angered The Box. Time will tell.

Waiting out flight delay in Philadelphia

During the delay, airline personnel continuously called for Schmidt, Lazerhead, and Jealousy over the intercom. We’re sure of only two of these names, but that doesn’t matter. The second will always be Lazerhead. Anyway, we assume these three are now dead (or missed their flight or decided to not go to Madrid).

Now the real traveling. Dan's attempt to join the first class passengers was rebuffed. Dan and Sarah attempted to befriend the flight attendance and were rejected. She was all business. And a stranger slept on Katie's shoulder. Jackie slept in an odd, no . . . worrying position. Sam did not (sleep, that is). Once off the plane, we reconvened around and touched The Box to show proper respect (as one does).

 Then, thanks to The Box we got our luggage quickly. Nick must not have really been feeling it when he touched the box because he mistakenly withdrew a lot of Hungarian money on accident (let’s just say that if it were 1989 he could have bought a small house in the Budapest suburbs - literally). Same with Katie and Andrea: they learned a tough lesson about currency exchange. Inexplicably, Megan felt her exchange was fair. Hmmm. Perhaps she had a special connection to The Box.

On to the Hotel Jagello, on the lovely and hilly Buda side of Budapest. One group was on a shuttle to the hotel in silence and fear. The driving was a little more aggressive in Hungary than what we're used to. Members of the other group thought that Dr. Podeschi planted an undercover sociologist as their driver, because the conversation was so cool and interesting.

Going to meet Bertalan for a tour of Budapest

Once we arrived at the hotel we paired up and entered our rooms. Stew ran into an issue when he couldn't figure out how to turn on any of the lights in his room. He managed to relieve himself in the dark without too much trouble (or mess). Then Dr. Podeschi texted everyone about how the key to the door was also the key to the electricity for the whole room. Details Podeschi, details.

After the long flight, the group diverged into three. One portion wanted to rest. Another decided to find food and got lost, but found ice cream and a nice man who taught them how to count Hungarian money.

The rest took a hike through a park to a statue and then got lunch. They also learned a bit about Hungarian restaurant norms (e.g., the wait staff are not in a hurry, they don’t come back to ask you if you want another of something).

The group then all met back up to take a tour around Budapest with Bertalan (call him Bart) the wonderful former University of Pecs student who just finished his master’s degree in International Relations from Corvinius University in Budapest.

Electric trolley ride in Budapest

Bart informed us about much of Hungarian history and current politics in Hungary, all while showing us some of the main sites in downtown Budapest.

And there was a bit of a thrill at the beginning of the tour: an undercover security agent abruptly interrupted us next to the parliament building, telling us to stop because the Prime Minister was coming. Then two black cars rushed by in front of us and stopped at the side of the building. We didn't see him but Bertalan confirmed that it was indeed Viktor Orban's black armored van! We were a bit shocked because there was so little security.

Later on the tour we also observed a dog park and discovered the well behaved, unleashed Hungarian dogs. All of the students were enamored by the dogs, particularly Sarah “Good Boy” Johnson.

Sadly, Dr. Podeschi was too absorbed in Bart's discourse on Hungarian politics to notice the majestic beasts. After leaving the majestic beasts we ventured off to a nice Hungarian restaurant. Then we were super tired and went back to the hotel to sleep.

So far so good. Days since Sarah has pet a dog: 1 day. 

Enjoying the great public transportation in Hungary 

Led by Christopher Podeschi, associate professor of sociology, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent 10 days in Hungary this summer studying first-hand the Hungarian culture, history and identity. The study abroad trip was part of Podeschi's spring collaborative online international learning course, Seminar on Identity and Locality, which included videoconferencing during the semester with a class from the University of Pecs. The abroad experience also featured visits to Budapest and a rural Hungarian community that provided social and cultural context explored during class discussion earlier in the spring.    #CollaborativeLearning #HuskySummer #HuskyAbroad

A thirst for future adventures

Crazy to imagine we’re six days out from flying home, but time went quickly when the third module came to an end. That doesn’t mean we haven’t made the most of what time we have left, though.

In November, I spent a weekend in Guanacaste Province, famous for its stunning, wide-open Pacific coastline. Sámara Beach was exactly that, a huge spread of white sand with an endless horizon before me. Guanacaste draws all kinds of adventurers and beach rats from around the world; in the span of two days I met travelers from Spain, France and Scotland, plus one guy selling ice cream who was originally from Holland.

We celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a ten-hour bus ride from Heredia to Granada, a lively colonial city deep in the heart of Nicaragua. La Calzada, Granada’s version of a main street, is jammed with restaurants that cater to tourists from every corner of the planet.

The City Market is only a few blocks away, a chaotic maze of wooden stalls and tables lined with pretty much every vendible thing imaginable. It was easy to get lost among the mounds of fruit, fish, spices, plastic toys and prescription drugs, but the Market is the cornerstone for all of Granada. The market is always the heart of the city, our directors told us, and the local culture beats strong in Nicaragua.

After a boat tour on Lake Nicaragua (nineteenth-largest lake in the world, by the way), we dragged our tired selves all the way back to Heredia. Soon it was time to get cookin’ on our Thanksgiving dinner dishes, since we’d be serving them to our host moms for a massive American-style meal at the end of the month. We all brought our culinary A-games and made it a Thanksgiving dinner to remember (I was mainly thankful I didn’t burn the two apple pies I whipped up five hours beforehand).

The last module has been all about Latin American Literature: poetry, essays, short stories and books that spearheaded literary movements and inspired generations of writers and artists. We’ll come home soon with sunburns, opened minds and a thirst for future adventures.

Joshua Lloyd is a junior Spanish and Interpersonal Communication major spending this fall studying abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica. Through SOL, he is studying Latin American culture and civilization.

A tasteful tour of Costa Rica

We’re almost to the end of the third module of classes now, and our group is busy studying Latin American Civilization and Culture. Together we’ve covered everything from ancient Aztec and Inca civilizations to the Latin American wars of independence in the 18th and 19th centuries.

A few of us took a day for a tasteful tour of Café Britt, a leading innovator in gourmet Costa Rican coffee. I’m not big on coffee myself, but fortunately Britt also specializes in cookies, nuts and chocolates (highly recommend the dark chocolate-covered pineapple jelly).

Two weekends ago we piled into the buses to head to La Fortuna, a small town northwest of San José in the shadow of two huge volcanoes, but first we took a high-flying detour to a huge jungle zip-line course. The Tarzan Swing was a surprise, not to mention the “Superman” line for the grand finale.

Arriving at La Fortuna, we got our first breathtaking look at Arenal Volcano, a 5,500-foot geological wonder with clouds surrounding the summit. Its most recent eruption was in 2010, and visitors can occasionally spot thin lava flows near the crater.

We spent a night in the natural hot springs that flow from the Tabacón River at Arenal’s base. Trust me, they’re better than any hot tub you’ll ever find. We’re coming into the homestretch now, and the daily rains have finally died down as the dry season (mid-November to April) steadily approaches.

— Joshua Lloyd #HuskyUnleashed #HuskyAbroad

Joshua Lloyd is a junior Spanish and Interpersonal Communication major spending this fall studying abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica. Through SOL, he is studying Latin American culture and civilization.

A glimpse back through Norwegian times

Today following a short drive we found ourselves in the small village of Kaupanger along the immense Sognefjord. While there, we visited the Sogn Folk Museum where we, guided by the gracious Ms. Anna Avdem, were given a glimpse into various time periods through the lodgings Norwegians would dwell in.

In one memorable home, an 18th century farmhouse, the residents were forced to utilize wood to create all of their possessions from shoes, furniture and utensils, and they did so with amazing ingenuity. We also were treated to a "class" with our wonderful tour guide presiding as instructor and together we sang a traditional children's school song. This experience was both mentally stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable, adding to the joy of our adventures in Norway!

    — Evan Llanso, sophomore mass communications major

Surrounded by titanic fjords and emerald mountains 

Nestled within Norway's southwestern coast, surrounded by titanic fjords and emerald mountains lies the wharf town of Bergen. The first stop on our trek through the wonders of this beautiful country and Bergen does not disappoint.

Ranging from exquisite cuisine not found in our own united states, notably the decadent whale steaks and burgers, to a rich historical inheritance. Our journey into Bergen's past began at the Bryygan museum where we beheld articles of encounters with ferocious fires, displays of garments, tools and medical practices of a time long lost.

Following this rewarding experience our next brush with Bergen's heritage was found as we ascended the medical fortress of Rosenkrantz tower, through thin corridors of stone until we reached the peak, and for our efforts were rewarded with a spectacular sight of Bergen's Wharf, the azure waters cloaked in mist as they expanded outward to the ocean's welcoming embrace. Though we soon will depart this wonderful town, the sights that await us keep our spirits high and excitement abound!

    — Evan Llanso, sophomore mass communications major

Bergen to Luster

We set off on the European Route E 16, a very scenic drive that stretches west-east across Norway. Along the way we saw sights such as great pastoral farms, surreal fjords and the waterfall Tvindefossen. The latter part of our journey took us through the Lærdal Tunnel, which, at 24.5km, happens to be the longest road tunnel in the world!

The tunnel is so long that the architect feared for people falling into a hypnotic state while traveling through the tunnel, so he hired a psychologist to help him build structures that would keep drivers awake.

These structures came in the form of lights, which simulate a rising dawn. Finally, after about five hours, we ended our journey in the picturesque, fjord-side town of Luster.

    — Aaron Llanso, sophomore geology major

Aaron and Evan Llanso are among a small group of eight study abroad students led by Ben Franek and Laura Mock, of the Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences, spending three weeks this summer exploring the physical and cultural landscapes of Norway. Among the planned experiences include seeing the midnight sun, the majesty of Norway’s fjords and Viking artifacts like a 1,000-year-old ship.

Like a good pedestrian ...

Soon after I arrived in China, I got to see many interesting sights while observing many differences between American and Chinese culture.

For starters, pedestrians do not have the right away when crossing the street, so it is necessary to pay attention to your surroundings while walking around with vehicles passing by.

Instead of having a separate sheet from a quilt, they have what is called a 被子 beizi (quilt) inside of a 被罩 beizhao (bag shaped quilt cover zipper sheet).

The cuisine is naturally different of course along with many different types of vegetables!

For example, some vegetables I have seen are 藕 ou (Lotus root), 莴笋 wosun (asparagus lettuce), 鱼腥草 yuxingcao (houttuynia cordata), 冬瓜 donggua (white gourd), 萝卜 luobo (a type of raddish), and 豆芽 douya (bean sprout).

Morning markets are also an occurrence in China as well! 火锅 huoguo (hot pot) Other dishes and meals!

Morning markets! A place to find fresh ingredients!

I went to some awesome places in Beijing like the Bird’s Nest (鸟巢niaochao) [Beijing’s National Stadium] and the Water Cube ( 水立方 Shui Lifang) [National Aquatic Center]. A very famous place to go, especially if you are a fan of the Olympics!

More places!

未名湖 weiminghu (Famous lake located around Beijing University).

Other places around and within Beijing University (北京大学)




Beijing Normal University

Another famous place in Beijing! 颐和园 Yiheyuan (Summer Palace)

Rachel Ann Cimera is a senior Chinese major with a minor in political science who is spending her final semester as a undergraduate this spring studying abroad at the renowned Beijing Normal University, a public research university located in China with strong emphasis on basic disciplines of humanities and sciences.