D&M Abroad

View From My Window

2011-08-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is the last time I’ll be gazing out of my Metrogate window. After traveling around the world this summer, seeing the most incredible sites--- I think this will always be my favorite view. I woke up to it for five straight weeks, the sun slowly creeping in and London’s cool air entering our little home. It’s been such a great experience being here and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Pictures don’t do it justice, so I encourage everyone to either travel or study abroad. It will truly change your outlook of life. Safe travels!

Day
3-7 Queens Gate Terrace

Night

Xo London

Money, Markets, and Men

2011-08-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

London is an expensive city to visit. There is quite possibly no way around completely loosing your soul to its charm. Wither you fancy high-end designers, high street fashion, or the eclectic treasures of the markets, there is always something to be bought. I took a trend forecasting class as a part of my studies here. Our professor obviously encouraged us to explore all avenues of retail, which of course all D&M’s welcomed with open arms!

She introduced us to a couple of unique stores. Dover Street Market, frequented by London’s most chic and posh, was quite possibly my favorite. The store is run by Comme des Garcons designer Rei Kawakubo and her husband Adrian Joffe. The concept behind the store is not market inspired really at all. It is five floors of pure fashion bliss. The way in which the store is arranged pays each individual piece the proper recognition it deserves. This shop was part store, part art. The displays were quirky and totally intriguing. Featuring designers such as Givenchy and Galliano, this store is far from London’s well know high street fashion. In transit from floor to floor, shoppers are encouraged to use the staircase or ride the lift. Both are completely void of visual stimulation a complete contrast from the intense content. I really loved this idea of washing the customer clean as they climbed the basic staircase. Walking into each room was like waiting for Christmas morning. By the time I had reached the top floor I was so disappointed that there was no more to see. But my frustrations were met with a lazy café setting, encouraging me to buy a souvenir! The best part about this particular visit is that now when I come back to London, whenever that may be, I can stop by the store and see a totally different rendition.

We also visited SHOP, a store created by photographer Nick Knight. This store features props and artwork from various photo shoots, independent projects, and films. We were introduced to Knight’s brainchild by two of his employees. They described how SHOP was Knight’s dream ever since he started to create. It is an environment dedicated to creativity. Exclusive visitors and buyers can come explore and take a peek into some of the quirkiest artists’ collections and even have the chance to own a portion.

Mansion Martin Margiela was also on our list of retailers introduced to us by Basia--- her favorite designer. The fascination not only lies in his modern yet timeless designs, but in the mystery behind the designer. Margiela has never been photographed therefore has managed to remain faceless. This whole façade is his trademark for the brand. There is a loyalty from the fashion community to keep the mystique behind the man. The store is completely ahead of its time in all the right ways. There was a feel of mystery to each piece. It’s really interesting to know that his success has never been about self-promotion instead purely about his designs, his influence (which is huge), and his art.

See you Later, London!

2011-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's so sad, were finally leaving London and the time between London and home is getting closer. I'm just thinking 'what do I still want to do!!' I really wanted to go back to some of my favorite places. Charity and vintage shops are so exhilarating to me. I love shopping but even more, I love the hunt for that unique item (and being cheap also helps). Oxfam has locations just about everywhere through London and they sell a mixture of second hand and vintage items. The closest one is right around the block from our housing, so perfect! You may not find a treasure every time but if you are determined, it's easy to stop by in passing. Right across the street is another charity shop, Fara. I've personally found my better items from here at great prices including brands such as Chloe, Dolce and Gabbana, and Prada. Their men's selection is also quite decent. The secret to these shops is to go to ones located in affluent areas such a Kensington and Chelsea because the people donating the clothing will most likely be more brand conscious keep things in better condition.

Being located so close to Hyde Park, it would be a waste to not enjoy it to the fullest! We had already biked through the park a few times on the Barclays bikes available at kiosks throughout London so the paddle boats were next! Four of us ventured off on a beautiful day. I think it is better to have more than two people in the boat in case you get tired. It was quite relaxing.

We also went to Borough Street Market during the week which has become one of my top ten places to go to in London! I had almost wished I had gone earlier although I know that would mean I probably would have over eaten much more. There was fresh produce, meats and cheeses, olive oil galore and tons pre-made goodies.

Borough Street Market

I got a really yummy quiche lorraine tart and acai smoothie, and cheesecake to bring home. If you want a new place to do your grocery shopping you can definitely pick up a few meals here!

London has been the most amazing experience. When I go through my pictures, I'm amazed off all I have done in ten weeks. I have learned so much about other cultures which I feel has given me a greater global perspective and will only enhance my skills in whatever career I take on. I'm really encouraged now to look beyond the New York area for jobs after graduation and give everywhere and everything a chance.

Thank you London!

xoxo Emily!

Reflections

2011-08-21T03:11:00.000-07:00

My stay here in London has been amazing thus far. Calling South Kensington home for this short while has made me feel a whirlwind of emotions. I have gone from feeling completely foreign in an area that I quite possibly may never have the chance to call home again, to feeling like I can conquer it all.

The shops that line the streets on the way to the Foundation House are decorated with some of London’s finest. They sit and drink their tea and coffee, with the newspaper spread in front of their faces. I like to imagine the lives they might lead. A woman’s lips painted red and shades big enough to consume her entire face--- Such an elegance that lines the neighborhood’s streets. The aroma of sweet pastries and pretty little balconies overseeing the people passing by. On the corner a delicious Italian restaurant stands, one that was fancied by the late Princess Diana herself. This area is incredibly vast in its offerings. We walk amongst the elites, at times without knowing. To have this experience is something I could have only dreamt of.

The people here are much different from those in Dublin, where I previously studied, a city that I was easily adapted into. They are much like the society that resides in New York City; South Kensington comparable to the Upper East Side, Oxford Street comparable to 7^th Ave. Londoners, some goal oriented, walking with their blinders on, others innately cool. The London attitude, as Susan so brilliantly describes it, is witty. The ‘Brit Wit’ attitude translates from the way people walk, to the way they dress and communicate. There is a distinctiveness that is undeniably British- similar to the New Yorker mentality. Although these similarities do exist, London is vastly different from the City. Londoners are ‘posh’- they are outgoing and fresh. As Susan said, they wear and do whatever it is they want. There is a certain coolness and courageousness in how it is executed. This translates over to not only the way people dress but into their business ventures as well.

The phenomenon of Primark is a wonderful starting point. In the states, fashion is not as prominent or seen as a necessity, as it is here. It is looked upon as excess, which makes complete sense in the grand scheme of life to the average American. Yet beauty has been idolized since the beginning of time. It is coded into our DNA by the mere fact that we all have eyes. To see is to understand, to appreciate, without a vision and understanding of the world we live in- there is little room to dream, to fantasize. Americans come across as lazy people, which more or less, is true. Like our clothing taste, we generally speaking, have a bland palette. A majority of people are satisfied with never leaving the country, never moving out of their own comfort zone, thus never truly seasoning themselves with what is needed to look beyond what is put in front of them. The fact that Primark is the lowest end of mass produced goods price point wise, gives the UK no reason to be poorly dressed. Primark caters to the needs of the general public, thus there is an obvious need to be on trend and look good. Without this want- there is no way that the store would be such a huge success.

From the outside looking in, it seems Londoners strive for more. They are more culturally diverse, not necessarily in ethnicity but in knowledge of a range of various cultures. For example, everyone I have met thus far has traveled outside of his or her home country. In the states if you were to compare the numbers, I have a feeling they would be vastly different. Our states are multicultural, yes, but by no means represent minute countries. As a population I would say we are much more introverted which is reflective in our news, our gossip columns, and even in our politics (to an extent).

Classes in London

2011-08-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Brown's Focus

So as a study abroad student, we do not just travel around, we still have to take classes as well! We have a total for four courses, 2 for 5 weeks and 2 for the second 5 weeks which are both 8 hours a week. Currently I'm in Professional Personal Selling class and Product Promotion and Trend Reporting. Our Professional Personal Selling is a marketing course where we have learned a new perspective on some traditional marketing techniques as well an in-depth focus on presentation skills which I feel was very useful. For Product Promotion and Trend Reporting, our professor took us on a retail tour of London, (which I wish we had sooner!) The idea was not only to show us of all of the large and small shopping niches of London but look at the way products are sold in comparison at different levels and different genres of retailers. We first went to Primark, basically for the budget- minded shopper, even lower than H&M or Forever 21. However, the stores are so massive and crowded that you may never find what you wanted or even who you came with but that's the price that you have to pay for a cheap top. Our goal there was to have an item in mind walking in the store such and find it in 10 minutes, no easy task. Primark is located in a few locations but we were at the most busy, Oxford Street. As I've mentioned before, Oxford Street is a big shopping area, where you can also find places like Selfridges. Selfridges is a department store, first opened in 1858 and is still one of the major retails in London. It was once just Selfridges and Liberty. Selfridges showed examples of unconscious selling techniques such have a softer floor cushioning for certain designer's sections. These retailers are easy to find out about, however, as a visitor. The best part was going to the other areas of London that have less foot traffic but much more interest. South Molton Street, off of Oxford and right next to Bond Street Station, seems like a quiet residential area but it actually has some fun shops tucked away. This street is known for shoes and the Brown's stores. Brown's Focus is a contemporary shop with brands such as Acne, Theory, and Pringle. A lot of really fun and trendy pieces.

SHOP show stuidos

The next area we went to was New Bond Street, the true high end designers, which means fantastic store windows! Right down a little street adjacent to the tiniest pub is SHOP studio. This is by Nick Knight and showcases some of his work as a photographer a collection of pieces from fashion, pop culture, film and more.

Continuing back to Bruton Street is Maison Martin Margiela. This is one of my professor's personal favorites and a tucked away secret to many. Margiela has been faceless his entire career and no one has ever tried to reveal him. You'll find a lot of unique items such as leather boots shaped like hooves. He is known for his perfume that creates this transition of scent and becomes androgynous. This is not necessarily where students would pick up a new outfit, (very high price tags), but an experience in itself.

One of my favorite places was Dover Street Market. Don't be fooled, this isn't anything like Camden or Portobello Market. Dover Street Market showcases contemporary designers between five floors. Each floor isn't large like a department store would be, but creates various atmospheres. They really choose some of the most unique designer pieces and showcase them all together in a cohesive display. It is a little intimidating to touch a £4,000 dress but if you don't act like you deserve to be there, no one else will think so either!

I really enjoyed how our professors tried to incorporate trips outside of the classroom with our lessons. They gave me some of the best learning experiences.

London's Museums

2011-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

My roommate and I decided to go to the Tate Modern Museum this past Monday. Tate Modern is a national gallery of international modern art here in London. Currently the museum houses a special exhibit featuring the work of surrealist painter, Miro. The museum is a great place to find the works Picasso, Pollock, and Dali. As a design and merchandising major, going to see the works of these great visionaries was most beneficial. I have only learned about maybe a quarter of these great artists, and to actually see their work in person was really amazing.

Visiting the Tate museums while in London is just something you must do. They offer such a wonderful variety of art and such incite into British culture as well as the evolution of art. The Victoria and Albert Museum is another of my favorites. This building is most impressive with a beautiful collection of various types of art from cultures throughout the world and time. This museum is sectioned into cultural areas. While walking around you are suddenly transported from a garden of roman sculpture to the delicate oriental decorations of the Chinese Empire. This museum also offers one of the best gift shops I have ever shopped in. featuring various collections relating to specific parts of the museum. These collections showcase artists of today as well as offering merchandise specifically based of off the treasures found throughout.

Victoria and Albert Museum- Garden of Statues

Tommy Nutter

I also went to visit the Museum of Textile and Fashion. Although this museum is peculiarly small, it features just one designer---Tommy Nutter, the ‘Rebel on the Row’ and his collection of menswear designs. The exhibition explores Nutter’s style and showcases designs made for Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Etlon John and even Twiggy. This bespoke designer is most interesting taking on intern John Galliano! It was fascinating to learn that this was the man to whom Galliano first had his intro to the industry. The gallery offered an exciting collection, but in all only featured two rooms. Unfortunately the limited selection was most disappointing.

Other fun museums are scattered throughout the city, others I visited included the Natural History Museum where visitors get a hands on look into some of the earth’s greatest gifts, the Science Museum, and the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising. All are worth exploring!!

Paris, the other city of Love

2011-08-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Finally I made it to the magnificent Paris! Yes, after having a Paris themed bedroom growing up this has been a dream of mine. Every time someone I know goes there, I always get a little gift but finally I got a taste of my own! Four of us from Drexel went for the weekend with a student tours program which included a cheap bundled package of hotel, transportation and tour guide. Since, our trip was by a bus, (yes we went over the water in a bus that was inside of a train!), we had an overnight ride arriving at the Arc de Triomphe for sunrise! Surprisingly, I was somewhat alert, maybe more or less just excited to get off the bus and be in Paris. No other time would we be able to take such great pictures and without all of the crowds. Our tour continued on the coach around famous streets such as Champs Elysees where you will find all the major retailers and designers. We made a stop outside of Musee de l'Armee with an opportunity to just take in the morning air. We began to see the Eiffel Tower and everyone rose out of their seats.

Arc de Triomphe

Musee de l'Armee garden

After our overview of the area, we were able to split off and go to the places we were most interested in visiting. We stopped just along the river Seine in front the Eiffel Tower. After gazing in amusement at Eiffel Tower we had some authentic French treats for breakfast and headed off. First to Musee du Lourve where the famous Leonardo da Vinci painting, the Mona Lisa, is located. The museum holds a lot of Renaissance art including huge collection of religious paintings. Unlike other museums, the Lourve was quite full of other tourists so you cannot look at art with the ease one my typically have. The Mona Lisa hung on a wall alone with crows of people, we patiently just waited till we made it to the front. Even from there we were several yards apart. Many of the paintings were recognizable from previous art history classes which made it very exciting to see them in such proximity. After we were off to the Notre Dame Cathedral. This is another huge tourist attraction for the beautiful architecture and exquisite stained class windows. One of my favorite parts of the day was the love lock bridge because it's not as well known. There are many different bridges across the Seine, each unique in their own way but this one was just a plain fenced rail. Lovers in Paris have given the bridge new meaning by securing their locks of love all along the fence, some written on with marker, others engraved, each its own. I must say, I'm a sucker for love.

Eiffel Tower at night

Our day ended with a tour along the river Seine where we were able to see all of the beauty Paris is known for from a better perspective. However, after returning to our hotel we said we have to go back and see the tower at night! If you were curious why people fall in love, see the Eiffel Tower at night. It is lit up until about 12:30 pm and something you must see for yourself! Amazing experience and I really cannot wait to go back soon!

All good things must come to a close

2011-08-12T02:21:00.000-07:00

Bonjour! As I sit in the airport in Paris, I am reflecting on my past week that I spent doing some additional traveling after studying in Italy. Very last minute, my wonderful mother decided that she wanted to fly out and join me on my travels! After I packed up all my things from my apartment and said goodbye to Torino, I took a four and a half hour train to Zurich, Switzerland. Switzerland is a country I have always wanted to travel to and I was not disappointed. Everything I ever pictured, lush green hills, small dark wooden houses, beautiful small bodies of water, it was all true. Even the train ride was beautiful. I passed small waterfalls and babbling brooks, it was almost unreal. Upon meeting my mother the two of us had a hotel for two nights right across from the station in Zurich, and we ventured out to do some exploring.

A rainbow from the train!

A mere 45 minute train ride away is the Swiss city, Lucerne. My mom and I took a day trip to Lucerne and saw some sites as well as took a mini trolley tour. As Swiss chocolate is world famous, we of course had to try some, and were not disappointed. We also walked along an original castle wall to three castle towers, all built in the 1300's. Our day was leisurely, yet filled with new things to see. Of course having the Swiss Alps as our backdrop was nothing short of exciting.

Selection of Swiss Chocolates

Lucerne

After Switzerland, my mother and I took another train to Paris, France which is the last stop of my European adventures. For the last three days, my mom and I have seen the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumphe, The Louvre, and everything in between! (Or so it may have seemed) The Eiffel Tower is magnificent. It is one of those iconic buildings that no matter how many times you see, or how many different distances or angles you see it from, it never ceases to amaze. And as for the Louvre, well you could spend days in there, but the museum is fantastic, and filled with so many beautiful works of art. Other highlights include a dinner and show at the world famous Moulin Rouge!! That was an extra special treat. The costumes alone were worth going for, in addition to the amazing production and delicious food and champagne served.
And now my trip has come to a close. I am sitting at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, reflecting on my previous week of traveling after over a month already in Europe, and I can't help but to think that there was no better way to spend my summer. I learned, discovered, and witnessed so much history and culture. I am so fortunate to have had this opportunity, and it is one I will never forget. But now that I am given the chance to return to Philadelphia, back to my family and friends, there is one thing I must admit: there's no place like home.

The Eiffel Tower

The Palace of Versailles

The Louvre

London hits Reality

2011-08-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Map of Riots in the U.K. courtesy of google maps

Being in London, I can not ignore what has gone on the past week. London has been experiencing growing amount of riots throughout the city and surrounding areas. It all began Saturday, with the death of man, said to have been shot by the police. Tottenham is where things began, about a half an hour from Kensington where we are located. A lot of the rioting was by young people including 10-14 years olds. This included breaking into businesses and looting them and several major crimes of arson. The riots soon began to be targeting small businesses and the more well off. While many of believed this to be a one time thing, night after night things progressed and we were even advised to not go out with possible vandalism occurring in Chelsea and closer neighborhoods and uncertainty of what would happen next. According the BBC news 1,103 people have been arrested from the riots with about half being charged. Things have calmed down since then but people have become more alert and aware of the surroundings. These areas are not all notoriously violent but these kind of things can happen anywhere. Just one person needs to get upset to cause a scene. Throughout the coverage of the riots, I heard many reasons why these people were fighting and one man even suggested acts of racism caused the spark. Small businesses learned to board up their windows during the week and everything closed up quite quickly and early. In the most recent days, things have calmed and we have had not heard of any further disturbances.

Traveling abroad, things like these incidents may cross peoples' minds. The 'what if'. Unfortunately we cannot predict when or where things could happen. London is considered a safe area but I know that it is still always important to keep your eye out and to not be naive. It is essential before going abroad to just be aware of how to contact the police if necessary and to keep up to date on current events throughout the stay. During the riots, my group gathered and watched BBC live news cast and while we didn't know what may happen next, we were well informed of what was occurring. All of my group remained safe throughout the riots and we were glad to know people at home were thinking of us.

Arrivederci Italia

2011-08-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

   Unfortunately, my time in Italy has come to a close. Looking back, my study abroad program seems both long and short at the same time. Long in that I've been away from the United States for over a month, but short in that in the spectrum of my whole life, I only spent one full month living in Italy. The experience was unpredictable and unlike any I've ever had. I wasn't a tourist, I was in the process of becoming a local. I was in a foreign country, at first surrounded by strangers and completely unfamiliar with the language. Upon leaving, I can honestly say I made many friends and am conversational in Italian.
   Something that I will always take with me from my trip was a quote that someone told to my roommate in Torino. Her aunt that said, "life doesn't stop happening." When you're traveling for five weeks, it's easy to kick back and think of it as an extended vacation. Of course we got to travel on weekends and see magnificent things almost every day, but life really didn't stop happening. I have friends who lost their wallets, got jewelry stolen off of their bodies, and got punched out for a bag of leftover pasta. Every experience is a learning experience, and no matter where you go, life really doesn't stop happening.
   As for my classes, well just like at Drexel, a lot of information is packed into a short period of time, and you have to do your best to keep up with the pace. I learned about the history of several centuries' worth of interior design in just five weeks, but the material was fascinating. We got to take field trips usually at least once a week, and see first hand the types of design we were studying in the classroom. And in my Italian class, I learned more Italian that I imagined I could fit inside my head in just five weeks. Granted, having the whole country of Italy at my disposal to practice day in and day out doesn't hurt to reinforce what you're learning, but still. But my learning didn't stop in the classroom. I became extremely independent. I learned how to navigate my way through Torino, through Italy, and now throughout Europe. I feel more accomplished than I could have possibly imagined. I booked all my own travel accommodations and have taken more trains than I can count, but I did it all myself, mostly.
   Studying abroad is an experience that everyone should have the chance to go through. I have learned an immeasurable amount about culture, about people, about traveling, and about myself. This has been a remarkable opportunity and one that I will never forget.

Here I am on the first day of classes outside the school we studied at.

Luckily for me, I still get to travel for a bit and unwind after what I can't believe already came and went. Italy was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me, and I truly can't believe it's over. But now it is on to the next thing, for life never stops happening.

Milan and Florence

2011-08-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I went to two of Italy’s most famous cities, Milan and Florence. Friday I took a day trip to Milan just with my roommate. As a fashion major, I have always wanted to travel to Milan, and it was no disappointment. Designer stores line the streets for miles. Italian designers especially like Ferragamo, Dolce and Gabbana, and Alberta Makali proudly showcase the best of their new lines. It’s clear that Milan is a Mecca for high-end fashion.

In the midst of the stores and the shops, almost out of nowhere, Milan’s beautiful and gothic Duomo appears almost out of nowhere. The massive building was breathtaking, and one of my favorite sites. Situated in a piazza, the Duomo reminds you of the rich history of Milan.

The Duomo

For the first time, I saw the beautiful handcrafted leather goods I had always heard about. There are leather markets as well as regular shops that pop up more than Starbucks in the US. Each store has similar prices and items, all though each shop owner makes the goods by hand. The smell of leather authenticates the beautiful handcrafted work.

After a long day of walking and shopping, it was time to return to the train station and catch a train to Florence. I arrived in my hotel room with my roommate, Ashlie. Distracted by our entirely pink room (including two pink sequined throw pillows,) we almost didn’t realize how beautiful the view from our window was. Our hotel was located at the bottom corner of a piazza. We overlooked the tops of trees, and a beautiful section of Florence, or Firenze as they call it in Italy. We could even see the top of the Duomo.

A dark and semi blurry view from my hotel at night

When the sun rose, Ashlie and I got up bright and early to fit in maximum exploration. Out with only a map and a small amount of Italian vocabulary, the two of us were determined to find the Duomo, the piazza containing the replica of the statue of David, Ponte Vecchio the famous bridge, and the Ufizi Museum. Luckily, we managed to find everything! The Duomo was only about a ten minute walk from our little pink hotel, and everything else seemed rather close as well. The streets of Florence are exactly as I pictured them to be. More family owned leather shops and hand crafted jewelry stores lined our walkways. The architecture transforms you to another century. Florence was one of my favorite places in Italy. As my roommate and I were exploring, we discovered a looong line of people. With English commonly spoken due to the large amount of tourists it didn’t take us long to find out that the original statue of David was only meters away from us, and these people were waiting in line to go and view it. Spending most of our money on getting to Florence, my roommate and I opted to see the free replica in a nearby piazza. It was just as beautiful! We also managed to find the Ponte Vecchio. The streets on either side of the bridge are lined with gold and silver shops each claiming to have the best prices and most unique jewelry. The view from the bridge was well worth seeing.

The Duomo in Florence

Ponte Vecchio

The view from Ponte Vecchio

Statue of David replica

The sites of Florence were absolutely beautiful, but after being somewhere filled with tourists it was really nice to return to quiet Torino.

Barcelona!

2011-08-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

After my trip in Crete, we had a quick week of only two days of class. We started our second session for classes with two new courses, a marketing course and a trend-reporting course. The Dublin-London group finally united with us, which means we’ve been here for five weeks already! Time seriously flies. So with no assignments for the weekend, the girls of my group headed off to Barcelona, Spain! I liked the idea of going to Spain before coming here but someone else in my group suggested Barcelona as a fun place with a lot of destinations to see as well. Since there were six of us and we were there for about 5 days, we decided to get an apartment rather than a pricy hotel or a hostel. The apartment worked out well because we got three rooms rather than a crowed hostel with strangers as well as a stocked kitchen and a spacious deck J. The deck really allowed to communicate with locals and ask them about the best places to go and another other questions about the area. Thankfully, a few of the girls were a little more fluent in Spanish than the rest of us. I could pick up a few key words from my language course in middle school (too long ago) but I would have been great to know more. However, I definitely started to pick up on some phrases and words because it’s a lot easier to learn a language when you have no other option!

Sagrada Familia

The next morning we stopped for crepes, which were offered in both sweet and savory options. Sunday is a day when a lot of things are closed completely besides tourist locations and some eateries at certain times. But it wouldn’t be a surprise to have the grocery store closed as well as most retailers for the entire day. Many restaurants actually are only open for certain meal times. In general for any day of the week, a restaurant may close from 4-8 then open again for dinner. After our meal we headed off to the most well know church of Barcelona. The famous artist, Gaudi, designed the church, Sagrada Familia. The church, planned in 1882, is still under construction to this day and visible across the skyline. We just spent time outside of the church because it is a highly crowed tourist destination and not actually used as a church.

The next stop was Park Guell. This was a quite a hike as well. The park is also themed Gaudi with his design work featured throughout. The park is a beautiful destination to see the whole city of Barcelona from above but getting to these heights was no simple task. The journey began up steep streets, which actually had a few escalators and staircases for about a half-mile. Then we reached the first stopping point where you can begin to see all the beautiful architecture and natural scenery Barcelona has to offer. The dirt path then winds up and up until the very top where there is a cross monument placed with spiral staircases up the sides. The view from up there is nothing but breath taking.

Being in Barcelona, we could not help but take advantage of the beaches. We made three visits to the beach during our trip knowing that London did not offer the same weather and scenery as Barcelona. Barceloneta was the closet beach to us, just about 15 minutes away from our apartment with scenery such as the well-known W hotel. We were even able to enjoy breakfast at a café on the beach. While Barceloneta was a beautiful beach, some days were very tourist heavy so we headed off to a further beach, San Pol on another day that also had a small town right along side. There was just a small amount of people, all locals, which was refreshing and relaxing.

Barcelona was nothing but beautiful in so many ways. During the day was great architecture and ocean scenery but at night the lights created their own magic. We even went to a light and water show, the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. It was the perfect way to bring our trip to an end.

London Bound!

2011-08-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

Onto the second leg of my journey abroad--- London! With my Dublin days in the past, I am currently located in South Kensington (possibly the most expensive area in Europe), FIE has placed us in Metro Gate. With only five weeks ahead of me there are so many things that I immediately put on my calendar. A trip to Bath and Stonehenge, at the top of my list.

I booked a day trip with a friend to tour the Roman Baths, Stonehenge and to visit the Salisbury Cathedral. With just two hours explore the Baths; I was transported back to the age of the Roman’s. The baths transformed into a luxurious spa retreat where religion and relaxation were held above all else. It was a place to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva, to whom the Baths were dedicated. The head of the goddess is on display there today. Discovered in 1727, the gilt bronze sculpture provided much incite to the beliefs of the spring’s natural healing powers. The head is believed to be from a cult statue, which would have stood gazing out across the temple courtyard besides the sacred spring. This fascinating site is a must see, an ancient version of a modern day spa.

Roman Baths

Stonehenge

Stonehenge was our next destination. The incredible layout and sheer awe make visiting Stonehenge well worth it. The self-guided audio tour offers explanations for the origins of the rocks and provided plausible reasons for the structure. One theory is that the stones stand to represent mathematical and astronomical observation. With the sun setting and rising in specific places specific times throughout the year giving the notion that time was of the essence. Another theory is that the grand stature of the site was meant to intimidate and impress traders. The sheer fascination of the structure lies in its construction. The circle is comprised of Bluestones and Sarsen stones. These stones weigh astronomical weights and would have taken over thirty million hours of labor to construct. It is believed that dirt mounds were build to transport the top stone to lie across its two supports.

Salisbury Cathedral Courtyard

Lastly was Salisbury. This enchanting area was gorgeous. We walked around admiring the architecture of some of the oldest Tudors built. The cathedral itself, although under construction, was impressive. Over 750 years old, the cathedral has had tons of visitors to worship and seek inspiration. The original Manga Carta is also located inside the structure boasting, Britain’s tallest spire. The day featured three very unique historical sites, all beautiful in their own way.

Inside the Cathedral

Cibo (food!)

2011-08-02T03:55:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to one of the most cultural and important aspects of Italy: food! While I’ve been in Italy, I decided to take an Italian cuisine class to get even closer to the food of the region.

Culturally, there are many differences between Italian cuisine, and the American perception of Italian. First and foremost, bread is never served with olive oil here! Bread is placed on the table, and then eaten with antipasti or appetizers. If your meal is a pasta dish, then customarily bread is not served, (all though if you’re American, and you ask for bread, or a plate for olive oil you can still get it.) Also, the Italian meal is four courses. When at a restaurant, you order a primo and secondo dish, the first being a pasta dish usually, and the second a meat. Wine is almost always served with the meal. White wine can be served with the primo, but always red for the secondo, and for pizzas. Pizza really is as popular over here as I expected it to be. And luckily for me, the tomato sauce is just that – only tomatoes! I happen to have an allergy to onions, and back in the United States, pizza sauce is made with onion, but not in Italy. The sauce is purely tomato, and then it is up to customer to choose the topping. Most of the time, pizza here is ordered and then you receive a personal sized one (about the size of an extra large dinner plate.) Then, it is eaten with a fork and knife, not like back home where we use our hands. However, I have seen a few Italians eat it with their hands, and cutting an entire personal pizza can be rather difficult depending on the knife you’re using, so I’ve used my hands once or twice.

One of the best pizzas I've had here. Those are clams on top!

In my Italian cuisine class, I have been fortunate enough to learn how to make several amazing dishes. One of my favorite things I learned how to make was gnocchi. Gnocchi is a dense pasta dough made from potatoes, and shaped like a tiny pillow. To accompany the gnocchi, my class made a series of three different sauces: a tomato sauce, a cheese sauce, and a pesto sauce. I was never the biggest fan of pesto at home, to me it always tasted a bit salty, and to be honest I never really even knew the ingredients, but from scratch, crushed basil, olive oil, and pine nuts are the basis of the whole sauce, and it’s delicious!! The other two sauces were definitely overshadowed. Also, pesto is typical of the Italian Riveria, a place I got to travel to first hand!

Being in Italy for over a month, it is impossible to eat out for all of my meals. Luckily I live close by to two different grocery stores. One is called Pam and the other is called Eataly. I cook for my roommate and myself on most weeknights.

Here's a meal I made using fresh ravioli, tomato, and olive oil

This was my first ever homemade tomato sauce!

The ingredients are all so fresh that even the most basic food is so unbelievably flavorful, that it's impossible to get sick of. Almost five weeks later, I'm still eating all the same foods I was when I first arrived.

My first meal from Eataly!

The grocery store Eataly is most closely compared to something like a whole foods. However, the interior is divided by categories. For example, the above picture is from the carne, or meat section. There are also sections for fish, bread, cheese and salami, pasta, pizza, and an entire floor dedicated to wine. In each section you can sit down and order food for a meal. Everything is freshly prepared and delicious!

The seafood here in Italy is also fantastic. With all the bodies of water like lake Maggiore and Como, the Po River (that runs through Torino, where I’m staying,) and the Mediterranean Sea, the seafood couldn’t be fresher.

My favorite seafood dish, from the Riviera.

Of course, no meal is complete without dessert. Gelato is the famous Italian ice cream, all though it is a little different. It isn't as hard, so it isn't served in scoops. Instead they place it on your cone, and while it maintains its form, the consistency is different than ice cream. It's hard to explain, so you must try it for yourself! Also, Italian gelato is different than gelato you can get back in the US. The milk they use here is pasteurized differently, so unfortunately, when I return home, my almost daily gelato routine will be broken. Yes, I eat gelato almost every day!

One of my favorite flavors, only offered at one place called Silvano's: crema di riso (like a rice pudding)

A selection of gelato flavors.

Lastly, I have just one more edible item to talk about, and that is a drink native to Torino called Bicerin. If you read any information about traveling in Torino, you will come across this famous drink. It is a hot beverage, served in layers. The bottom layer is a thick chocolate, above the chocolate is a layer of coffee, and then a homemade whipped cream sits on the top. Traditionally, you are told to drink everything without mixing because the density of the chocolate makes its way into your mouth past the coffee and whipped cream allowing you to get all three amazing flavors at once. You are also told that if you don't have a white foamy mustache while drinking your Bicerin, that you're doing it wrong!

Delicious Bicerin!

The food here in Italy has been wonderful. I eat the freshest, most delicious food available and it's very inspiring to cook with. I can't wait to bring some of my new techniques back with me to the US!

Crete

2011-07-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

For one of my planned trips a few of us decided to go to Crete! We stayed with a Drexel co-op abroad student in Heraklion. This city is the capitol of Crete which is part of the country Greece and also known as Iraklion. Crete is an island that lies to the south to Greece's mainland so our journey from London was about 3.5 hours. A group of four of us arrived around 11 pm Crete time to the hot weather we were waiting for all summer. Luckily, our host was able to guide us around such an unfamiliar country. London has offered a lot of cultural diversity but in a much more subtle manner than our experience with Greece.

Our first authentic Greek meal was at a Taverna right in the area. Taverna food is served family style so everyone can either pick with their forks out of the dish for the table and put their food on smaller plates. We tried about eight different dishes and yes, real Greek salad! The feta cheese there was amazing and so fresh. The salad had large chopped tomatoes and cucumbers pieces with whole olives and then a block of seasoned Feta placed on top and a light oil dressing on the veggies. We were first given a basket of bread, both soft and toasted cubes and bottles of water since they cannot drink the tap water. Then we had a dish of chopped potatoes in a herb oil (perfect for bread dipping), a version of fried zucchini, beef and mushroom dish as well as a few others. At the end of your meal, the server brings out desserts for the table which included melons, a sweet honey and lemon pastry, and a plate of Greek yogurt with berry sauce. They also conclude the meal by bringing out a vessel of raki which is a Turkish spirit with an anise flavor. Everyone is encouraged to take a shot of the beverage, (on the house), including the waiter.

Desserts on the house were typical for the Greek restaurants in Crete. Even sitting with friends for wine at a restaurant by the water we were given a huge plate of fruit, pastries, and cookies to munch on. While there was some language barrier, our waiters and even a cook asked us about our stay in Crete.

The next day we went to the beautiful beach. This particular beach was right below the hotel that is provided for the Drexel study abroad students. The water was so warm and perfect.

Crete had a lot of vendors for tourists, stores, and coffee shops (including Starbucks). The most enjoyable part was walking around and just exploring the streets. For breakfast one morning, we walked through a street market with clothes, jewelry, fruits and vegetables and then stopped at a local bakery for a treat. Greece is known for all of their sugar and almond cookies but they also have delicious donuts and flakey chocolate croissants as big as your head.

Being on an island, there is always water near by so it was nice to just walk along the coast and docks. The people of Crete would be up early and stay up late. Any time of day or night you could find people out and about, (although Sunday was a less active). People really enjoyed just sitting for a few hours with a coffee or ice cream and spending time with those around them. Crete was a really unique experience. I was able to see some aspects of how a country in an economic crisis survives. There were areas of poverty where things felts quite grungy but also a lot of beauty. The experience has opened my eyes on things I should no take for granted like fresh water.

A Weekend in Wales

2011-07-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

As part of the FIE program we were also given the opportunity to go to Wales! Wales is still part of the UK but several hours outside of London. We traveled on two trains to get there, the second one offering a more scenic view of the beautiful cascading hills of the countryside farmlands. We were quite cut off from the city of where we were getting acquainted with at the Eco Lodge with Preseli Venture.

We arrived in the evening to our outdoor weekend destination to a fantastic dinner of vegetable lasagna and apple pie a la mode. The evening was set for settling in and relaxation in preparation for the rest of the weekend. Saturday morning greeted us at 8am with breakfast and then a hike! My Drexel group stayed with a few other groups from Florida and California Schools that also study at FIE so we were a bit divided among the groups but I still had half of my familiar Drexel faces. Our 4.5 miles hike started off with a drive about 15 minutes down the road, which by the way were single lane but both directions (we were all so amused by this). We were dropped off with some words of guidance and a map. Luckily, the path was quite self-explanatory so no M.I.A. students. When I typically think of a hike, I envision the typical forest of tall trees and a few wild animals. However, I was gladly mistaken to a phenomenal view of the ocean and hillside the Wales coast.

The coastline and beautiful blue water

The water was beautiful blue and the hills created their own blocks of colors from the different vegetation and pastures. The most prominent pasture was of the sheep. With an area that seemed to be endless, there must have been hundreds of sheep grazing. Approaching a narrow bend and ledge, we encountered a sheep straggler which we eventually had to pass. The question as to how to do this became an issue. As we slowly approached, he became scarred and ran to the edge of a cliff so he pretty much needed to be talked off from the plunge of the ledge and he then raced past us in scattered direction without a clear way to get back into the pasture with his fellow sheep friends. Our hike ended with a pebbly beach to rest at and enjoy the view.

If you look closely, you can see the sheep approaching the edge

After lunch, the next activity was “coasteering”. Basically, it’s a combination of climbing, swimming and cliff diving. We first had to suit up in layers upon layers of protective gear then headed off! To my surprise yet again, out instructors took us for a lot of rock climbing. The tiny white barnacles on the rocks’ surfaces allowed for great foot traction but painful hand contact. I found myself scaling the sides of cliff walls and rock formations with only the fear of falling keeping me on track (as well as my group). Gradually, we were given the option to jump off different heights of cliffs until we reached the final tallest one of our adventure. About half the group declined and I braved it two times, (I didn’t climb up all of those rocks for nothing after all!) The hardest part is overcoming that you wont hit the rocks against the wall on the bottom. While the other jumps seemed quite brief, this last one felt like I was falling for sometime until my body cut deep into the water below.

After debriefing for the remainder of the evening, our last day’s activity was sea kayaking. Previously, I had only canoed and usually found that at some point I would be tipped out. Despite the ruff currents of the ocean, I managed to stay afloat at sea. Kayaks actually absorb the shock of the changing waves as long as you manage to stay in the correct positioning for your body. After getting use to some of the steering and paddling techniques, I completely enjoyed our trip along the coast. Sometimes I just had to stop paddling and just gaze at the scenery.

The pebbly beach! A sign that our hike was in the right direction.

The trip really allowed me to explore the coast from above on our hike, amongst the cliffs and rocks coasteering, and then in the water, sea kayaking. Wales was a beautiful adventure weekend that definitely explored a side of me that I’m not usually in tune with. A weekend was just the right amount of such physical adventure for me for a while!

Weekend on the Italian Riviera!

2011-07-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

Ciao!

For the last four days, I have been in one of the most beautiful places in the entire world. The Italian Riviera is famous for it's yachts, beautiful beaches, excellent seafood, and scenic views all around. I was fortunate enough to be able to experience all of these things! On Thursday, our whole group took a bus to Genova where we took a small walking tour and learned some history about the town. Genova, like all of the other towns in the Riviera is located right along the Mediterranean Sea.

View of Santa Margherita

A fountain in Genova

From Genova, we got back on the bus and traveled to Santa Margherita. Santa Margherita is another town in the Italian Riviera. Our bus ride was a little windy, but by the time we arrived at our destination, it was well worth the ride. We pulled up on the coastline, right along the crystal clear blue water. Immediately after disembarking the bus, we headed straight for lunch which for us was focaccia bread. The Riviera is famous for focaccia, which is more or less a flatbread that can have toppings or even fillings. Pesto is also famous in the Riviera region, so it made the most sense to get a pesto focaccia! In Santa Margherita, the group stayed in two hotels that were right by a public beach. We spent the rest of Thursday laying out by the Mediterranean.

On Friday, we took a group trip to Portofino. Portofino is the most famous of the Italian Riviera locations because it is the wealthiest. In fact, while we were there a few people even saw Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas. Portofino is rather small, and only accessible by boat, so we took a ten minute ferry from Santa Margherita to get there. When we pulled up, the port was filled with yachts and sailboats galore!

We walked around Portofino past designer stores and expensive souvenirs up to a castle that sits atop a hill giving a spectacular view of the boats on the water. From the castle, we even saw the villa that Dolce and Gabbana stay in when they visit! Many spring/summer and or resort collections are designed with the Italian Riviera as inspiration, and it is clear to see why upon visiting.

After spending the afternoon in Portofino, the group came back to Santa Margherita, and we were free for Saturday and Sunday to do our own thing. I went off with a few friends back to Genova on Friday night. Saturday, we did a famous hike amongst five villages along the coastline about an hour and a half from Genova known as the Cinque Terre (the five towns.) Some towns are a twenty minute hike from one the next, but two of the towns are a 2 hour hike. I didn't do the whole hike, but I had friends who hiked to each of the five towns and they said it took five hours! Each village is distinctly different and quaint and they all have beautiful views of the sea. I hiked to two of the towns, and took trains to the other three.

On Sunday, we were back in Genova where we found the most beautiful private beach. The water was amazing, it was so warm and clear, and the bluest of blues. The beach was only a few hundred meters from where we were staying. It was a fantastic beach day, and were not ready to come back to Torino for school, but we knew we had to.

The weekend was phenomenal and filled with beautiful sites. I highly recommend the Italian Riviera to anyone and everyone!

The Celtic Tiger

2011-07-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

Upon arrival to Ireland the phrase ‘Celtic Tiger’ was mentioned numerous times. It became clear early on that this time had a huge impact on not only the layout of the city but on the people of Ireland. After covering the Celtic Tiger in Seamus’ class I have learned of both and the reasons that it has since fallen. The Celtic Tiger was the most important economic boom that the country of Ireland has ever seen. Known as ‘The Boom’ or the ‘Economic Miracle’, the Celtic Tiger has the world in awe of its growth and economic success. In the years 1994 to 2000, this small country grew in astronomical proportions. The year 1994 marked the unofficial birth date of the Celtic Tiger; its growth advanced at a historically unprecedented average of 6.9 per cent annually. This development is easily attributed to two main causes today, an increase in the amount of people working and an increase in working productivity. During this period not only did the workforce nearly double, but the growth of output per worker grew 3-4% greater each year. The answer to how such growth took place in such a short amount of time is hidden within both internal and external influences, which allowed for the previously stated causes to emerge.

A view of the Docklands

Docklands Development Authority

Understanding that the Celtic Tiger was not nearly as systematic as hoped, it is evident that for Ireland, the country fell into a great economic boom partly consciously and partly by luck. This mixture lead to a great deal of change for the country and unfortunately has been a learning experience in disguise as yet another recession has hit. As a study abroad student, it is interesting to note the extreme growth that the Celtic Tiger has left behind, particularly in the case of the Docklands. On our tour of the Docklands we learned of the major plans undertaken by the Dockland’s Authority. Although many of the projects were completed, there were various towers including the U2 tower, which were never started--- due to the lack of funding. Our tour group was literally the last group to pass through the Docklands Authority building. It was extremely daunting to hear the amount of stress and sadness that was in the voice of one of the members fully invested in the project as she relayed her story. This authority, comprised of well-established individuals, worked for most of their careers on what is unfortunately considered to be a failure. In my personal opinion the Docklands promise huge potential. Once Ireland comes out of its recession the Docklands will surely attract the public they once hoped to. The Docklands is just one of the many places visited where traces of an economic boom are extremely apparent.

Irish Politics: Visit to the Leinster House

2011-07-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Politics in Ireland vary from politics in the states. It is more likely for Irish politicians to single handedly reach out to specific sectors of the country and physically gaining supporters by knocking door to door. This seems unusual to the average voter in the states. It is more likely for Americans to meet local politicians rather then the big names. The political system in general is very interesting and appealing to me, however there are various aspects that I have yet to uncover.

While visiting the Leinster House a picture was painted, the Civil war lead to the creation of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. These two political parties are evidence of what remains of the conflict today. These parties have had both tremendous success and downfalls throughout the years following the Civil War. Present day, after the 2011 general election, Fine Gael is Ireland’s largest party. The party represents and has identified itself with the values of social democracy advocating a liberal agenda. Thus it is seen as a centre-right party. Its supporters are large farmers and businesses. Today Fine Gael is a member of the Christian Democratic European People’s Party. It is viewed as a more conservative party, adopting a less nationalist position on Northern Ireland.

Eamon de Valera founded Fianna Fail in 1926. This party initially began as a radical anti-treaty party with such supporters as small farmers and workers. Today the party is associated with a more republican outlook, but considers itself neither Left Wing nor Right Wing. Fianna Fail is the political party who was in control during the years of the Celtic Tiger, and responsible for the spending habits, which are were seen reminiscent of that of a more left wing party. Due to the economic crash, the Fianna Fail have fallen out of favor and instead replaced by the Fine Gael.

It is not just these two political parties that are responsible for the past history of Ireland’s politics, a third party exists, the Labour Party. This party is considered to be the centre-left and social democratic side of the Republic’s politics. It is the second largest party and has partaken in coalition governments with both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in past years.

These three parties, direct descendents of the division of the Civil War’s opposing sides, continue to govern Ireland today. It is important to note the history of Ireland and its growth via these politic parties. Because these events are still new, happening within the last 100 years, lingering ties to each side are apparent when looking at both the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties.

Politics in Ireland, as I have learned are extremely competitive. It baffles me that only about 15% of the seats held are by women, considering there is an even split in the population ratio of male verses female. We have covered the issue in class and have addressed it in writing, however the topic is still open-ended for me. Today the president, Mary McAleese is the face of governmental politics for the country while the Taoiseach is currently and historically always has been male. It was made clear to us throughout our studies that the president, unlike the American President has much less power. It is largely a ceremonial position. This is all very interesting and new to me, I hope for the future of Irish politics however, that more females move into power to more evenly represent the public

History Around Dublin

2011-07-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

Inside a cell at Kilmainham Gaol

Learning about Irish History has proved time and time again to be of utmost importance to my foundation of understanding the Irish culture. Having a solid background in Irish history has allowed me to appreciate my time here even more. I have learned about the countries hardships as well as its success, enriching my relation to the society I have grown to know and love. Being in a foreign place for such a limited amount of time has inspired me to take in as much as I can before I disembark. Due to this I have visited a wide assortment of historical landmarks. Of the places visited my favorite has been my trip to the Kilmainham Gaol.

The jail holds an immense amount of history within its protected walls. With thousands of prisoners once held within its grounds due to the potato famine, various political movements, and crimes; my visit was incredible. I was able to walk into a cell and around the premise, the same as Constance Markievicz, who was elected to Westminster parliament in 1918, once did. The jail also plays an important role in the events leading to the War for Independence. As does another important building located locally as well, the General Post Office. Along with the jail, the GPO is one of the most important buildings in Irish history. Its significance lies in its involvement in the Easter Rising--- an event which inedibility lead to the beginning of Irelands fight for Independence. While visiting today, you can still see the bullet holes that mark the buildings front columns.

A cell kept in original condition

The Post Office proves to be truly iconic in the involvement of the Easter Rising. This historical event was a result of an extremist attempted to overthrow British Rule. Visiting the museum located directly inside with Roisin was highly helpful in piecing together these events. Although Britain was prepared to grant Ireland Home Rule, a group of nationalists plotted to demand a free Republic of Ireland. Although the Easter Rising was not necessarily successful, it sparked the beginning of the War of Independence. After this rising, the British took into custody the 14 men responsible for the event. Of which were then held in Kilmainham Gaol, and executed one by one within its walls.

Because of Britain’s unjust retaliation against the leaders, the Easter Rising gained the support of the Irish people. Thus snowballing into war. After a very involved series of events, the Irish War for Independence ended in a standstill in July of 1921. Britain agreed to a truce, as it was loosing popularity with its own people. Although this treaty marked Britain’s recognition of Ireland, it did not recognize the Irish Republic as the Irish had intended. Due to this fact, the treaty caused continued angst amongst the Irish people. It was believed by some that the lives lost during the War of Independence were lost fighting for the Irish Republic, not a Free State. This became the dividing factor within the country itself--- because the treaty established Ireland as the Irish Free State, Britain was still in the picture. The treaty also gave Northern Ireland an option to opt out and remain a part of the Britain, which it did. The official Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in London on December 6^th, 1921.

General Post Office

Although the country did not receive proper recognition for its efforts to control all of its counties, the Irish people were relieved the fighting had stopped. Despite the favored support by the pro-treaty public, the Anglo-Irish Treaty divided the nation into two opposing sides. It was the pro-treaty side who believed that the treaty was not “ultimate freedom… but the freedom to achieve” (Michael Collins). On the other hand, the anti-treaty opposer’s believed the treaty gave “away Irish Independence” and “acknowledged the head of the British Empire as direct monarch of Ireland” (Eamon de Valera). At this point in history, the Irish members of the IRA and political figures part of the Dáil, who had been fighting on the same side, divided and became enemies essentially overnight.

For me to have the opportunity to not only learn about the history of this nation, but to visit the actual places that most of these events occurred is so incredible. There is an immense amount to be learned and putting a ‘face to the name’ of sorts makes all the difference for a foreigner. Although I am one hundred percent an outsider looking in, I feel as though I have a huge tie to the country given my understanding and appreciation of its history.

Lago Maggiore

2011-07-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I went to the most amazing place. Italy is blessed with a series of lakes, some of which share a border with Switzerland. With my program, we all traveled to lake Maggiore. It is right next to lake Como, where George Clooney famously owns a house. Lake Maggiore is just like lake Como except filled with less American tourists. The lake sits in a valley so that everywhere surrounding the water is mountainous and beautiful. Our field trip was to Stresa which is one of the towns along the lake. From Stresa, we took a ferry for a few minutes across the lake to get to one of the most amazingly beautiful places I have ever seen. Amidst the lake is aptly named Isola Bella, or “beautiful island.” ‘Beautiful’ isn’t even a strong enough word to describe this site.

This is the view pulling up to the island

Upon pulling up by boat, you are greeted by a small island emanating greenery. On the island is a palace with a garden. From the boat you receive a view of the garden, and it looks otherworldly. Ivy covers tall structures and statues are carefully placed at all heights of the almost three-story high garden. It looks like Atlantis, or something out of a dream. At a closer look you can see a huge array of colorful flowers. From the time the ferry pulled up, until after the ferry left the island, my jaw was on the ground. There are few times I have ever been in awe, but this was definitely one of them.

Here I am with the three friends on the ferry!

Our group of fifty took a tour of the palace on the island. The interior was classically baroque, and was filled with pastel colors and ornate décor. It was amazing and so inspiring. After seeing room after room of pastel blues, and pinks, each adorned with morano glass chandeliers, we came to a long hallway with a series of seven extremely ornate tapestries. Woven into these tapestries were silk and gold threads. Each tapestry took around ten years to make. After the hallway was a large gate with an entrance to the garden.

The garden was just as unbelievable as I expected it to be from the exterior view. There were stairs laden with ivy and plants that lead up to lush open space lined with purple, blue and pink flowers. Then up a few more stairs was another layer of the garden; this one had a huge sculpture with different statues that reminded me of a sand castle. There were also white peacocks in the garden that just walked around and would let you get really close to them. The whole tour, my jaw was open because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

This is inside the palace. The room was so tall I couldn't fit it all in the picture!

Here are some of the sculptures that you can climb stairs up to and walk around

This is a view of the lake from the garden

This is just some of the beautiful garden

White peacock!

After the garden our group got back on the ferry to Stresa where the rest of the group came back to Torino, but three friends and I decided we wanted to spend the weekend on the lake. We stayed in a hotel in the town next to Stresa called Verbania. Verbania was absolutely beautiful! We were right on the lake and the town was even less touristy than Stresa. On Saturday we took the most amazing bike ride and stumbled upon an open market. The views, like the one below were nothing short of incredible.

Mi manca a tutti! [I miss you all!]

Ciao!

Trip to Northern Ireland

2011-07-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

There is an immense amount of unrest that still lingers in Belfast, a Northern city in Ireland. Visiting this part of the country may seem unsafe to some, but thankfully we were well kept after. The FIE program has given its study abroad students an incredible opportunity, one that many visitors simply never see.

The Peace Wall- Belfast, Northern Ireland

The most incredible part of the trip was visiting the peace wall located in the heart of the conflict. Representing the division of a highly controversial religious disagreement, the peace wall remains a symbol of unity. It was my initial reaction that the wall marks the start of a new united country ruled to this day by Great Britain. It was brought to my attention that although the wall offers a sign of peace, it also represents the extreme division between the two opposing religious groups, Catholic and Protestant. The wall is a literal barrier that separates the two groups. However, while visiting the wall, onlookers will find how powerful the use of words can truly be in uniting not only a society but bringing together a variety of people from various backgrounds. Its presence is most certainly appreciated by visitors and quietly screams the cries of support of millions from around the world. The tradition of signing the wall was passed onto us as students connecting the stories and history of the country that we have called home for the past five weeks.

While in the North, there was an abundance of murals painted to commemorate the various events of the struggle. One of my personal favorites is of a priest waving his white handkerchief to single a ceasefire on Bloody Sunday. The amount of emotion that is evoked while looking at these specific scenes made me appreciate the sense of peace these people now know.

Mural depicting a scene from Bloody Sunday- Derry, Northern Ireland

Lovely Places to Go

2011-07-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

Amazing shops and eateries are to be found throughout Dublin. As you can imagine I have only nearly begun to uncover these lovely places. My favorites so far includes a café called The Lime Tree Café, located on the North Side of the Liffy, by Kilmainham Gaol--- which is a must see all on its own. The café has such a warm house feel, serving a variety of sandwiches, soups, and freshly brewed coffee and teas. The service was wonderful and all the ladies working spoke with such delight when welcoming you.

Om Diva, George's Street Arcade

The South side has quite a large selection of shopping options. Whether or not you fancy more of the mainstream well-trafficked shops such as River Island, BT2, Topshop, and Dunnes… or rather love to meander through small boutiques such as Carousel, Costume, and Smock… or sift through awesome second hand shops such as Oxfam and Harlequin, the South side is the place to go! So far Om Diva has been one of my personal favorites. Located right outside of George’s Street Arcade, this store offers the best of all words. On the bottom level you will find consignment items, all second hand finds needing an even better home the second time around! The main level offers cute reasonably priced less known brands, offering both accessories and clothing on uniquely beaded hangers. Upstairs, I could hang out for hours upstairs, the walls were decorated with original sketches and photographs. This is the home to the designer pieces, each more special then the last! You can find intricate headwear as well is asymmetrical designs and homemade jewelry. Needless to say I have gone back multiple times!

Riverdance was just one of the many highlights of my trip here in Dublin! The Gaiety Theatre is beautiful, I felt at home there! As a dancer, I was so excited to experience the show and note the differences and similarities of the Irish production in relation to my own experience. Although the show was not exactly what I had anticipated, I enjoyed it non-the less. My hesitation came from the differences in production from that of Broadway shows. To my surprise, there were an immense amount of differences. The lighting and sound were definitely to note, as well as the simplicity of transitions. The dancing was impressive and the dancers percussion was spot on! But there was a lack of professionalism that was apparent, for anyone who hasn’t already, I would say that you need to go see a show on Broadway!! Overall it was an amazing experience, and something I wouldn’t have left the country without seeing.

Inside Om Diva

The Irish Language, Visiting the Abbey

2011-07-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

The Irish language is one that the Irish tend to feel one of two ways about… there are those that are extremely passionate about preserving this Celtic language and those that are far from enthralled to learn the language in school. After talking with some locals, the Irish language taught in school is very basic, providing students with a very limited array of talking points. On the other hand---there has been, from what I can tell, a recent trend for enthusiasts to revive the use of the ancient language.

Language is a huge defining factor in terms of ones nationality. It is a regional aspect that ties people not only to one another but also to their family lineage. Ireland is the home to many influential writers; four alone have been recognized and given the Nobel Peace Price for their work. Of these four writers is William Butler Yeats.

Yeats himself was an idealist. Throughout his work, he acknowledged the fact that Ireland was a separate entity, unique in its rural simplicity. His work based off a fanaticized land that he dreamt about while away in London. Due to his relocation, Yeats formed a strong sense of nationalism towards his home country as he remembered it. Yeats wrote about this pride in the rolling hills and his rural life so much so, that this was often the only part of Irish society portrayed. Every piece of Yeats’ work included this idealism and played to his thoughts on nationalism, of which spoke volumes to his concept of conserving Irish heritage.

In addition to diving into the work of Yeats, we were fortunate enough to visit the Abbey Theater. This historical monument has offered great works of literature performed on its stage since 1904. The play Translations was exceptional. One critic was quoted, “More than thirty years since it was first produced, Translations is now regarded as a modern masterpiece. Subtle and resonant, it’s a political drama, a historical tale, a funny and clever play about language and a tender love story”. Brian Friel’s, Translations was an amazing introduction into the series of events that almost forced the Celtic language out of use. The Anglicization of words, started with the renaming of the Irish landscape. Taking place solely around the structure of a hedge school, the audience is told the story of the importance of language for Ireland’s people.

Prêt-à-Portea

2011-07-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

Today I had a fabulous tea at the Berkeley hotel in the Caramel room. Not a typical tea house but do not be mistaken! If you want sheer elegance with a fashion twist, this is your destination. Seven of the ladies in my group including myself went. I had found the place a few weeks ago just looking for a fun tea place online. We had to book in a few weeks in advance because they have limited seating but, it was well worth it.

The tea was called Prêt-à-Portea, which translates to Ready to Wear. Yes, fashion tea. This included "cakes and fancies" inspired by fashion designers Tom Ford, Chloe, Tory Burch, Miu Miu, Jil Sander, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Roger Vivier, and Victoria Beckham. Please ooh and ah. Such an experience.

First off was a selection of loose leaf teas to choose from, I chose the Pear Caramel, appropriate for the Caramel Room :). So delicious I must say. I actually previously purchased a bag of Caramel loose leaf tea but I haven't tried it yet because i'm looking for the perfect tea siv but now I'm eager to taste it! The service was so lovely and proper including the waiter putting the napkin on our laps. We next were served a selection of tea sandwiches- egg&mayo, tuna, salmon, cucumber and a chicken roll.

After our sandwiches, we were served a three tier selection of desserts and savory canapes. I was surprised to see such a selection for a set tea. Even more surprising, refills were unlimited! This meant more of anything we wanted all included in our fixed tea price. I really enjoyed seeing the adaptations of the Summer/Spring collections into food. Every six months the venue changes the desserts to comply with the fashion season.

With our tea, we

decided it would be most appropriate to dress for the occasion. I purchased a vintage cream and gold horizontal striped dress from a vintage shop on Brick Lane. There was a large selection of vintage shops and other fun venues- definitely one of the best markets I've been to so far. I also was able to pick up a hat from another shop. I was really on the hunt for a fascinator but they tend to be quite pricy so when I found a hat for £12, I jumped at the deal. I ended up cutting the decoration part off of the actual hat and then re-sewing the pieces that I wanted for my fascinator and then bobby pinned it into my hair. Unfortunately, I did not have all my resources readily available, (i.e. feathers, hot glue gun...) but I was able to concoct a decent looking piece I would say.

I really had a lovely afternoon and highly suggest fashion tea at the Berkeley, just don't forget your reservations. The price is a little high for regular tea but perfect for a treat.

Why so Green?

2011-07-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

There is something to be said about coming into a country almost completely blind, the findings to be found are completely unwarranted and met with an open mind. Dublin is on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to a communal city in comparison to many of the cities found in the US. As has been ingrained in my head--- sitting through five hours of class four days a week, Ireland has gone through its fair share of hardships. To my surprise, although both the age and the composition of the society suggest otherwise, the community is very closely knit and well aware of its roots. The people share ethical similarities and work together to make strides towards an even “greener” country, if you will.

From day one pressure on American students to be more conscious have not only been verbalized, but made clear in a completely tangible way. We were all allotted 4 “energy cards”, a system that works similarly to pay as you go. Its essentially a way to rationalize the amount of energy we use and make us all aware that once its gone, its gone. Turing off lights, turning off hot water, as well as turning off our appliances is a must if we plan to take hot showers by the end of our trip week five.

In addition to energy conservation, plastic bags are a rare find. Everyone here shops with reusable bags, if you need a bag there is a cost attached. Despite efforts for this in the States, Dubliner’s do a much better job at sticking to this idea. Even if you are in need of a bag, because I don’t know… lets say you forget to pack it along with your essentials for the day i.e. an umbrella, chances are you’ll be given a paper bag, which if there is one thing to be learned- paper bags are hopeless when it rains. Perhaps that’s the reason reusable bags have caught on so well here?

Dublin

2011-07-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! My name is Kristia and I am currently studying in Dublin, Ireland. My time here is fairly short so I hope to write as much as I can to report on all of the amazing aspects that this small city has to offer.

A little about me, I am going into my forth year at Drexel University studying Design and Merchandising and am ecstatic to be abroad. My program is unique in that it is a dual city study program so I have to opportunity to study at the Dublin Business School in Dublin, Ireland and take classes as an FIE student in London, England. I will be spending equal time in each country with trips planned to see more of Europe.

I recently just came back from a weekend get away in Paris, which was absolutely amazing!

The first few weeks here in Dublin, have been jam packed with historical information and sight seeing. Venturing on different excursions has allowed us to understand not only Dublin, but beyond the city as well.

The dual city program has attracted in total 15 American students, 14 of us are girls and one sole boy. This alone poses as an interesting and fun experience. Thankfully we live in an apartment complex or student housing known as Blackhall Place with other foreign students. Thus far we have befriended French students, and are looking forward to meeting the incoming Austrian and Portuguese students.

Despite what my fellow classmates might think our location has been a learning experience in disguise. We live on the North Side, which is in reference to the central division of the city known as the River Liffy. The North Side is commonly thought of as the less endowed side, providing a home for many low-income homes. However, this side of the city has a lot to offer. It is the home to Kilmainham Gaol or Jail and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The main attraction on this side of the river however is Henry’s street. It is the central shopping location, cheaper then the South’s Side equivalent, Grafton Street.

The people of Dublin have welcomed us with a hundred thousand welcomes, “Cead Mile Failte”. The society overall in general is much friendlier then any you will find in the states. When asking for directions, people are more then happy to take the time to explain in detail the best way to get there. In all the public here is very knowledgably and extremely reliable when pointing you in the right direction.

Our living accommodations!

Amazing Italian Day Trip

2011-07-12T03:43:00.000-07:00

Ciao from Italy!

Over the weekend I got to see some of the most picturesque Italian countryside imaginable. Located only forty-five minutes by bus outside of Torino our whole group traveled to a northern area of wine country called Piedmont. First we went to visit a medieval castle. It was the first castle I've ever visited, and while it wasn't as large as many other castles in Italy, a lot of the original furniture was inside. There were decorative paintings on the ceiling from the 1400's and the color and detail was all still in tact. I had to ask the woman giving a a guided tour of the castle whether or not it had been restored, but she replied with a think Italian accent that it was all "oreeginal." Below is the exterior of the castle. It stood tall on a hill with a 360 degree view of the amazing countryside all around.

After visiting the castle we drove a very short distance, only a few minutes to a family owned winery. After all, Piedmont is a famously known for wine. We went to an authentic Italian home where the house, winery and store were all located on the same property to taste their products for ourselves. The matriarch of the family cooked for my entire group. This means she made lunch for fifty people! She was so pleased to feed us all, and we were all beyond pleased with her food! Everything we ate was locally grown. There was antipasti (appetizers) consisting of bread, a local cheese made with goat’s milk, and assorted jarred sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, and other types of vegetables in olive oil all made and packaged by the family and sold with their wine. For lunch we had fresh pasta in a meat and olive sauce sprinkled with fresh basil. To accompany the food we first tried a white wine followed by a red. Then we had a second red wine to follow the first. The second red wine they brought out was called “Barolo.” We then learned that this type of wine could be purchased for 14 euros (roughly 20 dollars) but sells for around $1000 in the US depending on the year it was made. Of course our meal was followed by dessert where we had a plate of small baked goods. Two different types of the dessert were native to Torino, and I had one of the best cookies I’ve ever had in my life. It was an almond cookie with the most amazing texture garnished with a candied orange rind. And of course there was a dessert wine to accompany our sweets. It was white and bubbly and sweet, and quite possibly one of the most delicious things I have ever consumed.

This is a picture of the group of us taking up three extra long tables in a courtyard right outside the house of the family owned winery.

Above is the Barolo wine. Our bottle was from 2006, which is supposedly a great year for this particular winery.

To top off all of the food we were so graciously fed, the area we were in was unbelievable. Pictures cannot do it justice. We drove into a valley, therefore we were surrounded on all sides by rolling hills laden with villas (beautiful Italian houses) and sunflowers. If I only got to see one thing in Italy, I would have been content with that view.

Ahead of me is a full week of classes. I made the decision to take an Intro to Italian course so that I can learn the language, as almost no one here speaks any other language other than Italian. So far I have been learning a lot, but I still have so much more progress to make! In a few days we will travel to Lake Maggiore which is located near to Lake Como (where George Clooney famously owns a house.) I hear it's supposed to be beautiful, so of course there are more pictures to come! Until then, I'm left to explore the city of Torino. Our school is located right next to the arena where the winter Olympics in 2006 held their ice skating. It's fun to walk around and be face to face with the Olympic rings!

There is still so much more exploring left to do! Until my next post, ciao!

Bath Time

2011-07-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

So as a part of the FIE program, my group was able to go on a guided trip to Stonehenge and the town of Bath. We started out the day quite early, a little before 8:00 am for a bus ride about 90 miles outside the city to head to Stonehenge first. Stonehenge is listed at one of the 7 Wonders of the United Kingdom as well as one of the 7 Wonders of the Medieval World. For the summer solstice sunrise, it is a main attraction because there is a stone that lies outside the stonehenge circle that lines up with the the appearance of the sun.

Prior to our visit, a lot of us believed the stones of Stonehenge were place by some extraterrestrial force which, is what created such mystery. However, our lovely and delightfully witty tour guide, informed us that there were tribes that lived in this area that some how placed them. The mystery of the complete story is still in the midst because there are still so many piece pieces to the puzzle. The stones are quite deep in the ground and weigh several tons each. They were thought to have been taken oven on a boat but the weight would logically just be too heavy for the boats they had at that time. It is estimated that the Stonehenge structure is about 3500 years old and it was used as a ritual piece. The remaining structure is only a fracture of the original circle formation. Research teams have been continuously finding artifacts that have led to new discoveries so it seems the story is always shifting a little. There is still many legends about Stonehenge which makes this such a tourist attraction still.

After Stonehenge, we also visited Bath to see the Roman baths as well at the delightful surrounding town. The architecture of the Bath house was very beautiful but the water had a certain green glow....

After walking around the Roman Baths and stopping at the gift shop, ( I was trying to decide if I should have "Bath" themed bathroom :D ), we ventured off on the cobble stones of Bath. There were a lot of traditional retailers but a good variety of the little shops that you just cannot find anywhere. We stopped in a hat and fascinator shop, (fascinators are more or less smaller clipped in versions of the hats), which carried some of the amazing hair accessories that women in the UK traditionally wear to special occasions such as weddings. The fascinator fashions and hats were the talk of the town, (who am I kidding, the world!), from royal wedding. We may even have to consider having some for the next D&M kiosk :).

Those who know me, know I like to find the diamond in the ruff; the hunt is half the treasure! So I love any kind of markets or rummage sales, charity and consignment shops. Just off one of the main roads in Bath we spotted just a small market called 'The Walcot Street Saturday Market.' They had a lot of antique serving sets as well as jewelry so I picked up a couple of gifts. Overall, a great day and perfect view of the country side on the ride home!

First Post from Italy!

2011-07-10T11:37:00.001-07:00

My name is Casey and I am writing from Torino, Italy! I am traveling with a group through the University of Nevada, but the program is called USAC (University Study Abroad Consortium.) There are about fifty students studying in Torino with me, and almost 95% of them are from California. Suddenly, being from Philadelphia makes me interesting and exotic, who knew?

Torino is Italy’s fourth largest city. There is a population of almost one million people. It is located in the northwest between the French border and Milan, so often the Alps are visible. This city is very authentic in that it is filled with families and locals. Almost nobody here speaks any English! They are also not accustomed to foreigners, so the group of us fifty Americans all stick out like carrots in a gumball machine.

Being foreign in a place like Torino isn’t easy. Classes have not started yet, so the group has spent the majority of our time exploring the area. It is very different from home in that technology is not the main focal point of the day. Our apartments do not have any Internet access. In fact, we have to be at school to get online which makes posting to the blog a tad difficult, but it also slows me down in a good way. Already being away from one major form of technology, I made the decision not to get a European cell phone. I figure, people used to meet up with one another before the invention of the cell phone, why should today’s day and age be any different? Of course I have a phone that can make international calls in case of emergency, but for the most part I am taking myself out of my Americanized mindset and into that of Italy.

Additionally, I was introduced to the idea of “culture shock”. I am currently immersed in a culture I knew little about and my “American mannerisms” are easily detectable. This is one of the major differences between studying abroad, and traveling abroad. I am living in the city of Torino for just over a month. They already know me in some of the coffee and gelato shops, and I can’t get away with being American forever, so there are certain things one needs to know.

This is a list of important things I’ve learned since I’ve arrived:

Cappucino is only consumed prior to 11:00 am and is considered rude to drink after this time because the milk is very heavy and shouldn’t come before a meal.
Money is never exchanged from hand-to-hand. Instead, euros are placed either on the countertop or table for the servers to pick up on their own.
Tipping is also considered rude as Italians pride themselves on their work and are insulted when you try to give money for it.
There is no Italian word for ‘design’. Even though Italy is chock full of it.
Torino is the birthplace of tic tacs and nutella!

This was my very first machiatto in Italy! Sooo delicious. And below is the caffe I got it at :D

This is the view of Torino from on top of the Lingotto mall (which was once the home of Fiat, the car company.)

More is on the way.

Woke Up in London Yesterday

2011-07-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to travel abroad but when I was younger, I did not really have the opportunity to do so. Going to college, I liked the idea of study abroad and while staying in a foreign country for a whole term may seem intimidating initially, risks are worth taking for the reward.

My name is Emily and I'm currently away in the beautiful town of London in the United Kingdom for study abroad. I'm majoring in Design and Merchandising so, studying in the Summer is the most suitable time because there are more relevant classes offered such as 'Product Promotion and Trend Reporting'. As a D&M, London is a place I hear about a lot and have learned quite a bit about in regards to some of their fashion culture and retail environment. It is quite exciting to finally visit places I've done projects on such as Marks and Spencer.

I am also a Culinary Arts minor so food, fashion, and I hold a deep love. I will not be taking any culinary courses however, I've obviously been exploring some of the London food traditions, (bangers and mash, a 'must taste').

London has been a very nice change of pace after a very busy last year. Drexel University is affiliated with the FIE program that allows us to take four classes which, are divided into two sessions for the ten weeks leaving only two classes at time. This is a substantial difference from the usual five or six classes. Everyone needs a little change every once and while or else we would flat out go crazy!

My group from Drexel and I are amongst planning trips to other countries as well as places in the area. FIE also provides the group with a list of trips and events to choose from as well as a coach bus tour of London and walking tour of the surrounding area. The tours made me feel like I saw so much of London in such a short time. I plan to go back and see some of the historic landmarks a bit closer.

Pictured, is the neighborhood we are staying in.

We are staying in the South Kensington area, which is quite wealthy. This area is also close to Kensington Gardens and Hyde park, lovely places to take a nice walk in or go for a jog. I've been here about three weeks so I'll recap some highlights through my future posts and update on the rest of my time here!

* Title, Lyrics from Good Life by One Republic

Faxi Waterfall

2011-05-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

While at the Faxi Waterfall in the Golden Circle we witnessed a four wheeler stuck at the bottom of the falls. Yes, the waterfall was beautiful but watchin the four wheeler struggle was hilarious

Nancy Shares Her Thoughts!

2011-05-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

The Blue Lagoon

2011-05-22T18:34:00.001-07:00

The Blue Lagoon is a the tourist geothermal spa in Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwestern Iceland. We went on our last day in Iceland, and it was way more different that I expected. I wouldn't say I am a germaphoebe but I love hand sanitizer. I am also not a big swimmer. Me + Water aren't really friends. I would choose a shower over a bath any day. I just want to give you all a heads up about who I am before I tell you about my experiences at the Blue Lagoon.

It was not the nicest day out and knowing that I was about to be half naked in the 50 degree weatehr didn't put my in the best mood. Also knowing I was about to be showering naked in front of total strangers was was a very out of comfort zone experiences for me. Before entering the Blue Lagoon you have to shower naked and get rid of all dirt and make up on your body. This was comforting knowing I was going to be in a a large body of water with a group of strangers. Luckily for us self conscious Americans they did have private showers!

Laura, Ashley, asd Myself quickly ran towards to Lagoon and it was much different then i could ever had expected. A large body of a thick creamy water surrounded by lava rocks. This place was defiantly way cooler then I imagined. We basically ran in due to the pure excitement of it all, and the fact that we were freezing. After awkwardly getting used to the water we put on a face mask provided by the Lagoon. This place is not the best place for germaphies since people are using there hands to get the masks out of communal bins and washing their faces in the water. But hey WHEN IN ICELAND DO WHAT THE TOURISTS DUE!
Icelanders don't really go to the Blue Lagoon and have smaller geothermic spas locally in neighborhoods.

After getting used to the people, it was a lot of fun. The only part that made it weird was the House Music and gamers everywhere due to a conference that was happening that week in Iceland. Overall we all had a lot of fun trying something new! It was a nice end to the trip. It was an awesome way to relax, and have a little spa relaxation during our spring break!

I8 GALLERY

2011-05-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

I am in art history minor from New York, so my love for galleries is very dear to my heart. We went to a contemporary art gallery in Iceland with some very unique art. I actually took a lot of video from this gallery so please just see the below posts. They are in the following order. The art itself. Then Thorlakur Einarsson, the Gallery explaining the art, and then finally the students interacting with the art and their reactions to the show
The below is direct from I8s website explains the show in detail.

FINNBOGI PÉTURSSON, HRAFNKELL SIGURDSSON, ÍVAR VALGARDSSON 10/02/2011 - 02/04/2011
THREE PARTS WHOLE curated by GREGORY VOLK

Three Parts Whole features new work by noted Icelandic artists Finnbogi Pétursson, Hrafnkell Sigurdsson, and ívar Valgardsson. The work is diverse, and is meant to be so. Pétursson’s suspended video camera swinging like a pendulum as it briefly displays its own “view” on a monitor, as well as his time-based drawing on the wall; Sigurdsson’s enthralling photographs of sculpture-like chunks of ice and snow fallen from automobiles and his photographic construction displaying distant mountains, the sky, and an exploding volcano; and Valgardsson’s spare yet captivating wall works made of aluminum, along with a large crumpled ball fashioned from a single sheet of paper painted blue, reveal distinct, highly idiosyncratic artistic sensibilities. These distinct sensibilities cohere in an exhibition full of correspondences, some obvious, and others much more subtle. Related colors, shapes, textures, and motion (whether actual or implicit) course through the exhibition. Compact and contained works suggest distances and immensities: the sky, horizon lines, land formation and convulsion, the ceaseless rhythm of waves. Works dealing in physicality, tactility, and optical power are also marvelously evocative, and able to induce rapt contemplation. On one level a celebration of pure visual pleasure, Three Parts Whole also celebrates the multifaceted “conversation” that develops between the participating artists.

This exhibition also has an unusual history. Several months ago Börkur Arnarson from i8 Gallery contacted me with a novel proposal. He was interested in a three-person show of Finnbogi Pétursson, Hrafnkell Sigurdsson, and ívar Valgardsson, and wanted an outside curator to look freshly at their work, and figure out how that work might not only fit, but also thrive, in the same exhibition. I readily agreed, and decided early in the process to opt for new work: my “fresh approach” would engage fresh and untested works. Among a number of “imaginary” works by ívar Valgardsson (explorative virtual works, rendered in Photoshop, that may or may not eventually be realized) I was struck by a large, ungainly, yet oddly elegant blue ball, which suggested both a big rock and a crumpled piece of paper tossed into a waste basket. Valgardsson has now realized that sculpture for this exhibition, and it has a peculiar power and mysterious presence, with its vibrant color, pronounced surface tactility, numerous indentations and depths, and conflation of inside and outside, including suggestions of water and sky. That ball-like sculpture connects—not overtly, but instead subtly and poetically—with Finnbogi Pétursson’s wall drawing for which he used a motorized pen called a SpyroGyro to make an undulating mesh of circular lines, airy and spare in parts, and in other parts much more dense and impacted. Pétursson’s drawing suggests reverberating sound waves (this from an artist famous for working with sound) and also hints at horizon lines and distant geological formations. Hrafnkell Sigurdsson photographs of ice and snow fallen from cars have a surprising sculptural complexity, while pronounced, yet subdued, color tones make them seem almost painterly. In the meantime, Sigurdsson’s nine photographs of icy debris also suggest a horizon line, and an eventful landscape stretching far off into the distance.

Sigurdsson is also exhibiting a doctored and mediated photo construction, concerning the hyper-mediated Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption of 2010, in which a seemingly serene shot of snowy mountains and a blue sky (the whole image has been manipulated by the artist) can be opened to reveal stupendous billowing smoke as captured in a stock photograph. Call it a window of sorts, a faux window that reveals a stylized volcanic eruption, a manipulated view of a geological event that quickly turned into a global media frenzy, and it is one of numerous nature-culture collisions in the exhibition. Still, Sigurdsson’s manipulated work is majestic, awe-inspiring, and transportive, and retains an aura of a nature-based sublime. Speaking of nature-culture collisions, ívar Valgardsson has enlisted a common building material (corrugated aluminum) for his gray and blue wall works. Diverting this common material into a new context, his concrete works seem curiously vast: rigid pieces of metal that suggest distant horizons, rolling waves, the gray weather that often buffets Iceland, a deep blue sky, the reverie one sometimes feels looking up at the heavens.

Implicit motion and pent energy abound in this exhibition, in contained works that also seem really open and alert to powerful, world-shaping forces. Motion becomes explicit in Finnbogi Pétursson’s swinging video camera, rhythmically arcing from one side of the room to the other, over and over, while intermittently displaying what it “sees” on a monitor as sharp yet fleeting visual events. Pétursson’s swinging camera suggests a grandfather clock from the old days, mechanically swinging and swinging and keeping track of the time, but it has many more connotations as well. Most of what it sees and experiences is hidden, but some of what it sees suddenly comes into focus: flash insights, quick clarity, sudden illumination. This back and forth pendulum motion is restless and agitated, but also hypnotic and oddly comforting, suggesting rhythms of departure and arrival, exploration and return. As the tide advances on one shore it withdraws from another, only to later reverse course. As one civilization flourishes another declines, but that too will change in due time. A child’s seesawing day swings many times between happiness and despair. The stock market rises and investors are thrilled but then the bottom drops out and investors get walloped. Optimistic new governments promising reform come into power, but then lose their way amidst compromise and corruption. One’s own most incandescent breakthroughs are inevitably followed by enervation and confusion, but there will be more breakthroughs later. Pétursson’s work is elemental, but also visually and humanly complex, and the same goes for the other works in this exhibition. For me, as the curator, it has been a special pleasure and an inspiration working with these three artists on the development and completion of the exhibition Three Parts Whole.

Icelandic artists Finnbogi Pétursson, Hrafnkell Sigurdsson, and ívar Valgardsson.

Ashley having fun with the art by Finnbogi Pétursso

Ashely and Laura's reaction to the I8 Gallerys show

2011-05-18T21:30:00.001-07:00

Ashley came down with a cold in Iceland which was bad for Ashley, but funny for us!

Inside Jokes

2011-05-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

While in Iceland our group had a couple of inside jokes and one of them made fun of me! Well I was the one that shared this fact with everyone and since I kept on reapeating this event it became a nice little part of our trip. One day while Laura, Ashley, and myself were ate the grocery store I stumblred upon this hidden jem...COOL AMERICAN DORITOS. Yes, they were just ranch Doritos, but they had an epic name! I decided to eat these chips back in my hotel rooms and all of a sudden I felt extremely sleepy and passed outt! I told my group and they all thought it was a little funny. The next day I decided to eat Paprika chips and passed out again. Apparently I got the idis from these chips. The next night I had another bag of Cool Americans and passed out. The joke of Iceland became me passing out due to my addiction to potato chips. This hasn't happened yet in America, so maybe Iceland+Exotic Chips=Sleepy Time?

Ashley..Dancing with a Polar Bear..IN ICELAND!

2011-05-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Reykjanes, Ísland

2011-05-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

This spot was my absolute favorite place in Iceland. We went to this cliff right before we left for the airport back home. The area is covered in rocks and deep blue water. On the side was a magnificent lighthouse. Just staring at the vast ocean was an unbelievable experience. it is hard to describe but was a feeling of bliss/calm being in this location in the world.

Hallo!

2011-05-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hallo!
That is Icelandic for Hello!! My name is Stacey and I am graduating senior. For my last college spring break I decided to do something a little different...to go to Iceland with my professor. This may not sound like the typical college girls spring break, and especially not a senior, but it was the best spring break I could ever ask for. I never thought I would go to Iceland, and love it! PS that is my at Cafe Oliver in Iceland. I bought that rabbit fur hat at a local shop. Best purchase ever!

Tasmania

2010-11-21T02:00:00.000-08:00

Bay of Fires

To celebrate the end of classes, six of us decided to travel to Australia’s only island state, Tasmania. We arrived in Hobart on a beautiful sunny day and proceeded to pick up our home for the next 5 days- a campervan. Traveling in our homes has seemed to be a trend for our trips in and around Australia. This van was slightly different than the van we drove in New Zealand. It was almost as big as a motor home and slept six people, a big difference from driving my little bug at home.

We headed off, slowly, into the city of Hobart. It was a very quaint city, no high rises or modern architecture. It was very reminiscent of a New England style town. We grabbed some lunch at a small café and sat down with our maps to plan our route. The manager of the café was even nice enough to tell us some of the must sees of Tasmania. Everyone in Australia is so helpful and friendly. After lunch we drove up to Mount Wellington, which had a beautiful view looking over the city of Hobart then came back to town to pick up a few things for our trip. As we made our way to the campsite, we looked up to the sky to find the most brilliant stars I have ever seen in my life. There were so many and so bright that there was no need for streetlights. We were able to pick out so many constellations, many of which I had never seen before, as well as seeing two shooting stars. As weird as it sounds, the air was so clean and so pure. It was so strange because I never noticed the air around me, but it was so clean and fresh that it made me notice. Great for the trip, but unfortunate for when I go back home.

The next day we got an early start and headed up along the coast to Cole’s Bay. The water was the bluest I had ever seen and as clear as glass. The rocks were a burnt orange color and when paired with the blue water made for an amazing view. We continued north to Wine Glass Bay. In the parking lot, we were greeted by a momma wallaby and her joey. It was so used to human interaction that it even let us pet its back. We then began the walk up to the Wine Glass Bay lookout. We had a spectacular view of the bay and the surrounding mountains. We then continued down to the bay. The sand was white and the water once again a beautiful blue. On the hike back up to the lookout, Samara and I started our list of 100 reasons we should not leave Australia!

The next day we continued north along the coast to the Bay of Fires. Getting here was somewhat misleading. We had been driving for quite a while, and ended up on a narrow dirt road. We thought for sure we were lost. Farmers on the side of the road were staring and you could tell they were chuckling at our huge van on the narrow road. We decided to continue and the road came to a dead end. We got out of the van to find one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen in my life. The sand was a pearl white and the water was a mix of turquoise and blues. There was no one else on the beach and it felt so strange to be completely alone in a setting that seemed to come from a picture book.

Our last full day in Tasmania was spent at Mt. Field National Park. We hiked a trail through a beautiful rainforest setting. It was so green and lush, unlike anything I have seen. There was even a massive waterfall that we hiked to the very top of along a trail. From there we drove down past Hobart to Hastings Caves. We took a guided tour through the massive underground caves filled with different rock formations, stalactites, and stalagmites. The guide even said that some people have had weddings in the part of the cave they called ‘the ballroom’. It was a fantastic trip and once again an unforgettable experience.

Melbourne Cup

2010-11-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 2nd, is the day when all of Australia stops. Classes at uni are cancelled and businesses are closed. What is the special occasion? Melbourne Cup Day. This is the main race of the Melbourne Cup, which lasts almost the whole month of November. Various races within various states occur during the month. Not only was this my first time to a horse race, but it was also the 150th anniversary of the Melbourne Cup. It was definitely an experience to remember.
When we arrive to the venue the first thing I noticed was the fashions. Never before have I been to a place where large wide-brimmed hats or fascinators were considered the norm. It felt as though I had been transported through time back to the 20s or 30s. Some men and women looked so regal and sophisticated. Some of the women’s hats were absolutely gorgeous and seemed to resemble a piece of artwork rather than a headpiece. There was a fashion competition, Meyer Fashion on the Field, which showcased some of the best-dressed women attending the race.
Upon entering the stadium area, I realized why this is known as the day when all of Australia stops: It is because they are all at the race. The sheer number of people was overwhelming. We were in the general admission section, which meant pushing through crowds and crowds of people to find a place to stand where we could somewhat see the races. There were ten races that day total, the seventh one being the cup race. Each race was relatively short, so there was a lot of standing around in between races, but the people watching kept us occupied. At the fifth race I decided to place a bet in order to truly get the horse racing experience. We walked up the stairs to the betting area and entered what seemed to be another world. Boards were everywhere listing the names of the horses with different numbers on either side. People seemed to be speaking a different language as they handed over their money, hoping their horse would win. I get in line and listen to the pros as they place their bets. As I wait, the man in front of me put down $150 on one horse. I followed with a measly five dollars. Unfortunately my horse did not win, but it was all part of the experience.
The Cup race was probably the most exciting. It was the big race of the day, and a lot of people had money riding on it. The rain didn’t affect anyone’s enthusiasm. You could hear the pure power of the horses as they sprinted past. They are much faster than they appear on T.V. and extremely beautiful. The victor of the race was an underdog with ten to one odds. The horse, ironically, was named Americain.

Studying at Swinburne

2010-10-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

Swinburne University Campus

This past week proved to be uneventful in terms of exploring but very eventful in terms of schoolwork. Next week is already the last week of classes for the semester. Needless to say there is a great deal of papers or projects due in the coming weeks. Final papers range anywhere from 2,000-3,500 words and are nothing extremely difficult or different from writing a paper at Drexel. Despite this, it seems to be much more difficult here to focus. I think everyone has been so used to travelling or exploring (when not in class) that sitting down to write a paper seems so uneventful and dull in comparison. What also is unusual is that for every class I am taking, there are 2 or 3 grades total for the entire semester. There is a midterm, final, and occasionally another small assignment. Work comes in waves; on a normal week to week basis, our responsibilities are to go to class. Then once midterms start you are hit with work all at once. It is very strange because I am not really stressed about my assignments, which is very different from when I am at Drexel. I think it really is reflective of the attitude of students here as well as the professors. My philosophy professor was describing the requirements for our final paper and what he was hoping to see in our papers. A student raised the question about the due date, making sure what was written in the syllabus was correct. The teacher replied with a response similar to, “Yes you can hand it in then if you’d like, but I just need it by the last week of classes.” This lax attitude with deadlines was something I have never really experienced, especially with something like a final paper.

I suppose that the difficulty in getting started with papers and assignments is that I am taking classes different from those I am used to taking. I am taking my first college philosophy class, which is definitely challenging since it really requires me to change my normal way of thinking, looking beyond the face value of concepts or ideas. Two of my other classes deal with Australian history. One of these classes looks at the political history or Australia. It is a topic of which I have no previous knowledge and although Australia’s political system is somewhat similar to the one we have in the states, there are some great differences. Even the names of the political parties can be confusing. My other Australia class covers the very beginnings of Australia, from its original inhabitants, the Aboriginals, to modern day society. We covered topics such as Aussie slang (which proved to be very helpful), lifestyle, the natural wonders of Australia, and Australia’s role within a global context.

I think that studying in Australia has given me the great opportunity to not only learn about the area within a classroom setting, but also explore the place which I am learning so much about. If the trade off for the experiences are papers, I can handle doing the work. But fortunately we still have about a month, which means more adventures to come!

Spring in Melbourne

2010-10-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

Elephants at the Melbourne Zoo

This week the warm, spring weather continued in Melbourne. Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, we went to St. Kilda beach, just outside of Melbourne. We had visited the area shortly after we arrived in Melbourne, back in July, which would have been winter. Needless to say this visit was much different. The beach was full of people laying out, walking, eating or riding bikes. The city definitely came alive with the signs of spring. We had a great time just relaxing in the sun and playing games on the beach. Unfortunately the water was still too cold to go for a swim, but we were brave enough to dip our toes. As the sun went down we decided to explore the town of St. Kilda. We ventured to Luna Park, a small amusement park close to the beach. The rides were pretty similar to those in the states, like the “pirate ship.” The smells of amusement park food were too much, so some of us just had to give in to a warm, jam filled doughnut. After leaving the park we continued to explore, walking down some of the main streets of St. Kilda. The town was bustling with people out eating and drinking. So many restaurants had outside seating with tables along the sidewalk. The smells were making everyone hungry so we decided to stop somewhere ourselves. We found this really interesting and small restaurant called Lentil as Anything. It was strictly vegetarian and vegan, with a small but delicious menu. What made this place so different was the pricing…there was none. The restaurant truly operates on the generosity of others. The menu says to pay whatever you feel the meal was worth. The restaurant started out as a hang out for local artists and musicians. Sometimes, money was low, but the restaurant provided them with food, telling them to pay whatever they could at the time. When weeks were good, people would often pay more in order to compensate for previous weeks. I couldn’t believe it. I never heard of anything like that in the States, nor am I sure if something like that would work. The food was delicious too! It was a very eclectic place and somewhere slightly off the beaten path. It still had a real sense of community and tourists were not in sight!

Unfortunately Saturday’s weather was not as nice, but we had a trip planned to the Melbourne Zoo. It was a lot of fun, considering the last time I went to a zoo was about ten years ago. The best part was that a baby elephant had just been born in September, so we were able to see it. He was so precious, and seemed so small compared to his mother. As they were eating, the baby got in the mother’s way, but she just pushed him away with her trunk and he clumsily moved to the side. It was pretty funny to watch the dynamics between the baby and the mother. We also were able to see a silverback gorilla. He was so big, and slightly intimidating. The orangutans were also really cool, swinging from rope to rope and just hanging by their arms as if it were nothing. I really felt like a little kid again, being so fascinated by all the animals.

Flying By

2010-10-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

Melbourne City

It is hard to believe that there are only three weeks left in my semester abroad. Time has seemed to fly by, so much so that it feels like I arrived in Australia yesterday. Along with the closing of the semester come finals and papers. At Swinburne, a semester is made up of twelve weeks of classes (not including the week of spring break). At the end of classes, there is a week study period before exams begin. The exam period lasts roughly two weeks, so you have ample time to study and the possibility of breaks between each exam. Luckily, I only have one exam, which isn’t until the end of November, so I will have plenty of time to study. I also have three papers to write which are due earlier in November.

While thinking about the preparation and work for papers and exams, I also think about leaving Australia, which has come to feel like home. I have had so many great experiences here and I can’t imagine leaving. Looking back at mid-July (before I left for Melbourne) I remember thinking that four months away would be so hard and I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I already changed my plane ticket home to a later day once, so I guess it is fair to say that I have found plenty to do with myself here in Australia. I recently presented the idea with my parents about staying until the end of December, but that didn’t exactly fly with them. I think that if I had the money, I would definitely stay longer. Although I feel as though I have taken advantage of every opportunity and traveled a great deal, there still seems to be so much more to experience and see. As I am nearing the end of my stay here, I realize how much more I want to see and do before I leave. This experience has definitely instilled an even stronger desire to travel all over the world (for more than just a vacation). This experience has made the world seem so much smaller. I have even started thinking of where to work after I graduate from Drexel. Before, I only thought of places in the States, but now the possibilities of where I could work and live seem endless; the world is at my fingertips.

I not only think of leaving the beautiful country of Australia, but also the people I have met. I have gotten to know people from all over the world, each story and way of life uniquely different than the other (as well as mine). I have learned so much from other people and have formed some wonderful friendships. It is hard to think of us all going our separate ways. I am so glad that I have taken this opportunity to study abroad. Places I have been and people I have met have truly impacted my perceptions of life and culture. I am very glad I still have more time to experience everything Australia has to offer.

Sydney

2010-10-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

Surfers at Bondi Beach

Sydney Opera House

This past weekend we ventured to the most famous city in Australia- Sydney. A short flight from Melbourne, only about an hour, Sydney is one of those iconic cities that you must visit. Culturally, it is very different than Melbourne. Walking around the city, Sydney really reminded me of Philadelphia or New York, due to its similar layout and the outward appearance of some buildings. The people also seemed much more uptight than the citizens of Melbourne, but everyone was still very nice and helpful. Because it is such a popular city, Sydney seemed to have a great deal more tourists than Melbourne. It was difficult to find a resident of Sydney on the street to get directions. Sydney was also more expensive, not really appealing to a college student budget.

This was my first true experience of hostel life. We stayed in hostels on our New Zealand trip, but the in the hostel in Sydney twelve people, some strangers, shared a room as opposed to only six (all of whom I knew). Some roommates were messy and slamming doors and loud voices often interrupted sleep, but I also was able to meet some new and interesting people. Some people actually lived in the hostel, like an apartment. It was really strange to see people sitting in the common area all day watching T.V. I didn’t understand why they weren’t out exploring the city!

The first day we decided to see some of the famous sights of Sydney. First we went to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Since the famous climb across the bridge would cost $200 we decided to walk up one of the pylons for $9 instead. At the top we had some great views of the city, the bridge, and the famous Sydney Opera House. It was really beautiful. Inside the pylon there was also a mini museum that displayed pictures with interesting facts about the bridge and its construction. From there we walked through “the Rocks”, which is the historic part of Sydney. There was a street market with a variety of food, crafts, and clothing. Samara and I were even able to find our first soft pretzel (one thing we both miss from the States).

From the Sydney Harbor Bridge, we walked around the harbor to the Sydney Opera House. It was so amazing to see it in person and proved to be much more impressive than pictures. We took a tour inside the Opera House and were able to sit in the opera theater as well as the drama theater and the Utzen room (dedicated to the architect of the Opera House). It was so interesting to learn about the building process and history of performances.

The next day we went to Bondi beach, which has become a destination for both locals and travelers. Little beach shops lined the streets as well as restaurants and cafes. We spent most of our time there walking around and taking in the sights. Unfortunately, it was too cold to test the waters. Later, we went back to Sydney and took a free walking tour of Sydney. Our guide was very enthusiastic and kept the tour fun and lighthearted. It was a great way to get to know our way around the city as well as the history of Sydney.

The three days in Sydney flew by quickly, but we were able to see a lot and experience the cosmopolitan vibe of the famous Australian city. I would like to go back before the end of my stay in Australia.

2010-09-29T22:30:00.001-07:00

Hiking the Frans Joseph Glacier

Our camper van- Hibiscus

Bungy Jumping

This past week was the week- long mid-semester break, a time to escape the classroom and reports. Wanting to take full advantage of our location, on the opposite side of the world, six of us decided to take a trip to the south island of New Zealand. Weeks of planning and preparation finally arrived and the trip didn’t disappoint. We accomplished so much in ten days that it would be hard to write it all in a short blog, so I will just highlight the major events.

We started by running through the airport trying to catch our flight to Christchurch, New Zealand. Luckily, we made it and were able to begin our trip on time. In Christchurch we picked up our homes for the next 10 days- camper vans. They resembled the hippie vans of the 60s, with graffiti artwork covering both sides. Inside was a makeshift bed of foam pads, a cooler, propane tank, dishes and a pump sink. It was here that we would, eat, sleep, and drive for the next 10 days (a life with no phones, internet, or facebook). We packed up all our belongings and headed north. Our first stop was to see the seal colony in Kaikoura. Standing along the coast, we overlooked rocks covered with seals, all shapes and sizes. Driving a little further we went to the Ohau waterfall. Here there were seal pups swimming and playing. It was amazing and the pups were absolutely adorable. I was able to venture out on a rock close to the shore and a seal pup came right up to where I was sitting. It looked up at me with its big eyes and touched my sweatpants with its nose. I was never so close to a seal in its natural habitat.

From there we traveled to Abel Tasman, where we spent a whole day kayaking in Tasman Bay. It was absolutely beautiful. The water was so blue and crystal clear and gorgeous sandy beaches lined the coastline. There were two islands that we were able to stop and explore. We stopped and had our picnic lunch on one of the islands. It was beautiful and sunny and I felt as though I was in a travel brochure. We continued around the island, but unfortunately our ride into shore was not as leisurely as the ride out. The wind began to pick up and white caps covered the bay. Waves were splashing into our faces and no matter how hard we paddled, it seemed as if we could not move. Luckily my kayaking partner and I had a sense of humor and eventually made it back to shore. It is safe to say that we all slept well that night.

Leaving Abel Tasman, we traveled down the west coast. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. Looking back at all the pictures taken, none of them did it justice. After two days of driving and stopping at other cities we arrived in Frans Joseph. It was here that we hiked the Frans Joseph glacier. Our guide led us onto and through the huge mound of white and blue ice with pickaxe in hand (to pick away ice to create a better walking path) We were adorned with spiked hiking boots, hats, gloves, and lots of layers of pants and jackets. The views were spectacular and it was truly a unique experience. After hiking on the ice all day we went to the Frans Joseph hot springs to help get warm.

We continued down the west coast to the city of Queensland and the surrounding area. We went horseback riding just outside the city in Glenorchy. Here we did a three-hour horseback ride. The scenery was spectacular as we rode in the valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains. We also learned that the surrounding area is where they filmed the Lord of the Rings movies. Unfortunately I have never seen them, but I will be sure to eventually to see if I can recognize any of the landscape. My horse, Oden, was a bit difficult to control, but it was a great time. We were even taught how to post while trotting, which was a bit nerve wracking but very fun.

The last major event of our trip was probably my most memorable. While driving we stopped at a popular attraction, the first bungy jumping sight in the world. We watched a few jumpers as they jumped from a bridge with a rushing river beneath them. The more I watched, the more I wanted to experience it for myself, so four of us decided to jump. I shuffled up to the edge of the bridge, posed for a few pictures, and immediately looked down; big mistake. But I decided to just do it. I would like to say that I jumped, but it was more or less fell off the edge. On the way down I tried to scream, but nothing came out. It was the most exhilarating thing I have done. I was so glad I did it and was the perfect way to end the trip.

Shrine of Remembrance

2010-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

At the entrance of the Shrine of Remembrance

This past weekend I ventured to the Australian Shrine of Remembrance. It was an assignment for a class to visit and write a reflection about the memorial to those Victorians who lost their lives in war throughout Australia’s history. It was a good chance for me to learn about Australian involvement in the major wars throughout history. I had this stereotype that Australia was never really in wars or suffered great loss of human life from past and present wars.

The actual Shrine was beautiful and commanded your attention as soon as you walked to the entrance stairs. The building was located on a hill just outside the city center of Melbourne. You could see the entire city from the balcony, which goes the whole way around the shrine. Despite the busy streets below, the shrine was very quiet and peaceful. Outside there was a tall memorial with a flame burning at the base. The “Eternal Flame” was lit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 and has been burning ever since to commemorate those who died in World War II and their eternal life.

The most amazing part was the sanctuary. In the center of the sanctuary is the Stone of Remembrance. It is symbolic of a gravestone for all the Victorian service men and women buried in unmarked graves or overseas. It is purposely set to sit below ground level so that visitors must bow their heads to read the inscription, “Greater Love Hath No Man.” But this memorial gets even more amazing. World War I ended on the 11^th day of the 11^th month at the 11^th hour. Each year on Remembrance Day (November 11^th) a natural ray of sunlight shines in from the opening in the roof onto the Stone of Remembrance. At precisely 11 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) the sunlight illuminates the word “love.” Although I was not visiting during this time, seeing that memorial was truly a moving experience.

Another memorable display was the Gallery of Medals. All along the wall, enclosed in a glass case, are 4,000 service medals from different wars. Each single medal represents 100 Victorians who have served in wars and 6 who have lost their lives. Seeing the large amount of physical medals really put into perspective how many people actually died for their country. It really made you reflect not only the soldiers Australia has lost, but also those from the U.S. who gave their lives for their country throughout history.

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week

2010-09-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Looks from the Designer Show at Melbourne Fashion Week

Wanting to truly see what Melbourne fashion is about, I decided to attend a show at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. I was so excited to see firsthand the new trends to hit Melbourne for spring. The designers (most located in Melbourne) included above, ALPHA60, Carly Hunter, Claude by Claude Maus, FAT, Jack London, Limedrop, Tesla, and Trimapee. Most lines included both men’s and women’s garments. The overall feeling of the show was very cognizant of the attitude and overall vibe of Melbourne: modern and urban. Most of the garments from FAT, Jack London, and Limedrop were very minimalistic in certain aspects of the design. Shapes were very simple, and seemed to be draped delicately around the body. The colors of the show were also a range of mid-tones and muted colors, while black and white seemed to dominate the runway. There were pops of color in the form of a tropical -like pattern as well as a beautiful coral color.

Another trend among all lines was the incorporation of menswear into women’s wear. Button down collared shirts and oversized blazers were combined with feminine skirts for a casual look. There were also a few dresses to graze the runway. Two of my favorites were a black one-shoulder dress and the one photographed above. The shape is simple, but the draping and folds made it interesting. I just think it looked so elegant and modern. Carly Hunter’s line was based off of a shear woven fabric with large solid dot pattern. It was probably my least favorite line due to the fact that it was very reminiscent of the 60’s and lacked variety in styles.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. A few found it underwhelming, but I really liked the minimalistic and casual style of the show. Most garments were pieces that you could incorporate into their everyday wardrobe. At the end I could honestly say that I wanted to take home almost all of the clothing I saw on the runway. Now I am inspired to dress like a Melbournian fashionista, if only I could afford it.

Local Status

2010-09-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

Before coming abroad, I wasn’t exactly sure how classes were going to be set up in terms of our other classmates. There are other students from other schools here at FIE during the same time as us, but some are doing internships, some aren’t staying as long as we are, and so on. Bottom line, you take all of your classes with essentially the same group of Drexel students. This might sound boring, but it’s actually a great bonding experience.

Strangely, it’s a bit like being at summer camp again. Everyone really forms a special kind of relationship and bonds as a group. We are assigned a lot of group projects, but groups are easier to work with than at home because everyone is comfortable with working with each other and its really easy to get together and work on projects since we all live in the same building.

In addition to the schoolwork aspect, everyone is just as open about free time activities and social events. If you don’t have a best friend in your major before going abroad or your friends chose different programs, don’t let this be a reason that you choose not to come to London. Honestly, I’m really surprised at the rate everyone has been forming friendships and bonding with one another. It’s a nice unexpected aspect that I’m sure a lot of us will take back to Drexel.

In other news, I had my first visitors this past weekend. My two friends who were studying in Madrid, Spain for the summer came to London for the weekend and I think my roommate and I did an okay job at being city tour guides. By no means do I feel like a local yet, but I’m starting to feel like I really know my way around. I’ve visited Philadelphia and New York before I went to school and did my co-op there, but it’s a completely different experience actually living in the city for a significant amount of time. The same is true with London. Even if you’ve been here before, the day to day activities and living like a local for three months make it an entirely new experience. Realizing that you are starting to know how to navigate around one of the biggest cities in the world without so much as a fold out map is a pretty cool feeling, I won’t lie.

Mix matched prints and blue hair

2010-09-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

So my roommate got it in her head that she wanted to dye her hair green. A lot of the other girls in our program agreed that they would get some brightly colored streak of color in their hair as well. But of course, who was the only person to go through with it with her? Me. A few phone calls to salons, a sort tube ride to Camden and fifty pounds later, my blonde hair has streaks of blue in it.

To be honest, its kind of exhilarating doing something so spontaneous and out of the ordinary to my appearance while I’m in London for the summer. It’s also really interesting doing something like dying my hair blue in a city like London in itself. People do whatever they want here- down to their hair, make up, clothes and behavior. Not in a rude, awkward, disrespectful way, but more in a liberating, free, accepting kind of way.

I have definitely noticed a gradual change in my personal style since I’ve been in London. I’ve been wearing clothes that I always want to, but never have the courage to wear at home. Knee socks, leopard platform shoes, mix matched patterns and now dyed blue hair. Going to school in Philadelphia, we are all so close to New York, the biggest fashion city in the United States. But honestly, it’s completely different from London and an atmosphere that I’m so grateful to experience.

I definitely feel most of the Design and Merchandising girls on my program and myself will take a different sense of individual style home with them after our summer in London. We just started our second five-week term of classes and one of our first assignments for Fashion Product Promotion class is to take pictures of street style. I’m really excited about this project because so many people dress so much more interestingly here on a daily basis. I don’t know how cliché this may sound- but Londoner’s daily dress is really inspiring to witness. It’s something you definitely don’t see at home. People incorporate trends into their wardrobe, but completely make the style their own. In America, everyone tends to adapt trends in the same way and everyone ends up looking the same. So if you want to do something out of the ordinary, like dye your hair blue or even just wear a bright color you’ve never been brave enough to wear at Drexel, you will definitely have the opportunity to do it in London.

Learning by doing

2010-09-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

One aspect about our British Culture class that I really like is that a lot of our homework involves going out and doing research as well as learning about historic events that still have relevance today. For one of our group projects, we were divided into groups of two or three and assigned a specific area of London in which we were supposed to visit, learn about and take pictures of and then report back to the class about our experience. My group was assigned Brick Lane, which is a street in East London that mainly serves as the Indian district, but also turns into a hip, artsy area with vintage boutiques and markets. I really like learning from personal experience rather than simply researching on the internet and putting together a power point. It’s a lot more enjoyable to give a presentation when you’re telling your classmates about something you actually experienced, which I have found myself doing in this class.

Another benefit of these presentations is you get to learn about what everyone else liked about their assigned areas and what they consider worth doing, which is most likely what everyone else in the class will want to do as well. Our final project is a paper done individually which must compare and contrast some sort of parallel between American and British culture.

I’ve come to find that our teachers in London give students less format and structure. Here, I feel more freedom in terms of thinking for myself, sharing my opinion, project ideas and creative ways of presenting information. I asked my teacher about my idea of comparing the original UK television show “The Office” to the now insanely famous American version of the same show, thinking it might be kind of a stretch. My teacher loved the idea and immediately said yes. I especially appreciated that he trusted that I would figure out the best way to present my idea. Having less structure in the way in which I approached the assignment allowed me to learn a lot.

Traveling

2010-09-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Being abroad is a great opportunity to travel. So much so in fact, that there is actually a lot of pressure to go to as many countries as you can. One thing every abroad student must realize is that you can’t go everywhere and you can’t see everything. Finding tickets, mode of transport and places to stay can quickly add up, so most likely you won’t be leaving England every weekend.

Even when you are in London, there are a lot a great day trips you can take that won’t break the bank. A bunch of us went down to Brighton Beach the other day, which is only about an hour train ride from the London Bridge tube stop. A round trip ticket was about nine pounds I believe. It took us straight into the little seaside town of Brighton, which has a main high street the leads directly to the beach. We were able to find the beach without any maps or sense of general directions just by following the crowd that we exited the train with. We spent most of the day just lying out on the beach, which has stones instead of sand. The water was too cold for us to go in, but a lot of people were swimming. I think if we had waited until August to go, it would have been warm enough. There are tons of outdoor cafes, bars and restaurants as well as clothing and souvenir shops. There also is a Brighton Pier along the beach, which is just like a carnival or fair back home. We got back to Metrogate in time to have dinner and go out.

Honestly, you don’t even have to go as far as Brighton to feel as if you’ve experienced a different atmosphere. Going to different parts of London, even tube stops within Zones One and Two, can be a day trip even within itself. My roommate and I often pick a random tube stop that we haven’t been to yet and just go to it, get off and see what we see. I actually really recommend doing this. The unlimited Oyster Card (Metro Card) that FIE provides us with is really one of the greatest benefits so far.

The other day, my roommate and I randomly got off at the King’s Cross tube stop and ended up finding the British Library completely by chance. The actually had a free Ancient Map exhibit going on, which is how we spent our afternoon that day. London is such a huge city and I’m coming to find that there really is something interesting to see everywhere you go.

Taking Advantage of the Common Language

2010-09-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

Upon arrival at FIE, one of our very first information sessions was a new student orientation that involved a short lecture on how we should expect to adjust to living abroad. This presentation was informative and a little comforting, but we were shown a “feelings graph” that was a little strange. It mapped the ups and downs of a typical abroad student’s emotional journey while studying in a foreign country. While I’m sure highs and lows of that nature could be expected somewhere more atypical, so far London does not seem like that much of a culture shock. I assume it I because of the common language.

I know many people wouldn’t pick London as their destination to study abroad in college solely because of this reason. My Dad was of this opinion when I was deciding where to study abroad. His reasoning was that living in London nowadays is just like living in New York, and for that reason I should pick somewhere that would be a little more “uncomfortable”, but in a good way.

After listening to him, I started thinking maybe he was right, however, although my dad does make a good point, I am starting to realize that I’ve made the best decision for me. I think London gives a Design and Merchandising student the best of both worlds. You’re in a whole new city and it’s a new experience living in a foreign country, but it is also easy enough to adjust that you could picture yourself living here one day. As one of the biggest fashion cities in the world, it’s great that we get to experience living here before we graduate. Kind of a preview, if you will.

I think studying in a country that speaks a different language would be great for certain people, but so far I’ve really enjoyed being out and talking to locals. This ability to converse with everyone is definitely adding to my learning experience. A lot of British people have just as many questions and preconceptions about life in America as we do about life in England, which can be really interesting.

I had someone ask me if schools really had groups. After talking them, I realized they were talking about American high schools and how they are depicted in movies with social groups like jocks, nerds and goth kids. Another boy started talking to me about Obama and how awesome it was that he came from a family with a single mother and is now the president, compared to the UK where everyone in power is a royal. Before we came to London, we were asked a lot about what preconceived stereotypes of British people we were aware of, but its funny to learn what they think about Americans as well.

Praha

2010-09-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Classes started this week. While in London, our semester is divided into two accelerated five-week terms, in which we take two classes each. For the first term, I signed up to take International Business and British Culture/Visual Media. Not enough people signed up for International Business, so it was dropped and I was put into an online International Fashion Merchandising class. So a) I get to take an International class while abroad and b) I have more time outside if the classroom to explore London.

Our British Culture class seems interesting so far. Don’t let the four hour classes scare you. The teachers know you are only here for the summer and take you on a lot of field trips during class to take advantage of that. I’m looking forward to our British Culture class in particular because a lot of our assignments look like they will involve researching by going to different places around London.

This weekend, I went on my very first weekend trip. A word of advice: while abroad, do everything in your power to get your parents to come visit you. Independence is great and all, but college students rearely get to take advantage of great meals and hotels. My parents have been to London many times before, so they wanted to meet up with me in a European location that none of us have been before. So, my roommate Ericka and I met up with my family in Prague, Czech Republic. We flew Easy Jet, one of the discount airlines that I’m sure you will become familiar with while abroad. (Note: Just because your tickets say your gate closes a half hour before take off, does not mean you have to run through the airport at 6 in the morning- it doesn’t really close.) Prague is such a beautiful city, and relatively cheap for the student traveler. As most of you know, the World Cup is going on and it’s a huge deal in Europe. We watched the US game with hundreds of people in the central square in Prague where a huge screen is set up for the games.

Budget airlines fly from smaller London airports, but it is worth it. There are a number of busses and trains that run to London Gatwick, Stansted and Luton at all hours of the night, no matter how early you have to get to the airport to make your flight. No matter your destination, there are always signs in English and easy ways of transport to the city.

Just touched down

2010-09-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe summer is finally here! After a road trip to Newark, flight overseas, and bus ride to the dorm, we are finally at our new home in London. I definitely recommend the group flight. It was very easy to find other people on the program, and a woman from FIE was waiting to greet us with a Drexel sign as soon as we got off the plane. They also accommodated a double decker bus ride to the dorms with a tour guide to give a nice introduction to the city and answer any questions that we might have.

I have traveled throughout time zones before, but I must admit I still have trouble with jet lag. So far my roommate and I have been sleeping whenever we get tired and have been on never-ending searches for food in later hours of the night. London is different from Philadelphia in that when you’re hungry at three in the morning, you can’t just walk over to the 7-11. Here, you’ll most likely end up at Burger King if you want food past 10 pm.

Our dorm, Metrogate is in the beautiful neighborhood of South Kensington. I am very happy with our accommodations. I live in a generously sized room that I share with one roommate and we share a bathroom with three other girls. All of our rooms are very close together and people often wander in and out, much like freshman year. Our street, Queen’s Gate Terrace, is right off of Gloucester Road, which is full of cute shops and cafes. Metrogate is a short walk away from the Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s, Science Museum, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace and Royal Albert Hall. (Anyone remember the Spice World final concert scene?) We live in a great area that is more residential than touristy, so I am looking forward to feeling like a true Londoner.

One of our first group activities was a walking tour around the city. The name does not lie; it was a lot of walking. But already, I feel better acquainted with the city. I was actually born in London, lived here until I was three and have been back a few times, but I know that living here during my college years will allow me to experience London as I never have before. If you are deciding between Study Abroad programs, don’t rule out a certain location just because you have been there before!

2010-08-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

Graffiti on Union Lane, Melbourne

Touring the city of Melbourne for the past 3 weeks has been great. Viewing all the famous sights has been fun, but what I enjoy most are the hidden treasures of the city; the things that really give it character. There are many arcades or alleyways that include small boutiques, cafes, and amazing graffiti.

The other day we were walking around the city, seeing how Australian clothing stores compare to those in America. Bright and colorful graphics were peeping out from the corner of a small alleyway, catching my eye. I crossed the street to take a picture to find a long, narrow alleyway covered on both sides with graffiti. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. It took a dark, dingy alley people would maybe take as a shortcut to a colorful, vibrant street art gallery. The graffiti was mainly images, rather than words or slogans. There was a great deal of stencil work as well as freehand images. Images covered everything from the brick walls to the grated door coverings, varying in styles and subject matter. Some were attacks on politics or main -stream media, while others resembled the works of Tim Burton.

As I walked around Melbourne, I paid more attention to the graffiti culture around the city. I had never seen anything like this in Philadelphia. The graffiti here could be comparable to the murals painted on the sides of certain buildings in Philly, but I think the graffiti offers an urban culture vibe. Although most graffiti images are illegal, people seem to like this style and what it brings to the city. Many galleries are showing “street art” and famous graffiti artists are now starting their own businesses. A specific crew, known as the “Citylights”, has started a 24- hour light box gallery in a dead-end alley. Every month they have a new exhibition. The medium is images, inspired by street art printed onto vinyl and placed in a light box. It is amazing how "street art" can spread into different avenues and how a city culture can embrace it.

My Prague Bucket List

2010-08-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

It is my final week studying in Prague, and I am sad thinking that next weekend I will be leaving Prague and continuing my travels throughout Europe. The four week program went by so quickly; it all seems a blur. My classes for the most part were very relaxed and laid back, so I found myself really enjoying the time spent “in class”. The group as a whole got along great, we were always doing something together, so it’s no wonder how time flew by.

Since it is my last week, I am trying to cram in all the tourist attractions that I kept putting off. This week, before my afternoon classes I went to Prague’s famed TV Tower, which is perched quite high on a hill. The TV tower can be seen from virtually anywhere in the city. Although, it always seems to be in the distance. There is a metro stop for the area around the TV tower, so it’s easy to access. I wanted to visit the TV Tower not only for the landscape view of the city but also for the unique art installation on the exterior.

Prague TV Tower

The Prague TV Tower has quite a few large sculptures of babies crawling on the tower, and they are visible from afar as well. Although you cannot make out what the figures actually are until much closer, it’s obvious that there is something on the tower. The babies are an art installation piece by famed Czech sculptor David Černý. The babies are made of fiberglass so they are pretty lightweight considering their size.The babies were originally suppose to be a temporary exhibit, however the citizens of Prague grew so found of them, the city decided to keep the installation installed permanently.

The TV Tower babies were so popular more were created and placed on Kampa Island near the Charles Bridge. Later that day my group went to go see the babies on the ground. Once I was face to face with the babies, I realized that they did not have faces! I did not notice these unique traits on the tower babies because they were placed so high up. I thought the babies on the ground were quite large, but I later found out that the babies on the tower are actually twice as large compared to the size of the ones on Kampa Island. Those are some large babies and large sculptures!

The Baby Sculpture on Kampa Island

The few other things on my Prague Bucket List include: dinner at Clear Head Vegetarian Restaurant, The Kafka Museum, and going up inside the Astronomical Clock to view Old Town Square from above!

2010-08-18T00:44:00.000-07:00

Samara and I at our first Aussie Rules Football Game

If you truly want to experience Australian culture and mingle with the locals there is only one thing you can do- go to a Footy game. Mainly popular in Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria, Australian Rules Football is a very popular winter sport. Fans battle the cold, and usually unpredictable weather, to come cheer on their home team.

Twelve of us ventured to cheer on our local team the Hawthorn Hawks on Saturday morning at the famous MCG Center (Melbourne Cricket Ground). We were pleasantly surprised to get $13 dollar tickets that allowed us to sit 5 rows behind the goal posts, a deal rarely heard of at any professional sporting event in the states! As the Hawks battled the Melbourne Devils I learned a great deal about this Australian pastime. Besides actually learning the rules of the game, I was also introduced to some common passionate (and colorful) phrases of fans, much like American sporting events. A popular way for fans to show their team spirit is to wear scarves with their team’s colors. Looking around at so many necks adorned with stripped scarves made me feel as though I belonged at a Harry Potter Festival. Another fun aspect of the game was that both teams had songs, much like anthems, that fans knew by heart and recited as their team took to the field. Although we did not know the words to the Hawks song, the tune did resemble the famous American song Yankee Doodle Dandy.

The game lasted about 3 hours (total playing time) but I was never bored or ready to leave. There was always something happening. Very few times was the game stopped for penalties, and there are no such things as “time-outs”. The game is extremely physical, bodies constantly being thrown to the ground (keep in mind players wear no types of padding). Scoring occurs relatively often, with two different types of goals. Kicking the ball through the middle post results in six points, while kicking the ball through the side posts is one point. Lucky for us, the Hawthorn Hawks came out on top and continue their run to the Grand Final. The final game is a huge event in Western Australia, one that requires the purchase of tickets months in advance. Although I will not be able to attend the game, I will definitely be watching, hopefully having a reason to wear my yellow and brown-stripped Hawthorn scarf.

2010-08-13T01:06:00.000-07:00

Koala Bear resting at Healesville Sanctuary

G’day from Australia! My name is Molly and I am a Design and Merchandising student at Drexel University. For part of the Summer term and entire Fall term I will be studying at Swinburne University near Melbourne, Australia. Australia in general has been the most friendly and welcoming place. Although Melbourne is 10,294 miles away from Philadelphia, people here have made it feel like home.

As part of our orientation at Swinburne, we took a trip to Healesville Sanctuary, located in the Yarra Valley, about an hour outside of Melbourne. Here we were able to see first hand the indigenous wildlife of Australia in their natural “bush” setting. The animal everyone is anxious to see is the cute and cuddly koala bear. Although adorable, the koala bear sleeps about 18 hours a day, so we were not able to see much movement from them. We were also able to see kangaroos and wallabies. It was surprising how much larger the kangaroos were than how they appear on television. The Sanctuary also provides a home to the Lyrebird. Although it may look like a regular bird, the Lyrebird is one of the best impersonators. It is able to mimic sounds such as a chainsaws as well as people talking. Unfortunately, we were not able to hear this impressive skill firsthand.

One of the most interesting animals at the sanctuary was the Tasmanian Devil. The Tassie Devil (as locals refer to it) looks nothing like the American cartoon. This native Australian animal resembles a groundhog, until it opens its mouth lined with sharp teeth. It was interesting to learn that this marsupial is dangerously close to extinction. A certain cancer is being transmitted among the Tassie Devil population at a fast rate. It is transmitted through biting, which is common among these animals during mating season as well as feeding. Fortunately, Healesville Sanctuary has been rescuing healthy devils and breeding them to make sure this species is around for years to come.I really enjoyed the trip to Healesville. I learned a great deal about the indigenous wildlife of Australia while having the experience of seeing them firsthand.

Weekend in Wien (Vienna), Austria!

2010-08-11T00:25:00.001-07:00

Our third weekend in the program included an optional trip to Vienna, Austria. The majority of students attended the trip, and I am so glad I was able to go explore this beautiful city. We left on a Thursday morning and took a five-hour train ride to Vienna. Austrians speak German, so our limited and basic Czech was of no use in this city. However, I found that most people spoke English and were able to assist me and the other students.

We checked into our home for the next three nights at Hotel Academia, which was pretty close to the central hub of the city. The rooms were very small with only one outlet, but we hardly spent any time in there other than sleeping. The first day we took a walking tour of the city and saw the Parliament, museum buildings, the Coal Market (shopping district), and a variety of buildings associated with the Hapsburg Dynasty. That night we ate a delicious meal at local Viennese restaurant near our hotel. The best part about Vienna was the apple strudel, which as also delicious, and the white wine that is grown on the vineyards outside of the city!

Dinner on our first night in Vienna

The next day we took a tour of City Hall. The building looks similar to that of a cathedral. Also, we also took a tour of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the exterior of the Belvedere palace once owned by the Hapsburg Family. Saturday was a free day, so I took a tour of the summer palace of the Hapsburg’s, called Schönbrunn palace. The palace was absolutely gorgeous! I went inside and took an audio tour that showed the ornate rooms of Maria Teresa (Maria Antoinette’s mother) as well as the apartment rooms of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. Later that night, as a group we went to an orchestra concert that performed Mozart’s last written work, Requim.

Thus far, Vienna has been my favorite city. It was clean, had wonderful food, and the overall architecture and structure of the city is breathtaking. I hope I will be able to visit the city again for a longer period of time.

In front of the Parliament building

The Palace at Knossos

2010-08-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

The ruins at Knossos

Our first week in Crete was an immediate immersion into our surroundings with a field trip beginning on Monday morning. Our first stop was the palace at Knossos, where King Minos lived eight thousand years BC. The most important king of Crete, he ruled over the ancient Minoan civilization, and was both a historical and a mythological figure. In Greece, history and folklore are equally important and their stories often blur and overlap.

The King Minos legend is slightly redolent of a modern teen television drama. He himself was said to be the son of Zeus and Princess Europa. When King Minos offended the gods, they caused his wife, Pasiphae, to believe she was in love with a bull. After a sodomitic excursion, she gave birth to the infamous Minotaur, a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man.

In order to restrain the beast, which ate seven young men and women per year, King Minos assigned the talented designer Daedalus with the task of building a labyrinth. His name is now used as an adjective to describe any structure, which is architecturally complex. Many Cretans believe that the labyrinth was actually the palace at Knossos based upon its intricate design including five levels as well as a sewage and ventilation system.

I really enjoyed the archaic ruins at Knossos, especially the vividly restored wall paintings. The most famous of these is the Prince of the Lilies, which can be seen throughout the island on souvenirs and postcards. Others included wonderful depictions of the elaborately braided hair and bare-breasted costumes of Minoan women. Anyone who has taken History of Costume I would instantly recognize these distinct fashions.

Greetings from Beautiful Crete!

2010-08-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

The sunrise on my first morning in Crete

Hello. My name is Rachel and I am a Design and Merchandising student at Drexel University. For the Summer 2010 term, I am participating in the Drexel in Crete program. The study abroad program is open to sophomores, pre-juniors and juniors in any major at the university. The curriculum is comprised of four courses regarding Greek culture, history, economy, society and language. The classes begin with two weeks of study in the States, continue with four weeks on the glorious island of Crete and conclude with four additional weeks of online learning.

Crete is the largest and most populous island off of the southern coast of Greece. It is the bride of the Mediterranean, serving as a cultural crossroads that links Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The island was the birthplace of the Minoan civilization, the first advanced society in Europe dating c. 2700-1420 BC. It passed under the control of the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Arabs, Venetians and Ottoman Turks before gaining autonomy and finally joining the independent Greek state on December 1, 1913. These various influences created a complex cultural identity, evident in all aspects of life on Crete.

The first thing I noticed upon arriving on the island was the unique landscape. There is a striking play between harsh, dry mountainous terrain and the marine shores of the Mediterranean. Our hotel, Xenia Helios, is located in Kokkini Chani, a town fifteen minutes outside of Heraklion, the capital of Crete. It is run by students who study tourism during the year and work at the hotel in the summertime. This is amazing because it allows us an inside view of the youth culture on the island. I am sharing an adorable little room with my friend Devon, another D&M student.

Xenia Helios at night

Our program advisor, Dr. Maria Hnaraki, is a native of Crete and knows practically everyone on the island, which grants us some spectacular opportunities like meeting the first female governor of Crete. Our graduate assistant, Theodore, is also from Crete and instructs our classes on economics and business. We take classes at the hotel three days a week with the other two days reserved for lengthy field trips. On those days we all pile into the Golden Bullet, which Devon has so fittingly deemed our tour bus, and take off across the island to an assortment of fascinating locations.

Tours and Such...

2010-08-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

A great benefit about studying abroad, as opposed to just traveling through Europe, are the unique opportunities we receive through the UNO program. These opportunities have included a tour of the interior of the Prague Castle, the Parliament building, Senate Building, the Municipal House and most recently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I really love taking tours, and learning about the history and design of the places while actually standing and walking through the various structures. One tour I found quite impressive was the Foreign Ministry, which is near the Prague Castle. The building itself is actually considered a palace, formerly known as Czernin Palace.

We were given a tour of the various rooms, and our tour guide provided us with personal anecdotes, as well as myths and legends that go along with building. He showed us where President Obama was greeted, where drinks are served before a dinner party, as well the suite of former executive minister Jan Masaryk.

One thing the Czernin Palace is particularly known for is the defenestration (the act of pushing someone out a window) of Mr. Masaryk. On March 10th 1948 his life came to a tragic end by falling out of his bathroom window under unexplained circumstances. For some odd reason the Czech Republic’s history is filled with multiple defenestrations. One incident occurred in 1419 and other incident in 1618. During the tour, we were taken the bathroom where Mr. Masaryk was thrown out his window.

View from window in Mr. Masaryk's bathroom

In my Prague 20thCentury Art and Design class we had a class tour of Prague’s Municipal House (knows to Czechs as the Obecní dům) to observe the Art Nouveau style that was incorporated into the design of the structure. The interior of the building was beautiful, from the rich wooden floors to the chandeliers and light fixtures. During the tour, we were shown a series of rooms in the building that were painted and designed by famous Czech artists, including Alfons Mucha and Jan Preisler. The Mucha room was painted deep hues of blue and purple contributing to a mystical ambience in the room. Mucha designed everything in the room, from the curtains, to the furniture and the paintings on the ceiling. Out of all the rooms designed by the artists, his room was by far my favorite.

For my last week in Prague I have a tour of the Muller Villa with my Art and Design class. The Muller Villa was the first building of it’s kind in Prague, and it was designed with the Functionalist style. I can’t wait to go and see it!

Stain Glass Window in the Mucha Room from the Municipal House

České Jídlo (Czech Food!)

2010-08-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

After living in Prague for about three weeks I have finally grown accustomed to the Czech cuisine. I was a little nervous about the dietary habits here. Being a picky eater and reluctant to try new foods does not make the dining situation much better either. It has been an adjustment eating new foods, but I have tried some really delicious meals from an assortment of different places.

Breakfast is included with the housing fee we pay for in the program. We are given tickets that are worth 100 Krowns (about $5) to use in the cafeteria located in the dormitory. It is pretty low-key and comes with limited selections, but there usually is yogurt, bread, some pastries, coffee and juice. You also have the option of ordering scrambled eggs or an omelet. Meat and cheese is a common staple item for breakfast in Europe. I personally could never eat meat in the morning, but some of my friends now enjoy eating bologna and cheese sandwiches for breakfast.

The Czech diet as a whole is heavily concentrated on starches and meat. Ham, beef and sausage are the most common meats in most dishes. Sometimes you can find poultry items on a menu such as chicken and duck. Most dishes usually come with a side of potato or bread dumplings. I have tried both forms of dumplings at a few different dining establishments and they are really great addition to the main entrée. Soup is also a common item to order at a pub, and it usually comes in a large bowl of bread.

Typical Czech Dish called Goulash

I have personally found it difficult to find fruits and vegetables in Prague, both in a restaurant as well as on my own. Salads generally are not an option on the menu. If by chance you are given a side salad, it usually consists of a little lettuce with a lot of toppings (cucumbers, peppers, beets etc). Fruit is most commonly on the dessert menu, either in crepes or fruit dumplings. There is a small fruit market near the school where I will get apples, but the fruit in general can be a bit pricey to purchase and not always that fresh.

All in all, the food in Prague is pretty good. I have grown to love their dish called Smažený sýr (fried cheese), and I do love all the desserts and gelato! I will surely miss the fruit crepes when I am back in America.

Smažený sýr and Potatos

Czech Fashion

2010-07-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

As a Design and Merchandising major at Drexel, I was intrigued to see what Czech fashion consisted of. I always had this idea that European style was classy and sophisticated, and everyone always looked presentable. Well, after being in Prague for a few weeks, my Prague 20^th Century Art and Design teacher informed me the Czech fashion is an oxymoron, meaning that Czech fashion is non-existent. Prague is city full of tourists, and actual locals are hard to come by. Although I have not witnessed the cutting edge fashion I assumed all Europeans possessed, I have stumbled upon my own findings for shopping and authentic fashionable Czech clothing.

My first day in Prague consisted of exploring the city and picking up a few necessities for the next few weeks (soap, towels, dishware etc), and while running these errands I naturally came upon the Czech Republic’s largest mall, the Palladium. The Palladium was recently constructed in 2007, and consists of four levels, boasting over 200 shops and roughly thirty restaurants and cafes. It is located in Náměstí Republiky, and it's easy to get to by taking the Metro. The Palladium has many stores that we have in America, such as Guess, Calvin Klein, and The Body Shop. Other familiar stores include H&M, Lush, Sephora and TOPSHOP. The Palladium is so massive; we have visited a few times and have yet to find time to see everything at once.

The Palladium

Also on the Metro, the Můstek stop offers shopping geared more towards tourists, with large popular chain stores such as The New Yorker, another H&M, Zara and United Colors of Benetton. While these stores are still great and have a lot to offer shoppers, I personally was on the search for apparel that was different and unique, and made by Czech fashion designers.

Last week when I had time to explore, I found two great boutiques, both selling clothing, accessories and jewelry all created by designers that lived in Prague and/or were Czech! Both stores were really unique, and I was happy to find something that was original. The first store is called Leeda, which is a fashion brand created by Czech designers Lucia Trnková and Lucie Kutálková. The boutique carries their clothing line, as well as a few styles of footwear plus an assortment of accessories including earrings, bracelets, headbands and necklaces. The clothing was ready to wear sportswear with a trendy twist, and all the clothing had a bright color palette.

After leaving Leeda, just a few stores down the block I found another great Czech fashion store called Nakoupeno, which carried Czech fashion and jewelry designers. This store was similar to a funky vintage shop, it was strategically cluttered, and one could spend an hour walking around and still not notice everything on display. The clothing sold at Nakoupeno was bit more eccentric than what was Leeda. There were a lot of skirts made of metallic spandex, dresses with a large bubble skirt full of fake sunflower heads (or other flowers), and striped parachute pants. Although I couldn’t picture myself being able to pull off some of these really interesting outfits, I did manage to find a black and crème striped turtleneck dress, with lace trim on the hem and sleeves, and to add a bit a punch, banana appliqué patches around the collar. It’s a great combination of the everyday, with a little something extra. Nakoupena also carried quite a few jewelry lines; all in all, there was something to be found there for everyone.

Mission accomplished!

Nakoupena Boutique

Here are additional links to various Czech Designers

www.leeda.cz

http://www.deers.cz/

http://www.pourpour.cz/

Week One: Classes and Field Trips

2010-07-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

I have been in Prague for a little over a week and I already feel like I know some parts of the city so well, yet there are others areas of Prague I have yet to venture too, like the Jewish Quarter. I have become quite comfortable with taking the metro (subway) from our dormitory down to the center of the city. The tram (similar to a trolley) is still a little confusing to navigate. Much of the tram system is consistently re-routed due to continuous construction around Prague.

The Tram in front of the Metro stop at Malostranká

For the actual “study” portion of this trip, classes are held at the historic Charles University, which is the oldest university in Europe east of Paris. Charles University has a prime location right on the Vltava River, and a stunning view of the Prague Castle on a hill in the distance. We have class Monday through Thursday, with two classes each day. In total, we are in class for about four to five hours each day. It sounds like a long period of time, but the teachers utilize the city as their classroom, and most class curriculums encompass multiple field trips. While in Prague I am enrolled in an Introduction to Photography class and a 20^th Century Art History class that focuses on Czech artists and artwork.

Every Friday we have field trips in the morning. This past Friday we visited the Czech Parliament building and Senate building. We learned a little about how the Czech government operates as a unit. On Saturday we had a group day trip to two locations outside Prague. One was to a town called Lidice, which was virtually destroyed by the Nazis on June 10^th, 1942. There is a large memorial in place of where the town once stood, as well as small museum dedicated to the event and the citizens living in the town at the time. It was a deeply moving trip, as I saw firsthand the effect of World War II on a European country. After visiting and learning about the event at Lidice, we then visited Terezín, which was a Jewish Ghetto or settlement operated by the Nazis. Terezín was originally a military fortress and later used as a prison. However, when the Nazis invaded the Czech Republic during World War II, it was used as a ghetto, where Jews from Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Germany and Austria were sent to live. Although it was not an extermination camp, many people still died due to crowded conditions and disease. While the day overall was not filled with usual excitement and giddiness we have in Prague, it was very moving and important to experience. I for one learned a great deal that day, and it was a very eye opening experience into the history of the Czech Republic.

Where the town of Lidice once stood

Jewishl Cemetry outside Small Fortress at

Terezín

The Prague Castle

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Prague Castle complex from other side of the Vltava River

One thing Prague is particularly famous for (other than beer) is the Prague Castle. The castle complex is one of the oldest and largest castles in the world, and it is still utilized to this day by the Czech government and President. As students participating in the UNO Summer Seminar series, we were granted the opportunity to actually go INSIDE the castle and view an assortment of rooms used for a variety of functions. This was a rare opportunity, as most tourists only get to view the castle from the exterior. The Baroque architecture and design in a few of the rooms was exquisite.

Picture of Spanish Hall inside the Prague Castle

The castle complex also includes a breathtaking gothic cathedral named after St. Vitus, the patron saint of actors, comedies, dancers and epileptics. He is also the patron saint of Bohemia, the area in the Czech Republic where Prague is located. The cathedral also houses quite a few pieces by famed Czech artists, including a stain glass window by Alfons Mucha.

St. Vitus Cathedral

After touring the castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, we briefly visited the American Embassy in Prague. We met with the director of Public Affairs, who provided us with a glimpse of life as an American living in Prague. He encouraged us to get lost and explore the city, and experience as much of Prague as we can in our short month here. After our scheduled morning activities and tours, we had the afternoon off to further acquaint ourselves with our new city. A small group of us had a delicious Italian meal at a charming restaurant near the American Embassy. The restaurant, called Gitanes, had delicious and fresh cuisine, and the décor alone made this place a perfect spot for an afternoon lunch. We all plan on dining there again before our departure!

Interior of Gitanes