Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Hiking in the Dominican Republic

By: Kathy Tran, Intensive Spanish Language in the Dominican Republic

I was very fortunate to study Spanish in the Dominican Republic this past summer. At first, I was afraid to go on the study abroad because it was going to be my first time leaving the states and I didn’t know much Spanish. Despite these earlier fears, I made it through the many ups and downs of the 5-week experience and in the end, I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to study abroad, to have such an amazing director, teacher, and classmates, as well as the best host family.
Through the experience, I have learned not only Spanish, but about the Dominican culture. I have discovered myself and learned more about the world and life.
One of my favorite experiences was going on a hike to El Mogote in Jarabacoa. Growing up in Utah, I’ve always enjoyed hiking, camping, and always being in nature. And weeks spent in the Santo Domingo left me feeling disconnected with nature as I would spend everyday walking through congested roads, polluted streets, and the busy city life.
The hike was an opportunity to get out of the city and into the Dominican Republic nature. And it was also an opportunity to be with Dominicans and learn a lot from them.
Two other students from the study abroad and I  joined a big group of high school, college students, and leaders from Partners of the Americas. We hiked up El Mogote and camped at the peak for a night.
The hike up was so difficult! I really was not expecting such a difficult hike, but it steep and long. It took us 3 hours to get to the top. I was exhausted way before someone told us that we were only halfway there. I wasn’t prepared for such a difficult hike because it was a hike for young students, so I didn't think it would be as intense. When we got to the top, I was just so happy. I really thought Utah hikes were tough, but Dominicans are extremely tough and they didn't complain one bit through it all. Throughout the hike, I had incredible conversations with these amazing Dominicans about life and views on certain things. I learned so much from them and I was so grateful to have learned Spanish to be able to communicate with them. They opened my eyes to the third-world nation and their differing lifestyles. I realized my privileges that I have in the U.S. and we all became close as we shared our differences and struggles. 
When we got to the top of El Mogote, we were welcomed with a spectacular view and cold temperatures. It was a different side of the Dominican Republic to experience--no more hot, humid heat and beaches. By the time we set up our camp and ate dinner, it was dark. Before we slept, we enjoyed great Dominican music and dancing! One of the students brought his guitar, so amazing voices and such joyful spirits serenaded us all. They even wrote a song just for each of us and told us amazing stories. 
When we woke up, we cleaned up the camp and hiked down. Eventually, everyone got down and we were all so very happy and hungry at the end of it. We then got a guagua towards town and we ate a lot of good food at the restaurant. We ate the typical Dominican diet of rice, beans, meat, yucca, mangu, Presidente, and egg salad. We also had some dulce de leche for desert. It was such a delicious lunch and it was well-deserved after two long days of hiking. We then topped it off with a swim/bathe in the Parque del Norte river. It was so much fun. At the end of the trip, it was sad to say goodbye to all of them because the tough hike had made us become such close friends as we all struggled to reach the same destination. We had amazing conversations as we braced the cold weather at the peak. And after all of that, we all celebrated together and had a good time.
I came to the Dominican Republic to learn the language and the culture, but in the end, I ended up with a family and a new global and open way of seeing and living.





Monday, September 16, 2013

La Ruta De Las Xanas


By: Michael Sharifi, Intensive Spanish Language in Oviedo, Spain

Not much of a city boy, so when offered the opportunity on my day off to go for a Sunday hike the question became a day of absolution. I felt indifferent to my time Spain and by the third week my routine in Utah became a distant memory. The language switched from English to Spanish, my suburbia home into an apartment building, and my fifteen-inch pillow top Beautyrest scaled down to a four-inch IKEA mattress, as did my shower to the size of a small closet. My diet adapted to the local cuisine; artisan breads, a cheese wheel that sat on the counter, and vino tinto from a northern region of Spain. A passion for Spanish wine lingers around Rioja in fact the University of La Rioja was the first campus to offer a Bachelor of Oenology, traditional winemaking.

I ate giant calamari rings with lemon and drank Sidra shots to wash it down, a local cider served in a waterfall affect that stimulates the ingredients for a quick single swig. To live Spain was to eat its food. I watched two tiny elderly ladies on no noteworthy afternoon eat a stacked plate of fried chicken, bread, cheese, two bottles of sidra, a plate of Jamón, desert and Crème De Mint liquor served as a bookend. At the same time I watched my friend across the table drink an entire picture of sangria.


At the peak of our hike stood a restaurant in a village, only a handful of houses in the mountains, our destination for lunch and rumors of a seven-course meal. We met early in the morning at the parade de autobús close to the mall. On our way to the bus Maddy and I stopped at a popular new restaurant Venti-Seis Grado and grabbed breakfast and some snacks for the hike. A few acquaintances requested directions to Venti-Seis Grado upon eyesight of our food. Stragglers showed up wearing disco teca clothes from a night of debauchery. Our University of Utah instructor Tim brought his chef as our hiking guide. Almost every night Tim ate at his restaurant located in the old part of Oviedo, so Felix for all purposes was his chef. I visited Felix’s restaurant and returned after tasting his cooking. On my fist visit I sat at the bar nursing a San Miguel when his wife came in with a bag of fresh herbs and some flowers from her garden, she gave Maddy a rose and me a handful of basil scent from her fingers. “Bueno, no.” The menu listed an international cuisine from the Morocco, Spain, and France, a delight of magical flavors and textures, unique to the surrounding restaurants.

The couple Euros for the bus took us through the winding hills, south of Oviedo, past small towns, and mountain villages. The bus window framed picturesque murals of green hillsides and red roof cottages. The driver raced on the narrow road, as I held tight to the railing, my body weaved back and forth with the road. My eyes attempted desperately to capture the passing scenes and soak in the color of light into memory.

Just another stop some twenty miles along the road, an odd number of us casually stepped off the bus. We took a path for the next leg of our journey that covered a forgotten railroad. Pace and conversation divided us into smaller groups. I fell behind taking pictures while Felix led us in both age and speed. I caught up to the group at La Ruta De Las Xanas trailhead where I place my camera on a timer for a group photo.


I kept stride with Tim on the trail. He oozed a plethora of Spanish history. I knew Oviedo was once the original capital for Spain but I did not know Asturia at one time stood as the last remaining borders of Spain. Only 4,094 sq. miles, about the size of Salt Lake City to Midway, remained of Spain in 722. Tim theorized, if Pelayo lost the war then Santa Clara, La Pinta, La Santa Maria never pass the American waters and Spanish, the forth most popular language, dies at the foot of the conquered. But the Spanish did win and a statue of the King Pelayo, who defeated the Moors, stands tall next to a special cathedral in the mountains called Covadonga and the wood cross Pelayo carried into battle sits behind locked gates in the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo wrapped in gold and embedded with jewels.

We stepped out of the trees into a clear vision of the church above on the hillside. Just over the ridge we find the small village and the lone restaurant. Multiple plates of food were set on the long table. Thirteen of us sat around the table in a remote village high in the Asturian Mountains sharing bread. Sobermesa defines this moment in time when friends eat, drink and converse with equal importance.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Remind me, where am I again?...Oh right, I’m in Italy!

Locations of Site Visitors

At times we live our lives at the pace of a constant run. A constant running from obligation to obligation only ever squeezing in a bit of time for family, friends and occasional hobby. On a study abroad most of that goes away. You don’t have to worry about work, school (in a traditional sense), or any of your normal baggage. It’s all left thousands of miles away, and you have only two real obligations: learning the language, and fully investing in the experience of your time abroad. For me it was the first time in a very long time that I have any free time to truly experience the moment at hand. I had to constantly remind myself of where I was, and what I had the opportunity to experience. I was in Italy, and once I could wrap my head around what that meant I was reminded to how truly amazing that was.

Remember the place:
I found myself constantly amazed when I considered the history of the place I was fortunate to spend five weeks of my summer. Sitting in the Piazza del Campo in Siena you become a where of all that has happened there. From the Palio that takes place every year, or generations of people that have become permeate fixtures reclining on its floor, you are made aware of all that’s surrounding facades have seen. The best part is that in some small way your presence make you a part of all that.

Remember the people:
When on a study abroad you are placed into a microcosm of the world that is already turning on its own little axis. This is a world full of its own people with their own stories, lives and customs, and your lucky enough to enter that (even if only for a small amount of time). It becomes a good practice to remind yourself that there are people that live their lives there everyday, and where it may not be your reality, it’s theirs.

Most of all, just remember:
Remember you time aboard. Take time to write things down, to transcribe your memories and add them to your own life story. You may not make a large mark on the city you temporarily call home, but that city will make a large mark on the history of your life.

Memories make up our personal histories, and the opportunity of a study aboard gives you the chance to add a whole new heap of things that should be remember to yours. Many places, like Siena, are so full of life and history you can help but honor the importance of it all, but don’t forget to take the time a reflect on the little stories that make up your personal history. And even once your homes take the time to remind yourself, “I was in Italy! And it was pretty amazing.” 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Alicante, Spain and the Reluctant Traveler

By: Carol Beeton






Summertime in Spain was everything I’d hoped…and everything I’d feared.

Still, it was worth it!


I am a junior high school ESL teacher getting additional training here at the University of Utah. Knowing I would be a better teacher if my Spanish skills were a little stronger, I’d been looking for the chance to spend time in a Spanish-speaking country – a real immersion experience.




Plus, I’ve dreamed of living in Spain for as long as I can remember. There’s something about the idea of castles in Spain that has always caught my imagination.





But there were concerns. I’ll be fifty next year, and didn’t know if I really wanted to spend the summer with college students. Another problem was my health issues: trouble with my eyes, feet, and heart, and real trouble tolerating temperature extremes. I knew summertime would be hot in Spain.

But after waffling for several years about this, I crossed my fingers and took the plunge.

So, what was it like?

Well, most of the things I worried about came true. Even with “European” walking shoes, my feet were killing me most of the time during the first two weeks. Then, somehow I adapted.  The heat was not completely unbearable, but I found out what it felt like to be drenched 24 hours a day.  I felt dirty all the time, especially my feet. I had a heat rash on my legs for most of the trip.  

So why was it worth it? 

Because troublesome things I’d worried about seemed minor compared to the grandeur of the Spanish experience. Spain was exactly the way I’d hoped it would be -- even better, in fact.

Alicante is a pretty little college town on the southern coast of the country, with a traditional Spanish lifestyle; not the fast pace or cosmopolitan atmosphere you would find in places like Barcelona or Madrid. The town and its people are the real thing, genuine Spaniards. 

My professors at the Universidad Alicante were superb, and our classes were excellent, some of the best university classes I’ve attended.  

And it was only a ten-minute walk to the Mediterranean, which made for some long, lazy afternoons after class.  

The first two weeks I stayed with three college-age kids. They were animated and lively, but after two weeks a homestay became available and I was able to enjoy that experience as well.

The townspeople were friendly, obliging and encouraging.  And more than that, they were just cute!  All I had to say was that “I didn’t know a lot of Spanish”, and they bent over backwards trying to give me directions or make conversation with me, helping me practice my Spanish skills.

On the long sultry bus ride home from school, ladies sitting next to me would pull out little fans and start fanning themselves. If I turned and said, “Thanks for fanning me,” they would laugh and begin fanning me, too.  I said that twice, and then stopped because I didn’t want them to feel like they had to be my ventilation system.

Alicante had kind of a dual dress code. There was a lot of attire that was somewhat scanty; you just didn’t want to have anything touching your skin, even clothes.  On the other hand, townspeople dressed up when they went out. Even little old ladies did their hair & makeup & wore little dresses, especially when they went out for the evening.

Following afternoon siesta and dinner, many townspeople would take the traditional “paseo” or leisurely walk around town. You’d see old men and women with their arms linked, strolling around, nodding hellos, or groups of two or three women, meandering around and chatting.  They never seemed to tire of this activity--and it was utterly charming.  You saw a lot of families on the streets, too.


While in Spain, I attended the LDS church in Alicante, and again was met with warm welcome and offers of help. I have never been kissed so many times in my life, especially by strangers. They were so sweet.

While in Spain I got to visit Barcelona and Granada, and saw almost enough castles to satisfy me.  Moreover, overlooking the city of Alicante was a real fortress that we got to explore: Santa Barbara Castle.  I found it rather primitive, but it was perfectly thrilling to live in the very shadow of such romantic history.  
So, here are parting thoughts/advice:  If you suspect something’s going to be a problem, it probably is. Make up your mind beforehand whether or not you can stand it, and proceed accordingly.  


And if you decide to go, don’t be afraid to talk to people, because that’s the best part!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Magic Coral: New Sights and New Perspectives in Fiji

By: Cameo Burton, Sustainable Tourism in Fiji

Locations of Site VisitorsI have always been passionate about traveling, hence my major in PRT - Sustainable Tourism Management.  When I discovered there was a study abroad program in my field and it went to Fiji, it became a no brainer to me.  What I learned and discovered while I was there became a priceless experience.

There is so much more to Fiji then beaches and palm trees; that was my first thought when I thought of the country.  In the three weeks I spent there I may have spent one or two full days on the beach.  In the highlands you find many villages and beautiful rivers.  We spent two days on different rivers, and another day kayaking through the mangroves.  What a beautiful sight it was.


On this trip I also got certified in diving.  I went on many dives including a shark dive.  Honestly I think the shark dive was the most boring, as all you do is sit there and watch the sharks swim in front of you.  I loved the other dives we went on, including the ones to get certified.  Thinking about the Earth you learn in elementary school that the Earth is covered with about 70% water.  I realized on this trip how much amazing beauty we are missing out on, all because it lies beneath the water. 

It was fun to swim through the schools of fish that were everywhere.  The coral is so bright and colorful in some areas.  I recommend staying closer to the dive masters as they are the experts of what can be found in that area, and will point out some pretty cool stuff.  One example is what I call, “magic coral.”  As you would touch the coral it would instantly go white as a defense mechanism.  White coral is usually dead or dying coral. It was amazing to watch.


Fijians are always so happy, and friendly.  Everyone you pass by will wave and call out “Bula!” (Meaning hello, goodbye, cheers)  This happens if you are walking or driving past.  They made it so easy to love them and this beautiful country you are in.

I learned a lot about sustainable tourism, the dying population of sharks in Fiji and surrounding areas, marine life in general, and even more importantly myself.  It was an experience I will never forget and will be telling others about for the rest of my life.  I highly recommend this trip to everyone.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Travel, Experience, and Self-reflection: Cusco, Peru

Locations of Site Visitors

By: Daniel Hernandez, Going Global with the College of Education in Cusco, Peru



Studying abroad this summer was not my first higher education international experience, and for that I am grateful to have had opportunities to travel. One thing I always think about when I travel or study abroad is that unless it’s an exchange with generally a more ‘developed’ nation, we (in the “West”) it seems are always the ones going places. Of those who are able to or privileged enough to travel it appears to me to also be predominantly from a privileged or ‘upper’ socio-economic class group. I remember growing up watching movies with my dad and later getting into documentaries; thinking that for ‘poor’ people film became a way for us to be able to travel or go abroad, whether to ‘real’ places or times, or beyond to the fantasy realms. 


My parents eventually were able to get a job with an airline when I was entering my teens, and standby travel benefits began to open up my world. I began to experience what I would see on the television and increase my understanding at a level that no reading or viewing could ever compare with. I also realized that standby travel flight benefits were a way for ‘poorer’ people to have a taste of what the societally and economically privileged could do. It isn’t always a case of money to me, but also of having the confidence that you can or should travel. I remember struggling to get out of my neighborhood on the West Side of Salt Lake where I was comfortable and being nervous with the protocol of travel and especially travel security, which at least for me often times treats you like you’re a criminal assumed to be guilty of something when your leaving or returning to the U.S.A., your own country. Although those types of experiences and environments are off putting, I strive to travel as often as possible. During my ‘higher’ education studies this has meant scholarship and grant applications as well as student loans in order to study abroad. I do feel that it has been worth it to me in learning through experiences that are retained greater than regurgitated information on a test, not to mention the positive results I’ve had in being able to build my resume with formal international experiences, research, and study. 

I was fortunate enough to go to Qosqo (Cusco/Cuzco) in the highlands of Peru with the College of Education this summer and visit a place I had only seen in film and pictures, and that I honestly never thought I’d ever see in my lifetime. It is said that Cusco is the bellybutton of the world or a center of energy and life. It is significantly higher than the altitude we experience in Salt Lake and it took a few days of adjustment and several mate de coca’s (coca tea) to acclimatize. I found it interesting though that “Although coca-leaf tea is a popular beverage and folk remedy for altitude sickness in Peru, possession of these tea bags, which are sold in most Peruvian supermarkets, is illegal in the United States.” (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_998.html). The ignorance of the nutrition and importance of this leaf and its indigenous uses are often blanketed under the ‘war on drugs’ in my studies and observations and it is ironic that although not even these tea bags are allowed in the U.S., “In the United States, the Stepan Company is the only manufacturing plant authorized by the Federal Government to import and process the coca plant” for the production of cola products such as the famous Coca-Cola (May, Clifford D. "How Coca-Cola Obtains Its Coca", The New York Times, July 1, 1998.). This is but one example of how travel can contextualize learning, international relations, politics, and much more. I increased my understanding of the stark and gross differences between coca as it is used traditionally vs. the very differently produced, and recreational use of cocaine that has appeared relatively recent considering the history of western colonial and imperial expansions and the time depth of the coca plant and its uses. The more I write the more I think that maybe a video I made can show a bit more of my study abroad experience than my limited writing ability http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0lNzdWfOKc


Thursday, September 5, 2013

Lessons from Ramadan

By: Shanelle Sorensen, Hinckley Institute of Politics International Internship, Amman, Jordan

Part of my internship in Amman, Jordan happened to take place during Ramadan.  Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic calendar.  Observant Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day for the entire month.  In predominantly Muslim communities, you’ll notice a lot of changes during this time.  For anyone visiting a Muslim country during Ramadan, here are some of the things I learned during that month to fully enjoy the experience!




1) Drink water any and every time you leave your apartment.  Even if you’re not Muslim, it’s very rude to eat or drink in public when most people will be fasting.  So drink up (and eat a nutritious meal!) before you head out for the day.

2) It’s a bad idea to stop at the bakery to get bread twenty minutes before iftar/fatoor (the breaking-fast meal). It’s crowded and a bit crazy. That’s when all the wives panic that they don’t have enough food and send their husband to get more, and to get the bread while they’re out.  If you go about an hour before fatoor (close to 7:45 p.m. during summer months), however, you’ll find the bread is hot, fresh, and delicious and you won’t have to wait long to get it!  (Just remember not to eat it until you’re back in your apartment or hotel!)

3) It is a very good idea, however, to enjoy fatoor with a family (if you get an invitation) or at a restaurant.  Make sure you arrive plenty early, though.  Restaurants fill up quickly for fatoor, and they have food out to you before the call to prayer that signals the end of the day’s fast, so get there early.

4) When you have fatoor at a restaurant or someone’s house, you’ll notice most people break their fast in the same way.  Want to fit in?  Start by taking a swig of water very first and then a date, if one is provided.  Then dig into your meal.

5) Times when shops are open are rather sporadic during Ramadan.  I gave up trying to make sense of them.  For the most part, don’t plan on doing much shopping until after fatoor.

6) It’s hard to get a taxi during Ramadan.  Give yourself extra time to get places.

7) The city turns slightly nocturnal during Ramadan. You hear people out walking and talking well past midnight.

8) And then there’s the drummer guy that comes around to wake people up at 2:45 or earlier so they can eat before the sun rises. Don’t be alarmed. It’s not some tribal war starting outside in the street.

9) If you want to sound authentic, you say, “Ramadan kareem,” which is like wishing them a happy/generous Ramadan.  Towards the end of the month, you say, “Eid Mubarak,” which is like congratulating them on a successful Ramadan.

10) Most importantly, just take it easy.  Things are generally more relaxed and informal during Ramadan.  Just enjoy it and chill.  Like this camel in the middle of the street in Aqaba, or this horse in Petra.



Ramadan kareem!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Belgique

By: Kendahl Melvin, Hinckley Institute of Politics International Internship, Brussels, Belgium

Brussels, Belgium is best known for its chocolate, waffles, and frites (yummy fries). Aside from its cuisine prowess, it is home to the European Union Institutions. This summer, not only did I gorge myself on chocolate, waffles, and frites, I also completed a Hinckley Institute of Politics Internship in the European Parliament.



I left for Brussels in May, packed for summer and ready for a picturesque European adventure. I imagined sleepy streets, old men smoking outside darling shops, and a quiet movie-like summer. While my summer was like a movie, it wasn’t the romantic European love story I had expected. However, it turned to be more than I could have imagined, and better than I could have dreamed. I found that Brussels is busy, and a melting pot of people from all over the EU, come to publically serve in the European Union Institutions. I learned it rains a ton, is cold until July, and that learning to say “Bon Jour” properly will make you more friends. I learn to be tougher, and I learned that Brussels is the “work horse” of the EU. Not quite quaint or picturesque, but certainly important and beautiful in its own ways.

In Brussels, I was privileged to work with the European People’s Party (EPP) in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. The Foreign Affairs Committee also has two sub committees, Human Rights and Security and Defense. I could not think of a better fit for my interests, and my path of study (political science and international studies, emphasis in foreign policy). I worked 40 hours a week for the kindest, good – humored EPP Advisor. My tasks included research, attending meetings and note taking, generating reports and briefings, and helping to prepare a delegation of EPP Parliament members for a trip to the United States.

Of course I have a million favorite experiences, and some I would rather not repeat! The 5 most amazing things (in no particular order) from my trip are:

1.)    Waffles (obviously).

2.)    Attending a hearing with the Prime Minister of Libya, Ali Zeidan. It blew my mind to listen to his account of the Benghazi attacks. It was a continual privilege throughout the summer to hear international politicians and diplomats speak about global affairs first hand, an opportunity I would not have had in the U.S.
3.)    Attending a panel with a Russian Delegation. This summer immersed me in current international politics, especially Russia’s. The European Parliament worked throughout the summer to address the situation of political prisoners in Russia, and I continually worked on research and briefings for this case. I have become fascinated with the Magnitsky list, and with the EU’s approach to Russia’s actions.
4.)    London. We were able to travel a great deal, as Brussels is a hub for Euro travel. I fell in love with London. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace & service at Westminster Abby stole my heart.
5.)    Amsterdam. Amsterdam is beautiful and chaotic. Bikes, cars, people, canals, weird smells, different sounds…the city is incredibly overwhelming. I loved Amsterdam, and cannot wait to return.

I feel so privileged to have been able to travel to the Netherlands, France, England, Luxembourg and to have lived in Belgium, I cannot complain about my adventure. I worked in an incredible place, and learned more in one internship abroad than I could have learned in two years in a classroom.

This internship gave me many things. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity. The most important thing I gained was belief. I believe in people more so now than I ever have. I met  people from all over the world every single day. I saw people from different ethnicities, countries, and cultures collaborate for a common cause, and strive to better the world. I witnessed international kindness, loyalty, and friendship. So I believe in people. I believe that the world is good, and that making a difference is possible. This internship gave me purpose and encouragement. I can’t thank the Hinckley enough for sending me, and Learning Abroad for helping me fund the trip along the way.