Florence: Embracing Art & Family Tradition

Florence: Embracing Art & Family Tradition

Hello! My name is Grace Landis and I am a senior at the University of Southern California, graduating in Spring 2021. I am double majoring in Psychology and The Classics, with a minor in Performance Science. I chose to go abroad with Syracuse Florence because I love Italy and the program has a variety of courses related to The Classics and art. I also have a familial connection with the program as my mom and aunt also studied abroad with Syracuse Florence! Living in Italy was the perfect opportunity to practice my Italian and to study some of the most beautiful pieces of art.

One of my favorite classes was ‘Leonardo da Vinci’. The class was dedicated to his art, inventions, and life and it was an incredible experience. We went on a day trip to Milan for the class to see The Last Supper and other amazing paintings which was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. A great part of the Syracuse Florence program is there are organized day and weekend trips around Italy. A few friends and I went on an olive oil tasting with the school in a small town south of Florence, and I also went to Rome and Fiesole with one of my classes. These organized trips are a great way to make friends with other students, especially if you are coming in as a non-Syracuse student!

On the weekends I was able to visit other cities in Italy, such as Verona, Venice, Pisa and Bologna. Traveling within Italy is very easy as there are options for trains, buses, flying, or renting a car! I also visited Monaco, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris and London while abroad. Studying abroad is a great opportunity for visiting different countries, but it is also important to stay in your own country and city to get to know the culture. I loved walking around Florence on a sunny day to find a small cafe or museum and just wander around for a few hours.

Florence is a very easy city to get around by bus, taxi or just by walking. Villa Rossa, where classes are held, is only a short walk from the city center, so my friends and I would go get gelato or an aperitivo after classes.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 my study abroad experience was cut short, but it showed me how important it is to make as many memories as possible while abroad because you never know what could happen. Florence is one of my favorite places in the world and I can’t wait to go back and visit my host family again. My study abroad experience showed me that I truly love traveling and I love Europe so I plan to go back as soon as I can and hopefully I will be able to live there in the future.

Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity that shapes how you see the world and I am so grateful for all of the memories I made and people I met while in Florence. Ciao!

Grace Landis ’21

University of Southern California

Syracuse Florence

Unpacking my Sydney Bucket List

I knew that I wanted to study abroad in Sydney, Australia before I knew where I wanted to go to college. I love to travel, am an adventure-seeker, and had heard nothing but amazing things about the city from people who had studied there in years prior. This is where I was going and nothing could change that – not where my friends were going, not where my academic advisor advised me to go, and not the fact that I would be across the world with a 16-hour time change from my home. On January 1, 2020, I got off the plane in Sydney, Australia and never looked back. After close to three months of experiencing pure happiness, I truly understood why people say to “go with your gut.”

As a Broadcast and Digital Journalism student in Newhouse, I knew that Sydney was not a place where I could take any classes required for my major. However, instead of letting this be an obstacle, I just figured out a way to make it work. I met with my advisor several times to plan out my schedule for every semester, in order to account for all the credits needed for my May 2021 graduation. I took some of my major requirements ahead of time, and planned which courses I would take as a senior, post-abroad. Newhouse also requires students to take a number of Arts and Science electives, so rather than taking these on campus, I saved them for abroad. Doing so not only allowed me to find a way to study in Sydney, but I also had the opportunity to take courses about topics that I would never have the chance to learn about elsewhere. For instance, in my “Indigenous Australia” course, I learned about the Indigenous community in Australia, their culture, and the struggles they have faced as a minority group. My class also went on a field trip led by a member of the Indigenous community, giving us the opportunity to learn in an out-of-classroom setting from someone who could share his own personal experiences. To me, this type of learning is priceless and allows me to have a broad knowledge of the world beyond what I learn in the classrooms at Syracuse.

Before I left for Sydney, I created a personal bucket list of activities I wanted to participate in outside of school. Unfortunately, the program ended early due to COVID-19, so I could not complete my entire list, but I am proud to have fit as much as I could have into the time that I had. At the top of my list was none other than skydiving. If you ask my mom, she will tell you that “kids go abroad to Australia to skydive.” She is not totally wrong. As I briefly considered other cities to study in, I didn’t feel that any other place had as many options for me to be my adventurous self. I wanted to go surfing, I wanted to see exotic animals, and I wanted to climb bridges, so Sydney was really my only option. My parents begged me not to skydive, but I couldn’t be stopped – I was living out my adventure.

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore during my time abroad. Ironically, I did so in February amidst the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak. While in Thailand I had the chance to ride an elephant, go inside a tiger cage, and see many famous temples. In Vietnam I tasted traditional street food, cruised along Ha Long Bay, and saw sights of the Vietnam War. In Singapore I explored the famous Gardens by the Bay, overlooked the entire city from the rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, and tried the chicken satay from the same food market as the characters in Crazy Rich Asians. Thanks to study abroad, I was able to travel to these amazing places and immerse myself into various different cultures alongside my friends.

Studying abroad in Sydney, Australia helped to shape me as in individual. One of the reasons I chose to attend Syracuse University is because it is only a four-hour drive away from my hometown. When I was applying to schools, I simply had no interest in being a plane ride away from my family. Yet, I chose the city with the farthest plane ride to study abroad in. With a 16-hour time difference, there were only a few hours of the day during which my parents and I would be awake at the same time. I realized that I couldn’t call to say hi or text them a question at any given moment like I did before; instead I had to find one or two times a day where we could FaceTime and catch up. Living in a new country is a challenge, let alone as a student. However, doing so allowed me to grow as a person. I became more independent, responsible, and outgoing. Study abroad was one of the best experiences of my life for many reasons and I would do it all over again tomorrow.

Amanda Albert ’21

World Partner program, UNSW

Truly Exploring Central Europe

Hi all! I’m Caroline, a senior at Colgate University where I major in Religion and minor in Economics. In the fall of 2019, I was fortunate enough to participate in Syracuse Abroad’s Exploring Central Europe semester program. The focus of this program was history, memory, and identity. We studied Central Europe through these lenses, looking at its early history through now with a special focus on the Holocaust and the Soviet regime. As a non-Syracuse student, I was initially nervous about joining a group of mostly Syracuse classmates; however, I found that before even arriving at our destination, after 18 hours and 3 airports, I felt like I had known my new friends for months.

We began our three-month-long adventure with the Signature Seminar. After landing in Budapest, we spent three to four days each in Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava, and Prague. These two weeks were an incredible learning experience: in lieu of a classroom, we used museums, monuments, memorials, tours, and true immersion to learn about each place’s history and culture. Travelling by bus, exchanging currencies, and picking up on greetings combined with our in-class conversations – which almost always carried into dinner table discussions – to create an immeasurable connection with and knowledge of each place.

We then settled into Wroclaw, Poland, our home for the next ten weeks. Now would be a good time to mention the amazing faculty who led this trip. Our professors, coordinators, and all those involved along the way were so enthusiastic about introducing us to the wonder that is Central Europe. On top of that, they showed true care for our general wellbeing and did not hesitate to make this known. Once we got to Wroclaw, we met our other professors who would be teaching our classes at the University. They, too, were eager to teach us about all of the aspects of Polish history and culture about which they were so passionate. I gained a far deeper appreciation for Wroclaw, for Poland, and for Central Europe from our professors and faculty than I ever would have without their education and guidance.

An extension of the two-week signature seminar brought us to weekends in Warsaw, Krakow, and Berlin where we continued to dig deep into each location’s history. I have a particularly long-lasting impression of our day touring Auschwitz-Birkenau during the weekend in Krakow. It was here that so much of our studies culminated into an overwhelmingly emotional realization of being in the place where such horror occurred. This is one extreme example of the hands-on experiences we had in these cities; after spending so much time delving into certain subjects like the Warsaw Uprisings or the Berlin Wall, it was even more eye-opening and educational to physically be in the places and spaces where history happened.

My semester abroad left me with countless memories, lessons, and reflections. I gained an independence I had previously thought impossible; some of my best memories are from simply strolling through Wroclaw and seeing where I’d end up. My favorite places I ended up, for that matter, were Cathedral Island (or Ostrow Tumski), Kolekwojo, and Vinyl Cafe. I was able to enjoy trips outside of Wroclaw on the signature seminar and on my own to Nice, Barcelona, Oslo, and Dresden, which I loved, but I also learned that there is nothing quite like feeling at home in a new place. I truly felt as though I belonged in Wroclaw after just a few weeks of studying in cafes, exploring the Market Square, and navigating the metro with my classmates. Wroclaw is an amazing city with plenty to offer, particularly once the Christmas Markets open up and the smell of mulled wine, waffles, and kielbasa fills the air. I will forever be thankful for the semester I spent there and the wonderful people I befriended during that time.

Caroline Simon ’20, Colgate University

Exploring Central Europe, Fall 2019

Becoming a Londoner

My name is Olivia Ly and I am majoring in public relations with a minor in psychology. I went aboard my second semester, junior year.  I chose Syracuse London,  as it was easy to take classes towards my major, allowed me to pursue an internship, and enroll in a  signature seminar to start my program. The staff at Syracuse London were great. The professors were invested in not only our academics but also how we adjusted to London. In almost every class the professors would give some sort of  advice on travel and places to visit in London. Syracuse London worked with me to give me a great work, academic, and life balance, I would attend classes Monday and Tuesday, intern on Wednesday and Thursday and was able to travel and explore Friday to Sunday. London is such a diverse city that it truly has something for everyone. It is very easy to travel to different countries and explore other parts of England.

Syracuse London offered a variety of courses that allowed me to fulfill requirements for my public relations major and psychology minor. Syracuse London offered several Newhouse requirements such as Communication Law, Diversity, and the Global experience. I was able to choose from a few different psychology courses that allowed me to study health in different  cultures and study forensic psychology through popular British cases such as Jack the Ripper. These courses included field trips that allowed me to gain a better perspective of British culture.

Before my time at Syracuse London, I participated in a signature seminar: Sustainability on Trial in northern Europe which was a 3 credit class that took place over 11 days. In just 11 days, I was able to visit Sweden, Finland, and Norway. This truly is one of my favorite experiences I had aboard as I was able to go dog sledding, feed reindeer, and go snow shoeing, all while also gaining class credit, meeting new people, and becoming more environmentally conscious. I would strongly recommend that anyone who loves to learn, and travel sign up for a signature seminar. The 11 days are planned for you, all you have to do show up ready to learn and explore.

During my time in London I interned at Matter Of Form, a luxury brand, design and eCommerce agency. The agency worked for clients such as, Breitling, Knight Frank and Estée Lauder. Having an internship abroad taught me about a global workplace. I was able to develop as a professional while also learning how offices in London differed from that of the U.S. The contacts and skills I gained have given me further insight into the career I wish to pursue after graduation. I would work every Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 to 5:30, which allowed me to commute like a local and really understand what it was like to work in London. My coworkers were able to give me travel recommendation and places in London to further explore. Mater Of Form, had a great office environment, and would often attend agency events during and after work.

I loved my time in London thanks to Syracuse London!

Olivia Ly ’21

Syracuse London

My journey to Sydney

I’m Ruby, class of 2021 studying Information Management & Technology and Environment & Society. Unlike many people studying abroad, my final destination was not my first choice. In fact, it wasn’t even my second choice.

In the spring of 2019, when I began thinking about studying abroad, I deliberated for a long time on where I wanted to go. I was ahead on credits and had saved my general requirements with the intention to take them while abroad. Thus, I had the luxury, and the burden, of picking between all of the location options Syracuse had to offer. After countless visits to the abroad office, making numerous pro/con lists, multiple conversations with my parents, and extensive YouTube research, I decided to go to Hong Kong. I picked my destination by first deciding what I wanted to get out of a semester abroad. I knew I wanted to experience a country with a rich history and culture, a modern cosmopolitan city center, good food, and an easy access to the natural landscape. However, I still wanted to go abroad through a Syracuse program to have the comfort of, with luck, knowing a few classmates.

A few months later, the political unrest in Hong Kong reached a level where the Syracuse staff in Hong Kong determined that it would be unwise to send students to study there. I was heartbroken. I had spent past few months reading about Hong Kong, talking to Syracuse Hong Kong alumni, and I was getting really excited to go. I also was a little stressed out, as this cancellation left me scrambling to find a new place to go. After a few more meetings in the abroad office, and even more deliberation, I decided to go to Shanghai. I felt that going to mainland China would be the closest thing to going Hong Kong, and I still held out hope that I would be able to at least visit Hong Kong. I was able to jump back into research and build up the same enthusiasm for my new destination.

Preparing to go abroad to Shanghai took a lot more preparation, as this program would be through a third-party abroad program, called CIEE. Details such as course enrollment, flights, and housing applications took more planning and paperwork, but of course the Syracuse abroad office and my contact at CIEE helped me through the process. Soon had a whole new schedule, a place to live, a roommate, acceptance at East China Normal University, and my second visa.

However, no sooner than I got my visa in the mail, I received an email with notification that my semester in Shanghai had been cancelled as well. The COVID-19 outbreak had been slowly creeping from Wuhan toward Shanghai. (I had been growing increasingly dubious that the Shanghai program would go on as planned.) This time around, I was less crushed, as I had already gone through this once before. At this point it was already January, and if I wanted to study abroad at all, I’d have to get back to work quickly. By some miracle, the Syracuse abroad office was able to pull some last-minute strings and secure me a spot at the University of Sydney for the upcoming semester. I had about two weeks to abandon all of my plans for Shanghai and prepare to go to Australia. Like CIEE, the University of Sydney program was a World Partner, so while I had the help of the Syracuse Abroad office, I was responsible for details like finding my own housing, applying for my classes and getting credit transferred, ensuring any financial aid would carry over, and getting a Visa. After a very frenzied few weeks, I was on a plane to Australia.

After all of this, I felt very fortunate to even be getting to go abroad. I had spent months going through the emotional ups and downs of anticipation, excitement, and disappointment. However, looking back, I would not change anything about this process; all of the stress and planning, made me value my time abroad that much more. While I could have done without filing for three separate Visas, I truly spent every day in Australia just happy to be there.

I can’t help but feel that, in some way, the cancellation of the Hong Kong and Shanghai programs led to a fateful chain of events that led me to experience life abroad in a country in which I would never have chosen to study. Through this, I learned that above all, when making plans — whether it’s before you go abroad, or while you’re there —you can’t get hung up on last minute adjustments. Especially when living and traveling in a new country, unexpected turns of events are unavoidable. You truly learn to quickly adapt, and keep an optimistic attitude. Most importantly, I learned that when studying abroad, you relinquish some degree of control of your plans. You are living in a new country, that has complex social, political, and economic on goings larger than your personal plans; to some extent, you are at the mercy of the climate in which you are entering. I believe that one of the most important things to understand before going abroad is that you are a guest in a real, dynamic country, not an idealized version of a place you see on travel blogs.

In the end, my time in Australia was cut short due to the spread of COVID-19. I was definitely disappointed to leave, but I also was thankful that I even got to experience two months in such a beautiful country. While I was initially indignant about leaving, I found that my difficulty in even going abroad, and the constant threat of being sent home gave me a silver lining: I learned to savor each day as if it were my last. Looking back, I can’t think of any two days where I did the exact same thing. I spent my last week in Australia so busy checking things off of my bucket list, I didn’t even have time to lament the early ending to my semester there. While I hope others don’t have to go through as many obstacles to even go abroad, I think the testament rings true that studying abroad is such a privilege, to not take advantage of every day would be a disservice to the opportunity. When you are living in a new country, your world is much bigger, and you are victim to unforeseeable circumstances like political unrest, or a virus. The only thing you are in control of is making the most of each day there.

Ruby Isley ’21

World Partner University of Sydney

iSchool/Maxwell 

A Chanson of the Secret Garden

2020, what an unusual year! And it was this year brought me a very unique experience of study abroad in France.

AustinBonjour! My name is Yangzhi Xiao, I am an international student studying music industry in Syracuse University. I participated in Strasbourg France Program in Spring 2020, and I will be a junior this coming fall semester. You may wonder as an international student, why I chose to study abroad even though I am already studying abroad in the US? My answer would be experiencing with the world beyond one’s borders is the best way of learning. By living in a foreign country to study a new learning style and experience a different way of life, I have gained so much irreplaceable life experience. During this time abroad, I have not only expanded my horizons, but also got the chance to study at one of the most famous conservatories in France, le Conservatoire de Strasbourg. As an organ student, I was so lucky to be able to study with one of the four organists of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Studying with the sophisticated French organist developed my musical competency and performance, more importantly, he showed me an original perception of the way of life as an organist. Moreover, the life at the Conservatory of Strasbourg allowed me study closely with the local French students in the choir, Le Chœur des Jeunes Chanteurs. I will never forget the time we spent together and confronted the challenge together, it helped us make the strong bond of friendship.

Study abroad is also a beautiful way to encounter the world! My first impression of France was its unforgettable historic and scenic attractions. Paris, the first city we visited in France, is a strong cultural presence echoed with a liberal ambiance, and its particular French Neo classicism architecture makes the city an immersive Rococo heaven. The more I explored the city, the more I felt like to get to know about the story behind it. There was nothing I enjoyed more than taking a stroll along the Seine River. Just by wandering around the little path under the bridges and watched the gentle wavelets rippling on the banks of the Seine, there was a sense of comforting tranquility pervading. During the time abroad, I was inspired by the atmosphere to learn more about French culture, and my local friends drew my attention to the literature of France. It is interesting to build a communicating bridge between different languages and cultures in this way. I have gained a deeper understanding of the country by receiving the ideas from the literature and discussing about them with the local people.

Furthermore, when the pandemic happened, I chose to stay in France. I still remember in the two months confinement, my host family always liked to share her perspective of current affairs and politics during the dinner time, and it actually helped me understand further about the local philosophy of the way of living. One is to stay curious about life, and another one is to always make time for oneself. By learning each other’s culture around the dinner table, we had a chance to dissolve gradually the misunderstandings and stereotypes of one another’s country. Therefore, study abroad is the perfect opportunity to reach out the world, because it provides the chance that lets all sides of ideas to be heard.

For me, I explored a new experience with language, arts, music, and food during this time study abroad in France, and I have obtained a stronger appreciation of diversity, because it is diversity that makes me have real experience with the world. The Syracuse Abroad program allowed me to realize that the stories behind each country remain significant to different cultures over time, and I am pleased to welcome you to join us to these amazing programs – let’s celebrate the diversity and life of the world together!

 

Yangzhi Xiao ’22

Syracuse Strasbourg, France

Music Industry

Studying abroad during COVID-19

Going abroad can be scary especially If you have never been outside of the country, but it was the best time I have ever had, although it was short. My name is Erick Lojano-Quispe, currently I am a rising Junior with a Major in Civil Engineering and a Minor in Italian. I went abroad for the spring semester during the 2019-2020 academic year. Syracuse makes it really easy to apply for visa, you just fill out some forms and they care of it and help you through the process.

One challenge you are going to come across is packing, what am I supposed to pack, how much am I supposed to pack? Well, you pack your essentials, medication, clothing, travel toiletry (you will be able to buy some there). How much clothing depends on how much laundry you want to do, and also keep in mind if you want to pay extra for luggage. I did not pay extra and I fit a week and a half’s worth of clothes and I still was under the weight capacity. I did laundry every week because the host families air dry clothes, so it takes a day or two to dry.

Speaking of host families, most of you applying will probably stay with a host family, I had the pleasure of staying with two different families due to the first host having a family situation. My experience with the host were each different, but each still provided a rich Italian lifestyle.

I know for many, a challenge is financially being able to afford studying abroad. I thought the same, but Syracuse provides a variety of scholarships and financial aid to alleviate the financial impact. A scholarship that helped me was the Gilman Scholarship. The Gilman Scholarship is an undergraduate program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad. What is so great about the Gilman Scholarship is that the scholarship money goes directly to you, so you can use to pay off some financial expenses or use it as spending money to travel more, to purchase local items and food abroad.

As many of you know, or can assume, the academic spring semester of 2019-2020, was when the Covid-19 situation started picking up pace, it was also at this time where it became serious situation in Europe, specifically in Italy. Syracuse responded accordingly and suspended the program and advised all the students to book a flight for home, of course many students had many questions specifically, financial questions. Syracuse reimbursed the flight leaving Florence. Originally the students were provided two options, to either return to main campus after the spring break or switch to online classes. Of course, main campus Syracuse switched online classes as well, so most if not all of the abroad students were still in our abroad classes. One issue you might think about abroad classes going online would be the time zone difference, however, many professors accommodated the students by uploading power points, uploading videos, and provide the whole day for exams and quizzes since they realized that many students lived in different time zones.

I enjoyed exploring Italy, and I have so much left to see. I definitely will visit again one day.

Erick Lojano-Quispe

Syracuse Florence Center

Why Strasbourg was the right fit for me

I’m Blake and I’m a triple major in political science, history, and citizenship and civic engagement (Class of ‘22). I studied abroad Strasbourg, France the second semester of my sophomore year of college, it was the most engaging and the most enjoyable three and half months of my college career (thanks to Miss Rona)! I’ve always wanted to travel the world since my Uncle shared his stories of traveling the world during his twenties. Syracuse Abroad’s program is world-class and provided everything you could imagine and more!

Originally, I was dead set on going to the Madrid program, I had friends in Spain, and I’d taken Spanish in high school. However, a political science professor encouraged me to look into the Strasbourg program because of its classes. After learning more about the program through abroad fairs, I was drawn to the idea of host families, its location towards the middle of Europe and learning a completely new language, culture, and history.

strThe Syracuse Strasbourg program itself features a signature seminar that takes you through several countries with your fellow abroad peers. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know everyone and led to my entire group becoming close and friendly. I still talk to my friends from the program today!! Other courses at the Strasbourg Center took students to various parts of France, the Council of Europe, or places within Strasbourg. There are weekend programs that are free (included in the initial cost) around the Alsace area that the program offers. I highly recommend these programs, you will see a fantastic castle, eat incredible cheese fondue, and have exquisite cuisine. The staff is incredibly friendly and becomes part of your abroad family, if you need ANYTHING, don’t hesitate to ask from them.

As far as actually living in Strasbourg, you are paired with a host family. The housing coordinator, Mick Hardenberg, does a wonderful job and I couldn’t have been happier with my host family. I grew incredibly close with my host mother as she introduced me to her friends and family, took me to different cities within the area, and celebrated birthdays! I also had another abroad student from a Russian program with me. His name was Igor and he practically became a member of the abroad program by the time we had to go home.

Of course, there were also plenty of opportunities to travel on your own or with a few of your friends. I got to visit my friend who lives in Paris and works at Disneyland Paris. I went to Zurich, Switzerland with a large group from the program, (and they don’t lie, Switzerland is crazy expensive)! For spring break, I traveled to Athens, Rome, and Marrakesh. Visiting all the different historical sites and even another continent, was truly an experience that is unrivaled by any other in my life.

Overall, studying abroad is an opportunity that can never be replaced, it teaches you how to be a global citizen, approach life with more empathy, at times pushes you out of your comfort zone, establishes friends all over the world (use hostels!), and makes you a more curious individual! Just approach the experience with an open mind, the rest will follow.

Blake Moyer

Syracuse Strasbourg

Adjusting to life in Madrid

Growing up in a Vietnamese household showed me how valuable it is to know different languages. Knowing another language allows us to interact with more people and helps expand our knowledge on cultures/traditions other than our own. I began studying Spanish in high school and wanted to continue to develop my skills by pursuing a minor in college. I’m so thankful to have been able to spend four great months in Spain. I had the opportunity to travel to various cities in Spain from the coastline (Cabo de Palos) to the center (Madrid) and there’s a piece of my heart in every city. Similar to how we encounter different accents, foods, and traditions in various parts of the U.S, Spain’s different regions offer a variety of traditional foods, drinks, and traditions.

Signature Seminar:

Scuba, seas, and sardines! The signature seminar I attended was Marine Ecology. I wasn’t knowledgeable on the topic of marine life and being environmentally friendly until after this seminar. Monica and Amelia, our two advisors, were so passionate about marine ecology. Not only that but we also got scuba certified. After our lectures, we would go on dives to learn about the marine life we discussed. It was a wonderful experience and if you love to swim, I highly suggest this seminar. During this seminar, we swam in the Mediterranean Sea, tried traditional gastronomy such as sardines, and even crossed the border to visit Morocco. An unforgettable experience in a beautiful environment. Also, don’t forget to pick up after yourselves, the sea needs our help to stay the beautiful blue it is.

Academics:

Before actually arriving in Madrid, I decided I was going to take four Spanish courses. Although it was tough, it was the right decision. Through my Mujeres en España, Modern Spanish Art, De Madrid al Cielo, and Spanish grammar classes, I learned so much about the history of Spain. The topics discussed in class gave me opportunities to talk about them at home with my host mom. She was more than happy to explain concepts I didn’t understand and we bonded over the works of art I saw at the different museums. Living with a host family was the best decision I’ve made and I still keep in contact with her today. As with any experience, you get out as much as you put in. The language barrier is hard and the host families know this. My host mom would correct me when I used the wrong words and at times I would describe a word I didn’t know and she would then teach me.

Diversity and Inclusion:

In terms of diversity, Spain is very diverse. The only problem that arose was when I would walk, people would shout at me “china.” This is the word for Chinese in Spanish. Assuming someone’s demographics occurs often around the world and people can’t always tell different ethnicities apart, this occurs in Spain as well. My number one tip for this is not to get offended quickly, but to be patient with people and if you have time and want to, you can share your background to politely correct them. In terms of gender, there are still very traditional roles in a household in Spain. From my women in history class, I learned about the progression Spain has made. Cat calling would occur while we walked the streets, but I have never encountered anything worse than that. Remember to be respectful and strong in your words if you don’t agree with someone’s actions towards you and say “No.”

Involvement:

I worked in the Office of Student Life abroad and it was super fun. Pilar and Horacio were the two employees I assisted and they were also great listeners. The Madrid staff is so kind and they really will help you with whatever you need. I participated in the MadWorld program which I definitely recommend. From day trips to Salamanca and Segovia to attending a bullfight, this program helps you learn more about the culture and traditions of madrilenos. Another opportunity I had was interning at CPM MassPublic, a Spanish communications agency in Madrid. There, my role was to write blogs and articles for its magazine Welcome to Madrid. My supervisor Yolanda was very helpful and very understanding. She was open to any ideas I had and helped me improve my writing. By the end of the internship, I was published in its Winter edition. Blogs and articles would range from gastronomy to fashion. My time there was extremely valuable.

I often blink and wonder if my time abroad was real. How can someone grow so much and learn so much in a mere four months. I would go back to Spain in a heartbeat because of the great people I met. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t be afraid to try new things, and don’t be afraid to take on new adventures by yourself. Time abroad is so limited that we miss out on things we wanted to do. Make your own timetable, explore the different areas of Madrid and regions of Spain. The weekend trips to different countries are memorable and very fun, but learning about your host country is also important and worthy of your time. Being in Madrid opened my eyes to a whole new environment and showed me how each culture is unique. I realized my passion is to use communications to foster community. Although the world has billions of people on it, we can always connect with someone.

Michelle Truong, 2021

Syracuse Madrid Center

Public Relations and Marketing Management

Studying abroad: From a dream, to reality

Hi! I’m Shannon and I’m a senior duel majoring in Sociology and Public Relations. I went abroad to Florence in the fall of my junior year and it was by far the best semester of my college career (and probably the best three and a half months of my life!). Ever since I was little, I’ve been in love with the idea of traveling the world. So, when it came time to choose a college, a top-tier study abroad program was number one on my list of requirements. I can say will full confidence that Syracuse was the right choice for exactly that!

Because I’ve always loved traveling, and have always dreamt of study abroad, trying to choose from all the diverse abroad programs offered at Syracuse seemed like an impossible decision for me. I started attending the abroad fairs and talking to my academic advisers about my plans to go abroad the second I got to campus, but when junior year rolled around and it was time to make a decision I still felt overwhelmed. I was torn between the London program because there are some classes offered at the London center that could count toward my Newhouse major, and the Florence program because the opportunity to experience the culture, art, and history of Italy really interested me.

Obviously, I ended up choosing the Florence program, and it’s the best decision I ever made! The language barrier, cultural differences, and chance to live with a host family are some of the aspects of my semester abroad that most challenged me; however, I know that those are also the things that taught me the most about myself, and helped me grow as a person. The language difference and host family experience specifically were aspects of the Florence program that initially scared me and made me seriously consider choosing the London program instead. But, looking back, I wish I could have told myself not to be worried about those things because they’d end up being some of the best parts of my abroad experience!

Being worried about living in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and living with a family you’ve never met is perfectly reasonable, and it’s something that almost every student is nervous about before they go abroad. But seriously, take it from an abroad alum, don’t let that fear choose your abroad program for you! You will have an absolutely amazing experience and you’ll look back and laugh at yourself for being so stressed over those things. I’m SO happy I chose to study in Florence, and I know if I had let my fear of the language barrier and living with a host family dictate my experience, I never would have learned or grown as much during my time abroad as I did. At the end of the day, every single abroad program offered at Syracuse is an amazing opportunity to expand your horizons, experience a new culture, and challenge yourself to try new things. You will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience regardless of where you go, so choose the program that speaks to your heart and just take the leap! I promise you won’t regret it.

Shannon Bozman ’20

Florence Center, Fall 2018