Mid Program: “A day in the life”

It’s hard to convey an “average” day in the life of a study abroad student. Every day looks different, since we’re all trying to be tourists and go on adventures amidst the stable schedule of classes. In this post, I will nevertheless try to describe what is closest to average for me. Accordingly, I’ve tried to pick out my most ordinary pictures for this entry (instead of showing off all the most exciting ones). In addition, I’ll give a little update on the goals I made at the beginning of the trip, and share advice to future students about community engagement.

^this sweet statue, “Dívka s holubicí,”or “Girl with a dove” stands next to the tram station that I take to go almost everywhere^

I start most days by waking up and opening my window, which looks out on a neighbor’s plant-filled balcony. The crisp air in the morning may smell like autumn, or cigarettes (it’s a toss up). I’ll get ready for school, and usually have a bit of time to get started on my to-do list before class.

At 11:45, I leave Belgická 2/24 (my apartment) and walk less than five minutes to my school. The walk is short but sweet; the streets of Vinohrady are lined with tall trees, now dripping with orange and green leaves, and I always walk by locals going about their day. Once I arrive at UNYP, I mentally prepare for my three-hour class period (some classes require more mental preparation than others…) before entering the classroom. At three pm, I’m dismissed, and the rest of the day is up to me.

At this point, the day-to-day variety is high, but here are some common ways I spend my evenings:

  • studying! I might take the metro to Old Town and walk to to Městská knihovna, a public library. This is the location of the famous “infinity book tower” which I have pictured in my Photos page (if you can find it in my sea of other pictures, i’m impressed). If I’m feeling slightly more fancy, I’ll go to a cafe. One of my favorites is Cafe Academia in Václavské náměstí, a 20 minute walk from my apartment. There are many closer options, but this is just one I like a lot.

^the outside ofMěstská knihovna^

  • choir practice: on some days, I walk a few blocks away from UNYP to the school where my professor’s choir rehearses.

^from the walk to choir!^

  • some fun social activity in Prague: from pub karaoke, to trying a new restaurant, to live music, to an art exhibit, to clubbing, to park picnics, the list of evening engagements is long! I’m so grateful to be in a place where I have such easy access to a variety of options. Because of all of these things to do around town, I use public transit a lot (see pictures from the metro and tram below).
  • walking: I like to go on long walks to/from destinations around town, so if I have enough time, I’ll walk somewhere instead of taking the tram. Along these walks, I get to enjoy the architecture of Prague’s streets, observe locals (though public transit has been the best for people-watching in my experience), and slow down during a busy day. I can also enjoy the cinnamon smells of the prolific trdelník pastry stands, or, again, cigarette smoke. Some pictures from these everyday walks are below.

Goals from the beginning of my trip:

When I first arrived, I had a few main goals for my visit. These included: getting to know the city, being present and not future-oriented, taking time for mental health and slowness, reducing my priority of academics, and interacting with Czech culture. In general, my goals have been going well. As time has passed, I’ve gotten better at balancing my priorities and knowing when I need to focus on school vs socialization. I’ve realized that getting to know the city is unfortunately beyond my capabilities for a four month stay, but I will explore what I can. I’d like to put more effort into engaging with Czech people, especially peers I’ve met in classes that I’ve neglected chances to talk to. One example of me trying to do this is starting an Eco Club at UNYP with my classmate and friend from my environmental studies class! Thankfully, I still have a month and a half to work on my goals and experience life here 

^My flatmate Megan feeding some ducks on the bank of the Vltava^

In terms of strategies for community engagement as a study abroad student, here are some helpful things I’ve learned since I got here:

  • at your host school, the student life office can connect you with volunteering opportunities nearby
  • join school clubs if you find some you’re interested in! It’s a great way to find like-minded people and experience local culture through club events
  • talk to people (classmates, teachers, locals, etc)! Don’t pass up the simple conversational ways to learn about their lives and cultures. Its also been helpful to engage with people who are very different from me, so I can get a broader sense of the diversity of human experiences. But still pay attention to kindred spirits! People who are similar to you are just as valuable friends to make while abroad.

Na shledanou!

Finland: Exchange: Mid Program By Matthew Papaly

Life in Jyväskylä

As my time in Jyväskylä is coming to an end, I just wanted to reflect on what life is like here. First of all, Jyväskylä is a city in central Finland. With a population of 138,000, it is the largest city in the region and I think the 5th largest city in Finland (Finland only has a population of 5 million). It actually feels about the same size as Bellingham and as I’ve mentioned earlier it looks similar too, so my environment is not too different. Part of me regrets choosing to study in Finland because of this, but I’ve made so many amazing friends that I can’t really complain.

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Ireland: Mid Program By Lena Pulve

A Day in the Life…

Now that we have started school, I am very much in a routine. Our schooling is really intense but I absolutely love being immersed in theatre all day.
For those who don’t know, I have been studying at the National Theatre School of Ireland: The Gaiety School of Acting. It is a conservatory style two year program, of which I am only taking the first semester.

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Senegal: Mid Program: “Alarm to Bedtime as a Study Abroad Student” by Sage Romey

“By far the best way to learn a language is to live in it”

 I wake to the first few seconds of Amadou & Mariam’s Welcome to Mali, My roommate’s alarm. The first Lyrics are Africa, Africa, Africa, which is always a nice reminder in the morning. Wake up. « Where Am I? » Queue Lyrics. « Oh right, I’m in Senegal. » I lay in bed for a few moments feeling the heat of the night melt into the heat of the day. Pulling the mosquito net off my bed and tying it up I get ready for the day ahead.

Emma and I sit down and make our morning coffee (or hot coco) with powdered milk, and instant Nescafe from packets. The maid, Binta, comes in with 2 baguettes purchased at the boutique two doors over. We gingerly sip the coco and eat the bread with nutella, or sometimes jam or La Vache Qui Rit (Laughing Cow). We always find time moving faster than it should, and we dash off to school.

The walk to school takes about 15 minutes. We walk past the Police School a corner that borders a round about that is almost always at a standstill with traffic. Every taxi that passes us honks as if to say,  « White girls walking in this neighborhood? They must be lost. »  We avoid eye contact with the drivers, and nod off the ones who still think we need a ride.

Saying a prayer, or disregarding ones own life, we cross the road and take a shortcut through the Teachers college. « Do these guys even go to school? » Emma remarks, as we walk past the soccer players warming up in the field. There is almost always people playing there, except in the high heat of the day. Sometimes in formalized practices, sometimes just who ever wants to play.

 

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France: Mid Program: “A Day in the life – Summer Abroad in Lyon” by Grace Peyerwold

“Despite the shortness of my time in Lyon, the time I’ve spent here makes it easy to call it home. I love my host family. They have made me feel very welcome and even though I am still struggling with the language barrier, I love talking with them. One of my favorite parts of the day is sitting around the table and continuing to talk long after we’ve finished dinner.”

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Ireland: Mid Program: “A Day in the Life” by Brittany Mureno

My study abroad program is in Carraroe, a small village in County Galway, Ireland by the sea. There is a grocery store, three bars, a restaurant, and shop or two. It is very small, and about 600 people live here. All of the houses look very similar.

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Spain: Mid Program: “A day in the life” by Olivia Esparza

 

Mid Program: A Walk Around Seville

 The neighborhood I live in is a residential community full of apartment complexes with parks and cafes on every corner. Every morning I walk out of my building to see the locals starting their day, while walking to university I pass plenty of cafes full of families having breakfast together before hurrying off to school and work. The neighborhood, “Los Remedios” is mostly locals and few tourists, which makes it ideal for experiencing Spanish life. The most Spanish place in Seville is “Plaza de Espana”, an architectural masterpiece designed for the 1928 exposition. The ornate brick towers and medieval architecture of the building easily make it the most beautiful place in the city. Before coming abroad I expected many new experiences traveling with many new people. While that has been true I’ve also had many solo traveling experiences that have made me a more independent person. At the beginning of my program I planned to practice Spanish weekly and be fluent by the time that I left. I have stayed consistent with my practice but am not yet fluent, I expect with more consistent practice I will be. In Seville the best access to community engagement are language exchange partners. Every week I meet with locals to practice speaking. After a couple months of weekly meeting I’ve made great friends with some locals and have had a more immersed Spanish experience. Some students have benefited so much from the English practice that we’ve planned to continue speaking by skype after I have returned to the US. For students who are about to study abroad I recommend that they set goals for their semester and constantly reflect on them to not lose sight of where they want to go.

France: Mid Program: “Welcome to the Neighborhood” by Libby Babb

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Sitting in my bedroom at my home stay and looking out my window, I’m reminded of home. It’s strange to me that while I’m over 5,000 miles away from Bellingham, in a completely different country, it doesn’t seem so far away. Maybe it’s because I’m looking out at the pouring down rain and thick fog that’s hanging low on the mountains… I mean, what’s more Bellingham than that? But it also might have to do with the fact that over the last few months, this place has begun to feel more and more like home.

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Germany: Mid Program: “Everyday life, surprises, and advice” by Elizabeth Moorhead

Mid Program: Everyday life, surprises, and advice

Living here in Marburg is peaceful, and the living accommodations in the international student dorms are exceptional. My dorm room has twice the space of my shared dorm room back home, and comes with a sink, walk in closet, bed with bedding (there is even a cleaning service for the bedspread but as I’ve been out of town most weekends I haven’t tested it yet), recliner, and several sets of shelves. The rooms are cozy even without anything in them. My dorm is also next to a residential area- something which let my friend and I visit a local Haunted House on this past Halloween. We were able to enter despite being strangers, and it was the high point of our holiday~

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France: Mid Program: “La Vie Comme Une Lyonnaise” by Brenna Roach

La Vie Comme Une Lyonnaise

“Life as a person from Lyon”

I have officially been living in Lyon for 55 days, and I can’t help but wonder where all the time has gone? It seems like just yesterday I was getting lost in the public transit or getting locked out of my apartment. (Although I still stand by the fact that the doors here are way less user friendly than at home!)

In these 55 days Lyon has truly become a second home for me, and I’m not looking forward to the day that I have to leave this all behind. I will miss stepping outside of my building and being immediately greeted by the glistening waves of the Saône River, and my walk to class when I pass by at least four boulangeries where the warm scent of fresh baking bread greets me. I’ll miss the swarms of pigeons and the quick bobbing of their heads when I walk to close and they rush out of my way.

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