Studying Abroad in London

By Kiara Talancha

    If somebody had told me back in high school that I was going to spend my first semester of college in London and would have the best time of my life, I would have laughed in their face and moonwalk away from them, screaming that they are crazy. But no, they were not crazy, and yes I had the best time of my life.

            I didn’t know much about London, which sounds bad on paper, but I think that was what made my experience better. I was going completely blind to a place I never faced before. People talk about how your first semester of college is what makes you an adult by dealing with a roommate, picking your own classes, and making new friends. Being in London, all of those obstacles I had to deal with were hard yet easy.

           
            The study centre is in the heart of London, literally. If you see the Tube Station map, the centre is in Tottenham Court Road, which is in the middle of everything. Which is great when you are bored one Tuesday night and decide to go to a Christmas Market outside Embankment Station, or go to an Ice Bar and dance to the music with your friends, or travel the London Eye and see the city lighted on night. I never thought I would experience all of those things and more my first semester of college.

            I got to visit so many places that, without the program, I would have avoided as a tourist. For example:

·         I spoke in front of my classmates and a bunch of strangers at Speaker’s Corner when I had to give a speech for my Public Speaking class.

·         My friends and I walked across the zebra steps of Abbey Road, and took pictures next to the studio were the Beatles recorded their many albums.

·         I traveled to three different cities in Europe– Amsterdam, Berlin, and Paris– with my brother (if you get the chance, drink the water from the places you go, they all taste differently and it makes you think more about how water works).

·         My friends made Thanksgiving and we all set around the table and gave our thanks. I almost cried.

·         I went to my British friend’s house and sat eating English breakfast while her mother told stories of the time she was a flight attendant.

·         I climbed the many steps up St. Paul’s Cathedral and watched the sun go down the London Bridge.

           Studying abroad my first semester of college has made me cherish all the experiences I have from now on. Dr. Seuss says it best: “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” All those experiences I had while in London made me realize that if it wasn’t for that April day, when the brochure of the International program came in the mail, I would have spent my first semester of college at home, or going to community college. I am grateful to have walked the damp gravel to see Stonehenge, or tripped on concrete on my way to buy groceries in Bloomsbury, or flashed a smile to the worker in Russell Street News. My first semester abroad was, as Barney from How I Met Your Mother would say, “Legend-... wait for it... and I hope you're not lactose intolerant because the second half of that word is DAIRY!”

                                   

  Check out Kiara's video from her study abroad experience! http://youtu.be/JQoo_7MWxQ0
 

 

 

The 5 Breathtaking Towns of Cinque Terre

 By Sarah Jean Ferraris

I first heard of Cinque Terre from my friend, Kelsey Flynn who recommended it. I can’t thank her enough for sharing her experience with me because Cinque Terre is now one of my absolute favorite places in Italy. And if you’re a photographer, this is your dream come true! I’m
paying it forward by telling you that you must put Cinque Terre at top of your list of MUST SEE places while in Italy!

     
Since I was only in Florence for the summer, time was of the essence and I was only able to allot 1 day for this trip. I wish I had more because I could’ve spent a whole week there! Cinque Terre means five villages or towns and my one-day itinerary will help you realize independent travel is not as daunting as it seems.     Keith and I had an early start and took a 7 AM train from Florence to la Spezia. From there you can take a regional train to any of the 5 towns. We stopped first at Manarola which is actually the second town. Manarola has a lot of rocks you can go cliff jumping off of. We took another train to the next town, Corniglia and then we had to climb over 300 steps because it sits at the very top of a promontory. It’s surrounded by beautiful vineyards and terraces. This is a good pit stop to take a break and eat lunch because after you have to hike 2 hours to get to the next town. The hike from Corniglia to Vernazza was my favorite part of the trip. We hiked the coastal, cliff-side trail which meant we got wonderful views of the water. As you approach the picturesque town of Vernazza, you start to see the beautiful, colorful homes and the ruins of a rustic castle. Finally, we took a train to the last town, Monterosso and swam on the beach until it was time to take the train back to Florence. 

 

Cinque Terre is so incredibly beautiful and it will leave you in awe of how spectacular nature is! Cinque Terre will change your life! It changed mine and I’d give anything to go back.