London: A Walk in My Shoes

By: Kristen Kemp

Sometimes it's hard to make a big city seem small. Depending on how you "see" London, this could be the case. Or, you find the places and spaces all throughout central London that makes one of the biggest and oldest cities in the world seem so small, intimate, and relaxing. But where do you start? It's simple: just start walking. 

I spent most of my school days off or weekends just going out in the city. Most of the time I would go exploring with a group of friends. But to be honest, some of my favorite days in London were those I spent walking around the city by myself, stopping in at shops or landmarks that interested me, taking my time, and taking it all in. One of my absolute favorite walks was from the FSU Study Center to Buckingham Palace. I had the turn by turn directions down by about my 5th week in London, no map required. Pass Tottenham Court Road, head toward Leicester Square, hang a right on Piccadilly and keep on going straight until you seen the beautiful Green Park on your left. On this walk, I would often stop into to Fortnum & Mason (Harrod's is amazing, but this department store gem is a must see). Fortnum & Mason is known for their world-class tea's and outstanding chocolates, the perfect gifts to bring home to your family. 

While cabs, and the tube and bus system are very time efficient, the BEST way to see this magnificent city is to just go outside and get walking. You will see things you wouldn't be able to see Underground (although I do love the Tube). When exploring, especially if alone, just be smart and avoid what Londoners call "dodgy," or sketchy, areas. When walking, open your eyes a little wider, listen a little harder, and take in the continuous fast pace and culture that is London.

Going the Distance

 

Created and Written by: Zack Welsh

Click here to see the full video on Vimeo!

 

When I decided I was going to FSU, I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point. By the time fall of 2013 rolled around, I also knew I needed to get some professional experience under my belt before graduation. After some great talks with IP, I realized that interning abroad over the summer would be the perfect blend of those two aspirations.

With an experience like studying abroad, you feel an overwhelming urge to capture everything around you and save it somehow. Most people quickly realize it’ll be a long time before they’ll have a shot to come back and they want to have something to remember their time by. For most of my peers, that urge manifested itself in a journal, scrapbook, or a blog. I made a sincere effort to journal and blog but I found myself constantly frustrated trying to find the right words and doubly frustrated when I realized I could be out there doing things rather than scribbling in my book for an hour. For me, a video was just natural. My camera was always on me and all it required was pointing, shooting, and worrying about the finished product later. I could capture what I was seeing without worrying about finding the right words.

Over the summer I had an idea of what I wanted to do and the running idea was a branch of that original idea. I can’t claim total creative credit for the movie I made since I was heavily inspired by this video Casey Neistat made for Nike a few years ago. He uses the running-through-the-frame shot quite a bit. However that video, and the message behind it, heavily fueled my ambitions for travel that summer. I wanted to see, do, and experience as much as possible and I thought the image of me running through those locations captured that ambition.

In total, I took over 50 of those running videos in eight different countries and 25 different cities. I think I used around thirty in the final cut. The shots were not always easy to get and I CANNOT thank my friends who helped hold the camera enough. The only reason I don’t have credits for them rolling at the end is because it would have been longer than the video itself. At any rate, I owe them all big time. 

There were plenty of tough situations where filming wasn’t exactly encouraged (Parliament), crowds made running nearly impossible (Times Square), and the weather didn’t cooperate (Paris). In one instance, I was running along a beach in Barcelona only to be reminded later while editing that it was a topless beach. I had to cut that one out to avoid the R rating. Occasionally, people would ask what I was doing and after I told them my idea, it was a toss up between them giving me encouragement or them rolling their eyes at me.

I learned a lot this summer but my main takeaway came from an Irish bartender from Boston I ran across in London during the first week. At the end of our conversation, he nonchalantly tossed out ‘the more things change, the more they’re the same.’ (I’m pretty sure it’s a French proverb but who cares. I’m giving this guy credit.) Originally, I took it as a pessimistic statement that belittled the value of traveling and reduced the value of experiencing new things. However, at the end of the summer, those words took on a new flavor to me. It instead meant that no matter how far you travel on this planet, you’ll always have something or someone you can identify with in that place. I tried to weave that into the video a little bit by making sure the clips were from as diverse locations as possible and it’s why I included NYC at the end.

Feel free to watch the video here and I hope it motivates you to travel with FSU IP. The song is ‘Get Found’ by Bass Drum of Death and I shot everything on a Canon S110 and edited in iMovie.

Thanks for reading! Go Noles!

2014 FSUIP Video Contest Winners

      Click on the Images Below to be Directed to the Video
Click here to view all submissions

 

Grand Prize Winner: Kiara Talancha
London Program

Image source: playgroundlondontown.wordpress.com


       Finalist: Samantha Sicard
                Israel Program                                                      Finalist: April Blackwill 

Image source: tourist-destinations.com

                                   Panama Program


Image source: totalassetmanagement.net
 

Why I Love This City

By Jasmine Crane

The summer that changed my life involved a week-long trip to the one and only City of Lights that included an extensive tour of all that is Paris that left me obsessed and begging for more.  When the week was up, I remember leaving with such a heavy heart, thinking that I might never get to venture back to this side of the world again and be with my city.  But, as life would have it, two years later I finally got another opportunity to visit Paris again!  After some hard work and serious planning, I found myself on a plane headed for Charles de Gaulle airport for my now month-long stay in the summer where I would be soaking up every bit of French culture that was possible.  And you better believe I was ready to take on that city one baguette at a time. 

So, you’re probably wondering, as most people I know do, why I was so unbelievably excited to be in Paris!  I mean, once you’ve seen the Eiffel Tower, eaten some bread, and ridden the metro, you’ve seen it all, right?  Well my friends, that is simply not true.  There is so much more to Paris than just what you see on the postcards.  While the famous monuments and idea of glamour are what draw most people into the city, the rich culture, decadent foods, and simple beauty are usually what make people to want to stay. 



I know this might sound crazy, but I would honestly go back to Paris simply for the food itself.  And I’m not talking about the cuisine that you might find in those tourist cafes on Rue de Rivoli or by La Tour Eiffel.  I’m talking about the unknown gems that lie all around the city, the ones that house the best meals and drinks you’ll only hope to find.  Taking a chance on a cafe, restaurant, brasserie, or boulangerie that you have never heard of while in Paris will be one of the best decisions you make.  You will always be able to find food that is uniquely French in places where the French themselves go to eat!

 

To me, Paris remains so enticing because it is home to some important small parts of its culture. For example, on the way to the Latin Quarter, you might find the old apartment where Ernest Hemingway used to live or the building that Sigmund Freud had once inhabited in the 1800s.  If you find yourself in Montmartre on your way up to see the breathtaking Sacré Cœur, you could wander through the streets behind the church and learn about the famous artists that used to work there, marvel at the beautifully handcrafted buildings, or even visit the Musée de Montmartre and walk through the Jardins Renoir.  And afterwards, if you are lucky, you might find a wonderful fondue place down and around the corner that has a special way of serving you wine!            

                                                

   

Whatever you decide to do while in Paris, I guarantee that you will always be able to find little gems hidden around the city that you can call “mine.”  I still believe the fun part lies in being able to find them all.  Guess you’ll just have to keep visiting this wonderful city until you do! 

 

 

 

Hidden Treasures in Valencia: Miguelete Tower

By Christina Reynolds

Every day is a new adventure when exploring the streets of Valencia. You may find yourself discovering a new cafe or admiring a hidden work of graffiti, but if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can find yourself walking 207 steps up for the best view of Valencia the city has to offer.

Located in the heart of the Plaza de la Reina, the Miguelete tower is the bell tower attached to the Cathedral of Valencia, and currently stands as Valencia’s tallest religious structure. From the outside, the gothic style building does not seem like too much of a journey to the top. Yet once inside the narrow walkway, the winding, spiral staircase may feel like it’s never ending. Yes, it felt claustrophobic at times. And yes, you may have a slight panic attack when other groups of people are heading in the opposite direction as you. But once that streak of light comes into sight that reminds you how close you are to the outside, it will all be worth it.

The bell tower stretches out to an octangular terrace at the top, providing a 360 degree view of everything Valencia has to offer. On one side, you’re looking at the historic Torres de Serranos and the area of your current home, and further in the distance, a look at the famous Cuidad de Artes y Ciencias. Embrace your inner tourist and take as many pictures as possible, even if your camera can’t quite encompass the experience of being up there.

So go ahead and enjoy the breeze, take in the scenery, and bask in the beauty that Valencia has to offer. The trek might take a toll on your legs, but I promise, the view is worth the climb.

Hidden Treasures in Valencia: Bioparc Valencia

By Christina Reynolds

It’s the same feeling every time you’re visiting a zoo. You inch as close to the fence as possible, stretching to attempt to touch each animal as they stare back at you with a face that only makes your heart melt. Imagine a controlled environment in which you were a part of the animal’s habitat, and not vice versa? Welcome to Bioparc Valencia.

Focusing on their concept of zoo-immersion, Bioparc Valencia differs from your average zoo. They pride themselves on immersing the visitor in the habitat of the animal, allowing for an open environment and very natural feel. Although visitors are still an arms distance from the animals, their homes are easily adaptable and provide striking similarities to their original ecosystems. Bioparc Valencia actively participates in the conservation of a species ecosystem, believing that preserving its habitat is essential to saving its species. Additionally, each habitat provides in depth information and interactive teaching techniques regarding its animals, not only assisting visitors with an exciting experience, but an educational one as well.

Get a feel for the African savannah, equatorial forest, Madagascar and the African wetlands all in the center of Valencia. From zebras and hyenas to giraffes and gorillas, the park offers visitors a multitude of animals to visit. For only a two and a half mile journey from the study center and only 24 euro for admission, you can enjoy the day feeling like you’ve embarked on an African safari.

Want to get a little closer? Here’s a friendly tip: giraffes love to eat the grass surrounding their habitat. Grab a handful and reach as far as you can, and if you’re lucky, maybe one will snack on what you’re offering!

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