Wanderlust

By Christina Reynolds

Wanderlust

[won-der-luhst] noun: a strong, innate desire to rove or travel about.

 

The urge may not be there upon leaving America, but it will definitely be tugging at you left and right once abroad. Once given a little taste of the unknown, the travel bug gets to you, leaving you craving it more and more. Thankfully the fantasy of exploring each and every country can soon become a reality during your time abroad.

 While studying abroad in Valencia, there were many opportunities to venture to other countries. With the class schedule ending on Thursdays, students always had a three day weekend to take off to wherever their hearts desired. Besides the planned program trips to either Madrid or Barcelona, there were many weekends available to see a different part of Spain, or more commonly a completely different country!

Many students took advantage of their time off from class and made group trips to a multitude of exotic places. With the Mediterranean views of Portugal being a short plane ride away, students made the trek to Lisbon to discover a side of Spain not offered around Valencia. Additionally, with France being the next closest country, many spent their weekend under the Eiffel Tower in Paris. While the proximity of these countries made traveling a little easier, distance did not stop students from exploring other parts of Europe. Amsterdam and Ireland also seemed to be popular destinations to travel to. Being about a mere three hour flight to either location, it goes to show just how easy it can be to travel around the continent from the home base in Valencia.

While the urge to explore each and every place may be strong, the only issue that stands is how to get over there. Although students may shy away from the idea of flying because of the expenses, there are many European airlines with incredibly affordable rates, like Ryanair. Being one of the cheapest airlines throughout Europe, it is no wonder it is one of the most popular ways to travel for students abroad. But be careful; one of the cheapest can quickly turn into one of the sneakiest if you’re not paying attention!

A few tips on Ryanair:

Make sure to print out your boarding pass ahead of time

I’m not exactly sure why printing out a boarding pass is such a hassle for the airline attendants, but apparently it is, and will cost you all of 50 euro as well.

Try to do carry on

Checking your bags is another 50 euro, and not worth the risk of losing.
 
Make sure you measure the size of your carry one bag before taking it
Ryanair is a stickler for oversized bags, to the point of measuring your bag for you prior to boarding your flight. The worst thing that could happen is your poor suitcase not fitting in the size measurer, and their insistence on you checking that bag. My advice? Bring a duffel bag. It’s moldable enough to fit their size standards, regardless of how full it is.

“Don’t Miss” Location in London: Brighton

By Viviana Yepes

 It was a late Friday evening and after returning from a relaxing night out at our favorite local pub, I decided to look at the map and pick a random city to explore the following day. My finger landed on the city of Brighton, and boy, was I happy it did. I gathered a group of five friends (shout out to Cecilio, Ally, Amy, Jackie and Brendan!) bought us all some train tickets, and we were off the following Saturday morning at about 9AM taking the train from St Pancras Station. The trip only took about an hour and a half, so we passed the time by talking about what we wanted to do while looking at the beautiful English countryside. Arriving and stepping out of the train station we set our sights on the ocean shore and walked towards it, with no set plan as to what we would do today. I was absolutely determined to at least touch the waters of the English Channel (keep in mind it was still winter and the water was unquestionably freezing). Once at the beach the view was spectacular. We were all so amazed by the stony beach and endless horizon that we were caught off guard and completely soaked by a wave, a freezing but totally hilarious experience!

We decided to stay away from the shore at that point and made our way over to the Brighton Pier, all the while walking near the beach front containing shops and pubs. On our way, we came across a carousel and of course, I had to take a spin. As we walked onto the beautiful Brighton Pier, I had realized I had found my perfect place: the beach, amusement park rides, a world famous fish & chips pub, and loud music. COULD I ASK FOR MORE?! We spent the rest of the day riding rickety roller coasters, dizzy spinning rides, playing in a dark arcade in the middle of the pier (Ally actually won a toy from the claw games! Who does that?!), taking pictures with face-in-the-hole murals, and I ate the best fish & chips of my whole London semester for lunch.  

My friend Amy and I even got stuck at the very top of a loop de loop ride and as they brought us down, we got to see the sunset from the highest point on the Brighton Pier. We finished the day off buying souvenirs and talking to locals telling us to check out the bands playing at some local pubs. We were all exhausted as we got on the train back home and reminisced about all the laughs and fun we had that day. I definitely recommend Brighton to anyone at the London program looking for a fun-filled day and totally different experience from the big city life!

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.

 

 

London Through a Lens

By Kayluis Peña

It was halfway through my junior year when I realized that my time at FSU was quickly coming to an end. I knew it would be very difficult to travel abroad for an extended period of time after I was out in the workforce, so I decided that I needed to pack up my things and study abroad. I quickly realized that it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

While in London I did all the typical "tourist" things during the first week, and lived there as a resident the rest of the time. I mingled with locals on afternoons at the pub and enjoyed various plates of fish and chips. On lazy evenings I would go to Trafalgar Square with some friends and just hang out.

Studying abroad through FSU was an amazing experience! Check out the link below to see London through my eyes!

Click here to see Kayluis' video

Must See Places in Panama City

By Lauren Stuart


It’s no secret that the Panamá Canal is the number one tourist attraction in Panamá City.  It is, after all, one of the top man-made wonders of the world and put Panamá on the map.  However, after living and studying in Panamá for the past seven months, I’ve realized the city is home to so much more.  After you beat the crowds at the Miraflores Locks along the Panamá Canal, consider spending some time at one of these places:

Isla Taboga

Group in Isla Taboga

If you’re looking for a fun and easy day trip, Isla Taboga is a must!  Located about 20 km off the coast and known as one of the best beaches in the Panamá City area, Isla Taboga is a top destination for busy city goers looking for a quick break.  It only costs $13 for a round-trip ferry ticket, which is perfect if you’re on a budget.  Ferries leave from the Causeway at 8:30 am and 10:30 am and return at 3 pm and 5 pm every day.  However, it’s not uncommon for the ferries to sell out so make sure you get there at least an hour early.  The island hosts many great activities besides just chilling out on the beach and taking a quick dip in the refreshing water.  There are several hiking trails that take you to the top of a hill and offer incredible views.  You can also explore the adorable town that calls Isla Taboga home and if kayaking is your thing, there is a place where you can rent kayaks for only $4.  Once you work up an appetite, hit up one of the many food carts for some great food.  Or if you’re on a budget, I suggest bringing a cooler full of drinks and snacks.

Isla Taboga

Cerro Ancon

Cerro Ancon

Cerro Ancon is easily recognized for being “that hill with the giant Panamá flag."  Although well known, Cerro Ancon is unfortunately overlooked by most.  Located in Balboa, right next to the Panamá Canal Administration Building, the hill offers an easy morning hike that only takes about 2 hours.  The “trail” is actually a one way road that many people choose to drive up.  However, it is well worth the walk, trust me!  Not to mention, walking is free.  On your way up, be on the lookout for sloths hanging out in the trees above.  Once you reach the top, you are greeted by that giant Panamá flag and rewarded with incredible birds-eye views of the city skyline, Balboa, the Panamá Canal, Casco Viejo, and the Bridge of the Americas.  Once you make it back to the bottom and your stomach is growling, head to Niko’s Café, just down the street from the Administration building.  Niko’s is dirt cheap and has great Panamanian food as well as classics such as sandwiches and french fries. A whole meal including a drink and desert costs about $5 - $8.

View of Cerro Ancon 

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is like a European city with a flare of Latin American culture.  It’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in Panamá City and although originally considered a more dangerous area, Casco Viejo has undergone major renovations making it far safer and one of my favorite places in the city.  During the day, make sure you visit the multiple churches located in the town squares and enjoy walking through the narrow European-like streets.  If you’re looking for crafts, check out the Indian market on the walkway right along the coast.  There are many tents set up with Kuna Indians selling homemade crafts such as molas, traditional fabrics full of color.  At night, Casco Viejo transforms and the nightlife heats up.  If you’re looking for a great dinner, I suggest Casa Blanca or Restaurante Diablicos.  Casco Viejo is also home to one of the city’s best bars, Relic, and multiple clubs that will get you dancing.  If you’re looking for another incredible view, walk towards the water at night and watch as the city skyline appears at the end of a narrow cobblestone street.

Casco Viejo

Study Abroad Fair Fall 2012

We had a blast at the fair! If you couldn't make it (or just want to see our smiling faces again :p) come out to our Spring 2013 fair in February!

Throwback Thursday: Foreign Fare

Yesterday was the second edition of Throwback Thursday! Here are the scrumptious snapshots you sent in!

The next Throwback Thursday's (10/25) theme is "Goofy Globetrotters". Send in pictures of you and your friends being silly all around the world!

To send in your photos on Instagram, use #NolesAbroad in the description. You can also submit them through our Facebook page or on Twitter (@fsuip) and we'll share them throughout the day! Get those pictures ready!

Throwback Thursday #1

Yesterday was Throwback Thursday! Here are the amazing pictures our students sent in:

If you want to participate in the next Throwback Thursday (10/11), follow us on Instagram and send us your favorite pictures from your time abroad using #NolesAbroad.

Next week's theme is "Foreign Fare". Send us pictures of your favorite meal you had, you and your friends chowing down on some gelato, sitting at your favorite cafe, and anything having to do with the delicious grub you had while abroad!

A Year of Adventure

By Claire McCleskey

As the end of my senior year began to approach, I knew two things: I wanted to go to Florida State, and I wanted to study abroad at some point in my college career. I had heard of FSU’s First Year Abroad program on my very first visit to the school but I never imagined I’d be able to spend my entire first year away from home in a foreign country. I’ll never forget the day I received one of the International Programs brochures in the mail. As soon as I started to look through it, both my parents and I knew there was no way I would be able to say no to the FYA program. A few months later, I packed my bags and headed to London.

London is a great city because it has something to offer any time, any day, for any interest. The Study Centre is located close to many theatres on the West End (London’s Broadway) and we learned early on that you can get discounted tickets to shows if you go the day of, so many students took advantage of that. I took Intro to Theatre during my first semester, which had us going to at least one play a week for class, but many of us expanded our theatrical horizons beyond the class. One of my favorite shows was The Woman in Black, which I saw four times in London, and attended a screening of the film introduced by none other than Daniel Radcliffe himself.  Because London is such a central part of the European entertainment industry, many movie premieres are held there. In fact, most of them take place in Leicester Square, which is about a five-minute walk from the Study Centre. One of the coolest events to ever happen there was the red carpet premiere for The Dark Knight Rises. My friends and I camped out to get spots along the carpet and managed to see all the stars, and even get Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy’s autograph! But it wasn’t just movies and theatre surrounding our home in the world-renowned Bloomsbury District—a million things would be happening every day in every field imaginable. One weekend could be a relaxing one spent picnicking in St. James’ or Hyde Park, the next could be the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee where one day you watch the Queen and company float down the Thames and the next you see Paul McCartney singing Let It Be in front of her Buckingham Palace home. Another week might be London’s Fashion Week, which I took advantage of in the fall and spring, and the week after you might head to Stonehenge and Bath. 

There were countless opportunities in London, but the most unique one I had was the chance to be in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics. My friend and I heard about the auditions and signed up immediately. Much to our surprise, we both received a callback. Even more to our surprise, we were both asked to be in the Ceremonies. I wasn’t able to do it because there would have been too many scheduling conflicts with the classes I was taking, but my friend did participate. While I wish I could have been in it too, it’s cool to say I had the opportunity to be in them. Watching the Olympics--which happened just days after I returned from London--made me homesick, but I was swelling with pride knowing that my friend was a part of the ceremonies. 

While in London, I actually completed all of my gen ed requirements except for one science class, and I ended up having as many credit hours as a junior by the end of my freshman year. The Broad Curriculum classes abroad are great, because they give you a really different experience than what you would get in Tallahassee. For example, if I hadn’t studied abroad, I probably would have taken a biology class with 300 kids as my lab science. Instead, I took an archeology class with 20 other students (my largest class by far) where we spent half the class at a museum or digging up the shore of the Thames. During one of the summer sessions, I decided to branch out from the typical Broad Curriculum courses usually taken by First Year Abroad students. I applied to participate in a program focused on documentary filmmaking in Britain, and the two courses I took as part of that program are the most interesting classes I’ve ever taken. Before the class started, I’d never so much as touched a real camera. By the end of the course I had made two commercial parodies and documentary about Abbey Road, filmed on location. That’s one of the greatest advantages to studying abroad—the city becomes your textbook.


When you study abroad, you form a unique bond with your classmates. No one will ever fully understand the experience you had together unless they were there. I made so many great friends studying abroad, but those of us who were together for a full year will always have an inseparable bond. It’s nice to look back at photos of us in London watching an FSU football game huddled around one tiny computer screen, and compare it to pictures of us at our first football game together in Tallahassee, or to see pictures of us on the London Eye at the start of our time in London and see that we took almost the exact same picture on our last day in the city together. Pictures like that make me really appreciate my friends from London because they show just how much we’ve been through together.

While I loved every minute I spent in London, it was also great to get out of the city and see the rest of the world! The Study Centre organized a number of day trips and weekend trips to places like the Highlands in Scotland, Liverpool, Bath, Stonehenge, and Wales. We also took advantage of how easy (and relatively cheap!) it is to fly from London to other parts of Europe. During my time there, I traveled to Venice (twice), Barcelona, Nice, Marseilles, Cannes, Paris, Amsterdam, Bruges, and more. And I got to do it with my closest friends. If there’s anything better than travelling the world, it’s travelling the world with your best friends.

Can You Dig it? Archaeology in Tuscany

By Aaron Brown

The allure of Italy is well-known. Every year droves of tourists flock to her major cities – Rome, Florence, Venice – seeking to experience for themselves the country’s fabulous art, food, and fashion, to savor a few days of la dolce vita before moving on to their next destination. People travel to Italy to relax and enjoy themselves. They go for pleasure and are always surprised to hear my reason for going each summer: to perform strenuous manual labor under the Tuscan sun (don’t be misled by the book) and not get paid for doing any of it. Folks who don’t understand my motives sometimes think I’m crazy, but I go for the experience – the opportunity to dig in Italy. As a student of classical archaeology, what I’ve gained from excavating at FSU’s field school at Cetamura del Chianti has far exceeded any minor discomforts felt along the way. My time at Cetamura has been extremely rewarding, offering me a foundation in my field and opportunities to pursue my own research queries. 

After I tell someone that I dig in Italy and the person asks me if I do the same sort of thing as Indiana Jones (answer: not at all!), the next question is always, “Have you found anything interesting?” My first summer I found very little by way of artifacts aside from a pair of ca. 1980 sunglasses dropped by a lost German hiker. We did, however, observe a peculiar change in soil composition within my trench that year. Along one side of the unit, a curved cut had been made in the surrounding bedrock and filled in with a dense clay pack in antiquity. Given the semi-circular nature of the cut and the presence of the water-retaining clay, we hypothesized that a water containment structure might lie in the adjacent unit. I returned the following summer to investigate the neighboring area. What we found was a large, roughly circular stone-lined cistern or well! The cavity at the center of the structure had evidently been filled in with stones and discarded roof tile at some point (likely when it failed to adequately collect and/or store water), and this is where we focused our attentions that second summer. In order to get to the bottom of some of our most pressing questions – what was its precise function, when was it in use, who had access to its contents, etc. – we had to get to the bottom of the cavity!

The hypothesized cistern under excavation in 2011

The western portion of the structure, revealed in 2012

While we didn’t reach the bottom of the structure in 2011, we did learn a great deal about its form and method of construction. In the process of doing so, we also succeeded in expanding the map of Cetamura. Yet there were still so many unanswered questions. I had to return in 2012. My third summer I set to work uncovering an unexcavated corner of the structure. My goals were to complete a detailed map of the structure (that took into account the unexcavated portion), determine the extent of the clay pack observed in 2010, and see if we couldn’t come up with a better interpretation for its use at the site. In general we met these objectives. We completed the map of the structure and proved that the clay pack continued around all sides of the structure. There is now little doubt that the structure was designed for the provisioning of water. To clarify its relationship to the nearby sanctuary and site as a whole, more work will have to be done around and, especially, within the structure. For the time being, questions of access and usage will have to remain unclear. We also remain uncertain about the date of construction and time of infilling. The cavity at the center of the structure is likely to contain our best evidence for how it was used and when it was in operation. The work of future seasons will concentrate on the center of the structure.