Category Archives: Europe

Singing to the Prince of Denmark

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Written by Olivia Way

We boarded the overnight bus, all of us a little out of breath from running to find the right exit in the endless Stockholm train station. The bus was already filled with travelers, most of them looked to be about our age; twenty somethings in search of an adventure that does not cost a fortune to find.  

Vasiliki was the leader of the group. Fearless and determined to find her way. She led us forward and we collapsed into bus seats that stank of past travelers.  

Yui is the sunshine that keeps us bright. Everything is astounding and worth celebrating. She is a good friend to travel with; even the most mundane becomes beautiful.  

Then there is me, I will call myself the narrator, and that is all I will say.  

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Others.

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Others.

By Jacob Hurajt

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Across the world, over the waves,

Right next door, or very far away,

People are living life, like you or me.

They simply live life a bit differently.

Some live in castles, ornate and old.

Some live where its hot, some where its cold.

Some move around from year to year,

Others stay put to build their career.

 

Everyone, everywhere, is totally unique.

So why do some feel the need to critique

The lifestyle of those they know nothing about?

They stare and pry and laugh and shout

“Look, they’re different, oh what shame!”

As though all of them were exactly the same.

Humans are humans, that’s all that matters,

So everyone should simply mind their manners.

 

But the things some people do to those ‘others’,

They would never do to mothers or brothers.

And our families are the same as them,

When seen through the eyes of those we condemn.

So why treat anyone any differently?

Treat them the way you would want to be,

And then, just maybe, if we’re lucky,

The world will become a little more lovely.

Study Abroad as an Introvert

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Written by: Belinda Lee

I am a self-proclaimed introvert who enjoys traveling internationally. My strong personal preference for peace and solitude helped me understand myself more when I study abroad in Alnwick, England. One misconception about studying abroad is that only extroverted students participate. Or that studying abroad is for white students from financially supported backgrounds. It is not always the case. When you go abroad, you will meet other international students and connect with domestic students. You will engage in community events, talk about yourself during ice breakers (shivers), and participate in group discussions (double shivers). This is all part of the study abroad experience (Yay, me!).

Students who study abroad are not split between extroverts and introverts. They move between the extroverted/introverted spectrum throughout the course of their study abroad program. Some students may pace themselves on one side, while others might move from one side of the spectrum to the other. On the Alnwick-England program, we all built different relationships with one another. By the third week in, we fell into a routine and surrounded ourselves with individuals whose company we enjoy. When we go out as a group, I knew when I have had enough time socializing and want to return back to the castle. It is about creating and establishing a balanced social and self-care network.

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My Experience in 5 Pictures

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My Experience in 5 Pictures

By Spencer Rojas

The most impactful thing that I have taken away from my study abroad experience is the people I met and the friends I’ve made. In this picture are a few of the people I’ve gotten to know and lived and studied with. This photo was taken on my birthday! I got to live with students from all over the world and I made so many connections and friends I can’t imagine my life now without them.

 

 

Next is a picture that signifies the amount of cheese I consumed in the Netherlands. I took a day trip to Amsterdam with my friend Maddy and we decided to make it a cheap day and eat a bunch of free cheese. If you are ever in Amsterdam looking for a cheap way to eat, hit up all the cheese shops and museums and sample all the cheese you want. Being in continental Europe it is really easy to travel, and from Arnhem, I was super close to Amsterdam and Germany. Unfortunately, I was not able to travel much, but I love Amsterdam so much that it was worth it.

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Books I Read While Traveling (and would read again)

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Written by Olivia Way

Call Me by Your Name – André Aciman 

I picked up Call Me by Your Name while I was traveling through Spain for a long weekend off from school at Södertörn University in Sweden where I was studying abroad for the semester. It is romantic and warm and will leaving you lusting for a sweltering summer day in Italy. Dreamy right?  

Call Me By Your Name (Call Me By Your Name, #1) by André Aciman

Under the Tuscan Sun– Frances Mayes 

This is a book of heart and soul and olive oil. A nonfiction story about the trials of remodeling a home in Tuscany, Italy. Years before I ever read this book, I went to Tuscany on a trip with the History Club at my high school! Under the Tuscan Sun is packed with picturesque details of Italian culture, language and of course, food. If you need a book to bring some sunlight into the upcoming gloom of Minnesota winters, this is the one for you.  

Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes - Penguin Books Australia

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Hygge

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Hygge

Written by Sophie Torgerson

One of the coolest words that I learned while studying abroad in Denmark, is the word “hygge”.  “Hygge” (pronounced: hyoo·guh) is a Danish word that has no direct translation in English.  It’s a word that can be used as an adjective or noun, and can be described as a type of lifestyle or feeling that one experiences when they are happy or content.  It may be experienced while alone or while surrounded by others.  Many describe “hygge” as a feeling of coziness.  To them, “hygge” may be curling up by the fireplace while reading their favorite book, or baking some holiday treats with loved ones.  It may also be going to picnics with close friends, or having a nice, warm day at the beach.  “Hygge” can really be anything that brings you peace and happiness.  What it cannot be is spending the entire day staring at your phone, or not allowing yourself to take a break and relax doing something you love once in a while.  

Although most people in the United States don’t know or have never even heard the word “hygge”, I think it’s a fun and unique word to learn and start practicing.  In Denmark, many Danes would bring up “hygge” in conversation.  The word was also seen on many souvenirs, from t-shirts, to mugs, to keychains- you name it!  “Hygge” allows you to enjoy simple pleasures and get away from the busy and hectic world we live in sometimes, so it’s definitely something everyone should incorporate into their lives.  It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, only doing something you love, whatever that may be.  My trip to Denmark definitely allowed me to experience “hygge”.

The Things I Miss from Being Abroad

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The Things I Miss from Being Abroad

By: Jacob Hurajt

Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity that college students have. Having that sort of experience while still a young adult can teach so many things about culture, independence, national identity, and so much more. Its hard though, because sometimes you get accustomed to people, places, or options that are simply not available back home. I went to England for a few months and had a ton of amazing adventures throughout the country and beyond. I’ve walked on Hadrian’s Wall, the largest structure the Roman Empire ever built, my group and I got into a snowball fight with locals in Amsterdam, none of us speaking each other’s language, and I’ve been kicked out of the tallest building in London because I wasn’t dressed well enough.  These were amazing experiences and great stories to tell, but they aren’t what I miss about being abroad.

I miss waking up on a Sunday morning and walking downtown with friends to our favorite restaurant. It was a small hole in the wall tea shop called Grannies that mainly sold candy, tea, and cakes, but happened to sell freshly made paninis as well. I swear they were the best sandwiches I’ve ever had, cheap and fast too. I loved the atmosphere, happy and calm, with my friends around me.

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The Best Experience Ever!

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The Best Experience Ever!

By: Belinda Lee

Most people you meet in college will tell you to study abroad. They tell you that it’ll be the best time of your life and that there won’t be another opportunity like this after college. They will also tell you that studying abroad will look great to employers and on resumes. And what can I say? They’re right.

No matter the length of the study abroad program, I’ll always roll into the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport with an over-packed luggage (which I repacked about 4 times already that day and pray that it’s at most 50 lbs!), my backpack of miscellaneous electronics and snacks, and my dark blue U.S. passport in my hand. Like always, I start off my journey on this high of excitement- greeting my fellow study abroad peers, getting through security, going to my gate, finding my seat on the plane, and finally taking off to another country! I have to admit, I have a love-hate relationship with travel days. You literally travel all day; airplanes, buses, trams, trains, transfers, in, out, walk, run, sit and wait, and wait, and wait. It’s all worth it once we landed in the United Kingdom. As the coach bus drives around the bend of the hilly Northumberland road, we catch the afternoon sun gleaming onto Alnwick Castle. This is our home.

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To New Friends in Old Places

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Jacob Hurajt

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Photos are courtesy of Jacob Hurajt

I started my education abroad journey almost three years ago. I was a first year student, studying abroad in my second semester. The few months I spent in Alnwick, England were some of the best of my life. There were so many things that made the time special, from living in a castle, to exploring amazing historical sites, to just getting to know the locals and their culture.

The most impactful part about studying abroad, however, was none of those things. For me, it was the relationships I developed with the people I traveled with.  I currently live with two of the people I studied abroad with, and count them among my best friends. I still have a group chat with many of the people I traveled with, and we keep in touch with each other. In the three months I spent abroad, I considered many of them to be some of the best friends I have ever had.

 

It’s not all that surprising when you think about it, I guess. Think about if you joined a group of people who don’t know each other, lived with them for a few months, and took all the same classes that they did. Then, go and see the world with them. Get into a snowball fight with a random group of locals in Amsterdam with them. Get lost in Newcastle with them. Walk along Hadrian’s Wall with them.  Go on trips and adventures almost every week, from London to the North Sea, visiting castles, monasteries and ancient churches with them. Of course we became close, how could we not?

I have so many memories of England and other places I have traveled to, but the best ones are not about the places I went, or the things I saw, but the people I saw them with.

             

How to See a City in a Day (and on a Budget)

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Sophie Torgerson

One of the things that has always been on my bucket list has been to travel to Europe.  I was ecstatic when I made the decision to study abroad in Denmark in June of 2019.  The majority of the trip would be spent in Aalborg, which is a smaller-sized city in the northern region of Denmark.  The last couple days would be spent in Copenhagen, the capital and largest city of Denmark.  The program was only three weeks, and although I was told we would have free time most evenings and weekends, I wasn’t expecting to have enough time to travel outside the country, although that was something I was interested in.  However, in our second week abroad, a few of my classmates were researching things to do for the weekend and came across a $39 round-trip ticket to London for the following Saturday.  I decided that I couldn’t let this incredible opportunity pass, as I wasn’t sure when the next time I would be in Europe would be, so a couple hours later, four of my classmates and I booked our flight.

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All photos courtesy of Sophie Torgerson

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