Tag Archives: alnwick castle

Landmarks.

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Landmarks.

By: Jack Newman

Why should you use landmarks?

Whether you plan to travel on foot or by car, using landmarks is a great way to not get lost. When I traveled around England and Scotland I mostly walked to my destinations. I did not have an international plan on my phone so I tried to use my data wisely as it was quite expensive to turn on. I was able to make my way around by using landmarks around the city. These can be both large and small structures – the key is to find something that helps you remember your path. I use large structures to get a sense of where I am in the city or town.

Jack studied abroad to St. Cloud State at Alnwick during the Spring 2020 semester.

For example: Edinburgh Castle. In Edinburgh, it is very easy to see Edinburgh Castle from wherever you are. Just look up! You should see the castle in the city center. From there, I could roughly see where I was in the city. In the case of Edinburgh, the train station is very close to the castle so following it will lead you to transportation.

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HMoob (Hmong) around the World Part 1: A Whole New Perspective

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HMoob (Hmong) around the World Part 1: A Whole New Perspective

By: Kameiko Vue (Class of 2020) and Tonny Yang (Class of 2017 & 2019)

Kameiko Vue in Vientiane, Laos (left) & Tonny Yang in Penang, Malaysia (right)

Kameiko’s Story

I took part in the South East Asia (SEA) study abroad program in the winter of 2017-2018. This study abroad trip included going to Laos, Thailand and Malaysia. I wanted to be a part of this trip because I wanted to explore the world and enrich myself in the culture, people and food. Because of this trip, I experienced riding on an airplane and traveling out of the country for the first time ever. Not to mention, I built ever lasting friendships with individuals that I will cherish forever.   

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A Tea Lover’s Top 3 Teas from around the World

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A Tea Lover’s Top 3 Teas from around the World

By Rachael Gardner

The problem with coffee? It’s just not tea!

I know a lot of people are super into coffee. Coffee smells great, don’t get me wrong, but the taste and caffeine levels have never jived with me. My hot beverage consumption was pretty much limited to hot chocolate and apple cider until the fall of 2012. This thankfully changed through travel and exploration. As a part of my study abroad experience in Denmark, I traveled to the UK with two of my friends. It was on this trip that my love of tea was born. Not just the beverage itself, but the different cultural norms and values that come with tea.

A photo of me at my happiest – with a big cup of tea.

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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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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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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.