Stan and Karen Johnson
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
2nd Century Roman Bridge
Rieti, Italy
February 2016 Welcome to the February edition of Going Global, our monthly newsletter providing readers with information and reflections on GCC student experiences abroad. Presented By: The Stan and Karen Johnson Office of International Education Director: Dr. Lois Johnson Field Director: Dr. Mark Reuber Staff Assistant: Mrs. Jennifer Gilliland Student Assistants: Caroline Bennett, Kayley Heller, Natalie Webb, Erin Wheeler, Riley
McDermott, Philip Ouweleen, and Emily Resler
We hope you enjoy our newsletter! Feel free to connect with us further on Facebook GCC OIE and GCC Office of International Education and come visit us anytime in HAL 319!
Approved OIE Feb 10, 2016
you your classroom
WED, FEB. 10, 2016 / 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
H A L AT R I U M
LEARN ABOUT GROVE CITY COLLEGE SPONSORED STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS Talk to Program Providers and past Study Abroad Participants
Featured ICO: Dominican Republic (Hato Mayor) Over January intersession, four teams of Grove City College students traveled to various international locations on ICO trips. Along with a group of 19 other students, I went down to Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic to serve through an organization called Meeting God in Missions.
With MGM, there were opportunities to serve through a variety of ministries. These included baseball, medical, dental and optical clinics, prayer walks, VBS, and heavy construction. Most days were spent in Haitian sugar cane villages, but baseball clinics were run throughout different parts of the country and there also were opportunities to visit a local deaf school and a special needs school. We stayed at a compound with 100 or so other people from various church groups and other schools. Each morning we arose around 6am for personal devotion time, followed by worship while watching the sun rise over the mountains, and a lesson. Several nights a week we visited local Dominican and Haitian churches. The joy of the people of the Dominican Republic as they worshipped, and in general, is contagious. We sang a song at every church we went to called “Soy Feliz�, which is about how happy we are because Christ has died for us and set us free.
By Kayley Heller One of the most challenging things for our team was the language barrier. Most of the people we served spoke Spanish and/or Creole. MGM has many talented and energetic translators on staff who helped to break the barrier by assisting with each of the ministries. Some who were more familiar with the language, like senior Emily Rothbard, were able to practice at length. She shared that, “a big highlight of my experience was getting to practice Español with the incredibly friendly and faith-filled people I met in the DR.”
Sophomore Jonathan Dabbs noted “The highlight of the trip was worshipping the Lord while watching the sunrise over the mountains every single morning. Before the trip, I was in a spiritually dry place because my life was being lived out by my own power. God revealed how I need a lifestyle that is bold and even reckless for the Lord so that he might showcase his power and that my faith in Him will grow as a result.” Overall, it was an awesome trip. It is definitely eye opening and encouraging to see people with so little material wealth be filled with so much joy and to live each and every day for the Lord, being thankful for what they have.
Others, such as freshman Craig Henderson reflected on his trip with another perspective. “For me”, he said, “a highlight was getting to grow in Christ while showing others the love of Christ. Specifically, in the little boy I met named Sandy. Just playing with him and running around brought so much joy to my heart and taught me how much Christ really loves me. I learned a little bit more about the plan that God has for my life. My favorite part was growing and building relationships with the members of my team and the other people that we stayed with.”
Featured Program: Vienna Music Program (IES)
As a music major in college, it can be very difficult to find time to study abroad, in the midst of field experiences, private lessons, and your regular course load. However, the Vienna Music program through IES allows students the opportunity to continue to pursue all of these courses while experiencing one of the most prominent cities in music history. With this program, Vienna will be your classroom. You can listen to the music of Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss in the city where it was composed, and spend evenings standing in the golden Musikverein listening to world-class orchestras play music from some of the most famous composers in the world. Wherever possible, the courses offered take advantage of the city’s historical, artistic, and cultural sites and include course-related excursions. Students who have completed the program were able to study with members of the Vienna Philharmonic and perform in local orchestras. Outside of music, the city of Vienna itself offers hiking, art, museums, great cuisine, and beautiful architecture. Whether you take advantage of the full semester program or the weeks offered in the summer, you will be able to pursue music while gaining an invaluable cultural experience.
By: Erin Wheeler This program is very unique and affords you the flexibility to live in either apartments, residence halls, or with local residents. While you develop your performance skills in music workshops, you will also be studying in an Austrian palace and receiving oneon-one private lessons with instructors from the top orchestras and music schools in Vienna. You can also enroll in courses such as music history, music theory, and composition, as well as the opportunity to take German language, other humanities courses, or pursue an internship. The program cost also includes trips to places such as Prague, Berlin, and the Austrian Alps. Your classroom
For those passionate about music, this is not an opportunity to pass up. This program has some of the highest reviews of any study abroad program that is offered. Vienna has so many unique opportunities to learn and pursue music, as well as being able to experience the amazing culture of Europe. Take this chance to go out and explore!
Faculty Led Travel – Guatemala
This January, I had the opportunity to go to Guatemala for a faculty led travel course. Dr. Kriley led the Chemistry class, the course that I was enrolled in, and Dr. Hosack led the Social Work class. SeĂąora Ligo was translator and navigator, a much needed position amongst our group of misfits and gringos. Having a mix of two classes made for an interesting dynamic in Guatemala. The chemistry portion was great, and I definitely learned a lot. We got to do things that most tourists would not likely do, such as learn how to make authentic chocolate, tour a coffee plantation, or hike up a volcano (shout out to Dillon and Taylor who got engaged up there!), and learn the science behind what we were seeing. On the other hand, the social work outings really put things into perspective for me. We went to visit and learn about many different ministries and orphanages in Guatemala such as Oasis Ministries and Casa Shalom. I think my favorite part of the trip was the chocolate factory tour. We were educated about the origins of chocolate, but we also got to put this into practice. We made Cocoa drinks like the Mayans first did, we made cocoa tea, and then we finally made chocolate as we know it today. It was really awesome to see how chocolate has progressed from a rather gross drink enjoyed by the rich to a candy loved by all.
By Riley McDermott One of the things that impacted me the most was seeing how rich in natural resources Guatemala was, and in contrast, seeing how very poor the vast majority of the people were. We would go to the coffee plantation and try some of the best coffee that the world has to offer, but we would also see children working in these same fields because their families needed the extra revenue. On that same note, it is amazing to see these kids at orphanages and ministry sites who have nothing but still manage to put their faith in God. We in America have so much, but we always want more. They are content with their lives and want nothing more than to be loved by someone, which is something we take for granted.
All in all, this was a great trip. We had amazing professors and students alike, and we were able to make the most of this amazing country. I would definitely recommend taking a faculty led travel course if the opportunity arises!
Going abroad for an entire semester was the best thing I could have ever done during my college career, but living in the city of Seville, Spain was what really made my experience all that it was.
The city of Seville can only be related in my mind to that of the city of Charleston, South Carolina‌ except even better than that. Seville is located along the southern coast of Spain, only an hour bus ride away from the breathtaking beaches of Spain and Portugal. The old architecture of the universities, churches, restaurants, and apartment buildings gives the city of Seville such character and charm. The weather of southern Spain cannot be beat. The tropical palm trees throughout the city give it a beachy feel, and the river that runs through the heart of Seville is absolutely beautiful and perfect for an afternoon kayak adventure. The gardens and parks throughout the city are spectacular, as well. The cost of living in Seville is also extremely affordable, and there is a lot to do. From shopping malls, to fantastic restaurants, to little boutiques, to open air markets, if you enjoy shopping as much as I do, you will love Seville. All in all, the city of Seville immediately felt like paradise to me, and I was beyond amazed every single day that I was blessed enough to call it my home for four incredible months.
Spotlight on student who went abroad: Emily Resler My host family was another extremely important asset to my study abroad experience. I lived with a 45 year old single mother and her 5 year old daughter. Their names were Isabel and Isabelita, or, as my roommate and I called them among ourselves, Big and Little Iz. Isabel was one of the most caring, thoughtful, and genuine people I’ve ever met. From the moment my roommate Claire and I walked into her home, she treated us as if we were her own daughters. She fed us three incredible meals a day, packed our lunches when we went to school, and would even pack our lunches sometimes when we would be travelling because she did not want us to go hungry in the airport. She would travel far distances to buy our favorite foods, even though we told her not to, invited us several times to work out with her at an exclusive 5-star Spanish gym, and even took Claire and I to her family’s beach house several weekends throughout the semester. She took me to the doctor when I had an allergic reaction, took me to the dentist when I accidentally chipped my tooth, and would make us homemade hot orange juice (it’s better than it sounds), when we would be feeling under the weather. She truly went above and beyond for Claire and me in every single way. The bond I had with my host family, along with the incredible opportunity to live in such a uniquely vibrant city, was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before, and do not expect to ever experience again. To be thrown into a foreign country, then into a stranger’s house with another stranger from America and having to live with them for four months was intimidating to say the least. However, we truly became a family and I know without that bond, my study abroad experience would not have been as full. Living in Seville truly was life changing and I will cherish and value the moments and memories I made there for the rest of my life. I would recommend Seville as a city for anyone looking to study abroad in a beautiful city full of energetic life, rich culture, and wonderful people.
Study Abroad Student Spotlight: Alexis Marnejon Where did you study abroad, and why did you pick your particular program and location? I studied abroad on the French Riviera in Antibes, France. I chose to study in the south of France on the French Riviera for a few reasons. When I pictured myself going abroad to France, I didn’t picture myself north such as near Paris. I wanted to travel to Paris, but I really wanted to live in a different part of France. The French Riviera seemed like a beautiful location, and I really wanted to learn about the cities like Cannes, St. Tropez, etc. which are famous in the French film world. In this particular location there was also a private French university and business school called Skema, and I thought it would be a great school to fulfill requirements for both of my Communication Studies and French majors. I also had five excursions planned throughout the semester in France which made it easy to see different parts of the country, while also doing my own traveling outside of my program.
What surprised you most about being abroad? What surprised me most was probably how interested foreigners were about Americans and the U.S. in general. Throughout the whole experience through school and traveling, you meet so many great people from around the world. I met many different Europeans, people from different parts of Asia, and I had a lot of Australian friends. They all seemed infatuated with the U.S., and it was cool to see how some people view our country differently than we sometimes do. It was fun to share my experiences with them and find both the similarities and differences between our countries or continents.
By Philip Ouweleen The next day we drove to Bisingen, Germany to see one of the most visited castles in the world, the Hohenzollern Castle. It was the most incredible castle I have ever seen.
If you could return somewhere you visited while abroad, where would you go and why? If I could return to any location I visited while abroad, I would return to rural Germany in a heartbeat. I visited the south-western part to reunite with a Grove City alumni friend of mine who now lives there. We first visited Rothenburgob der Tauber, a stunning little town in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia), the Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. It is well-known for its wellpreserved medieval old town. I felt like I was in a fairy tale; it was truly magical. To top it off, the old town had already begun setting up for Christmas. We passed by at least ten different Christmas shops, went into a few, and toured a massive Christmas museum. That is one holiday that is clearly important to the Germans, and I was happy to share in the excitement of the Christmas season just around the corner.
Since the 11th century, it was rebuilt three times, and this final castle was built between 1846 and 1867 as a family memorial by Hohenzollern scion King Frederick William IV of Prussia. Architect Friedrich August Stüler based his design on English Gothic Revival architecture and the Châteaux of the Loire Valley. I couldn’t believe my eyes as we walked around it because of its size, architecture, and beauty. It sat perfectly perched on top of a large hill and could be seen for miles. The rest of the trip we stopped into a few other towns such as Ludwisgburg, Heidelberg, and Old Town Frankfurt. These towns were all beautiful and reminded me of the medieval times as well. If you’re looking to see fairytale towns and explore the beautiful countryside at least once while traveling, I definitely recommend the south-western, rural part of Germany. I know I will definitely return next time I travel to Europe.
Study Abroad Student Spotlight: Alexis Marnejon Did going abroad change your perspective at all? Going abroad most definitely changed my perspective on a lot of things. I gained a greater appreciation for different parts of the world and our country itself. I saw that though we may speak many different languages, do things different culturally, and live different lifestyles, we are all still people at our core, and that is enough to make us similar. I gained a much greater cultural perspective on how to handle different people, how to appropriately react in culturally different situations, and finally, how to appreciate different languages and ways of life. I gained a lot of knowledge through everyday life in France and through the courses that I took that I will be able to take into the business world some day and hopefully apply that knowledge in a future career.
Do you have any plans to go abroad again? I hope to go abroad again very soon, as I’m sure anyone who studies abroad would say. Once you’ve had this experience, you never want to stop seeing the world and learning about new cultures. I want to travel for a few weeks sometime shortly after college, and I hope to find a career in the French and Communication fields that permits me to travel back to France throughout my lifetime.
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BEST OF FRANCE 2017 January Intersession HUMA 302 with Dr. Caleb Verbois and Dr. Erik Bardy January 11th – 22nd, 2017
Nantes Normandy Mont St. Michel Paris (European Study Center)
Program Fee of $3,749 Includes: Round trip travel between Pittsburgh and France Lodging (multiple occupancy) An average of two (light) French meals per day Tuition for 3-credit course Trip health insurance coverage Museum fees, tips, all transportation in France Tour bus from Pittsburgh airport to GCC on return to U. S. Attendance is required to several pre-sessions; there is significant pre- and post-session work (e.g. essay, exam, etc.).
Visit the OIE for more information or contact Dr. Bardy to sign up!
International Recipe:
Mushroom Risotto
by Natalie Webb
A delicious, creamy Italian comfort food, Risotto is the perfect balance of impress-your-friends tasty and easier than you think! By using a few simple ingredients, taking your time, and minding the details, you can reward yourself tonight with a beautiful bowl of soft, savory risotto. Once you master the basic principles of Risotto, you can make any variation you can imagine. Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth, divided 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound Portobello mushrooms 3/4 pound white mushrooms 2 shallots, diced 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine Sea salt to taste Black pepper to taste 3 tablespoons chopped chives 4 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
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Directions:
In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat. Broth must be hot when added to the Risotto. Warm olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, when the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add enough broth to the rice so that it is slightly covered. Stir until the broth is absorbed. Add mushrooms. Continue adding broth whenever the rice becomes visible, one cup at a time. STIR CONTINUOUSLY until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the rice to confirm it is cooked to your liking. Once the rice is cooked through, immediately remove from heat, and add butter, parmesan cheese, chives, salt, and pepper. Stir vigorously until all ingredients are incorporated and rice is a creamy texture.