Stan and Karen Johnson
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Haere Global Matamata, New Zealand
SEPTEMBER 2015 Welcome to the September edition of Going Global, our monthly newsletter providing readers with information and reflections on GCC students 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, Phillip 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!
Our cover photo was the winner of the spring 2015 study abroad photo contest, submitted by Rebekah Geer from New Zealand and this happy turtle was the winner of the spring 2015 faculty led travel photo contest, submitted by Gina Cearfoss from the Galapagos!
Top 10 Free Apps: A Studying Abroad Guide WHATSAPP: Messaging, chat groups, and voice call, first year is FREE! GOOGLE MAPS: Works everywhere, up to date schedules, navigation on the go! VENMO: Convenient way to transfer money between debit cards, credit cards, and bank accounts! XE CURRENCY: Get exchange rates on the go for 180+ currencies! SCENE: Compile photos, text and music in easy template designs. Great way to keep in touch with friends!
VIBER: Free messages and calls from any device on 3G or WiFi to connect with other Viber users anywhere! MAGICJACK: Unlimited calls to US, Canada, Puerto Rico for 1.99/month or 14.99/year. Text over Wifi/3G/4G too!
HOSTELWORLD: Book from over 35,000 Hostels worldwide on the go! SKYSCANNER: Find the cheapest flights for any travel destination!
MONEYWISE: Create budgets, monitor cash flow, and track everyday expenses!
Question of the Month:
What was the most exotic activity you participated in while studying abroad? I rode a camel on the beach of Tangiers in Morocco, Africa! - Alyssa Brossman
I swam with a sea turtle off the coast of Isla del Ca単o, and watched baby sea turtles hatch and crawl to the ocean! - Lidia Boghean
We visited the Roman Baths and got to walk on the paths built thousands of years earlier, while still seeing the steam rising from the bath waters. I even got to taste the water that was widely proclaimed to bring healing and good health.. it tasted mostly like iron. - Erin Wheeler
In January, my sister came to visit me in Northern Ireland. We decided to visit a castle, but discovered it was closed for the winter. The walls looked scalable, so, feeling very much like brigands of old, we climbed up and explored the interior. It was a rare day of brilliant sun, and we had such fun walking in the steps of medieval nobles. - Sarah Stites
I went snowshoeing in the Pyrenees Mountains! - Madeline Lussenhop
I ate things with tentacles; I ate cuts of meat I would normally throw away; I ate squid, fish heads, roe, feet, and many other strange things in Korea. The strangest by far was jelly fish. I didn’t even know you could EAT jelly fish! - Natalie Webb
I went cliff jumping off of the Coast of Wales! - Caroline Bennett
Interview with Carrie Howe Heredia, Costa Rica
Study Abroad Student Spotlight
What was it like living with a host family? Living with a host family was one of my favorite parts of studying abroad. My host parents, Vicky and Danilo, were wonderful. They always made sure I felt at home there, and were more than happy to help me out with anything I needed. My host mom was a great cook, she loved telling me the names of the foods I ate and made sure she making me all of the popular foods of Costa Rica so that I could try everything. They, like many of the Costa Ricans I met, are very proud of their country, and were eager to help me experience as much of it as possible. The most challenging part of living with a host family was the communication barrier, as neither of my host parents spoke any English. Overall, though, I had a great host family experience, and hope to return to Heredia to visit them in the future!
What is one unique experience you had while you were abroad? One unique experience I had while abroad was attending the baby shower of one of my host parents’ neighbors. This was a really cool experience because I got to experience a celebration that was in some ways similar to those we have in the U.S., but also very different. At first, it was intimidating for me to go to a party where I was the only “gringa,” but everyone was very welcoming, and I ended up having a great time.
What was your favorite place that you visited and why? My favorite place was a national park in Costa Rica called Manuel Antonio. The beaches were breathtaking, and there were some great hiking trails where you can see monkeys, iguanas, sloths, and other animals.
Study Abroad Student Spotlight How has being abroad influenced you as a person? Being abroad has made me more adventurous and willing to try new things. It put me in situations that were unlike anything I’ve experienced in the United States, and that stretched me and made me more confident and more willing to venture out of my comfort zone.
What was most surprising to you about being abroad? I was most surprised by the overall atmosphere of Costa Rica and how different it is from the culture of the United States. Generally, people are much more laid back there and have more of a “go with the flow” attitude. This surprised me because it was a very noticeable change from the mindset most people in the United States have that productivity should be our priority.
Any advice to future students who want to go abroad? Do some research on the country you want to study in, and talk to some people who have studied there in the past. The city you choose has a big impact on the experience you’ll have, so it’s a good idea to put some thought into where in the country is the best place for you to go depending on what you’d like to get out of your study abroad experience.
Interviewer: Kayley Heller
Lorenzo de’ Medici Italy
Study Abroad Program Spotlight
The Grove City College Office of International Education has teamed up with LdM in Italy to offer students a significant discount for direct enrollment at the university. Please visit the office, HAL 319, to learn more! Lorenzo de’ Medici, the Italian International Institute, has been the school of choice for thousands of students studying in Italy. With campuses in Rome, Florence, Tuscania, and a special three city program, LdM is an incredible school for an equally incredible price. With courses ranging from Anthropology to Biology to Fashion & Design, LdM offers an impressively wide range of courses that allows any student to find applicable classes.
“LdM prides itself on offering academic and professionally-oriented courses designed to complement a variety of study abroad programs as well as enrich students’ knowledge, education and skills. Students can choose from 500 different courses in 37 subject areas, which are taught in English at LdM’s three locations: Florence, Rome, and Tuscania. Courses fall under five main academic divisions: Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Sciences, Creative Arts, Design, and Italian Language and Culture.”
Study Abroad Program Spotlight Not only does LdM excel in academics, but it also has a long history of study abroad. In 2013 LdM celebrated its 40th year of offering international highereducation in Italy. This has marked LdM as one of the most wellestablished study abroad schools in Europe. LdM offers their students many opportunities to grow and explore both themselves, and in the city they are living in. They offer school-sponsored trips to surrounding areas and other countries such as France, Switzerland, and Greece. LdM realizes that while travel can provide great personal growth opportunities, professional opportunities are just as important. LdM partners with local businesses and programs to give students the opportunity to truly integrate with the locals. Lorenzo de’ Medici is a wonderful school with many opportunities for every student. With the new option of direct enroll and the availability through program providers such as API, LdM is a fantastic choice for any GCC Student who is looking for an adventure.
By Natalie Webb
OIE Staff Interview ~Mrs. Jennifer Gilliland
Stonehenge, England
Tell me a little bit about yourself, Mrs. Gilliland. “I am the Staff Assistant in the Office of International Education here at Grove City. I live in Butler, PA and I have been married to my husband John for 24 years. I have a son who is 17 and is a senior at Butler High School.”
What are some of your hobbies? “When I can, I enjoy travelling, reading, and singing in church choir. I also enjoy dollhouse miniatures, sewing, and studying history.”
Tell me something interesting about yourself. One interesting thing is that this summer I took a two week long course at the International Summer School at Cambridge University in England. There were students of all ages that took part in the summer school and the students represented 62 countries in total. There were fascinating lectures about a huge variety of historical topics, as the theme of the study was “Heroes and Villains.” Even though my specialty courses were in Tudor history, we had lectures on a large variety of historical figures, ranging from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey to Margaret Thatcher. What interested me most was learning (and relearning) U.S., Irish, and even British history taught from a British perspective. How the English people tend to view their monarchs, political figures, and so forth is different from what we, as Americans, are taught about them.” I also got a sense of the very real effect that World War II had on the British psyche. Their perspective of this war, having lived through a long and ongoing attack on their homeland not many generations removed, is still fresher, and yet more stark, than the American perspective. While in England, I visited Windsor, Bath, Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock, Bath, Oxford, London and Hampton Court Palace. In London, I visited the British museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and saw Les Miserables in the West End. After the conclusion of the program in Cambridge, I took the train to Holyhead and rode the ferry to Dublin, where I spent three memorable days in the city and the surrounding countryside. From there, I toured Newgrange, the Hill of Tara (seat of the high kings), and the Wicklow Mountains.”
Ireland, taken at Knowth
Castle Combe, England
Harry Potter’s Parent’s House, Lacock
Cambridge, England
Hampton Court Palace Gardens
Do you have any more international travel plans? I will be returning to Ireland next summer, along with 15 friends and family members. We are staying in a large manor house in central Ireland. I plan to visit Monreagh Presbyterian Church in County Donegal, where my ancestor Richard Armstrong was a member of the Laggan Presbytery before immigrating to the American continent at the close of the 17th century.
Hampton Court Palace, England
By Riley McDermott
May 15-26, 2016 Travel to Munich & Berlin in Germany & Prague in the Czech Republic!
Class credit for: Business Ethics (BUSA 214) Global Business Issues (BUSA 305) Doing Business in the European Union (BUSA 390) Special Topics in Accounting (ACCT 390)
Travel throughout the UK for HUMA 202 and English 290: Theatre in England
Intersession, May 16-28, 2016
Contact Professor Craig or Messer for more information
Be a part of the first group from Grove City College to travel to Cuba! Courses: Cuban Politics (POLI 301/390) Literature and Culture (SPAN 290) Date: May 16-23, 2016 Price: Price $5200* *Price depends on number of students attending
Country: England
International
English Pasty: Potato and Leek This is an traditional English dish, sometimes also called Cornish Pasty, since they originate from Cornwall. I ate these many times abroad, and the best ones were usually from the small street vendors. The hot dish was especially wonderful on the really cold, rainy, English days!
Recipe by Erin Wheeler
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of Flour ¾ cup of butter 3-4 Tbsp. of water 2 small potatoes, cut into 1 cm cubes 2 Tbsp. butter 2 small leeks, tough outer leaves removed, split in half lengthways, and finely sliced 3 thyme sprigs, leaves chopped 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard Salt/Pepper/Seasonings 2 Tbsp. Cream Flour, for dusting 5 oz of strong cheddar cheese, cut into small chunks. 1 egg, beaten
Directions: • •
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Make the Pastry Dough. Sift 1.5 cups flour into a large bowl, add ¾ cup butter and rub together with your hands until the mixture resembles small breadcrumbs. Stir in a pinch of salt, and then add 3-4 Tbsp. water and mix to until the dough is firm. Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface. Wrap in cling wrap and chill while preparing the filling. Begin to cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 5-8 minutes until tender, but still holding their shape. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and thyme, and soften for 10-12 minutes. Drain potatoes and add to the leeks with the mustard and plenty of seasoning. Stir in the cream and leave to cool. Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough and use a plate or a bowl as a template to cut out 6 inch circles. Mix the cheese with the leek mixture and pile some of the mix onto the center of each pastry circle. Brush a little egg around the edges, then bring the edges together and crimp them with your fingers to form a seal. Place pasties on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Brush with the remaining egg and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.