Nicholette L. - Costa Rica - Fall 2013

Hi all! My name is Nicholette and right now I am in Heredia, Costa Rica with IFSA-Butler studying Spanish. It is hard to believe, but I have already been here for over two months and I am over halfway done with my program. I have had so many cool opportunities since I have been here, including all the traveling to national parks and beaches nearby. I even went to Nicaragua, and even though these two countries are really close, it was a really cool to see all of the cultural differences.

I still remember the first week I was here; I was in Liberia, and towards the end of the week I was really struggling. It took me a while to get used to the differences, and the climate was a pretty big adjustment due to the humidity and the constant feeling of dehydration.  Also, since this is a language immersion program, I was pretty drained at the end of each day from speaking only Spanish. This added to the shock, and it only got worse because my host family’s Wi-Fi didn’t work, I didn’t have a phone for the first night, and the road conditions were pretty bad, resulting in some pretty miserable car and bus rides.  The food was good, but it felt like we were getting fed every couple hours, it was always pretty large quantities, and this culture finds it rude to not eat everything you are given or to turn down food that is offered to you. When I was at home, it was hard to just sit in my room because my host family would walk in and talk to me a lot. When Friday came, I was so ready to get on a flight and go home. However, that night after I got home from a fiesta of traditional dances that we performed for our host families, I went into my room and started to clean and organize. This was my main go-to that I established in the CPP-250 class, and after getting organized I felt a lot less stressed about everything and I was able to sleep the full night for the first time since I had arrived.

The following Sunday I came to Heredia, where I have been living ever since. I have been testing out the culture as much as I can, and every day brings a new adventure. So far I have gone to six different Pacific coast beaches, two of which were in the Nicoya Peninsula, two beaches on the Caribbean side, hiked two volcanoes and two lagoons, and I even jumped off a 50 foot waterfall.  Every single weekend trip I have taken has been worth it, and I am looking forward to the last of my weekends here.  Most of my weekends involve exploring the nature and going to the beaches, but I also got a chance to see some of the cities and the churches. The church in the picture was in Granada, Nicaragua, but there are also some pretty cool churches in Costa Rica. I went kayaking in mangroves while I was in Manuel Antonio; in Parque Internacional de la Amistad, which is in Costa Rica and Panama, I got to ride in the bed of a pickup truck to some hot springs; at Rincon de la Vieja, one of the volcanoes, I got to climb a Guanacaste tree, which has really big root systems in order to keep it attached to the ground when it is windy; lastly, I climbed Cerro Chato which is a lagoon in La Fortuna.

One of the best decisions I made was taking no classes Thursday afternoon or Friday because this way I have long weekends every weekend. In regards to classes, it has been an adjustment because the class structure is pretty different, and I’m sure it will be strange to adjust again when I come home. Most of my classes involve group projects that make up most of the grade, and the classes that do have tests put them in a kind of essay/short answer format that may or may not be in groups.

Any doubt or questions, I can do my best to answer and help you out, and if there is anyone who is thinking about coming to Costa Rica, please let me know and I can give you advice on what to bring, where to go, and how to navigate the country!

Jenna B. - Worms, Germany - Fall 2013

The reasons to study abroad are endless, and not only will it change your life, but you might change as well along the way. My experience studying in Worms, Germany has been amazing. I am learning how to live on my own and communicate with all sorts of diverse people. I feel so blessed to have been able to have this opportunity. The reason why I chose Worms was to be apart of something new. Myself and Chris both decided to travel to Worms for our study abroad experience. We wanted to be enrolled at a campus similar to Elmhurst and we wanted to be with mostly locals and international students rather than Americans. For us this was a chance of a lifetime. I work full time and pay for my education, so it’s been so rewarding to be able to sit on my balcony and look out at the huge cathedral and enjoy just being. I have done things I never would have imagined I’d do. I’ve gone swimming in the Rhine river, I’ve gone site seeing to the Heidelberg Castle, I’ve been shopping in Mannheim, I went on an excursion with the university to Berlin and went to Berghain the number one greatest club in Germany. I have met so many friends both internationals like myself and Germans. Everyone has been so gracious and thoughtful. It feels like we fit right in. Many Germans and other internationals are very excited to talk to us to practice their English. Chris and I even thought about tutoring some Germans to help them more with their English. It gives us the opportunity to make new friends and learn some German, and it gives them the chance to improve on their English. Before I left, I felt like getting abroad was never going to happen because there was so much to prepare for. It may feel unorganized and sporadic, but trust me it will all work itself out in the end. If you forget something it’s not the end of the world you will learn to live without it or find something like it here. My biggest advice to you would be to stay open minded and if you’re invited to go somewhere or to do something don’t hesitate, just do it! Go with the flow and learn, laugh and enjoy this amazing adventure.

Hillary S. - Dublin, Ireland - Fall 2013

Well, my time in Dublin is absolutely flying by! I honestly cannot believe I have been here for over 5 weeks; it is incredible! I thought four months would feel like a long time, yet I now want to push a magical slow-down button. 

Let me start off by saying that I can already tell that deciding to study abroad has been one of the best decisions of my college experience thus far. All of my apprehensions and worries I experienced before committing to study abroad now seem insignificant. The benefits and great experiences outshine any concern I had. It is still amazing to be able to wake up every day, walk out onto my balcony with my cup of tea, look out onto the beautiful city of Dublin, see the old buildings covered in Ivy, the streets made of cobblestones, the colorful doors, and think “I live here”. When else will I have the opportunity to live in a foreign country for four months - completely immersed in another culture? 

Dublin is such a great city. It is a young city (something like half the population is under 25), which means there is a TON to do here! Pretty much anything you are into, you will find it in Dublin. Interesting museums. Gorgeous art galleries. Ground breaking research exhibitions. Fun pubs. Adorable cafes. Shopping shopping shopping. Friendly, welcoming, charming people. Hilarious cab drivers. On top of all of that, it is so easy to get to other places near Dublin if you are in the mood to experience the beautiful green countryside. 

I am actually having trouble deciding what experiences to share with you all! There are just so many. It’s pretty hard to remember every single thing since it all seems like a blur of excitement, so I do recommend journaling about your experiences. To give you a brief glimpse: I have hiked through the Wicklow Mountains (yes, actual mountains!), seen tara hill, stayed in a hostel in a town in southern Ireland called cork, kissed the blarney stone, danced with Irish people, went to Oktoberfest in Dublin, explored ancient castles, made friends with Swedish girls dressed up in elephant costumes, gone shopping on Grafton street, ate the most delicious food at the farmers market in temple bar, poured my own pint of Guinness at the Guinness Factory, seen a play at the abbey theater, taken a little boat to an island off the coast of Howth, and captured more pictures of “postcard perfect” scenes than I can count...and that is only some of it. 

Emily J. - Semester at Sea - Fall 2013

Only a little over a month has gone by and I am already on country number eight. To say I'm overwhelmed is an understatement. I am overwhelmed by the diversity in culture I've experienced, the different histories I've learned to appreciate and the growing up I've done in one month. Seriously, learning about so many different cultures first hand has been the coolest experience. I've seen things I've only read about, tasted things I didn't even know how to pronounce and have so many stories of my own that I can say helped me grow as a person. I can't wait for the rest to continue! 

One thing I didn't expect, I get sea sick! :( it really is terrible I won't lie to you, but the days you get to get off the ship to a place you've never been, a map in hand and a few vague phrases of the local language in mind, you lose yourself in the best way. If you go with the flow on semester at sea, you will absolutely love this trip. 

So far my favorite places have been Germany, Belgium and Ireland. I wish I had more time in Portugal because I think it would have easily become one of my favorites. I like to think of semester at sea as trying out different countries to see which ones I'm going to come back to in the future. 

Two quotes for you (I'm big on quotes) - 

"Don't always look at your feet or you may never know where they will take you"

"I go to seek a Great Perhaps" 

A few things I've learned so far: get lost - it's fun :), most strangers are friendly and will help you, you just have to ask, Be respectful of people's cultures.

More go come! On to Morocco I go!

Emily 

Chris E. - Worms, Germany - Fall 2013

Coming from a position in which I had never left the country before, the idea of studying abroad was very intriguing to me. The idea of experiencing a new culture, the ability to see the world and the thought of that exemplary adventure of ambiguity really had my attention. When considering where to go I felt that the best “bang for my buck”, would be to go to Europe. The ease of travel through Europe is second to none, and this would give me the ability to see and experience as much as fiscally possible while being away. Due to my brief German as a foreign language classes in the past and my genuine interest to learn more about German culture, Germany was an indisputable choice.

My time spent in Germany over these last four short weeks has been nothing less than enriching. I have had the ability to meet so many people from around the world, both in my exchange program and out. I have swam in the Rhein, visited castles, seen extraordinary landmarks such as the Bradenburg Gate and have trips booked to Oktoberfest in Munich and Amsterdam in the next couple weeks.

The initial transition period I feel has been extraordinarily easy. People in Germany have been so nice and are not only willing to help me, but are excited to speak English and ask me questions about the states. While waiting to get into Berghain, a world famous nightclub in Berlin, we met a man who ran a food cart who barley spoke a word of English, yet tried his hardest to talk with us within conversation and even introduced us to his kids. Another experience similar to this was walking through the street in the city I am living in, a woman heard a friend and I speaking English and was so happy to talk with us, as she had spent some time in Chicago herself. She has exchanged contact information with me and has offered to take us to see cities with her and her husband around Germany, as he does business and travels quite frequently to major cities around the area.

My short time spent here has been so wonderful and I know the rest of you will find your experiences just as exceptional. Please remember to go into this with an open mind, as I feel this will allow you have the greatest experience possible. Remember not to overthink anything, the process of getting ready is very overwhelming and although some things seem like they won’t ever come through correctly, believe me I had a few, they will. The life changing experiences that await both everyone in CPP 250 and myself are vast. You have all made a great decisions in deciding to study abroad, possibly the best decision you will make in your lives. Good luck and congratulations.

-Chris

Jenna S. - London, England - Fall 2013

I started off my trip by heading to Edinburgh on Tuesday to meet up with my best friend who is spending a semester at the University of Edinburgh. Her classes hadn’t started yet, but her orientation had, so we had a lot of time to hang out that week. We went and toured the Castle, tried out our new found ability to buy alcohol at a jazz bar, took a Ghost Terror tour which was legitimately terrifying, and just explored the city. We had a wonderful time and met a lot of really awesome people. The leader of the terror tour, Ewan, was hilarious. He had been working in the ghost tour business for six years, he always wears big Doc Martin boots and a swishy coat, he’s 6’2” and had the thickest Scottish brogue I’ve ever heard. I met two people in my hostel who were travelling Europe for a month. The year before they had travelled the length of the west coast of South America and next year they aimed to spend a couple of weeks in Costa Rica. We talked for well over an hour in the common room one night and it was fantastic!

I had taken the train up from London to Edinburgh and so I took it back down on Saturday. Note: it is a five hour train trip. Be prepared if you decide to go up there. I arrived in London around noon, so I found a hostel for a couple of nights and explored London. I mostly walked around on Saturday, but I went to the British Museum on Sunday. That place is so cool, although the whole time I had a nagging voice in the back of my head that insisted that the British should give all the stuff that they stole from other countries back to the original owners.

Monday was orientation day where I moved into my flat and met my roommates and the rest of the kids from the Arcadia study group. I made a few friends too! They’re all American students, but they will be attending UCL with me and it’s nice just to know people here, British or not. But anyways, I moved into my flat and met my roommates. There are six of us living in one flat, which is a serious adjustment. My roommates are…..very different from me and I’m almost positive that two of them don’t know my name. But my flat is in an ideal location. The tube is a two minute walk down the street and there’s a bus station that goes straight to my college if you walk the other way for a minute.

Because the tube is so close,  I have been exploring the city. I’ve gone on the London Eye, seen Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Tardis in Earl’s Court, and the Sherlock Holmes museum along with a bunch of other stuff. After exploring for a few days, I feel like I know the city better now and can get around mostly without the use of my phone!

Basically, the UK is an incredible place. I’ve rarely seen a city as beautiful as Edinburgh and I’d love to spend another week up in Scotland seeing the places I missed. London isn’t as pretty, but it’s got a soul all its own. It’s a city of contrasts. There’s massive, brand new, shinning skyscrapers right next to medieval ruins and ancient cathedrals. There’s constant juxtaposition of the historical and the contemporary. It’s absolutely amazing.

By the way, everything Alice says about culture shock is true. The day week two hit, I got a cold. It was the worst and I had to figure out what cold medicine to get and where to get it and it was pretty stressful. Add on some more stress induced by my lovely program and a mess that they got me into regarding housing, and I was a bit of a mess. But, the cold is gone now and I’ve made some friends and things are once again looking up! 

Megan S. - Ulster, Northern Ireland - Fall 2013

Hi Alice & CPP 250!
 I always knew that I had wanted to go to Ireland to study abroad (even before I knew you could study abroad), but I had procrastinated until the very last year of college (& the very last semester). I was terrified of being so far away from my family & also being in a foreign country where I was the “outsider looking in.” The journey prior to getting here, at the University of Ulster (Magee Campus) in Londonderry (Derry for short) Northern Ireland, has been incredibly bumpy. I became so fed up with the whole process that I had outright stated that I didn’t even think I wanted to study abroad anymore. I can’t even begin to imagine how much I would have regretted not coming here; being in Londonderry has been a breathtaking experience from the moment I walked off the plane & it’s only been three weeks.

I was very nervous & sleep deprived upon the arrival in Belfast (September 10^th). The program director from Belfast met the group of students going to all four campuses around Northern Ireland & we took a bus to the train station. From there on out you were completely on your own, which terrified me. I didn’t know the three people that were going to the same campus as me & I wasn’t in the mood to socialize. I hadn’t eaten a real meal in a day, had an overnight flight (so I felt grimy), & hadn’t slept on the plane. I kept my eyes open as long as I could on the train ride & was very pleased I did. I saw some amazing scenery that was absolutely breathtaking. Plenty of rolling green hills, animals, & a massive golf course (that is actually split into two courses) called Royal Portrush Golf Club. When arriving at the train station we met the program director, Caroline, who was as sweet as can be. She had taxis waiting for us & showed us to the block (building) where we would collect our keys.

I was not very pleased with the size of neither the room nor the bed pack, but I was happy to have a bed to sleep in & a working shower. I was ecstatic for dinner with the other international students, but to my dismay it turned out to be a gathering I would get used to real quick “coffee/tea & biscuits (cookies).” Being sleep deprived, quite hungry, & grimy I did end up going out with a few of the other international students that night to a pub called Peadar O’Donnells. There was live traditional Irish music playing that night & although I was in a foreign country, I was as happy as could be with a Smithwicks in my hand & a Guinness to follow.

The next few days were filled with early mornings that included typical orientation things, but on that Friday (September 13^th) the international students took a field trip to the Giant’s Causeway. Typically I do a very limited amount of physical activity, but this place was so beautiful that another international student & I had decided to walk around almost the entirety of the 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. On the second week there were fewer planned activities & many of us had decided to take self guided tours of the city center, which was a site to see. That week we were given a tour of the Guildhall (where the mayor has meetings) & we met the mayor of Londonderry. Quite frankly I didn’t think this was a big deal at first & thought nothing of it. I soon realized that that’s a huge deal considering I have never been invited to meet Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The next week we took a field trip to The University of Ulster (Belfast campus) & we were able to meet James Nesbitt. Although I had no clue who he was before that week, I am happy that I had this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The campus is not too far from Duncreggan Student Village or Coppin House. It’s about a ten minute walk. The campus is easy to navigate & nearly impossible to get lost in. Although it has been very difficult for me to decipher what some of the Irish are saying (due to fast paced speech or a different dialect) classes have been going well. I even decided to take an Irish speaking course & an Irish Outlaw course. I can honestly say that I was dreading coming here, but I would not change a thing. I am an extremely shy person & I have had to go out of my comfort zone in many aspects, but I am grateful for this. I have met some of the sweetest people here including other international students (who come from all over the world including Malta, China, Germany, & varying states throughout the U.S.) & Irish students.

I could write a book on all of the feelings I have & am experiencing, but one thing I do know for sure is that if you decide to study abroad you will not regret it. I now understand why many say they wished they had studied abroad for a full year. So take it from someone who is quite reserved, studying abroad is a blessing & will turn out to be a life changing experience. Things may seem stressful right now, but they will all get sorted out (even if it’s as you’re arriving at your destination as mine was). Have a fantastic semester & remember that Alice is here to support you throughout all the ups & downs.
Best,
Megan

Damon H. - Paris, France - Fall 2013

Bonjour from Paris!

I am writing this blog post to you from one of the most cliché (a word we stole from the French, mind you) places in Paris: the banks of the Seine. I am quietly enjoying my Sunday afternoon doing homework, people watching, and chomping away at a smoked salmon and cheese sandwich. I felt like this would be the perfect setting to write you all because it is one of the things that has caused me the most mental struggle whilst studying abroad. You have to balance the struggle of being a tourist and doing your best to see all the sights, all the while working really hard to be a local and live as they do. It’s a balance that has really eaten at me some days.

I don’t have an answer as to how to best attack this situation, but I hope to have an answer for you by time I get back on the plane. At this point, I’m attempting to look at it like I’m getting the opportunity to experience the best of both worlds, albeit both worlds aren’t always the best…but they are both wonderful in their own way. I have done my very best to enjoy the experiences of each day here in Paris, whether they be extraordinary monuments, experiencing the city, traveling to the beaches of Normandy, and touring Versailles, or if they are experiencing the truth and culture of everyday life in Paris, including conversations with my host family and of course all the wonderful meals. For this reason, you have to learn to be an optimist, so get started now people.

I waited to write this blog as long as possible so that I could write it after I hit the legitimate bottom of the culture shock roller coaster. I didn’t want to feed you all the lines about study abroad being the most wonderful experience of my life because every day was beautiful and awesome and full of positivity. I wanted to write this when I understood that study abroad is a time in your life, a real time in your life, REAL LIFE. There will be good days, okay days, and very rarely, some rough days. But that’s what makes study abroad worth it; that’s what makes it an enjoyable learning experience that you are able to say with confidence was a wonderful life changing experience and most likely the best choice you’ve made to date. Don’t be scared to study abroad because it might have some difficulties, study abroad because the best days will be much better than the good days you have at home on campus at Elmhurst. I promise.

And in closing, don’t forget to look forward to the exciting things, because so many of them are in store. Like right now, I’m dreaming about my trip next weekend to Nice in the south of France on the Mediterranean. A weekend getaway on some beautiful beaches… beats laying in your dorm room watching Netflix all weekend with the occasional “getaway” to the Roost.  

Visualize what’s in store for you!

-Damon

P.S. Feel free to ask me some legitimate logistical questions you have in the comments below…. 

Delaney R. - Paris, France - Fall 2013

Bonjour!!! The first time I was ever in France was for my 13th birthday almost eight years ago. Since then I always knew that I wanted to come back to Paris. I loved the city, the people, the language, and the food. So it wasn't a hard choice for me to come to Paris for a semester. Nothing could have prepared me for the experience that I have had. The first thing about traveling abroad that has been a pleasant surprise was the housing. I applied for a studio apartment because I absolutely didn't feel comfortable with a host family. But a week before I left I found out I was placed with a family in the 17 arrondissement (district). I was extremely disappointed, and was panicking over this little detail. Now that I have been in Paris for 25 days, being with a host family is definitely one of the best things about studying abroad. My host parents help me with my french every day, they are amazing cooks, and they have made my stay in Paris extremely comfortable. The second thing about Paris that I love is the Metro. In Chicago we have the Metra and it's unreliable and runs every one to two hours. The Metro is amazing, it comes every two minutes and can take me anywhere in Paris. It's the best mode of transportation and it's really inexpensive. It's only been 25 days but Paris has shown me a lot already, the culture speaks for itself and influences every moment of Parisian life. Although the food portions are small and expensive, France has some of the best quality food that I have ever eaten. Every day I see a new and beautiful dessert in a shop window. The beautiful macaroons, tarts, eclairs, pain au chocolate, and other goodies are always perfectly made and look like little pieces of art. Paris is a beautiful city with so much to offer, I can see almost any sight in Paris with a 20 minute metro ride. And there is always something new to see, and something new to explore.

My classes at IES are amazing. There are two school centers that are about a 30 minute metro ride away from my house. I have class four days a week, and I'm taking five classes. The course load isn't too much, and we do  a lot of out of class field trips. So I'm seeing and learning about the city in and out of class. Every corner of Paris is filled with history, I'm still amazed at all of the famous and important historical events that happened here.

It's important to note that studying abroad is also an emotionally challenging experience. I didn't think I was going to hit the "homesickness wall" but I did. Around day 20 it hit me that I wasn't going to see anyone that I really knew for almost 80 days. I realized that I wasn't going to eat the food I was used to for 80 more days, and I found myself getting annoyed at my new lifestyle. Even in all the fun and excitement, I find myself missing things and people from home. It's been five days since I hit the wall, and it's still taking me a lot of time to get over it. I realized that I'm always going to be a little homesick, so I might as well make the most of this, knowing that in around 75 more days I will be home in Chicago. Studying abroad can often be scary, stressful, emotionally draining, and sometimes lonely. But although difficult, I can already tell that this experience will broaden my horizons and make me a different and better person. I'm already meeting new people, trying new things, and thinking differently. I am so lucky to be here, and I'm going to make every minute of my time in Paris, France count.

Anthony Z. - Granada, Spain - Fall 2013

¡Hola de España! About a year ago, I was sitting in my dorm room with the brochures from three different programs across my bed, each in a very different city on an opposite corner of the earth. It was immensely hard choosing between Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Granada, but in the end, the “Moorish Jewel” of Granada became my choice, and now that I’ve been here for three weeks, I can see why it has received such a prestigious title. This city is indescribably beautiful. Granada is a melting pot of past and present, east and west, new and old, and familiar and strange. Every neighborhood here is totally distinct from the next. Traveling one block can take you from historic winding cobblestone streets full of Arab artisans and street vendors to modern marble buildings that tower above a center that rivals those of any other European city. The people here are incredibly friendly, albeit somewhat difficult to understand, and are incredibly proud of their heritage as Granadinos. As a city that is not as popular among tourists as Barcelona or Madrid, knowing only English here will severely limit the amount of things you can do. If you want to go to any restaurant or place that is not located on the few main streets, you’re going to need to know Spanish, and I love that. Everything here is incredibly cheap, and after hearing the horror stories of how much some of my friends spent when they studied in other cities in Spain, I was greatly surprised to find that things are cheaper here than they would be in the USA.

Within the next week, Granada is going to change greatly. Classes at the University of Granada are about to begin, and 60,000 students from all over Spain and the rest of Europe will soon be filling this city. Living in the university section of the city, I can’t wait to see the shops and bars that seem empty at the moment to fill with others my age.

The IES program here is wonderful. All of the staff is totally committed to making this experience great for us. One of the classes I’m taking is an internship. Two days a week, I go to a local school to help with its English classes. The students there are amazing. Because I’m one of the first three Americans to help out in their school in this way, the students are incredibly curious. Wherever I go, I get greeted by the students and am bombarded with questions about what the USA is like. I’ve only been there a week, and I can tell that it will be the highlight of my time here in Granada.

I’m living with a host mom who is a fantastic person and an amazing cook, but some of cultural norms that exist in homes here have taken me a while to get used to. For one, it is a major no-no walking around the house barefoot or even with socks on. Because of this, slippers need to be worn all the time. Also, because Granada is in an area with little water, taking really fast showers is the norm. However, the largest single thing that gave me culture shock is the culture of dogs here. In America, it is not uncommon for people to let their cats out at night. In Granada, dogs run around unsupervised during the day. Nothing really says “you’re not in America anymore” like seeing dogs casually walk into a bakery to beg for bread. In addition, Americans tend to baby their dogs and express how cute they are if one crosses their path. Here, nobody pays attention or makes remarks towards strangers’ dogs, and I have to admit I’ve had to restrain myself quite a few times from telling dogs how fluffy they are.

For all of you Elmhurst students who know you want to go abroad but are still unsure of the destination, don’t count out the smaller cities. I am having a blast, and I have not even come near to being bored even once. So far, with the program, I have been to Málaga, Sevilla, Ronda, and a natural park known as Cabo de Gata. While I loved each of the destinations, every time I’m gone, I can’t wait to come back to Granada. There’s just something wonderful about this place, and I’m incredibly lucky to be able to call it home (for the next three months).

Iris M. - Japan - Fall 2013

Konnichiwa Alice and CPP 250,

I decided to study abroad in Japan because I wanted to experience something different and I wanted it to be challenging. Japan is different from all the Western countries I have been to and if you really want to experience something totally different you should go there.  I had never studied Japanese before and the language is very challenging: you have to memorize hiragana, katakana and kanji. The university is a bit far from the seminar houses, about 20~25 minute walk but most of the students use bikes here so I would strongly recommend getting one if you decide to study at Kansai-Gaidai. The transportation is really good and you can go anywhere you want by buses and trains. A lot of international classes go to school trips and they have students’ discounts so I would recommend going to these trips because they are really interesting.  Osaka is a very interesting city to visit and I would recommend going to Shinsaibashi, a huge shopping district about 50 minutes away from Kansai-Gaidai.

If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask me. 

Katie T. - Edinburgh, Scotland - Fall '13

Hiya Alice and CPP 250 class!
I'm in my dorm in Edinburgh, Scotland right now, and the view out my window alone is enough to convince me that I made the absolute BEST decision in choosing to study abroad. I've been here almost two weeks now (I think I was supposed to write this sooner, but I got just slightly caught up in the whole being in a different country thing) and Edinburgh is absolutely amazing. I can walk to the heart of the city in about 15 minutes from my dorm, and honestly I feel like I'm at Hogsmeade half the time. And there is a CASTLE (a real honest to god castle that has turrets and a moat and is made of stones and height and awe, ok? I don't know that I will ever get over it. Hopefully not.) Anyway, I chose to stay in a dorm this semester because I didn't want to have to fend for myself, food-wise, and there are definitely upsides (food! Close to town!) and downsides (freshman who are away from their homes for the first time and are spending the majority of their nights being very loud and drunk.) The dorms aren't the important part though. The classes I'm taking just seem so much more fascinating than anything I've taken at Elmhurst, though that could be because all of my teachers have accents. Anyway, I don't really know where I'm going with this, but to anyone currently in CPP 250, no matter where you go, be it Scotland or somewhere far away from here, you are in for an amazing experience. I'm not one to wax poetical about the beauty of a sunrise from the top of a hill, blah blah blah, but I promise you that wherever you go, just being somewhere so different from where you are now will make every sight, sound, and experience something that you will remember for the rest of your life.
Have a good semester, be nice to Alice, and try not to stress too much about the process because Alice will get you there :)
Regards from Scotland!
Katie




The view of Arthurs Seat, an extinct volcano, from my window.







The city of Edinburgh, as seen from the top of Edinburgh Castle.