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Returning from Italy wasn’t a fun process. It wasn’t because of culture shock or any readjustment issues, but because an experience like that is so incredible that you just cannot imagine being separated from it. At the beginning of this semester, fresh out of my summer spent in Florence, I found myself missing my European friends, gelato Wednesdays, and even that crazy waiter my friends and I got to know from our Saturday night excursions. It wasn’t until recently, however, that I realized how much of that experience I really did bring back with me. While I still miss the people and of course the food, the core of the reason that I loved everything about my experience has become part of my life back in Nashville. This semester I’ve become involved with a research project about how students process and understand what they learned abroad once they’ve come home. The fact is, so many programs simply ship their students off and hope for the best, with no thought put into how they might grow as a person or better understand the world. My personal experience abroad, though, was quite different. My Italian roommates and all of their friends made such an incredible effort to show us and make us understand their culture. They did everything you would expect—introduced us to their friends, showed us their favorite restaurants, and kept us from making absolute fools of ourselves—but they also did much, much more. These friends of mine challenged me to consider

What are you taking back? -M. Terral Boisfontaine, Florence, Italy with CET

Blogging Abroad Vanderbilt University Global Education Office Issue 3: February 2012

Christmas in Verona Annie finds herself in an Italian winter wonderland during a day trip to the city of Verona

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Welcome Catherine! GEO welcomes our newest

Peer Advisor, Catherine Cocke, to the team!

Molweni! Catherine talks about staying with a host family for a weekend in the townships of South Africa

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Brian Alosco: Monday 1-4, Wednesday 2-4

Catherine Cocke: Tuesday 1-3, Thursday 12:30-3:30

Oliver Han: Tuesday 3-5, Wednesday 12-3

Juhi Mirchandani: Monday 2-5, Wednesday 1-3

Quincy Ross: Monday 10:15 – 12:15, Tuesday 2-5

Rachel Witt: Tuesday 2:30-5, Thursday 2:30-5

New Peer Advisor Office Hours

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Mary Raine and I had a great on-a-whim idea to go to Verona for one saturday. We took an early morning train and did the two-for-one deal (on saturdays you can pay for one round trip ticket and bring a friend for free!). We had no idea when we stepped off our train that it would be christmas! We actually went the weekend of Thanksgiving so it was still November, but we turned a corner and saw the Bappo Natale house and knew December was here (at least in Italy’s mind). This is still one of my favorite Christmas markets! It was just so surprising and the german hot dogs were so good and authentic. I did not know how much I had been craving them. Mary Raine and I both dined on some dogs for lunch and followed it up with a real hot cocoa con panna for dessert (we waited a few hours before having the cocoa—don’t worry). I also got a pretzel to even things out. It was hot and came out of a wood burning oven they had permanently set up at the market. Unreal. So delicious. Made me think of my Omi. After our little lunch that seemed like we were in Germany rather than Verona, Mary Raine and

Christmas and Love Notes and Verona -Annie Zaro, Florence, Italy with CET

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I made our way to our main Verona destination-Juliet’s house! We stood on her balcony, wrote her a

letter, and saw the wall that has been covered with love-note-related graffiti outside her house. It was such a girly trip, but so much fun because I was with Mary Raine! At this point we went back to the main christmas markets to grab those hot cocoas and headed up to the top of a hill where a palace in Verona is perched, a prime location for panoramic views of the city. It was beautiful. Verona was such a beautiful city and so clean! Mary Raine and I spoke to our Italian teacher about it, and she agreed that the people of Verona are clearly proud of their city because they

manage to preserve it so well. It is amazing that we were able to see this city in a day and that we could just decide to go the night before. That is europe for you though. I’m going to miss it and trips like this so much! I cannot believe I am leaving in a few hours!! (ready for home but not ready to not be able to go to Paris or Verona or Prague for a weekend—although i am sure my parents are ready to not have to help fund those excursions every other month as well.)

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Studying abroad is a unique and eye-opening experience that you don’t want to miss out on! Applications to go abroad for the Fall 2012 semester are due on February 29th (yes, it’s a leap year). Applications can be found on the Global Education website: www.vanderbilt.edu/geo

If you have questions about the application process, our programs, what it’s like to go abroad, or anything else, we’d love to help! You can meet with staff advisers for logistical questions, while our peer advisers have plenty to share about the study abroad experience itself. Office hours for all of our advisers can be found in this issue of Blogging Abroad, as well as on our website.

Get those applications for Fall study abroad programs in by February 29th!

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my culture in relation to theirs on a daily basis. Instead of settling for a surface level friendship, my incredible roommate really wanted to know what I thought about the world, her culture, and mine. She wouldn’t accept a generic answer; she demanded that I dig deeper. And at the end of the program, sitting with my American roommates, my Italian roommate, and some European friends at our favorite coffee bar I was asked, “OK, Terral, how has this experienced changed you? What are you taking back?” I was shocked at the question, and although I had a million experiences and ideas running through my head there was no way to articulate it. There was no way to explain everything I had experienced without thinking about it first, but now I can tell you. The Italians showed me that life isn’t always about work and sometimes Americans can allow their relationships to take a back seat as compared to their accomplishments. They showed me how to cherish every moment, experience, and view. They taught me to challenge what I think and expose myself to as many opinions and view points as possible. And during all of this I was exploring all of Italy, going on amazing adventures, and having the two most memorable months of my life. Now that I’m back home, my friends continue to

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teach me, although now the “lesson plan” is more about what being a great friend really means, even when we’re thousands of miles away from each other. I learned so much from these friends in Italy and can honestly say I’m a better person for it. I find myself to be a better friend, to be more open to the new experiences that are made available to me, and I think I have a much better sense of my priorities. But in reflecting all of this, what stands out to me isn’t exactly what I learned, although that, in and of itself, has been literally life changing. Instead, what I’m most impressed by is that I had friends and faculty in Florence that were willing to help me learn it.

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This weekend was our homestay in the townships (the poorer areas surrounding the city center). As us 10 service-learners piled out of our big white van, we were immediately greeted with hugs, kisses, and many “molweni!”s (translation = hello, all!) from all of our mama’s and makhulu’s (mothers & grandmothers) and shuffled into a big room at one of the local churches. Our bhuti’s (brothers) danced into the room, dressed in their traditional Xhosa outfits, singing, banging on drums, and moving their hips like I didn’t know was possible. After a big dinner and the reveal of who our families would be, we settled into our houses and then went out to the taverns for a night of partying: township style. I guess I should be more used to it by now, but I still feel uncomfortable sticking out like that. Guys here are not ashamed to whistle, poke, touch inappropriately, and flirt with the Americans. They are MUCH more forward. Ask any girl in the house, and we can all give you a handful of stories about this… The next morning I awoke to my mama, named Bhusi, yelling, “Cath! Cath! Cath!!” She bust into our room (Emily and I were paired together, and they cleared out a room for us to sleep in so we wouldn’t have to share a room. So nice! I felt bad though..), and demanded that we wake up so she could chat with us. We scampered out of the room

and sat down to a nice warm bowl of porridge. She told us about the day she had ahead of her and revealed to

us how popular she was. “I am so busy today!,” she told us in her Xhosa accent. “First, I must go to a funeral and slaughter a cow. Then, I must go slaughter 3 sheep for a friend’s birthday party. I will leave the party early to slaughter a cow for the return of a boy from his initiation ritual.” It was a real-life case study of the things I have been learning in my Xhosa class about the culture. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to join her at all the parties, but we had a blast at Mzoli’s- THE place to be. From 12:30-6

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we drank, danced, and dug into a HUGE bowl of meat. They plop a tub onto your table, & you just have to go at it- no napkins, no utensils, just your hands. The meat is covered in a delicious marinade, so I was forced to lick the entirety of my hands before I could continue with anything else. Attractive. That was fun for the first 3 hours, but by the end of our time there, we were completely exhausted. These Americans just can’t keep up with the constant drinking, dancing, raging fest of the townships. I thought Vandy Greek Life/tailgates had prepared me… The next day we went to a Presbyterian church in the morning. Emily and I couldn’t understand anything that was going on because it was all in Xhosa, but I was able to sing along anyway through my minimal knowledge of the Xhosa language. I had to contain my laughter because some lady was constantly burping throughout the entire service. The burps were LOUD and happened every minute or so. Is this normal??? Cause no one seemed to think anything of it. Interesting. The preacher was shouting at us during the sermon, & I had to brace myself when he would lean over the pulpit and shake his fist at us, afraid that he was about to pounce. However, at times he would stop to wipe the sweat that was pouring down his face and calmly say, “This is a safe place.” Reassuring, I suppose. It was very cool to be worshipping with such an energetic, lively bunch! Clapping & dancing were definitely encouraged. All in all, it was a weekend full of lots of learning, laughing, and fun. I’m so glad to have gotten to spend an extended period of time in the townships, apart from my service work. We definitely were placed in the nicer section of the township, so apart from seeing it, I didn’t experience the complete poverty that the majority find themselves in. However, I was glad to see the hope and opportunity that exists. Everyone is so alive and full of joy, despite their hard circumstances. As cliché as it may be, it really made me put my own problems into perspective and has encouraged me to go out and enjoy the 1.5 months I have left here. So much more to explore!

“All in all, it was a weekend full of

learning, laughing, and fun.”

-Catherine Cocke

Homestay -Catherine Cocke, Cape Town,

South Africa with the University of Cape Town

The Global Education Office (GEO) coordinates over 100 study abroad programs and scholarships. Students can study on six different continents in a wide variety of subject areas. GEO works with students to guide them through the process of applying to study abroad, preparing and adjusting to living abroad, and coordinating courses of study. Below are the office hours of GEO advisers: Tom Bogenschild: Wednesday 2-5 Isabelle Crist: Wednesday/Thursday 1-3 Shelley Jewell: (maternity leave, see Isabelle Crist) Arik Ohnstad: Monday 1-3, Friday 1-3 Michelle Lilly: Monday 12-2, Tuesday 1-3 Seth Kohrman: Wednesday 3-5, Friday 12-2

Blogging Abroad is brought to you by the Global Education Office

Photos from this issue’s featured bloggers!

**Blog posts featured in this newsletter have not been edited by GEO and are in the original voice of the author**