On July 14 the Office of International Programs will host an informational meet and greet at the Thirsty Hippo in downtown Hattiesburg. All are invited to come and socialize with those of us who know and love USM's study abroad programs- especially in Spain! The evening will include a performance by a Latin ballroom dancer, Spanish music, a presentation by former Granada Program participants and some Spanish-inspired refreshments. All and all, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about our semester-long program in Spain and to meet the 2010 participants!
When, you ask? July 14 at 5 p.m.
At The Thirsty Hippo, downtown Hattiesburg, MS
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Khalita Hicks Shares Her Granada Experience
Without a doubt, my time in Granada was the most profound experience of my life. I was able to improve my Spanish a great deal and I met amazing people from all over the world. The best occurrence for me, however, was the personal growth I experienced along the way.
From the moment I stepped off the plane, I knew my life would be changed forever. I looked around the airport and thought, “Oh no! No one here looks like me!” I then realized that the whole point of the trip was to experience things that may put me out of my comfort zone and to be exposed to a culture much unlike my own.
On a personal level, my time abroad forced me to become more independent and assertive: something I’d struggled with my entire life. I became conscious of the fact that I had to trust my instincts if I wanted to get anything accomplished. I learned that I had to be proactive; I couldn’t just wait to receive solutions to all my problems or answers to all my questions.
In regards to culture, one of the major things that I learned while abroad is that, although thousands of miles separate the U.S. and Europe and (seemingly) many cultural differences exist, we are all the same! Once I was able to get past all the Spanish cultural dissimilarities such as eating dinner super late or not dirty dancing at the discotheques, I realized that everyone wants the same things out of life and that it is VERY important to be respectful of the opinions of others. I learned so much from people whose opinions about political issues, music, life, etc. differed from mine.
I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had to study abroad. I will never forget my experience in Spain and all the things that I learned about myself as well as the rest of the world.
From the moment I stepped off the plane, I knew my life would be changed forever. I looked around the airport and thought, “Oh no! No one here looks like me!” I then realized that the whole point of the trip was to experience things that may put me out of my comfort zone and to be exposed to a culture much unlike my own.
On a personal level, my time abroad forced me to become more independent and assertive: something I’d struggled with my entire life. I became conscious of the fact that I had to trust my instincts if I wanted to get anything accomplished. I learned that I had to be proactive; I couldn’t just wait to receive solutions to all my problems or answers to all my questions.
In regards to culture, one of the major things that I learned while abroad is that, although thousands of miles separate the U.S. and Europe and (seemingly) many cultural differences exist, we are all the same! Once I was able to get past all the Spanish cultural dissimilarities such as eating dinner super late or not dirty dancing at the discotheques, I realized that everyone wants the same things out of life and that it is VERY important to be respectful of the opinions of others. I learned so much from people whose opinions about political issues, music, life, etc. differed from mine.
I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had to study abroad. I will never forget my experience in Spain and all the things that I learned about myself as well as the rest of the world.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Kadi Bishop Reflects on Her Abbey Program Experience
Exciting, Eventful, Scary, DRAMA, Adventure, and Friendship! These are the things that come to mind after being at the Abbey and with my Abbey 2010 class for 3 whole months. I never would have expected to grow and challenge myself as much as I did during those three months away from the states. Our first trip we were supposed to go to Bacelona, BUT the France airline Ryanair thought otherwise (they were on strike). So the 7 other girls and I had a weekend in Paris together:) what a great life we had! I mean not everyone can say oh darn I can't go to Spain THIS weekend so I guess we'll just have to stay in Paris! lol.... It ended up to be a very fun and interesting weekend even though we did have a little bit of trouble getting home on Sunday because the trains weren't running because the wind was blowing too hard... but we managed:) that's what ya gotta do! When we finally made it home (to the Abbey of course) we jumped for joy when we saw Jess again because our "MOM" was there to pick us up at the train station haha... But you'll find that even if its a day trip or your three week long break away from the Abbey; when you come back to the Abbey it will feel like Home. We spent countless days reading, sunbathing, and playing kickball out in the Hershey Kiss fields when we had free time or just didn't want to do homework haha... There is NO stress when your there its just a fact! I mean you have the wonderful weather, the amazing village of people who love you, the best area to go for walks, and your surrounded by Proffesors, Faculty, and Students that love you as well. It's a huge FAMILY that you'll never want to let go. I remember when we were on spring break and my friends decided to do this 98 joke or this thing called SERVE and when we all got back to the Abbey it caught on very quickly we even had Jess and the Professors doing it. Another memory that it stuck in my mind Forever is when we did the Ghost Walk of Pontlevoy. Every student came together and worked on this project with the wonderful help and guidence of our Professor Ariel Beaujot:) She was an amazing teacher and friend to all of us. But the Ghost Walk ended up being a huge success. We had around 120 people come to the event. I put together a night for all of the students and staff to get together and do a talent show which ended up being a very exciting night! We had singers, dancers, gymnastics, and interpretive dance:). haha Annah did such a great job!
Now that I'm back home it's a completely different lifestyle. I miss all my friends, food, and my daily walks in the village. They tell you how much of a shock it is when you go to France and they warn you about how much you will hate leaving France. But it's all on you with how you handle the trasition back into reality. Back to school, work, church, friends, ect. it takes a while to get back into a rutine and to figure out what you want to do with you life because when you leave the states you know who you are, but most people really find themselves after being at the Abbey. Sometimes you end up changing the way you think about life completely or you may never want to leave France (and don't). All I have to say it that Lord really helped me figure out how to get to France and He has helped me how to live without France. It is tough but we all must come back to reality sometime:)
Now that I'm back home it's a completely different lifestyle. I miss all my friends, food, and my daily walks in the village. They tell you how much of a shock it is when you go to France and they warn you about how much you will hate leaving France. But it's all on you with how you handle the trasition back into reality. Back to school, work, church, friends, ect. it takes a while to get back into a rutine and to figure out what you want to do with you life because when you leave the states you know who you are, but most people really find themselves after being at the Abbey. Sometimes you end up changing the way you think about life completely or you may never want to leave France (and don't). All I have to say it that Lord really helped me figure out how to get to France and He has helped me how to live without France. It is tough but we all must come back to reality sometime:)
Jordan Randall Shares Her Abbey Program Vision Quest
I’ve always been a big dreamer, and ever since freshman year, traveling abroad with the Abbey program has been one of those big dreams. But after freshman year as a theatre major, I came back to “reality” (as my mother called it) and changed my major from something that I love— theatre -- to something that I’d like and make a living at. Switching my major to interior design really threw off the four year plans that I’d made when I started college, and because I’d already be behind in the design program, I made the decision to write The Abbey out of my four-year itinerary. Sophomore year began and I gave Interior Design all my effort. I loved it, and I wasn’t half bad either. I was excited for the next few years in the program. Then I met Dr. Mackaman. It wasn’t a typical “Study Abroad Informational Session,” at least I didn’t think it was. He came to my Business and Professional Speaking class as a “guest speaker” that we were assigned to analyze. When he introduced himself and explained that he was going to speak to us about The Abbey Program, the dreams of studying abroad rushed to the front of my mind. But knowing that it wasn’t practical or “realistic,” I pushed the dreams aside and pulled out a piece of paper so I could jot down notes about his presentation.
“Passionate. Emphatic. Uses his hands a lot.” These were all things that I wrote during his presentation. While I was trying desperately to focus on the assignment at hand, I couldn’t help but to feel compelled to have the experience that Dr. Mackaman was describing to the class. Eventually, I stopped taking notes and started listening. Really listening. Not so much to Dr. Mackaman’s description of Paris Week or Normandy, but listening to what I really wanted and what having that would mean. “Jordan, you can’t leave for a semester. A. You don’t have eight thousand dollars. B. You have responsibilities here in the States. And C. You will have to be in school two extra semesters to make up for what you’d miss.” I kept trying to talk myself out of the ridiculous idea that studying abroad for a whole semester was financially and academically justifiable. Then there came the emotional aspect of things: “How are you going to be away from your family for 3 months?? Are things going to be the same with everyone when you get back?? What if Maw Maw dies? You’d never forgive yourself for not being here.” All of these things, as trivial as they may seem, were troubling me for several days after Professor Mackaman’s presentation. I thought and prayed about it and made the decision to just do it. I paid the deposit on the program without even hinting anything to my parents, and then started applying for scholarships and working with financial aid. Everything started falling together. Except for one little detail; I hadn’t exactly told my parents. About a month after I paid the deposit, I invited them up to Hattiesburg and took them out to dinner. As smoothly as I possibly could, I said, “Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to tell you.” The looks on my parents faces read, “I’m gonna kill whatever boy got her pregnant” and “Dear God, where’s the tattoo?” I told them that I’d be spending the Spring semester studying in France (knowing asking for permission would’ve led to a big, fat "NO"), and they didn’t take it well. At all. But I knew they’d eventually come around, or at least I hoped so.
The week leading up to February 12th is still a little fuzzy. I remember being alarmingly calm about the fact that I was about to move to a foreign country for three months. I packed (not well, might I add) and then at 3:30 AM on February 12th, left for the airport. That’s when it hit me. “I’m really doing this.” When I got past security, I lost it. I was really leaving everything that I knew and loved behind for some ridiculous escapade in France. What an idiot. At this point, Charlotte, full of compassion, called me “cry pants” and threw a travel-size pack of tissues at me. We spent six dreadful hours in the Houston Airport, where I gave considerable thought to jumping a plane back home. At this point, I was pushing my comfort zone. In the past, dreaming big things had been easy and comfortable. But reaching those dreams? Frightening.
When we were told we’d be meeting with Dr. Mackaman about our “Vision Quests,” I had absolutely no idea what mine would be (mostly because I didn’t understand the concept.) When we were talking, much of what I said was “I’d love to dot dot dot, but I’m not really comfortable doing that.” We both came to the conclusion that stepping outside of my comfort zone was clearly going to be a task for me over the next couple of months.
Where as many people may have completed their vision quests over spring break, mine was/ has been a much more gradual process. Once I became comfortable here, I fell in love with France and all of Europe really. I began to step out of my comfort zone little by little, and I loved feeling so empowered. Because I loved it so much, I just knew I’d come back. “I could make a living over here,” I told myself. I was convinced that my heart belonged in Europe. I even told my mother that I was moving to France and possibly going to grad school in Paris. She took that news just about as well as she took my coming on the Abbey. I love my family, but didn’t really miss home. I was made for Europe, I thought. I thought I was so grown up.
When we set off for Paris Week, I was really excited and anxious to see all kinds of different places and excited to prove that I could live on my own (without my Abbey family) for a period of time. When Spring Break started, I was ready. Annah, Nathan, and I headed to Barcelona. After several days in Barcelona, Annah and I met up with Jenny and Elizabeth in Rome. After Rome came Florence. Then Vicenza, Venice, and Verona. Then back to the Abbey.
My spring break was definitely one to remember. It was full of laughter, tears, and special moments shared between now inseparable friends.
But looking back on Spring Break, and my time at the abbey, more than the beautiful scenery, attractive men, incredible instructors, and fun nights with friends, I’ll remember how much I learned—about myself and about life. Without testing friendships, I never would’ve learned how strong they truly are. I’ve learned to always seize the moment. I’ve realized how much you can learn if you stop talking and start listening. I know now that I need to stop taking myself so seriously and start believing in myself more. I know that I’m capable of anything I put my mind to and the dreams that I’ve had for so long don’t have to remain dreams forever. They have the possibility to become reality—Just like The Abbey. I’ve also learned that no matter what the future holds, whether it be singing and dancing my way onto Broadway, having my own design show on HGTV, or living my life in a small town, I’ll be happy and able to flourish as long as I’m with the people I love.
I never would have thought before coming on this trip that I’d be able to accomplish the things that I have. Coming here has impacted my life so drastically, and I can sincerely say that I will never be the same. This ancient Abbey will always hold a special place in my heart, as will each and every one of you here. We’ve all experienced something very special and almost magical, something I can never ever forget.
“Passionate. Emphatic. Uses his hands a lot.” These were all things that I wrote during his presentation. While I was trying desperately to focus on the assignment at hand, I couldn’t help but to feel compelled to have the experience that Dr. Mackaman was describing to the class. Eventually, I stopped taking notes and started listening. Really listening. Not so much to Dr. Mackaman’s description of Paris Week or Normandy, but listening to what I really wanted and what having that would mean. “Jordan, you can’t leave for a semester. A. You don’t have eight thousand dollars. B. You have responsibilities here in the States. And C. You will have to be in school two extra semesters to make up for what you’d miss.” I kept trying to talk myself out of the ridiculous idea that studying abroad for a whole semester was financially and academically justifiable. Then there came the emotional aspect of things: “How are you going to be away from your family for 3 months?? Are things going to be the same with everyone when you get back?? What if Maw Maw dies? You’d never forgive yourself for not being here.” All of these things, as trivial as they may seem, were troubling me for several days after Professor Mackaman’s presentation. I thought and prayed about it and made the decision to just do it. I paid the deposit on the program without even hinting anything to my parents, and then started applying for scholarships and working with financial aid. Everything started falling together. Except for one little detail; I hadn’t exactly told my parents. About a month after I paid the deposit, I invited them up to Hattiesburg and took them out to dinner. As smoothly as I possibly could, I said, “Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to tell you.” The looks on my parents faces read, “I’m gonna kill whatever boy got her pregnant” and “Dear God, where’s the tattoo?” I told them that I’d be spending the Spring semester studying in France (knowing asking for permission would’ve led to a big, fat "NO"), and they didn’t take it well. At all. But I knew they’d eventually come around, or at least I hoped so.
The week leading up to February 12th is still a little fuzzy. I remember being alarmingly calm about the fact that I was about to move to a foreign country for three months. I packed (not well, might I add) and then at 3:30 AM on February 12th, left for the airport. That’s when it hit me. “I’m really doing this.” When I got past security, I lost it. I was really leaving everything that I knew and loved behind for some ridiculous escapade in France. What an idiot. At this point, Charlotte, full of compassion, called me “cry pants” and threw a travel-size pack of tissues at me. We spent six dreadful hours in the Houston Airport, where I gave considerable thought to jumping a plane back home. At this point, I was pushing my comfort zone. In the past, dreaming big things had been easy and comfortable. But reaching those dreams? Frightening.
When we were told we’d be meeting with Dr. Mackaman about our “Vision Quests,” I had absolutely no idea what mine would be (mostly because I didn’t understand the concept.) When we were talking, much of what I said was “I’d love to dot dot dot, but I’m not really comfortable doing that.” We both came to the conclusion that stepping outside of my comfort zone was clearly going to be a task for me over the next couple of months.
Where as many people may have completed their vision quests over spring break, mine was/ has been a much more gradual process. Once I became comfortable here, I fell in love with France and all of Europe really. I began to step out of my comfort zone little by little, and I loved feeling so empowered. Because I loved it so much, I just knew I’d come back. “I could make a living over here,” I told myself. I was convinced that my heart belonged in Europe. I even told my mother that I was moving to France and possibly going to grad school in Paris. She took that news just about as well as she took my coming on the Abbey. I love my family, but didn’t really miss home. I was made for Europe, I thought. I thought I was so grown up.
When we set off for Paris Week, I was really excited and anxious to see all kinds of different places and excited to prove that I could live on my own (without my Abbey family) for a period of time. When Spring Break started, I was ready. Annah, Nathan, and I headed to Barcelona. After several days in Barcelona, Annah and I met up with Jenny and Elizabeth in Rome. After Rome came Florence. Then Vicenza, Venice, and Verona. Then back to the Abbey.
My spring break was definitely one to remember. It was full of laughter, tears, and special moments shared between now inseparable friends.
But looking back on Spring Break, and my time at the abbey, more than the beautiful scenery, attractive men, incredible instructors, and fun nights with friends, I’ll remember how much I learned—about myself and about life. Without testing friendships, I never would’ve learned how strong they truly are. I’ve learned to always seize the moment. I’ve realized how much you can learn if you stop talking and start listening. I know now that I need to stop taking myself so seriously and start believing in myself more. I know that I’m capable of anything I put my mind to and the dreams that I’ve had for so long don’t have to remain dreams forever. They have the possibility to become reality—Just like The Abbey. I’ve also learned that no matter what the future holds, whether it be singing and dancing my way onto Broadway, having my own design show on HGTV, or living my life in a small town, I’ll be happy and able to flourish as long as I’m with the people I love.
I never would have thought before coming on this trip that I’d be able to accomplish the things that I have. Coming here has impacted my life so drastically, and I can sincerely say that I will never be the same. This ancient Abbey will always hold a special place in my heart, as will each and every one of you here. We’ve all experienced something very special and almost magical, something I can never ever forget.
Jennifer Lamb discusses Caribbean and Belize Studies
The International Studies Program at USM has a study-abroad program suited to the needs of each individual. I wanted to study-abroad in college, but I could not justify spending an entire semester at another university that might not offer the specific science courses I both needed and wanted to take. Fortunately, International Programs offered a 15-day course in marine biology in Jamaica. I enrolled and was in Jamaica during May of my freshman year.
While in Jamaica, I was enveloped not only by what I was studying, but also by the local cultures and their relationships with the marine environment. We spent almost every day exploring a different marine ecosystem, including sea-grass beds, mangrove forests, and coral reefs. When we got back to the hotel at night, we poured through our field guides to identify what we had seen earlier that day. We also spent time talking to locals about the coral reefs and their nation’s environmental practices. While on land, we visited local markets, the Bob Marley Museum, environmental agencies, and other fascinating areas. Because we were in Jamaica for only 15 days, our schedule was packed with activities; but we did have a few nights to ourselves. One night, a few of us went to the Luminous Lagoon, a small body of water full of microscopic, bioluminescent dinoflagellates. As we swam in the water, every movement we made was lit up by the light produced by the tiny organisms.
As previously mentioned, the study abroad office has the right opportunity to match anyone’s needs; and marine biology is not the only course offered in Jamaica. However, if you are looking for a different study-abroad opportunity that will still allow you to delve into the biology of another country, you should consider the tropical ecology course offered in Belize by Dr. Aimee Thomas. I am currently enrolled in this course, an 8-week upper-level biology course for which the lecture takes place during the second half of the spring semester. The lectures are our crash-course in the ecology of Belize, and the trip to Belize, we leave on May 15th and return on May 31st, will allow us to apply what we have learned. We will spend part of our trip exploring Maya ruins in Guatemala, in a Maya village in southern Belize, and on Glovers Island off of the coast of Belize. Tropical forests, mangrove forests, and coral reefs area few of the many ecosystems we will experience.
Preparing for the trip to Belize requires creativity and attention to detail. Everything we take with us we will be carrying throughout our journey, so efficient packing is absolutely necessary. Dr. Thomas has provided us with a “wish-list” of items that other students took on or needed during the trip, one of the noticeable items being Boudreaux Butt Paste, which, apparently, is the best way to treat heat-rash.
I expect the trip to Belize to surpass the trip to Jamaica, simply because it more closely matches my specific area of study. If you have heard about one program, but you don’t think that it is “the one” for you, keep looking! There is a study-abroad program that matches your interests, schedule, and bank account.
While in Jamaica, I was enveloped not only by what I was studying, but also by the local cultures and their relationships with the marine environment. We spent almost every day exploring a different marine ecosystem, including sea-grass beds, mangrove forests, and coral reefs. When we got back to the hotel at night, we poured through our field guides to identify what we had seen earlier that day. We also spent time talking to locals about the coral reefs and their nation’s environmental practices. While on land, we visited local markets, the Bob Marley Museum, environmental agencies, and other fascinating areas. Because we were in Jamaica for only 15 days, our schedule was packed with activities; but we did have a few nights to ourselves. One night, a few of us went to the Luminous Lagoon, a small body of water full of microscopic, bioluminescent dinoflagellates. As we swam in the water, every movement we made was lit up by the light produced by the tiny organisms.
As previously mentioned, the study abroad office has the right opportunity to match anyone’s needs; and marine biology is not the only course offered in Jamaica. However, if you are looking for a different study-abroad opportunity that will still allow you to delve into the biology of another country, you should consider the tropical ecology course offered in Belize by Dr. Aimee Thomas. I am currently enrolled in this course, an 8-week upper-level biology course for which the lecture takes place during the second half of the spring semester. The lectures are our crash-course in the ecology of Belize, and the trip to Belize, we leave on May 15th and return on May 31st, will allow us to apply what we have learned. We will spend part of our trip exploring Maya ruins in Guatemala, in a Maya village in southern Belize, and on Glovers Island off of the coast of Belize. Tropical forests, mangrove forests, and coral reefs area few of the many ecosystems we will experience.
Preparing for the trip to Belize requires creativity and attention to detail. Everything we take with us we will be carrying throughout our journey, so efficient packing is absolutely necessary. Dr. Thomas has provided us with a “wish-list” of items that other students took on or needed during the trip, one of the noticeable items being Boudreaux Butt Paste, which, apparently, is the best way to treat heat-rash.
I expect the trip to Belize to surpass the trip to Jamaica, simply because it more closely matches my specific area of study. If you have heard about one program, but you don’t think that it is “the one” for you, keep looking! There is a study-abroad program that matches your interests, schedule, and bank account.
Abbey 2010 Students Host "Ghost Walk" for town of Pontlevoy
The group of students currently living and studying at the Abbey of Pontlevoy hosted a "Ghost Walk" on Tuesday, April 20 for the town of Pontlevoy. They worked alongside local artist Pamela Moulton and other Pontelvoy enthusiasts to create costumes and choreograph the 8-location moving-homage to the legend of their town. Situated around the Abbey grounds, the "Ghost Walk" began at dusk and told the (bi-lingual) history of some of Pontlevoy's most haunting past. They presented the important characters of the Abbey's founding and sponsoring, Gueldoin and Richelieu. The Battle of Pontlevoy, the legend of Peter Minuit, Notre-Dame des Blanches and lesser-known stories of Pontlevoy tragedy were portrayed.
Everyone then walked through the town at night-fall, touting lanterns and their spooky, elaborate costumes and experienced the mystique of their surroundings. The audience thanked all those who helped to tell their town's stories. The event was wonderfully directed and executed and the proud town is eager to see what future generations of Abbey students will offer their gorgeous home.
To view pictures and read the town's story about the night, visit their website at: http://www.monpontlevoy.com/vos-initiatives.php.
Everyone then walked through the town at night-fall, touting lanterns and their spooky, elaborate costumes and experienced the mystique of their surroundings. The audience thanked all those who helped to tell their town's stories. The event was wonderfully directed and executed and the proud town is eager to see what future generations of Abbey students will offer their gorgeous home.
To view pictures and read the town's story about the night, visit their website at: http://www.monpontlevoy.com/vos-initiatives.php.
Coming soon!
I hope that you are enjoying the USM Peer Advisor Travel Tales blog! Expect some new travel posts very soon, some pictures of peer advisor adventures, as well as some travel blogs from students that are currently studying abroad! If you want to know more about how you can study abroad, visit our website at www.usm.edu/ip. Happy travels everyone!
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