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Rachel R. Zarfas "I went on a study tour that took me to over 40 major cities and several smaller, historic towns throughout Europe. I traveled with 3 teachers, 1 coordinator and about 25 other students and lived in hotels, hostels, and pensions. Art, History, Political Science, and Religion courses were all offered on the program, and classes were held just about anywhere fitting. "The program had several pros and cons for me. I first became interested in this program because I felt it suited my International Studies major, as well as my Art and Anthropology minors. I also had trouble imagining myself in one place for a semester, so a multi-country program seemed great. If you are the type of person who is content discovering a new place in 2-6 days with little assistance and can imagine yourself traveling through Europe on a schedule that constantly fluctuates between being extremely structured and completely relaxing, this program would be good for you. The teaching definitely stressed Art and History more than cultural identification though, and the teachers/chaperones often seemed unqualified to teach in their massive surroundings. The site schedules were also hard to adapt to because we were always on the move; and living with the same 30 people for 4 months was a bit exhausting. "However, there were positives as well. There is a lot of free time worked into the schedule to help people explore the cities and towns at their own rates. Because English is spoken throughout Europe, language rarely formed a barrier. However, if you know Italian, Russian, and/or German, you will have lots of chances to practice your skills. The tour is packed with opportunities to add to your knowledge of Western and Eastern Europe, and I highly recommend it for people whose curiosity won't allow them to stay put for long. Also any initial discomfort caused by traveling in a group quickly became tolerable because everyone learned to take care of each other in the foreign settings. "No matter what program you choose, learn about where you're studying abroad before you depart; it makes your experience so much more worthwhile and is a must for this program. Flexibility is also a very important part of this program, but the teachers are good at trying to adjust the guidelines to your needs. Eastern Michigan University offers summer and fall European tours, which change somewhat each year and can be read about at http://www.emich.edu/abroad/culhist.html. "Studying abroad gave me a great sense of independence and allowed me to meet French people, Russians, Italians, Germans, Turks and Greeks; talk to punks in Camden; enjoy a sunrise over the Rhine Valley; float through the Fjords in Bergen; sit in crowded metros in Moscow; go clubbing on Halloween in Rome; photograph fire dancers at the foot of the Domo in Florence; watch demonstrations in Athens; swim in Hot Springs in Selcuk; wake to the call to prayer at 6 am in Konya; and attend a soccer game in Istanbul. If you have any questions about this program, my tour or anything else concerning study abroad, please feel free to e-mail me: magician_lake@yahoo.com." 
Alison Ross "Semester at Sea was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I saw and experienced the lifestyles of people in countries I never imagined and my heart still remains in each of them. Getting out of the American bubble that we all live in helped me to understand my own country better. My priorities changed, and the love I have for friends and family has grown to new heights. I met the most amazing people both on the ship and off in each port. Just last week I visited one of those friends in New York, and we were discussing where we met. How many people can say they met on the Amazon river in Brazil? In Cuba we were escorted by the police to a convention center to hear Fidel Castro speak. In Brazil I spent 3 days going up the Amazon river and sleeping in a hammock strung out on the boat. In South Africa I discovered an amazing new country, met great friends and spent time playing with children in some of the most poverty stricken areas in the world. In Mauritius I went snorkeling and scuba diving in the most beautiful water I had ever seen. In India-wow India-I saw everything that America is not. I saw the most disgusting sites like the natives bathing in the Ganges (the most polluted river in the world) at sunrise among floating dead bodies, and I saw the most beautiful sites like when I sat staring at the Taj Mahal. In Singapore I walked through the most spectacular collection of orchids in the famous orchid garden. I also played with children in an orphanage. In Vietnam I made the distinction between a war and a beautiful country. I ate crab for the first time at a small village on an island. Then I crawled through the underground cu chi tunnels where the north Vietnamese lived during the war. In China I scaled 1200 steps to reach the great wall of China and saw a sight many people only dream of seeing on TV. In Japan I went to a Japanese baseball game and spent time in Hiroshima trying to comprehend the destruction left behind by war. At our last port, Seattle, I was a different person, and I was scared to come back to "my life" which had changed so much in my eyes but remained unchanged to everyone else in it. "Being on the ship for many days between ports was an amazing experience as well. I will never forget the late nights spent with my new best friends, the talks about our experiences, the fun parties, the funny open mic nights and so many more memories. I definitely suggest any type of study abroad, but with Semester at Sea you see parts of the world you never expected. So far, it has been the highlight of my life. I miss it, and I am jealous of future voyagers who have yet to go!" E-mail: alirross@hotmail.com. |
