by Global Learning Semesters
On the behalf of Global Learning Semesters and the Belize Institute for Tropical Studies I extend a warm welcome to our International students. Our group arrived safely to Belize on August 28 and attended a full orientation weekend of activities. See pictures!
Warm regards,
Rhondine
During our first week in Paris, our director Karl surprised our group with tickets to the Broadway musical, Le Roi Lion (The Lion King) on Broadway at Theatre Mogador. This musical was a great way to been our immersion into the French language, because although we weren’t able to understand every word; we were familiar with the plot. It was filled with constant entertainment & the costuming alone was magnificent. Le Roi Lion is recently new to Paris, debuting last fall. After the musical a couple of people from the group including myself wandered into the famous store, Galleries Lafayette right next to the Theater. It was established in 1895 and is one of the world’s biggest department stores offering anything & everything you can imagine. There are 7 floors including a restaurant and terrace located at the top. This store truly amazes me.
Throughout the trip we also had various museum visits including the Musee d’Orsay and the Louvre. The Musee d’Orsay was formerly a train station. This is my favorite museum in Paris because of its huge collection of impressionism. My favorite artist is Renoir, and it holds many of his works. This museum is so easy to walk through because it is planned out so logically. Towards the top of the museum you can walk out on the terrace and see the beautiful view of the city.
Our trip to the Louvre was also magical. We were fortunate to see the huge ferris wheel that is built during every summer right next to the Louvre before we even entered the museum. The glass pyramid makes for a popular landmark and entrance into the museum. To some, the Louvre can also seem overwhelming because of the amount of art it holds. My advice is to map out everything you would like to see before you start exploring. My favorite piece in the Louvre is the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue. It is so beautiful and the detail on the wings is impeccable. A trip to the Louvre would not have been complete without a visit to the Mona Lisa. Seeing this painting for the first time in person is surreal. Although she is protected in about 10 inches of glass, I still managed to take a decent photo.
On the second weekend of our trip, we took a trip to the Loire Valley region. Our first stop was at the Cathedral of Chartres which was built in the 12th century. Every cathedral holds a relict, and this church holds the Virgin Mary’s shroud known as the Sancta Camisia. Since the cathedral holds this shroud, the cathedral has become a place where people go to pray for fertility. This church also displays one of the largest collections of stained glass windows. The windows in this cathedral are known for their rich blue color. Our next stop in the Loire Valley was at the Château de Chambord. This castle was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Francois although he never lived in it for more than two months. King Francois symbol was a salamander and you can see it depicted numerously throughout the castle on the walls, floors and ceilings. The castle also features the double-helix staircase that Leonardo da Vinci designed. Our last stop on the tour was the winery. We took a tour through the caverns learned how they make and bottle méthode traditionnelle; which is a sparkling wine. I really enjoyed the beautiful countryside of France.
I would recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad. The experience of traveling to another country and studying the culture and society first hand is the best way of learning. This specific program provides wonderful attention to detail, extracurricular activities and prime housing. Our leader Karl was always organized, informative and available if needed. Paris specifically is such a fun city to study abroad in because it contains so many different aspects to explore such as the museums, musical theatres, fashion, and monuments. This was an experience I will never forget!
- Ashley
The Summer in Belize: Archaeology program is truly a hands on and intercultural experience and our student, Jacob Kovalchick from Penn State University is taking advantage of this unique opportunity. During the first week of the program, he has worked along side the famous Belizean archeologist Dr. Jaime Awe, Director of the National Institute of Archeology in Belize.
Here are some photos of Jacob and his classmates at work on an archaeological dig.
Keep up the good work Jake!
Rhondine
I am proud to report that all thirteen of our Animal Science students participated in a community spay and neuter clinic on Saturday, July 12. Dr. Edwardo Tesecum, the course director for the ASCI-105- Large Animal Science and Disease of Belize course, organized the clinic in the small village of Bullet Tree in Western Belize.
Kudos to our students who participated in this needed community service!
To end the evening our students participated in a soccer match with a local team from Bullet Tree. Our students won the match by 1 goal to 0. Congratulations!
Keep up the good work!
Rhondine
A very exclusive resort in Western Belize hosted a welcome party for our students shortly after arriving to Belize. We were met and warmly greeted by Ms. Eva Garfield, Manager of Ka’ana Boutique and Spa resort on Thursday, July 10. We indulged ourselves in superb food and drank exotic fruity drinks made by their wonderful bar staff.
Eva ended our evening with a tour of the resort and to ensure we have lasting memories of Ka’ana she took us out in the semi dark night where lit helium balloons awaited our arrival. As we gathered around, her staff held the balloons as we all made our wishes and the balloons were released. We stood there and looked in aw as the balloons keep going up into the sky until they merged with the stars.
Eva and the staff of Ka’ana; we thank you for an unforgettable evening.
Rhondine
On the behalf of Global Learning Semesters and Galen University I extend a warm welcome to our July study abroad student group!
I am delighted to announce the safe arrival of our July summer students to Belize. Thirteen of our fourteen GLS students arrived on Friday, July 4 and one on July 5. I must say that this group was lucky to experience sunny weather upon arrival and throughout the orientation weekend.
I look forward to sharing more of our students’ activities as our summer Belize programs progress through the next four weeks. I’ll keep you posted!
Warm regards,
Rhondine
On Saturday June 14, GLS Summer 2008 in Cyprus students went for three days to the beautiful city of Paphos in Cyprus. On our way to Paphos we had the opportunity to visit the spectacular Kolossi Castle and Kourion Amphitheater in Limassol. In Paphos the group visited the Petra tou Romiou, “The rock of the Greek”, which is according to legend is the birthplace of Aphrodite, where we took some wonderful pictures as the beautiful scenery demands. We then continued on to the Paphos Medieval Fort where we visited the famous mosaics and the house of Dionysos.
That’s me at Kourion Amphitheater
During our stay in Paphos we got to enjoy the gorgeous beaches and also work on our tan ☺ Some of us even got together and went out for Karaoke night!
On our way back to Nicosia on Monday, the group had a lunch stop at the traditional village of Lefkara. Lefkara is famous for its local lace called “Lefkaritika” and for its stunning church of the Holy Cross.
- Marianna
Leaving the plane, I waited in anticipation to finally be in Paris and meet everyone in my program. I went through customs and found our Program Coordinator Karl Davis waiting in an airport café with a group of students who had already arrived. In total, I met a group of 14 students who were also there for the first summer session.
The first day we were primarily given the information for our apartment and time to unpack and settle in. I live with three other girls in an apartment in the 6th arrondissement known as St-Germain-des-Prés. It’s a beautiful apartment in a prime location. The weather this time in Paris is beautiful! The sun is shining with a few clouds and a nice breeze. After unwinding, a group of us decided to go to out to dinner. We chose to kick off our Paris trip at the world famous café Les Deux Magots. The café is famous for literary authors such as Sartre de Beauvoir and Hemingway who wrote there.
Saturday was a busy day. First, we all met in the Raspail area for our French placement exam. The exam is a nonjudgmental exam which means they place you in a level that is best for you. You can place in Debutante, Elementaire, Intermediante and Superior. After the exam, we made our way to La Sorbonne to register with the school. The school was founded in 1257 as a part of the University of Paris. La Sorbonne is such a beautiful university. The architecture helps give it such a prestigious ambience. We learned that the Sorbonne houses part of the René Descartes University. After registering, Karl took us all out for a surprise. We had a fabulous 3-course dinner at a nice restaurant in the Cardinal Lemoine. I really enjoyed the dinner because the food was delicious and it gave us a chance to get to know each other a little better.
On Sunday we began our day with a walking tour of the city. Starting from the beautiful fountain St.Michel, we began walking to the Notre Dame. From inside the cathedral you can see the beautiful stained glass windows and magnificent architecture. I also liked the gargoyles that are found perched off the sides. They not only have an artistic purpose, but are also used as rain gutters. Around the Notre Dame there are also many entertainers such as magicians, dancers, mimes and musicians. We continued our journey by walking along the Seine River that runs right through Paris. We eventually made our way to Hôtel de Ville which is the equivalent to an American city hall. Originally, it was a maison aux piliers (”House of Pillars”) but later turned into a city hall. Almost every building, whether an important monument or not, has an intricate element or design detail. Next we visited the George Pompidou museum. This is the National Museum of Modern Art. When it was first built in 1977, it was very controversial due to the modern design. The building stands out among most in Paris because it is very colorful and all the structural components such as the water pipes, stair cases, are on the exterior.
The food in France is absolutely phenomenal. There are cafes around every corner. For dinner, my roommates and I went to a café in the St.Germain area. Many cafes have an underground floor known as le bas. The ambience was intimate and the style resembled that of an old cavern.
- Ashley
I am delighted to announce the safe arrival of our summer students to Belize. Most students arrived Friday, May 30 with a few arriving on May 31 and June 1. Although, upon arrival it was raining and it continued to rain throughout orientation weekend; today we are basking in the sunlight.
Our students experienced their first day of intensive classes yesterday and also attended on campus the debut of a documentary film “three kings of Belize”. This film highlights three of Belize’s musical kings, their achievements and struggles as Belizean musicians.
Warm regards,
Rhondine
As part of orientation, we also went on a bike excursion throughout the city. Our tour guide, Cecile, was very animated and fun. We stopped at many places including Place des Vosges which is the oldest square in Paris. Built by Henry IV, this was also the first royal court and where Victor Hugo once lived. From there we went to the Marais area which is considered the first Jewish neighborhood of Paris. We also rode around the Musée du Louvre. From the courtyard you can see the incredible size of the museum and the glass pyramids featured in the film, The Da Vinci Code. We passed over the Seine and ended our tour with delicious ice cream on the Île Saint-Louis, an island in the city.
I would definitely recommend a bike tour to anyone visiting Paris because it is a great way to learn - both informatively and directionally - more about the city.
- Ashley
The GLS graduation ceremony for the Class of Spring 2008 students based in Cyprus took place on May 13 at UNESCO Amphitheater at the University of Nicosia. Everyone was looking forward to it after a great semester, filled with amazing memories.
The ceremony began with a speech by Dr. Andreas Polemitis. Two small presentations followed by the Lefkosia.com student interns and the Cultural Heritage Interns where the students explained the work they did during the semester.
The Ceremony continued with announcing the Photography competition winners. The prize for the winners was adinner for four people at a famous traditional Cypriot restaurant. There was a grand prize winner, 2 runner ups and many honorable mentions. It looks like there is artistic talent in the group!
Next, GLS staff awarded students with their Graduation Certificates for the successful completion of the program. The ceremony ended with a multimedia presentation prepared by the Class Historians after gathering photos and videos from every student in the group. Everybody was very touched by the presentation and tears were inevitable as a wonderful semester was about to end.
After the ceremony, GLS staff and students proceeded to Prosilion Restaurant for the graduation dinner. We all had a great time and already miss you guys! ☺
- Marianna
Last but not least, Versailles. We visited the Palace of Versailles which was the official residents of the French Kings from 1682 until 1790. The students loved the Chateau, museum and the gardens which have more than 300 statues and vases that decorate the alleyways.
Next, we were off to the airport to fly back to Cyprus. Somewhere here the Spring 2008 Europe trip comes to an end. All of us will cherish the unique moments and great laughs and remember all the remarkable places we visited! Thanks everyone!
- Mia
Finally! The Romantic City….! The students absolutely loved Paris. They spend hours in the Louvre, and enjoyed their walk along the river Seine as well as their wine and cheese picnic on the grass by the river.
The most amazing of all? The Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, which at night was lighten up and was just stunning. Could stare it for hours. Students on their free time visited the Notre Dame, Montmartre and the Musee D’Orsay.
- Mia
Amsterdam is a city full of life. When there, Dutch people were celebrating the Queens Day. After our visit to the remarkable Van Gogh Museum that contains more than 200 paintings, 580 drawings, 4 sketchbooks and around 750 letters by the artist, students set out to experience this amazing, once in a year celebration. Amsterdam was transformed into an “orange” party city. People on the streets were dancing and singing all wearing their orange shirts and funny orange hats.
Even the canals, which are a major attraction in Amsterdam, were dressed in orange.
- Mia
Students got ready for the important meeting we had at the European Parliament, in Brussels. All packed away the torn jeans and flip flops and put on their smart, elegant clothes and ready to learn more about the European Union. After the meeting we wondered in the city center and unquestionably everybody tried the famous Belgian waffles and the Belgian chocolates…
- Mia
A small break in the middle of our trip was in Leuven. The small city that surprised everyone. Once we arrived there students were wondering what was there to see or do. Leuven is known throughout the word for the remarkable architecture. The Great Market Square of Leuven is covered with many cafes, restaurants and bars with indoor and outdoor seating.
- Mia
Strasbourg is a stunning city; centered on an island formed by the river Ill and the canal that surrounds the historic center. We had a stop and to take pictures of the Council of Europe which is the one of the main EU institutions (the other 2 being the European Parliament and the European Commission).
The meeting at the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg called for the students to be dressed up. They were about to meet with EU officials. Mr. Werner Poerch gave us very useful information about the European Commission Representation. After the meeting we had the chance to walk around the city center.
- Mia
On our way to Dachau we watched the documentary on the Dachau Concentration Camp so that everyone knew the historical facts before visiting the camp and be prepared for what they were about to experience.
Leaving Vienna behind and following the road to Salzburg we had to stop at Melk Abbey which is one of the world’s most famous monastic sites.
We eventually arrived at Mozart’s birthplace and the place where the Sound of Music was filmed. We actually drove to Salzburg to the rhythms of the Sound of Music! The sightseeing of the town was unguided and students in groups walked to every corner of it. Visited Mozart’s House and Salzburger Dom (the city’s cathedral), and climbed Salzburg’s fortress to see the panoramic view of the city from the one side and the Alps from the other side.
We of course all tried the giant pretzels that are baked in more than 10 different flavors and the Mozart chocolates. Yummy!
- Mia
Bratislava is right on the Danube River that flows from Vienna down to Budapest. Our stop in Bratislava was short but enjoyable. Our guide took us to the Main Square, with the Old Town Hall that contains the City Museum and the City Archives. We saw the Slovak National Theater and the big castle that overlooks the city.
Vienna!!! One of the most multifaceted cities in Europe. One of the favorite cities we visited. The State Opera House and the Lobkowitz Palace where Beethoven premiered his Third Symphony, in 1803. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the biggest church in the city and the Schonbrunn Palace with its’ miraculous gardens! Some students tried the delicious Wienerschnitzel which is the traditional dish. We also visited the Krawinahaus, the houses which were painted by the Hundertwasser, and that was a good spot for purchasing souvenirs and post cards.
- Mia
Amazing! Unanimously agreed. The tour was long but nobody seemed to care. Prague is like a poem transformed to a city. We walked around the lit castles and bridges and the view was beautiful! Some students enjoyed the Black Light Theater and others had coffee next to the Astronomical Clock.
- Mia
A brief stop at Dresden was all we needed to grab something to eat but most importantly walk around in the beautiful city to admire the Royal Palace and the Zwinger palace gardens.
- Mia
From Charlemange to Bismark, Nazism and the Berlin Wall, Germany is the Heart of Europe. Students enjoyed Berlin very much and everyone noticed haw clean the city is and how organized the buildings are in the city. We walked along the Berlin Wall and were surprised to see that the Wall is not as tall as we all imagined it to be.
We visited the Holocaust Monument and the Checkpoint Charlie which became a symbol of the Cold War, representing the separation of east and west.
- Mia
Today, our Semester in Europe students go on the Europe trip with me and Marianna. It will be quite an experience as we visit 9 European countries in 2 weeks! You could definitely see the excitement in everyone’s eyes and the big smiles on their faces. The Europe trip was about to begin.
Hungary! Even though it was early in the morning when we arrived there, the sightseeing in Budapest managed to keep all of us wide awake and very eager to see and learn about the “Queen of the Danube”. We visited the Castle District and the River Danube. Budapest is also known for its Spas.
- Mia
On Wednesday, April 9, students on GLS study abroad programs in Cyprus visited the US Embassy in Nicosia to learn more about the Foreign Service and the work that the Embassy does on the island. Students had the opportunity to meet Ambassador Schlicher and officers from the Management, Political, Economic, Public Affairs, and Consular sections, as well as officers of the USAID and Bicommunal Support Program.
The US Ambassador to Cyprus, Mr. Ronald Schlicher welcomed the students and spoke about the goals of the Embassy and the Cyprus issue. He also pointed out issues that make Cyprus unique; the role of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus; Cyprus’s accession to the European Union and ethnic conflicts. Ambassador Schlicher also told the students how his daily work is like and about his previous Foreign Service experience which was definitely noteworthy and inspiring. Some students even said that they felt motivated to follow a career in International Relations and probably in the Foreign Service.
The officers from the various Embassy departments gave valuable information to the students about the work they do in their departments and unquestionably enlightened them what it means to represent the US abroad through a position in the Foreign Service.
Below is a picture from the visit.
On March 22 we left for our trip to the Mediterranean. Students on our Semester in Europe, Global Semester: World Cultures and Semester in the Mediterranean programs attended this trip as part of their program travel. Everyone was very excited and anxious at the same time to finally get to meet this part of the world. Our journey began in Athens. While there, the group had the opportunity to visit the Parthenon and the Acropolis and walk through the Agora. You could see in the face of every student the admiration for the Greek architecture that revealed this ancient civilization. In Athens, we also had the chance to enjoy the famous Greek cuisine and walk around the Monastiraki area (flea market). Some of the students actually had the chance to visit one Greek island on their free day.
The group at the Acropolis
Veronica, Ashley, Caitlin, Anna and Jamie in front of the Caryatides.
Our trip continued to Rome. As soon as we arrived we had an arranged guided tour of the city of Rome. We of course had to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain and go up and down the Spanish Steps! On the next day we visited the Colosseum and the Vatican.
At the Trevi Fountain
On our way to Florence we stopped to see the famous Laaning Tower of Pisa where of course we had to take the ‘must’ pictures!
Then… my favorite city, Florence! Florence is a gorgeous city. Built in Medieval times you can actually feel the history coming out of the bricks of every building. In Florence we visited the Ufizzi and the Academia Museum, where we admired the Michelangelo’s statue of David. I don’t need to mention the food and shopping? Well, we were in Italy… so you can imagine! ☺
Mia and Marianna in Florence
Last on the itinerary but certainly not least was Venice. Some chose to visit the famous St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, while others preferred to go on a gondola ride. Either way, every one had a great time in Venice and it was a great finish for our trip to the Mediterranean!
On our way to Venice
- Marianna
First stop on our itinerary was Green Hills Butterfly Farm. We spent a little over an hour there learning about the butterflies. The owners Tineke and Jan gave us an overview of the business of raising butterflies. Our tour began at the breeding facilities; followed by a walk through the butterfly flight area. The flight area was definitely the highlight of this tour.
Next stop on our itinerary was a visit to Big Rock Falls followed by lunch and swimming at Five Sisters Falls and Lodge. We all had an awesome time at Big Rock Falls! The ten minute hike to and from the falls was definitely worth it.
When we arrived at Five Sister’s Falls Lodge we were greeted by the manager. Nigel welcomed us and escorted our group to the dining for lunch. We were served a delicious meal with hibiscus juice (locally known as “Sorrel”) and enjoyed banana bread for dessert.
GLS Students and Culture Day!
Galen University is having its first ever Culture Day on Friday, April 4. Although the GLS students were unable to organize a group for the upcoming event, they have confirmed their support. In addition to sampling ethnic foods and drinks; they will have an opportunity to learn more about the diversity of The Belizean Culture. In addition, they will also have an opportunity to meet Belize’s Governor General His Excellency Sir Colville Young and his wife Lady Young.
Good bye for now!
- Rhondine
The GLS students on our Belize programs at Galen University are having an adventurous semester! To date we’ve done some exciting excursions such as an overnight trip to the Belize Zoo, “The Best Little Zoo in the World”.
The Belize Zoo visit was followed by an interesting cultural trip to one of Belize’s Mennonite Communities called “Spanish Lookout”, located in western Belize.
Our next update will include a trip to the Mountain Pine Ridge area in Belize and updates on the upcoming Culture Day Event.
Best wishes,
Rhondine
This past weekend, students in our Semester in Paris Spring 2008 programs spent three exciting and activity-packed days in France’s Côte d’Azur.
Our six students, accompanied by our Paris-based Program Coordinator, Karl Davis, left Paris on Saturday morning via TGV and arrived in Nice at around lunchtime after spending a handful of hours appreciating the countryside scenery at speeds of 330 kilometers per hour. Following a quick hotel check-in and some time to unpack and freshen up, the group headed to the city’s historical center where they satiated their appetites with a wide array of Nicoise delicacies such as Nicoise sandwiches, olive and mushroom focaccias, exotic pizzas and gelati. The group chose to enjoy their meals by the beach while basking in the Mediterranean sun.
The following morning, the group set off on an extensive walking tour of the city, starting on the seaside path of the “Promenade des Anglais” and on to the “Quai des Etats-Unis.” The students had the chance to get a first-hand look into the history, architecture and sites of the Côte d’Azur’s enchanting capital.
Following the tour, Karl arranged so that those students interested would be able to attend a special Easter Sunday mass in the Cathedral Sainte Réparté—Patron Saint of Nice—with a complete chorus and filled to the brim with attendees under its famous colorfully tiled dome.
After a small break for lunch, the group hiked up the path to the exhilarating chateau overlooking Nice and the stunning Baie des Anges with its turquoise water. The students were nearly speechless at the sheer beauty of the place. Later that evening, they all met at the beautiful seaside terrace of the Meridian Hotel to see the sun set and partake in a Provencal wine tasting.
Monday, after an early breakfast, the group participated in a spectacular fully-customized and guided trip of the Côte d’Azur. The group first visited the breathtaking medieval cliff-side village of Eze, followed by the beauty and decadence of Monte Carlo and the palace of Monaco, and finally the quaint artist haven of St Paul de Vence. This excursion was one of the highlights of the weekend and gave the students an unforgettable opportunity to discover another bit of the history and natural beauty of France and its environs.
The group boarded the 5:36 pm TGV Monday afternoon to be whisked back home to Paris concluding an eventful trip through southern France and Monaco.
More Paris updates coming soon!
- Mateo
Four Global Learning Semesters students studying at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus this Spring have founded the Gaia T.E.A.M., a society which focuses on helping the environment through actions such as recycling, maintaining green areas and installing a nature park at the University of Nicosia.
Jason Budahazy, Jacob Donahue-Grossman, Jon Schmidt and Anthony Atanasio, the executive chairmen of Gaia, came to Cyprus to study abroad in late January and immediately felt that an effort was needed in order to get more people in Cyprus involved in improving the environment. During the past 4 weeks they have been collecting recyclable items such as aluminum cans, bottles and paper from students and installing their own recycling containers in several areas around the University of Nicosia campus. They have also been attending several university events where they distributed leaflets about Gaia in order to increase awareness.
Today, the Gaia T.E.A.M. (The Environment Always Matters) held a presentation at the university’s main amphitheater where they described the society’s purpose and what they plan to do until the end of the semester. Several individuals from the university’s administration attended the presentation. including the Executive and Academic Deans, as well as Cypriot politicians such as the local Mayor and the Cypriot Commissioner for the Environment. The students’ passion for the environment was evident, their arguments were strong, their research was solid and at the end of the presentation they received a warm round of applause and congratulations from everyone. During the presentation a petition was passed around for the attendees to sign in support of the Talloires Declaration, a ten-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. It has been signed by over 350 university presidents and chancellors in over 40 countries.
The Gaia T.E.A.M. is also constructing a website at www.GaiaTEAM.org.
The University of Nicosia administrators were very impressed with the Gaia T.E.A.M.’s eye-opening presentation and stated that they will hold a Senate meeting to discuss changes that need to be made regarding recycling and environmental preservation at the university.
Global Learning Semesters, in cooperation with the University of Nicosia Student Affairs Department, also committed to creating an internship program where GLS and U-Nic students can lead the Gaia T.E.A.M. in the semesters to come.
We would like to thank Anthony, Jon, Jacob and Jason for this wonderful initiative and for caring so much about Cyprus and its environment. Using a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, that Jason also used in his speech, “Be the change you want to see in the World”. Well done guys!
Just a quick note that all students on Cyprus-based programs from both groups arrived safely in Cyprus on the 24th and 25th. Orientation week has started and the students have already done their shopping and attended a tour of Nicosia.
Tomorrow will be the big orientation presentation and welcome dinner and on Monday the students will have scheduled meetings for registration questions and also attend tours of the University of Nicosia. The rest of the orientation week will include a visit to the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, a short introduction to the Greek language, a Greek cooking class, a Scavenger Hunt around Nicosia and several lectures.
More details to come.
- Thanos
On Tuesday, November 20, the Fall 2007 GLS students studying abroad in Cyprus visited the US Embassy in Nicosia and had the opportunity to meet Ambassador Schlicher and officers from the management, political, economic, public diplomacy, and consular departments.
The students received a warm welcome from Ambassador Ronald Schlicher who spoke about the strategic goals of the Embassy in addition to the issues that make Cyprus unique: the role of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus; Cyprus’s accession to the European Union; and ethnic conflicts. Ambassador Schlicher also took the time to discuss his daily work as well as his previous foreign service experience which was impressive and inspiring.
Through a discussion with the Bicommunal Support Program Officer, students learned about opportunities they have in Nicosia to get involved with programs built to “break down barriers and find practical solutions to island-wide concerns.”
The officers from the various embassy departments offered valuable insight into what it means to represent the US abroad through a position in the foreign service. Many of the students expressed interest in researching foreign and civil service career opportunities in the near future.
Check out the relevant page on the US Embassy in Cyprus website as well a photo from the visit below:
Last week, I returned from accompanying the first group of Global Business Semester students to India and China.
It was an exhausting but exhilarating trip to Delhi, Agra, Bangalore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. We visited both local and multi-national companies on this trip, including Evalueserve, Tavant, STPI, Infosys, Deutsche Bank and PepsiCo.
And on the cultural side, we saw the Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Hong Kong, Po Ling Monastery, Pudong, Yu Yuan Gardens, Tien’anmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall of China, among other things.
We set up a photo gallery from this trip. If you watch it in regular mode, instead of slide show mode, you will also see the captions describing the photos
I will update this post with some thoughts on what is going on on the development side in Asia, but I wanted to get these photos up first!
Best,
Antonis
The municipality of Engomi, the area in Nicosia, Cyprus where our students are staying and the University of Nicosia is located, organized a Tree Planting Day on October 21st. The event was a symbolic gesture in memory of those who lost their lives in the devastating fires in Greece this summer.
The GLS Cyprus team informed the students about this event and their response was enthusiastic. The community welcomed the students to the event and their contribution to the environment was greatly appreciated.
Visit the GLS Photo Gallery about the event.
I am highlighting Kat Fowler’s blog which I read for the first time yesterday.
Kat is a graduate student attending our Semester program at Galen University and has been blogging about her experience.
Her writing is excellent but so is her black and white photography. This picture in a waterfall is spectacular:
I just congratulated her yesterday, we hope she keeps up the writing and photography and we hope that we can even feature some of it on our website.
In any case, nice work Kat. Her blog is here: www.katfowler.com/blog/
We have completed Orientation Week for the Fall group in Cyprus.
This group includes students attending multiple semester programs: Semester in Europe: EU, Semester in Europe: Business, Semester in Europe: Art History, Global Business Semester, Semester in the Mediterranean: Custom and Semester in Cyprus.
We have learned a lot over the last few years about what works and what does not work during orientation. To me, orientation breaks down into two phases.
The first two to three days are about providing some comfort, familiarity and a basic framework for the students. The first day they arrive, the students are tired and have just traveled halfway around the world (for some of them it is the first time they have traveled outside the country or even, in some cases, on a plane). Additionally, most students are experiencing a new language and culture for the first time and everyone is meeting their classmates, professors and staff for the first time. so whether they realize it or not, most students have an underlying level of stress during the first few days. So we focus on making these days as smooth and comfortable as possible: pick students up from the airport, check them into their apartments, eat pizza at group events, do a brief city tour, lay out what will happen over the course of the semester and what our expectations are of them, and finish the weekend with a nice group dinner.
In the second phase, the focus shifts to helping the students become more independent in Nicosia and giving them the tools to immerse themselves in the country. This is a combination of lectures on various aspects of Cypriot culture and history along with more practical exercises (such as campus tours). We spend a lot of time in our staff training trying to achieve the correct balance between being a support network for the students when they need help and pushing them to act independently and build the skills needed to function abroad.
Our best event in this week is the scavenger hunt. Students divide into groups of four and have to independently complete 30 tasks in Nicosia within three hours, starting from basics (finding a certain textbook in the campus library) to quite complex (identifying a well-hidden, but delicious, restaurant in Old Nicosia). We saw a dramatic change in how quickly the students were able to function independently in Nicosia the first year we implemented the scavenger hunt and the students seem to love it also.
Overall, this semester’s group seems confident and relatively independent. We will see as the semester evolves.
-Antonis
Just a quick informational note: All students have safely arrived for orientation week for Cyprus-based programs.
More details to follow as orientation week proceeds…
-Antonis
A quick update on Hurricane Felix from our team in Belize. Fortunately, it does not appear that it will make a meaningful appearance in Belize
Hurricane Felix is not predicted to hit Belize and if it does it will be the most southern edge of the country. We may experience some rain here, but no flooding is expected. Galen will reopen as usual on Wed and classes will begin on Thursday.
Given this, we are not going to move the students tonight. I visited them last night and they were fine and had plans for a hurricane party if needed. We have a beautiful blue sky and sunshine today, so I’m sure they are enjoying sleeping in.
-Sandi
Given that there is a reasonable probability that Hurricane Felix will pass through Belize in the next 36-48 hours, we and our partner (Galen University), have activated our hurricane response plan.
Specifically:
· The university will be closed starting at 5pm today (Monday) and will not reopen to students until the all-clear is given by the Belizean government.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), university staff will be shutting down the computing and power infrastructure at Galen in preparation for the storm.
· San Ignacio is located in the highlands of Belize away from the coast, so our primary concerns relate to wind damage and localized flooding as opposed to an oceanic storm surge. We also expect that there will be outages to local phone and power service during this week.
· Given this, tomorrow (Tuesday) in the early evening, one of our senior administrators will be moving our study abroad students to a concrete building equipped with multiple backup generators where they will stay until the storm has passed.
While we are taking some prudent steps given the situation, overall, we do not see any cause for concern at this stage. We will post an update if the situation changes or when the hurricane has past and we have returned to regular university operations.
You can reach us at (877) 300-7010 with any questions.
Just a quick note:
The Fall 2007 group in Belize has safely arrived, completed orientation and started their semester program.
- Sandi
I would like to extend a quick welcome to our blog.
We have wanted for some time to have an easier, faster, more informal way to communicate with our students, our potential students, our great partners at our home instutions, our great partners at our host institutions, our faculty and our friends and colleagues in the study abroad field.
We also hope this is a way for you to get to know us better and us to get to know you better.
Specifically that means, we will be:
In any case, we welcome your comments and hope you will be sharing your thoughts with us too.
To subscribe to this blog automatically, you can use an RSS feed reader like www.netvibes.com or Google Reader or the RSS reader in your browser.
Look forward to having you here!
Antonis Polemitis
President
Global Learning Semesters
