Gina Pagano ’09
Anthropology and Latin American Studies
Gina Pagano didn’t know if studying abroad would be an option; she was behind on classes and had switched her major from Spanish to Latin American studies. Thanks to Albright, Gina was able to fulfill her desire to study abroad and have the classes she took abroad satisfy her major. “It was too good to be true,” says Gina.
Studing in Puebla, Mexico over the summer was an indescribable experience, she says. From the view out of her window—which was a volcano—to the new friends she made because of her travel, it’s something she will never forget.
Some of the exciting (and self-admittedly, “nerdy”) experiences she had were climbing the 2,000+ steps of Teotihuacán, visiting the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, seeing everything she had studied at Albright right in front of her, and learning about the indigenous people who had roamed the area so many years before.
Gina definitely recommends traveling abroad—she even recommends it to students who aren’t yet in college. “It was the best decision I have made. Go study abroad! Just do it!”
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Elizabeth Knapick ’09
Fashion Merchandising and Business Administration
When traveling abroad, you don’t just have to go to take classes. Elizabeth Knapick decided to do an internship in London with the University of Dreams.
Elizabeth took the summer between her junior and senior year to go to London because she wanted to travel. The best part of this experience was the overall realization of her true self. “Coming to find out things about me that I never knew I could do prior to this experience was a personality builder.”
“It was the most memorable summer of my life. I met many new people…and the program advisors were great. I would do it again in a heartbeat!”
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Carrie Veety
"I'm really glad I got to go. All of the Mesa State students were really nice. I'm actually living on one girl's couch right now because I haven't found an apartment yet."
Some of the places Carrie visited include Coca, the Napo River and Quito. She stayed in a lodge, Shiripuno, with no electricity or hot water. “This was by far my favorite place. There were some Huaorani (an Amazon tribe) and the food was excellent.”
In addition to the interesting places she visited, she also experienced and appreciated nature in a whole new light. Some of the things she saw in the “wild” were macaws, amazon parrots and toucans, among many others. And one day, she even saw a pygmy marmoset! She also saw a spider monkey family playing in the palm trees, which is pretty rare to experience.
One of the most interesting things Carrie remembers seeing was what she thought to be a whale, but what really turned out to be a pirarucu - a fish that can weigh up to 400 lbs! Some of the more memorable things included relaxing in the hot springs, shopping abroad and the food. The most memorable of the foods she tasted was cuy (or guinea pig). “Not my favorite dish in the world, especially because of how it was prepared."
In addition to all of the fun, there were actually some educational experiences as well. These included sorting butterflies, doing a 5m circular plot and checking every leaf for caterpillars, and participating in a creek crawl. "We all put on our rubber boots and some wool clothing, got in the creek, and just walked down it. It was really pretty and a lot of fun. We went down some little waterfalls and through a cave. On the way back we bushwhacked our way through the forest”
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Marci Nawrocki ’09
Environmental Science
Marci spent part of her summer traveling in Peru along with several other Albright students and trip leaders, Dr. David Osgood, professor of biology, and Dr. Barton Thompson, professor of sociology. She decided to go on the trip to gain field experience, to see a different culture and to experience the beautiful Amazon.
“The first part of the trip was getting acquainted with the area. We went on hikes in the rainforest, completed a canopy zip line, and went piranha fishing and bird watching. During the second half of the trip we executed the projects we created by going into different villages and conducting interviews. Each group went on different excursions to work on each specific project. It was great because we had the chance to experience a different culture and see the beautiful landscape. Seeing the Amazon first hand was an amazing adventure!”
Some of Marci’s most memorable moments include holding a caiman (a type of alligator) and a poison dart frog, eating piranha, and drinking fresh water from a vine. She encourages other students to study abroad because, “it is an experience that is unforgettable!”
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Kelly Cross ’08
Sociology & Spanish & Theatre
Kelly couldn’t pass up the opportunity to enhance her Spanish and embrace the Spanish culture when she found out about a study abroad experience in Seville, Spain.
“I had an amazing experience! I studied for the month of June in Seville. I took one class at the Center for Cross Cultural Study and had the opportunity to truly explore most of southern Spain. We were able to travel on the weekends and even during the week for class trips.”
Her most memorable moment was when she and another Albright student, Natalie Bizzarro, rented a car and drove to Tarifa, the southern-most tip of Spain. When they stood on the beach, they could see the coast of Africa. “Learning to drive stick shift in the Spanish countryside was an adventure,” she says. Kelly encourages other students to study abroad. Being in a different learning environment enhances the learning process, she says.
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Salaam Bhatti ’08
International Relations & Religious Studies & Pre-Law
I had the mysterious pleasure of going to the land of Scots, also known as Scotland, to study at the University of Aberdeen. I had never heard of this city, did not know a thing about Scotland, had a full scholarship and then some, and certainly did not know anybody there; all the right ingredients for a great adventure! The St. Andrew's Society application fell into my lap and I applied for it. Fortunately, after a competitive interview, the generous society found me to meet their requirements and from that moment, my life changed!
I arrived at the University of Aberdeen, very much alone, but excited nonetheless. Within days, I found friendly people from so many different countries. We would talk for hours about anything and everything, sharing our unique cultures with each other. I played Futbol about four times a week and reveled in it. I never thought I would have the pleasure of playing with people from Spain, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Kenya, England, Scotland and so many other nations! The social scene could not have been better. The academic world was difficult, even with only taking two classes and having Wednesdays and Fridays off! Each course only had one paper and one exam, so it was very easy to fail a whole course by not doing well on either of the graded materials (or both).
It is difficult for me to reflect on the glorious year I had in Scotland because, well, I am not there now. I very much miss the people I met. I truly appreciated every day that I was there. I know I was surprised when I met somebody from Kenya and realized that we were basically the same person.
If you are reading this and are on the fence or do not want to study abroad, I'm telling you that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Meeting your generation from across the world is an eye-opening experience that gives you a new perspective. I encourage each and every one of you to take the time to fill out the forms, write an essay or two, get some recommendation letters, and send them out. You just might get a plane ticket in return.
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Allison Kitzinger ’09
Fashion Merchandising and Design
When Allison decided that she needed a change of scenery for the fall of her junior year, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go to Florence, Italy, especially when her sister also decided to go.
“My experience abroad was simply amazing. I traveled all over Europe, saw famous, priceless works of art, and went to the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel. I did things I probably won’t have the chance to do again. It was an incredible three months!”
Allison says she will always remember the trip that she took to the coast of Capri, where she and her friends swam in the caves in the Mediterranean ocean. To other students who are thinking about studying abroad, Allison says, “I absolutely recommend it. It’s the only time you are financially stable and free of responsibility. You are responsible for schoolwork, but you have every weekend to go to a new city and see the world. It is indescribable!”
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