Spring 2011

Maarja Anderson – Prague, Czech Republic

Vitals: Junior Journalism and Political Science Major

Goals: I can’t wait to make new friends! I know that makes me sound like I’m a fourth grader going off to summer camp for the first time but I honestly am so excited to meet such a diverse group of new people. I’m looking forward to being kindly shoved out of my comfort zone. To live in a country I know little to nothing about, where they speak a language that I barely even knew existed until a few months ago, all while with complete and total strangers, is going to be an adventure of a lifetime. I just pray I don’t offend anybody with my butchering of the Czech language…

Motivation: I had wanted to study in Seville, Spain since I was a sophomore in high school. But wait, you might be thinking, aren’t you going to Prague?! Yes, I am! But I hadn’t always planned on studying in Eastern Europe. Last May, after six years of imagining my semester in Spain and three months before the application was due, I just up and decided I no longer wanted to go to Spain. I realized that most of my friends, my friends of friends, and really a majority of campus it seemed, was planning on studying in Spain- and THAT is not what I wanted. I wanted a unique abroad experience that would force me to make new friends, not simply hang out with my current Madison friends in a different country. So I chose a country I thought was the most intriguing and knew the least about: the Czech Republic.

Previous Overseas Travel: Mexico, Honduras, the Caribbean, England, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, and China

Lauren Bade – Auckland, New Zealand

Vitals: Sophomore Sociology major, Gender & Women’s Studies certificate

Goals: I want to fully immerse myself into the New Zealand culture in all ways possible.  I would love to be able to travel throughout the country and hopefully find some time to go visit Australia.

Motivation: I have always wanted to live abroad and participate in a study abroad program. I visited New Zealand three years ago and loved it and always wanted to go back.  When New Zealand was added to the list of study abroad programs last year, I knew that this was the perfect program for me.

Previous overseas travel: The Bahamas, New Zealand and Australia.

Chris Epping – London, England

Vitals: Junior majoring in Economics and Political Science.

Goals: While abroad, I hope to single handedly stimulate the struggling European economies by traveling as much as possible.  In London, I plan on immersing myself in different languages such as British English.  I also hope to earn some decent grades to prove to my parents that I did more than take a four month vacation.

 

Motivation: Despite Madison being a great city, I feel like there is more to the college experience than what our university has to offer.  I believe college is not just about getting a world class education but about getting outside of your comfort zone.  After two and a half years on campus, it is difficult to find new, challenging experiences.  By traveling, I think I will be able to push my limits and make memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Previous overseas travel: Germany, Switzerland, and Canada before you even needed a passport, if that counts.

Shea Furey-King – Beijing, China

Vitals: Senior English with a concentration in Language and Linguistics and potentially East Asian Studies

Goals: My first goal is to practice Mandarin as much as possible and not be afraid to make mistakes. I’d like to make Chinese friends as well as international friends. I also want to explore as much of the city as I can. Besides taking advantage of the cultural attractions Beijing has to offer, I also hope to be involved in some form of volunteering in the community and connect with Chinese culture in a real way. My study abroad program focuses on language as well as the ethnic minorities of China and so I hope to gain an understanding of the country’s ethnic and social diversity. My final goal is to get a bicycle and use it often.

Motivation: I’m about to graduate and it’s time to explore the world. I can’t think of a better place to start than Beijing. I really want to increase my language proficiency in Mandarin and think that studying abroad in China will be the best way.

Previous overseas travel: Ireland, Italy, China, Hong Kong

Beth Godec – Umeå, Sweden

Vitals: Anthropology and Linguistics Major, planning on going to Law School

Goals: My goal in study abroad is to challenge myself to adapt to a new environment. I want to gain a better understanding of what it really means to be a Swede.  My goals also include traveling outside of Scandinavia, making new friends, and have great adventures along the way.

Motivation:I have always wanted to study abroad since I was a young child watching my pilot father go on exciting trips to other countries. This desire was then solidified when my family hosted two foreign exchange students while I was in high school. I got to see first hand how rewarding studying abroad can be. I decided to study in Sweden because I am of Swedish heritage and wanted to go somewhere somewhat unusual but where they speak English. Plus, I have always had a burning love for ABBA and IKEA…

Previous overseas travel: Mexico, England, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Hungary.

Sigrid Hubertz – Paris, France

Vitals: Bachelor of Fine Arts

Goals: Take out my parents for dinner and order their food for them in perfect French, learn to appreciate wine, and talk to a French resident without being asked if I would like to switch to English. Meeting a Parisian with a moped wouldn’t hurt either.

Motivation: My mom has always regretted that she never learned a second language when she was younger. With all the traveling I have done and anticipate to do, I don’t want to grow up and have the same regret. Paris will enhance my French and the city will inspire me to continue my art studies while abroad.

Previous overseas travel: France, Greece, England, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Ireland, Italy, Argentina, and Australia.

Kadie Ray – Fez, Morocco

Vitals: Junior International Studies: Global Security Major, with a Certificate in Middle Eastern Studies. Undecided about picking up a second major.

Goals: My main goal, first and foremost, is to try to break down the cultural stereotypes that exist between my culture, and the varied cultures that exist today in Morocco. I want to immerse myself in a place that, as of now, is so completely foreign to me, that by the time I return, I’ll think American norms are just the opposite: abnormal. I also want to improve my Modern Standard Arabic, while at the same time trying to wrestle the Moroccan Spoken Dialect.

Motivation: What do YOU know about Morocco? If you’re anything like the average American..than the answer is..not much. And to me, the fact that so few people in Wisco even know where Morocco is LOCATED says that a drastic change of pace is necessary. I wanted to study abroad in an Arab country, but I wanted to do it in a place that not very many others go, that not very many others know about. Morocco couldn’t be more perfect! I wanted a challenge and I wanted a place that was culturally rich and diversified from the European countries it calls neighbors.

Previous overseas travel: Mexico, Honduras, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Turkey, Jamaica (and at the time of writing, plans to go to Greece, Italy, France and Spain).

3 thoughts on “Spring 2011”

  1. Oh the memories of studying abroad! I did a year in Aix en Provence (or Aix en Vacances as we described it) in 2002-2003 which led me to find a reason to go back to France (I enrolled in the PFMP at U-W). Enjoy your stay abroad!

  2. do you get to get a full course load of classes that count as a sememter of classes toward your major

  3. Chris, Guess you got snow in London… Well we got even more….
    Drop a line when you get a chance.

    Charlie

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