Summer 2010

KRISTY ARCHIBALD– Feng Shui, China

Vitals: Im an interior design major at UW-Madison. To further my study of design, I try and take as many art classes as I can. I really enjoy working with charcoal and watercolor and I am looking forward to taking some wood shop classes in the next year.

Goals: While abroad in China I really hope to really learn the chinese culture. In order to fully understand why the chinese do things such as feng shui, tai chi, and acupuncture i think its vital that you learn what they do on a daily basis and there is no better way of learning that then actually trying it yourself. I am also hoping to pick up on some of the chinese language while I am there.

Motivation: I chose this program because mostly all of the interior design students have gone in the past. They all told us that this will be the best life experience you will ever have and it will have an impact on your life forever. After hearing a few of their stories I decided that i wanted to gain the experience they did while in China. I also really wanted to learn more about Feng Shui since it is an uprising trend in america.

Previous overseas travel: Before going to China I have never left America. This will be the first time.

KELLY FOX– Pune, India Internship

Vitals: Majors—Religious Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Languages and Cultures of Asia

Goals: Among many other goals, I hope that during my stay in Pune I will meet fun new people, immerse myself in Indian culture and enrich my undergraduate career with an entirely new learning experience! I cannot wait to arrive in Pune and begin exploring! In addition to a class, the program provides an internship or directed study that I imagine will be a fulfilling and enlightening experience. Although participants remain uninformed of their internship or research project until they arrive in Pune, I hope to work with a women’s organization, an excellent way to gain experience and knowledge about women’s advocacy and activism, a field I hope to pursue in the future. I was unbelievably excited to stumble upon this program, which sounds like everything I was looking for in a study abroad program and more!

Motivation: Traveling to India has always been my dream, and studying South Asia has only intensified this desire. As a Languages and Cultures of Asia major and Religious Studies major with a concentration in South Asian religious traditions, I study India in the classroom, but have yet to experience India firsthand. I hope that studying abroad in India will not only augment my undergraduate learning, but also broaden my perspective. I was especially attracted to the freedom that this program’s internship/directed study provided. As for now, however, I am just stoked for my travels to begin!

Previous overseas travel: Mexico, Germany, and hopefully many more countries to come!

STEPHANIE LINDHOLM – Paris, France

Vitals: Sophomore: Journalism, Spanish, and Communication Arts Major

Goals: I hope to make the absolute most of my experience, never passing up an opportunity to do something old, new, borrowed or blue. I will go out of my way to navigate the city’s inner charm and assimilate myself to the life of a Parisian cinéphile.

Motivation: Travel is something that has become one of my passions, as I have visited a multitude of countries and states. Having traveled 23 states and 12 countries, I have ventured many different parts of the world, but Paris has always been one of my favorites. When I found a program that explored Paris’s love affair with cinema, I KNEW that it was meant to be. Living in the City of Lights and becoming acquainted with the rich European culture and historical sites that others have only read about in textbooks is by far more enriching that laying by the pool all summer. Most importantly though, Paris is situated in the center of Europe, making the rest of Europe a short train ride away and my itch to explore the world more persistent than ever.

Previous overseas travel: Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, France, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Vatican and the Netherlands

CLARA NELLANS – Tianjin, China

Vitals: Junior intending to major in Chinese, International Business, and Marketing

Goals: Though I have been to China before, I have never traveled internationally without my family. This summer I will be traveling and living on my own, marking the point of my true independence as an adult. Studying abroad will not only allow me to increase my knowledge of a language and culture that are important to my life, but also allow me the opportunity to embark on the path to my future life goals.

Motivation: I have been studying Mandarin Chinese for the past two years and have set a personal goal to one day become a fluent speaker. By studying abroad this summer in China, I hope to increase my speaking abilities and fully experience the Chinese way of life.

Previous Overseas Travel: China, Portugal

AMY O’REILLY – London, England Internship

Vitals: Junior majoring in Strategic Communication and English

Goals: When I travel, I want to be completely immersed in the culture around me. I hope not only to see the famous sights and beauty that the UK offers, but also to live in the day-to-day experience of the British people. By living in a London flat and interning in a British office, I hope to gain that perspective while seeing everything I can and meeting some amazing people!

Motivation: I’ve always loved traveling and wanted to study abroad for as long as I can remember. London is a city that I’ve read about for most of my life, in history and in literature, and still manages to be one of the most influential and fast-paced cities in the world. Visiting on a whim a few years ago only made me want to see more. And here I go!

Previous overseas travel: Some Caribbean islands, Germany, England, France

JENNIFER RENZAS – Turks & Caicos

Vitals: Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Environmental Studies certificate

Goals: The program in Turks and Caicos is focused on the protection of marine life in a fishing based community. The experience works to provide the students with not only a better understanding of the need to preserve coral reef marine ecosystems, but also by aiding the small fishing community in finding a balance between using marine life as an economic support and preserving it for future generations. Learning how to snorkel, identify organisms within this ecosystem, and possibly returning home with a nice tan are some of my goals. However, in addition to these goals I hope to gain a better understand of the implications our research will have on the local community. Finding a balance between preservation of this marine ecosystem and maintaining the local economy will be essential in understanding the importance of human-nature relationships within real life.

Motivation: Growing up in southern California the ocean has always played an essential role in my life and my choices. Whether it was tanning on the beach, paddle boarding, sailing, organizing beach clean-ups, or educating the public about the importance of marine life I could always be found at the ocean. This essential aspect of my childhood and teen years has driven my desire to be a marine biologist. I hope to be an influential part in preserving the environment while also purposing realistic solutions to our current environmental pressures. Traveling to Turks and Caicos will provide me with a great insight into the field of marine biology and how their work can influence the surrounding communities.

Previous overseas travel: Canada (when I was a baby so I guess that does not count) France, Ireland, and England

CAELIN ROSS – Dublin, Ireland

Vitals:Major: Theatre & Drama, Minor: Creative Writing

Goals: I would like to better understand Irish theatre and literature, specifically in its global influence on contemporary performance and writing. Developing greater confidence and personal independence, along with fostering a deeper awareness for another culture are also major goals.

Motivation: I have always been interested in Ireland, specifically because of its rich culture in writing. With my interest in studying the way that language forms a nation’s culture, Ireland seemed the perfect choice to better enhance this understanding. Some of my favorite writers have their roots in Irish culture, including James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett. Ireland also has the third oldest literature in Europe (after Greek and Latin!), and has had tremendous influence through its strong oral tradition of legends and poetry. With the sense of wonder in the face of nature, absurdist narrative, and the musicality in much of Irish writing, it’s no wonder Ireland is renowned for its authors, playwrights and poets. The natural beauty of the country, the warmth of its people and my own Irish heritage were also key reasons for studying in Ireland, as well.

Previous overseas travel: Canada and France!

KRISTINA ROZENBERGS – Oslo, Norway

Vitals: Junior, Journalism and Strategic Communications Major, Art History Major

Goals: I am looking forward to visiting an area of the world that I have never traveled to before and to experience the place where my great-great grandparents lived.

Motivation: I knew that studying abroad would play an integral part in my college education, but it has been very difficult for me o find time to do it with three majors. As I began to look ahead to my final semesters at UW-Madison, I knew that this summer was going to be the last chance for me to live out my dream of studying abroad. I love experiencing different cultures and I knew that Norway could offer an experience that I not yet been able to explore.

Previous overseas travel: Mexico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, France and Switzerland.

ALISON SCHARMAN – Pune, India Internship

Vitals: Majors- Political Science, and Communication Arts; Rhetoric and Communication Science; Certificate in South Asian Studies

Goals: My main goal is to grow as a person and hopefully decide on a future career path. Being in an internship program will give me great insight into a potential career. I don’t know what the internship is until I get to India but I am excited to find out because I know that I will learn more about myself from whatever experience I am given.

Motivation: My main motivation for going abroad is that I am excited to live in India. I have been taking courses relating to India throughout my academic studies here at Wisconsin and I am incredibly excited to experience the culture of India first hand. I also wanted to take advantage of study abroad because of feedback I have gotten from peers about study abroad. Those that have studied abroad claim that it is one of their most valuable experiences in college and those that have not regret it. I want to take advantage of this opportunity so that I have no regrets when I graduate.

Previous overseas travel: Canada, the Bahamas, Switzerland, Greece, and Turkey

KRISTINA THOMSON – China History

Vitals: Chinese and East Asian Studies major

Goals: To add a facet to my understanding of the Chinese culture that cannot be obtained in the classroom. To interact and better understand the lives of the Chinese people and the Chinese language, and hopefully gain some insight into a different way of thinking. I am going to fully appreciate and take advantage of every lecture, tour, meal, and free evening to do so.

Motivation: As a 4th year student with a Chinese major, it is about time that I actually made my way over there! My love of China started when I was in elementary school and would watch Mulan every. single. day. after I got home from school with a huge bowl of popcorn. Since then I have cut down on my popcorn consumption and have become more interested in modern China (and the un-Disneyized version of Chinese history). I hope to find my ideal spot in China to return to in the future to possibly teach English, or else just enjoy the culture that has been in the making for thousands of years.

Previous overseas travel: ??(none)

RACHEL WANG – Tianjin, China

Vitals: Intending to major in Linguistics, Communicative Disorders, and Psychology

Goals: I want to improve my Chinese, do the usual tourist exploring, visit the Shanghai World Expo, experience the Asian phenomenon that is karaoke, and go shopping for great deals. I would like to not get lost while doing all of these things. Also, I hope to embrace the rich culture and embark on a gastronomic adventure by trying new, unusual, and exciting dishes as well as blissfully living in ignorance by doing my best to avoid all scales.

Motivation: I want to continue my studies in Chinese after a year of doing so on campus. As an Asian-American, I hope to reconnect with my Chinese heritage and return with much better command of the language, especially in order to correspond with family and friends who don’t speak English.

Previous overseas travel: Japan, Taiwan

2 thoughts on “Summer 2010”

  1. The best part of being in a foreign country and learning new communication skills and medium of interaction is you get a closer look at the culture and somethings you could never come across being in your territory and what i’ve learnt from my experience is ‘diversity with unity ‘

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