Sweating away stresses of Japan

In his final column in print, Jimmy Viola reflects on his semester during a retreat to a hot springs spa in Hakone, Japan.

Dozens of naked Japanese men sauntered around the changing room of the hot springs spa. I gingerly removed my clothing until only my drawers remained.

“So, what are we supposed to do now?” my friend, another Temple Japan student from Philadelphia, said.

“Pretend you’re on ecstasy,” I replied.

We discarded our nervousness with our undergarments. A steam cloud rushed out and enveloped us as I slid open the door to the hot springs bath, a stretch limousine of a Jacuzzi warmed by the geothermic heat.

After lathering up for a pre-rinse, I slumped into the hot springs pool, and the mineral-rich waters melted any remains of tension over approaching final examinations and my imminent departure from Japan.

As the outdoor hot spring bath began to affect my body the same way boiling water does instant ramen, I stepped out to absorb the rustic ambience of the pink-and-orange velvet sky fading into dusk, until I shivered again.

I had retreated with hundreds of locals for a Japanese-style Onsen – or hot springs – therapy at Hakone, a resort city sprawled over the mountains with a view of Fuji and the autumn leaves, bursting colors like fireworks. Indulging in the hot springs was the silk ribbon tied around the curiously wrapped gift box containing my adventures in Hakone that day.

Upon arriving at the train station and wading through pools of Japanese people who seemed even more confused than the two Americans who could only understand enough Japanese to order food and apologize, we wandered into a bamboo forest on a steep mountain trail.

Bamboo pillars the size of buildings hung above, forming a ceiling over the trail and casting a green shadow over the floor’s unstable mulch of wood splinters – as if the bamboo had suddenly shot up beneath a forest of pine trees and gingkoes, reducing them to smithereens.

Buckwheat soba noodles served in brown meat sauce with shitake mushrooms and creamy tofu skin, followed by hand-churned vanilla ice cream sweetened with local honey sustained me for the day.

But as calming to the nerves as Hakone was, my limp body swayed to the concussive force of amplified bass later that night at a music festival in Chiba City. I am racing like a bullet train on a collision course with the end of my semester in Japan, so passing on memorable outings is no longer an option, no matter the toll on my sleep schedule.

The last few weeks have been a marathon of cramming for Japanese finals and printing out final essays 15 minutes before class on two hours of sleep. But I’ve hurried to my favorite haunts – having a final round of drinks at the shoebox-sized Golden Gai bars; paying the monk at Ueno park to write Beatles lyrics in Chinese calligraphy for my friends; shopping for wood-carved demon masks in Asakusa; crashing at the love hotels in Ueno just to catch an early train to Nikko the next day for hiking and hot springs; and grabbing fresh sushi at 5 a.m. at Tsukiji fish market.

When I board my plane back to the U.S. at Narita airport next week, the only parts of me I want to leave behind are my footprints.

Jimmy Viola can be reached at jimmy.viola@temple.edu.

Having fun and staying sane

Libby Peck offers tips on going abroad in her last column from Rome.

I’m going to be honest. There is no possible way for me to encompass my semester abroad in a 900-word column. So, to quote the proverbial tool, John Mayer, “Maybe I will tell you all about it when I’m in the mood to lose my way with words.” Or, when I’m in the mood to write a novel.

Sometimes the easiest way to organize ideas is in a list so, in a very abbreviated form, here’s what I can tell you about going abroad:

Listen to advice.
Yeah, I guess this would include the advice you’re reading, but mostly I mean the advice of pre-departure materials. “Pack light,” “the residence gets cold at night” and “we advise you only take four classes while abroad” are all phrases I wish I had highlighted, bolded and italicized before I packed my life up for a semester: I haven’t worn half the clothes I brought, I’ve consistently worn my robe and slippers to bed for warmth, and I’ve been stressed beyond measure with the amount of work I’ve had due in the past month. Time travel, anyone?

Know the basics
Before you go to any foreign country, I thought it was common sense to know key communicative words in the native language. For example, I leave for Paris in a few hours, and I know “bonjour,” “au revoir,” “merci,” “oui” and “non.” Not exactly native, but I think I’ll get by.

However, when one of my friends came to visit from London, she complained because no one spoke English and she knew no Italian — not even “ciao.” Although sometimes we can communicate perfectly fine with gestures, never underestimate the power of language.

Keep an open mind about everything
Rome — and Italy in general — is absolutely nothing like America. It’s kind of jarring when you have to avoid stepping in dog poop on the street (who knew dogs would poop on a sidewalk?), are unable to get anything done during siesta from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and have no drunk food available in the middle of the night except at McDonald’s.

But the fact that I went through culture shock means I did, in fact, experience culture. Why would you study abroad if it would be exactly like home? I may not like the Italian way of life, but it has certainly opened my eyes to a way of living I would never have experienced otherwise.
Be responsible

You’re in a foreign country with a visa. If you do something bad at the wrong place at the wrong time, you could easily get shipped back to where you came from. Stay sane enough to realize that getting a ride home from a wine festival (curse you, Merino) with a complete stranger is probably a bad idea, as is kicking a local’s butt in your apartment complex’s courtyard.

Just because you’re abroad doesn’t mean you get to be stupid.

Have fun
I mean, I guess when I wasn’t stuck in the library, classroom or darkroom, I was able to go out and have some adventure in Roma. I’ve managed to meet an Australian UFC fighter, have individual roses purchased for me, jump off a 35-foot cliff into the Mediterranean Sea, stroll through St. Peter’s Square like it’s my backyard, see the Eiffel Tower on Thanksgiving Day and drink beer in the land of beers. The things I remember most vividly are the things I wouldn’t be able to do at home, and at the end of it all, that’s the real reason we study abroad – to experience, to live.

I would be lying if I said this semester was easy for me, but I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t have the experience of a lifetime along the way. There were days when I was an emotional wreck, as expected; reckless about my safety; wrecked on a night bus for two hours at the edge of the city; and wrecked for nights upon nights with new friends.

But now that it’s said and done, I was wrecked in Rome, and as I predicted at the beginning at the semester, much worse could’ve happened.

Libby Peck can be reached at elizabeth.peck@temple.edu.

Brighton beaches provide a ‘London-by-the-sea’ getaway

Columnist Natasha Shapiro left the hustle and bustle of London city for a vacation on the Brighton Pier, where she also visited the Royal Pavilion.

Living in London is like living in New York City – the energy and nonstop activity is completely overwhelming. There’s a never-ending flow of things to do and places to go. Though I enjoy being swept up in the liveliness of one of the world’s greatest cities, the constant excitement sometimes becomes exhausting.

Brighton, located approximately two hours south of London, is a seaside “town” where Londoners have vacationed for generations. I say “town,” because it actually feels more like a calm, quaint city, which could be why it’s sometimes referred to as “London-by-the-sea.” People frequently trade in the bustle of London for the peacefulness of the seaside, and for a day, I decided to do the same.

I spent the morning at the Brighton Pier, enjoying the ocean breeze and crisp autumn air. Despite the chilling weather, people wandered everywhere, and the pier was alive with the sounds of children playing and the smell of hot crepes and doughnuts. The gray overcast sky added an elusive charm to the atmosphere’s mood.

I then visited the Royal Pavilion, home to the former Prince Regent, who later became King George IV. The more money and power he was granted in his life, the more extravagant his palace became. By the end of his life, the Pavilion resembled India’s Taj Mahal, and the inside was infamous for its ornate Oriental décor.

Walking through the Royal Pavilion was completely different from touring Buckingham Palace. Though the Queen’s Palace is incredibly luxurious, it’s decorated in the exact manner one would expect. The Prince Regent succeeded in turning his Pavilion into another world, creating a fascinating juxtaposition against the seaside town.

Upon leaving the Pavilion, I discovered the sky had somehow managed to clear. I headed back toward the beach in time to witness a beautiful sunset. Lasting almost an hour, it tie-dyed the sky with various pinks and purples, casting a soft light onto the beach and buildings.

Though I had wanted a change of scenery, I was not expecting the day to provide such an extraordinary sense of calm. Watching the sun set over the ocean, I realized that though I love every aspect of living in London, it was nice to sit back, relax and breathe a little easier.

Natasha Shapiro can be reached at natasha.shapiro001@temple.edu‘.

Returning home from travels a shock

Leaving life abroad isn’t easy when homebound students are hit with a wave of reverse culture shock.

You can find them in Tanzania and Turkey, the Czech Republic and China. They hail from the United States in almost every continent worldwide. From late 2006 to early 2007, there were approximately 250,000 of them deployed around the globe.

But they aren’t diplomats or military personnel or employees of multinational corporations or international institutions. They are students studying abroad.

Many students go overseas in search of culturally enriching experiences, but there is little discussion on what life is like after they return.

I studied abroad in Rome during the Fall 2006 and Fall 2007 semesters. I thought the culture shock – what Princeton University’s WordNet describes as “a condition of disorientation affecting someone who is suddenly exposed to an unfamiliar culture or way of life or set of attitudes” – from my abrupt foreign immersion would be intense.

What I endured, though, was an even more oddly vexing phenomenon: reverse culture shock.
While things in Rome were different than what I was accustomed to, the sight of water closet signs where the words “Restrooms” should’ve been written was hardly emotionally jarring.

After spending four months in a city where everyone is thin, fit and so well-dressed even a trip to the grocery store necessitates a pair of well-fitting jeans, trendy T-shirt and aviator sunglasses, watching the burly, unkempt masses squeeze in some last minute shopping in a Philadelphia mall was far more disturbing.

It wasn’t the lack of salad dressing choices or eating a daily breakfast of a cappuccino and flaky “cornetti” pastries in Rome and the ten other European countries I traveled to that garnered that powerfully uncomfortable moment of “disorientation” – it was returning home.

Middlebury College has dedicated an entire page to coping with “re-entry,” or “the often unexpected and sometimes difficult experience of re-adjusting to life in one’s home culture after living abroad … [and a] degree of stress upon returning home.”

Some people, however, never quite get used to being home.

Call it wanderlust or the travel bug, but the thrill and uncertainty of complete cultural immersion gives travelers an immense desire to leave the U.S. again, to find a new country, a new experience. Maybe it boils down to the humbling realization that we are truly part of the world community, but returning travelers begin making decisions for their future on the basis of travel, whether they will have the chance to go overseas once again or not.

Proof of this notion is not hard to find. Just look at my Skype contacts; I could press a single button and be connected to my friend Kate in Yantai, China, Giuliana and Cortney in Seoul, South Korea, Adam in Milan, and Katie in Barcelona – all alumni of Temple Rome or the American University of Rome, none of whom are quite ready to settle back down in the U.S.

My good friend Jackie Black, a Temple Rome alumna and recent graduate of Kutztown University, is leaving for Cambridge, England later this month “indefinitely.”

“Rome definitely changed my view of what I want to do with my life,” she said. “Exploring Europe made me realize my passion for travel, and I will hopefully make the passion into a career.”

So take heed, potential study abroad students: Four short months in another country will have serious implications on the rest of your life. I often find myself referring to a poignant quote by St. Augustine of Hippo to adequately convey this notion.

“The world is a book,” he said, “and those who do not travel read only one page.”

Chase Miller can be reached at chase.miller@temple.edu.

Rome lacks familiarity of Philadelphia

Quirks of Main Campus that may often go unnoticed can be cause for homesickness while abroad.

I’ve been a student at Temple for more than two years now, and I’d like to think that I have a pretty good lay of the land.

I don’t get lost in Anderson anymore, I know the places to avoid at the Student Center, and I always manage to find a computer at the TECH Center during finals week. I have best friends, people I know through my major and people I know through random clubs and get-togethers. I feel like I have my life together back in Philadelphia.

Rome, however, is a different story. I keep forgetting that although Temple Rome is technically a part of the university, it’s not exactly the same as being in Philadelphia.

Aside from not knowing where to buy a bar of soap (no, it’s not sold at the grocery store), I don’t know which cafés are the cheapest to get an espresso from (although I usually just buy from the machine at school for 30 cents) or which pizzas will make me sick to my stomach. And compared to the amount of people I can recognize on my Main Campus, I feel like I know no one here.

OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration. I came into the program knowing about five people from school (including one incredibly embarrassing hookup, but I’ll save that story for another column). I met a group of girls in the program who were on the same flight as me, and now that classes have been in session for two weeks, I’ve become ballsy enough to talk to my fellow pupils. But it’s really not the same.

Basically, I feel like a freshman again. And I hate it. The concept of having to start my college experience from scratch is something I don’t want to have to accept – I’m more than content with my life the way it is.

I’m not the type of person who can waltz up to a group of strangers and strike up a conversation. Even something as simple as “Hey, I’m Libby. Who are you, and what’s your major?” seems horribly awkward to me, so I just end up standing on the fringes of a group, smiling and laughing, until I feel like I’ve gauged my audience’s humor level well enough to make a witty comment.

I usually fail. Needless to say, it takes me a while to make new friends.

It’s been difficult for me to find my niche here. There are the “Longchamp girls,” who go to Brown University and walk around in an impenetrable bubble with their matching overpriced, black nylon bags, not talking to those of us who attend a public university.

There’s also the football player who constantly wears Ralph Lauren polos and a Rolex watch, who I lovingly refer to as “Duke” – can you guess where he goes to school? And, a Temple staple, there’s the pretentious art kids who won’t look at you twice if you don’t always have a paintbrush or sketchbook in hand.

As a columnist, sorority girl and literary magazine editor, where the hell am I supposed to fit in this highly stereotypical mosaic?

I guess it’s unfair of me to be judging people like this. After all, I wouldn’t want anyone to confine me to one or all three of the aforementioned categories.

Our activities, the place we choose to go school and what we wear are the tiniest indications of the type of people we are. Judging by surface appearances tells us little to nothing about people’s true personalities – no matter how much we think we have them figured out.

Keeping an open mind not only about living in Rome, but also the people I live here with, is going to be a challenge. But it’s a challenge that I’m willing to tackle. After all, in the end, we all have at least one thing in common: We have no idea what the heck’s going to happen during the rest of this semester.

Libby Peck can be reached at elizabeth.peck@temple.edu.

Temple preps to pair with Future University in Egypt

A new overseas partnership will include all levels of study in pharmacy, dentistry and engineering.

Soon, students will have the opportunity to travel farther through the university’s newest study-abroad program.

Temple signed an agreement for an exchange of students and faculty with Future University in Egypt. Provost Lisa Staiano-Coico and Dr. Ebada Sarhan, president of FUE, signed the agreement at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

“We will engage in training FUE students in several areas in each college,” Temple professor of medicinal chemistry Magid Abou-Gharbia said, “like in the pharmacy collaboration, we will train students in our Drug Manufacturing GMP facility and in clinical pharmacy.”

The agreement includes contact persons for each university.

“The deans of the involved Temple colleges [will be] working with their FUE counterparts,” Abou-Gharbia said.

Abou-Gharbia is the associate dean for research and director of the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research at Temple’s School of Pharmacy. He was named Temple’s contact person.

FUE named its General Secretary Taha Shaban its contact person.

FUE administrators first approached Abou-Gharbia to talk about the idea of an agreement between Temple and FUE while he was giving a lecture on drug discovery there. The chairman of the board of trustees, Khaled Azazy, wanted to pursue the idea of collaboration between the two universities.

The collaboration will include an exchange of undergraduate, graduate and professional students and faculty from Temple’s School of Pharmacy, Engineering and Dentistry.

But pharmacy, engineering and dentistry students eager to explore Egypt won’t have too long to wait. Abou-Gharbia said he expects to see the exchange begin as early as this December.

“We will expect [to see the exchange of students and faculty] in December and in the summer,” he said, “when Temple faculty will be [engaged] in giving condensed lectures at FUE.”

FUE is located in New Cairo, a suburb lying about 20 miles outside Cairo.

New Cairo is home to other universities like the American University in Cairo and German University in Cairo.

U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey hosted the signing ceremony at the Embassy in Cairo. The ambassador praised Temple’s decision to recognize the opportunity for its students.

“There is no other country in the Muslim world and Arab world with an older tradition of learning and respect for education than Egypt,” she said.

“This first phase of the agreement is with three colleges and is regarded just as a start,” Abou-Gharbia said, “and it will be expanded to [students from the] College of Liberal Arts’ Middle Eastern studies, business and computer and information technology.”

Valerie Rubinsky can be reached at valerie.rubinsky@temple.edu.

Love columnist trades light beer for Italian merlot

In the debut of her spin-off column, Libby Peck delves into the pros and cons of being wrecked in Rome.

I’m jet-lagged, slightly hung over and sweating my metaphoric balls off. My shins are covered in swollen mosquito bites, and my feet are beginning to blister. My bedspread is the ugliest pink embroidered piece of potato sack I’ve ever seen, and my bed is smaller than twin-sized.

Regardless, I’m completely ecstatic.

Why? Because I’m jet-lagged from flying from Philadelphia to London to Rome, hung over from drinking the Italian equivalent of Bud Light and sweaty from walking under the Roman sun. My shins are swollen from Italian mosquitoes, and my feet are blistered from walking back and forth on cobblestone streets over the Tiber River.

As for my sleeping arrangement? Well, I’m probably not going to be sleeping much anyway.

Spending a semester of college abroad was a decision I made a long time ago – probably around the same time I decided America was kind of overrated.

But it took a spring break trip around Europe my junior year of high school to figure out, regardless of the language barrier, Italy was where I wanted to go. The history, the art, the food, the clothes, the wine – to me, Italy has it all.

Of course, pulling out of my driveway en route to the Philadelphia International Airport was when it all finally hit me: I would be living in this foreign place, forced to adapt to customs and laws that are completely strange, with no chance of escape back to the familiar until the end of the semester. I am, in a sense, shipwrecked here.

I’m not going to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents, nor will I be able to celebrate my milestone 21st birthday with my best friends. I can’t cuddle with my dog on weekend visits home after a particularly stressful week at school, and I’m not going to be able to make a pot of Sunday night coffee for my roommates while we stay up until ungodly hours to start and finish homework.

I was quiet on the hour-and-a-half drive, trying to hold back my tears and not think about just what I was getting myself into. Realizing that I was more scared and nervous than excited about my trip horrified me. Had I waited 10 years and spent thousands of dollars just to chicken out at the last minute?

It took five and a half hours flying over the Atlantic with the Penn State student in front of me completely reclined – another reason to hate them – and the young Jamaican boy next to me attempting to fall asleep on my shoulder for me to see the sun rise over London.

It was at that moment, seeing the chiffon blue and purple sky coating the shimmering city lights below, that I decided I needed to reason with myself.

Although I might be ‘wrecked overseas, although I may spend my nights getting wrecked on wine, although I might find myself an emotional wreck in times of weakness, the reality is that I’m wrecked in Rome. And, if we’re being honest with ourselves, this really isn’t a bad place to be wrecked, now is it?

Now that I’ve been here for a few days, my nervousness has been replaced by sheer awe. Of course, I’m expecting to have some trouble finding buses and asking a grocer for fresh basil – not to mention miss my friends and parents desperately. But last night I took a walk with a few friends, old and new, to the Vatican and was reminded all over again of why I wanted to do this in the first place.

Throughout this semester, I’ll be sharing with you my trials and tribulations of being an American girl abroad. I’m expecting the highest highs and lowest lows and can’t wait to write about it all, so those of you who are stuck in North Philadelphia will get at least a little taste of Italian adventure.

Here’s to a semester of the unexpected and interesting – and good reading material. Ciao!

Libby Peck can be reached at elizabeth.peck@temple.edu.

Depressed economy looms over students going abroad

Where in the world are Temple Owls?

Each year, more than 1,000 students get their passports stamped and head to all corners of the world to study abroad. With the current recession, studying abroad might become out of reach for some.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, 1,024 students chose to study abroad, a 12 percent increase from the previous year. Over the past five years, the number of students who chose to book their trips around the globe doubled.

Denise Connerty, assistant vice president of the Office of International Affairs, said some credit can be given to President Ann Weaver Hart, who helped students recognize the importance of studying abroad.

“International experience is an important asset to résumés. It shows that those students show initiative and are risk takers,” Connerty said.

Temple students have the option to travel anywhere in the world. The most popular Temple-sponsored destinations are in the United Kingdom, Rome. Students also study in Tokyo.

Last year, 240 students booked their tickets to Rome, and 120 traveled to Tokyo.

With programs in some of the most expensive cities in the world, students planning to travel for the upcoming spring semester might feel the crunch of the economy.

“We always have students who withdraw for one reason or another, but no students have withdrawn for the spring yet due to money,” Connerty said.

Looking at a shorter program may not be the answer to help alleviate some financial pain. Those who plan on going abroad for summer programs may spend more for travel arrangements.

Connerty said it may not be cost effective to fly to another country for a short period.

Erika Studer, a junior Spanish and secondary education major, said she plans to travel to the University of Oviedo in Spain this spring.

Studer, who plans to become fluent in Spanish and experience a new culture while away, said the current economy has not altered any of her plans.

“Luckily, I have been saving for quite a while knowing that I really wanted to study abroad,” she said.
Connerty said cost is always an issue.

“Flights are definitely more and have ridiculous rules about luggage,” Studer said. “But since I am going with a Temple program, my tuition and housing are almost identical to what I am paying in Philadelphia.”

Those who plan to study abroad have to be willing to make an investment.

“Students should never say they aren’t going because they can’t afford it,” Connerty said. “Funding is always available.”

The Office of International Affairs provides financial assistance for those traveling abroad, along with the Diamond Ambassador Awards, financial aid and external sources.

Students should know about grants and aid that can be used to help pay for their time away.

Studer received one of the new Diamond Ambassador awards for studying abroad, which is giving her $2,000 to help with tuition and other expenses.

Those who plan to journey around the world can also look to Hart’s passport scholarship program, which issued 126 passports last year to current students as a way to help cut costs.

“It is a really unique program that helps,” Connerty said about the program.

Before she goes to Spain, Studer said she intends to create a budget with the help of her parents.

“I know I am splitting my funds up for what I am allotting myself for spending and going out and what is considered traveling money,” Studer said.

As for students studying abroad in the summer, Connerty said it’s a waiting game as to how the economy plays out.

“We’ll have to wait to see what happens in the summer.”

Matthew D. Wargo can be reached at mdwargo@temple.edu.

Studying abroad tests students’ patience

“My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of…”

Well, a little bit of everything.

America, the greatest nation in the world, the leader of democracy, the beacon of hope. America, full of hypocrisy, promoter of consumerism and a rising gap between the rich and poor.

The metaphor of America as a cultural stew of different ideas is a fairly decent description of the country we live in. It doesn’t take reading a history book to understand this, so put it down, glance up and take a look around campus.

Sure, Temple’s diversity has been turned into a clichéd advertising tool, but its unique melting pot status is an indicator of a major university in an American city. The way of life in this country, from the Walmart moms to the jet-setting CEOs, is fascinating to examine.

Now, take it one step further and scrutinize American culture while eating a frozen treat from an Italian gelateria. Explore our politics with pubmates in London.

By means of studying abroad, the average Temple student does not only delve into a completely different culture but is able to reinterpret his or her own.

Studying abroad is no longer just for the typical honeymooning couple, the Lost Generation philosopher or the rich Hollywood celebrity. Temple makes it easy for students to study abroad for a summer program, a semester or even a year-long stay.

The toughest decision is whether this is the right time to do it. But with maturity and no full-time job commitments, this could be the best time to take advantage of living in another country.

Junior journalism major Ryan Judge has been living out his dream in London since September.

“I’m currently living in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea,” Judge said. “It is a very hoighty-toighty area that is not too far from High Street, the sort of posh ‘Fifth Avenue’ of London,” Judge said.
Students interested in studying in England or Ireland have a few different options based on their majors.

The School of Communications and Theater offers a semester-long program in London and Dublin. The Fox School of Business has a program at the University College Dublin’s Quinn School of Business.
But if none of these programs seem suitable, a student can register for a non-Temple program.

For the Spring 2009 semester, Rachel Donahoe, a junior history and English major, decided to study at Regent’s College in London, which offers American degrees to its students.

“It has a wide range of majors, and a main reason I chose this program was because it offered a wider and better range of courses than the other study abroad programs I considered,” Donahoe said. “Being a junior who hopes to graduate on time, I need to be able to take the courses I need for my majors.”
After choosing the right program, students interested in studying abroad must be organized and open-minded, both in a new country and at home.

“Living in London has many advantages,” Judge said. “The whole idea of a public house as a place to drink rather than a dingy dive or smoke-filled bar makes the social aspect of drinking and relaxing more palatable. But while being drunk is just as much of a pastime here as it is in the U.S., it is still noticeably frowned upon.”

With all of the sight-seeing exploration and adjustment, being in a perpetual hangover might not be the best way to take in London attractions. Before her departure in January, Donahoe is ecstatic about a semester abroad.

“Learning a new area and traveling are what I’m most looking forward to,” she said. “I’m looking forward to experiencing life outside the United States because I’ve always been fascinated by world cultures and politics, but I’ve never actually had the chance to go overseas before. This is my chance.”

With the eagerness of leaving for the land of tea and crumpets also comes the unavoidable feeling of homesickness.

“I think adjusting everyday parts of my life, such as accounting for the time difference when calling my family or finding a new place to buy every day necessities, will be the most difficult,” Donahoe said. “And it’ll be strange missing the second half of my junior year and not attending school here for a whole semester.”

Leaving the home country behind and studying abroad gives way to a feeling of “culture shock” that may initially leave an American feeling overwhelmed and out of touch with a new lifestyle.

Judge, having spent enough time in London, knows what the adjustment is like.

“The bottom line is that London is very much a globalized city with many diverse cultures and people,” he said. “True, there are large parts that are distinctly ‘British,’ but there is a large portion that is just as convoluted and muddled, without a linear form, as New York City as well as Philadelphia. There are myriad sections and places to see, and you could spend a few years here and not see it all.”

Homesickness will likely occur during a study abroad stay in some form, whether it is missing friends or family or just something trivial like wanting some ketchup on french fries.

An extended experience abroad tests a student’s patience and determination, but the end always justifies the means. If financial difficulties seem like a hindrance, there are always opportunities for scholarships and increased financial aid from Temple.

Before deciding on her study abroad program, Donahoe carefully weighed her options.

“Fight for every scholarship you can get, and don’t get let difficulties get in your way,” she said. “One thing I’ve learned is that it takes a lot of determination to do everything that’s necessary for studying abroad and even more if you’re doing a non-Temple program. 

“However, some program providers offer their own scholarships, and Temple offers some great scholarships.”

Donahoe said interested students should thoroughly research programs in order to determine the best option.

“Some programs offer planned excursion trips, some expect you to make your own travel arrangements,” she said. “Some include meal plans. Others expect you to make your own food. Know what you’re getting into.”

The International Programs office is here to help, so stop by during the week to learn more information.
Judge has a dose of optimism for those still on the fence about whether or not to study abroad.

“If you have the drive and the means, or even if you don’t entirely have the means to study abroad, do it,” he said. “A person really gets a sense of himself and his relation to the world once he actually steps out and sees the rest of the world.”

Mark Newman can be reached at marknewman@temple.edu.

Relocated Reporting: Leaving and arriving

Without leaving the Pennsylvania state line, less than 24 hours before I make my way to gate A11 at the Philadelphia International Airport, everything is in abstracts and unnecessary weight. “Unnecessary,” is practically the theme of waiting for something that will actively change your life. So, I continue to look at my life like a movie.

Every moment spent becomes “the last time,”…for three and some months. Normal hangouts become ‘the last time,’ playing video games online becomes ‘the last time.’ It feels like the very last Phillies season at Veterans Stadium. Suddenly, the last night game ever becomes special. Because it’s the last time they’ll ever turn those lights on. But it’s really just another game in a run down stadium and…who won that game, again?

You can’t fight sentimental feelings. I’m not going to see my best friends for a semester, and as a senior, I’m thrown back into being a freshman – unaware of the boundaries and comforts of my new environment.

So, I’m throwing on the kind of music that’s supposed to change my life, making soundtracks for the airplane ride over, writing music, and getting all philosophical over myself. It really is like that tweener time between high school and college. Without the hopes that I’ll find some girl who will *really* like me for who I am.

This unnecessary preparation is a way of creating cautiously led ideals that will probably work as well as the dollar in London. About half as well. Those sentiments still feel wonderful, being completely inspired by something I have absolutely no first-hand experience with. And it’s the kind of thing each of us could only hope for. So, study abroad for the anticipation, if not the experience.

I’ve already begun my work as a journalist at Temple. But this is a chance to begin, to fail, see things with an innocent perspective, and put my life into journalism. I don’t know the music scene. I don’t know how to get around. I don’t know what the food is like. I don’t know what will inspire me.

But I will not be a tourist. I’m living in London, and intend to know the small things that make it so great. Once you start living somewhere, the extravagant things aren’t what make it great. They’re as good as a block of gold in the desert.

I promise you, I’m not like Zach Braff in Garden State all the time. I’m not nearly as cute.

Relocated Reporting is a new column in which Chris Zakorchemny recounts the differences, fears and excitement of his new life upon moving to London to study for a semester. He can be reached at chris.zak@temple.edu.