Hope Abroad: Student Perspective

In conjunction with the April 2008 News from Hope College cover story on international and multicultural education, the office of international education asked Hope students studying abroad to share images from their experiences. The response was generous—some 49 photos from 25 students, along with the students’ reflections on the photos that they were providing and the events they depicted. From east to west and north to south, they cover the world. We’ve edited their observations only very lightly--the better, we thought, to convey what time abroad can mean to those who experience it.

Here are the students who have provided insights and reflections:

Lauren Berka
Luke Boote
Christopher “Bo” Buckley
Tarin Coulas
Derek Duncan
Yuliya Ganenko
Dan Guy
Becky Hughes
Edleda James
Claudia Klimkowski
Karie Luidens
Katherine Madison
Erin McCarthy
Melinda H. McCormack
Andrew Mead
Shane Pageau
Christine Pattison
Lani Pickard
Katie Ross
Mackenzie Snyder
Kyle W. Stufflebam
Chelsea Vandlen
Sarah VanZanten
Sarah Williams
Callie Wulf





I studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the spring 2007 semester. The picture was taken in Bariloche, Argentina - in the southwest part of the country, close to the border with Chile and in the mountains. I traveled there in July and it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life...and I never thought that I would get to see snow in July!

Lauren Berka; senior, Brookfield, Wis.





The picture was taken on Fraser Island in Australia and I chose it just because it shows me on some of my travels around the country while I was there and the opportunities I had to see new things.

Luke Boote; senior, Deerfield, Ill.

I studied abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. The first photo was taken during a skydive I did in Taupo, NZ. I selected this photo because it represents New Zealand in the fact that it is known as the extreme sports capital of the world. The second photo was taken in Queenstown, NZ. I selected this photo because you can see some of the amazing views that New Zealand has to offer from this shot as well as more extreme sports that NZ has to offer.

Christopher “Bo” Buckley; senior, Caro, Mich.

Victoria University of Wellington
Wellington, New Zealand

Photo One:
South Island, NZ - Highway between Milford Sound and Te Anau
I chose this photo because I think it does a very good job of summing up Kiwi lifestyle- it is so laid back- you don't get stuck in traffic jams, but rather sheep jams. We ended up having to wait for about 45 minutes to let all of the sheep come through! It was an experience!!
[Note: Tarin's "Sheep Traffic Jam" photo is an award -winner. It earned first place from among more than 350 submissions in the 2008 Alumni Photo Contest sponsored by the AustraLearn study-abroad program.]

Photo Two:
The Emerald Lakes @ Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand
The Tongarriro Crossing is the most amazing place ever. It is an 8-hour day hike, often referred to as the "Best day hike in the world." It takes you through a volcano, past the Mt. Ngauruhoe (Mt. Doom from The Lord of the Rings), and down by the Emerald Lakes, a trio of turquoise sulfur lakes.

Photo Three:
The Emerald Lakes @ Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand
The Tongarriro Crossing again and me!

Tarin Coulas; senior, Lansing, Mich.

I studied at IES Nantes for Fall 2007.

The first picture is of the Chateau of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley in France on an IES weekend trip, so it was included in my study-abroad program. I chose it because it is an amazing chateau and a sight you cannot see unless you go abroad.

The second picture is of a grave in the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy. I took my own solo weekend trip there in late October, and I chose it for two reasons. First, it was an incredibly powerful place and secondly, I learned more about being an American by studying abroad for a semester than I could in all four college years in the States.

Derek Duncan; senior, Morrow, Ohio

Here are a couple of pictures that I selected from my Italy semester along with some info:

Yuliya Ganenko, studied abroad in Rome in the Spring 2007.

Picture #1: It was taken in a beautiful little town of Cortona that is on the edge of two provinces in Italy - Tuscany and Umbria. It is the city where the author of "Under the Tuscan Sun" lives. Italy was a lot about seeing beautiful places for me, beautiful nature in this case. I think this picture portrays that perfectly.

Picture #2: It was taken inside the Colosseum in Rome. Since I studied in Rome, it gave me so many great opportunities to visit ancient and historical places, including the Colosseum. The history of that city is fantastic, and even after living there for 4.5 months, I still haven’t seen even a tiniest part of it!

Yuliya Ganenko; junior, Holland, Mich.





I studied in Sevilla, Spain. The first picture is me riding a camel in Morocco. Being so close to Africa, many of us had the opportunity to go there. And it was such a great experience. The second is of me in Lagos, Portugal. The most western city in Europe, where they thought the world ended before Columbus. Another really great city!

Dan Guy; junior, Kalkaska, Mich.

The first one is a picture was taken of me in Granada, which is where I studied. The building in the background is la Alhambra, one of the most amazing feats of architecture that I have ever seen and the jewel of the city. The second picture is a picture of me riding a camel on a beach in Morocco. I chose this one because the Morocco trip was one of the most amazing experiences I had while I was abroad. I had never been to a Muslim country before, let alone to Africa.

Becky Hughes; senior, Paw Paw, Mich.

I studied through SIT Chile: Culture, Development, and Social Justice. Photos were taken at Restaurant: Jota Cruz. I chose it because it depicts part of Valparaíso’s culture, a culture specific only to that town. Chorrillana is a well known dish, but not in all of Chile and so I chose those pictures to highlight the rich culture of Valparaíso, Chile...

Edleda James; junior, Nashville, Tenn.

Off campus study: Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakatashi, Japan

1st attached picture: This was taken in Kobe, Japan, my absolute favorite city in the entire world. I was in the middle of Chinatown, eating some delicious pineapple. Kobe, some say, is kind of like the San Francisco of Japan, being very international as well being located right on the water. I loved taking the train from Hirakatashi (where my school was) on the weekends to just hang out in Kobe.

2nd attached picture: This picture was taken near Lake Biwa in Otsu, Japan. I have several relatives still living in Japan, and this weekend I got the chance to participate in a hoji ceremony for my mother's cousin. Hoji, in the Buddhist tradition, is like a remembrance ceremony for family members that have died. I was invited to participate and after the home ceremony, we visited the grave. In this photo, my mother's cousin's children are helping to clean the grave before incense is offered. This was an incredible experience to be a part of!

Claudia Klimkowski; senior, Carmel, Ind.

Here are a couple photos from when I studied abroad spring 2007 in Rennes, France. The first two were taken in Rennes and show some interaction with the traditional dress/dance of Bretagne (Brittany); the third is obviously in Paris! I think they each show part of the unique hands-on experience you get when you visit another country.

Karie Luidens; junior, Altamont, N.Y.





I studied for a year in Scotland, and this photo was taken towards the top of Ben Nevis. A group of us climbed this mountain one weekend and it took us 6 hours round trip. I chose this photo because it was the first mountain I have ever climbed and it was such a huge accomplishment.

The second photo is of my football team (soccer). I played for the University of Aberdeen as well as in a Sunday league with many of the same girls and took first in the third division of the Scotland Woman's Football league. I spent so much time with these girls and all of them became my best friends. This photo means the world to me!

Katherine Madison; senior, Charlevoix, Mich.

1. Me with the Vatican in the background

2. Me, my roomie Alex, and our Italian roomie Alessia, on White Night in Rome. White Night was a huge party basically; they had all the museums and monuments open for free and they have entertainment and such things. We are in front of the Circus Maximus (where they used to have chariot races), and for that night they had thousands of these ball lights and it looked amazing.

3. Me, Katie Ross, and Katie O'Connell all met up in Barcelona for Thanksgiving Weekend. In this picture we are on the roof of Gaudi's Casa Mila.

4. Me and Katie Ross in front of the Colosseum when she came from Milan to visit!

Erin McCarthy; senior, St. Charles, Mo.

I studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina Fall '06 and Spring '07 but these pictures are of some of my travels. The first one is of me at the Iguazu Falls, Missiones and the second one is of my mother and I in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost city in the world!!

I selected the falls picture because they were absolutely breathtaking.

I selected the Ushuaia picture because I love the juxtaposition of the sea and the mountains. Plus, in the background there is a mountain formation that looks like a crocodile, and that's what they call it!

Melinda H. McCormack; senior, Rochester Hills, Mich.

Here a couple picture from studying abroad this fall (The Scotland Program, Aberdeen, Scotland):

1) Staffin, Isle of Skye, Scotland - I selected this photo because it shows two people who didn't know each other a month before the photo was taken and are now sharing a common experience with each other. Getting to know people is a big part of studying abroad. I thought that a photo of people walking down a road was appropriate because studying abroad is a journey of sorts. Also, I did lots of walking.

2) Near Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, Scotland - I selected this photo of Nate Johnson because it shows that studying abroad is a fun and freeing experience. Also, it's windy in Scotland.

Andrew Mead; junior, Orange City, Iowa





This photo of me on the Moeraki Boulders was taken in North Otago, New Zealand.

I studied at the University of Auckland during my time in New Zealand.

Shane Pageau; junior, Lombard, Ill.





Studied in Nantes, France

Photo taken at the Château d'Amboise in the Loire Valley. Photo taken by Caitlin Schrock

I chose this photo because it was taken at one of the beautiful and famous castles of the Loire Valley in France. As all of the other castles of the Loire Valley, Amboise is a reminder and a source of centuries of unique and fascinating history. The chapel of Saint-Hubert which contains the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci is visible in the background.

Christine Pattison; junior, Grandville, Mich.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

1) Punto Tumbo, Argentina
I selected this because it was so much fun traveling around the country as well as being in the city. This place was especially fun because not only did we get to see penguins, we got to walk right next to them!

2) Buenos Aires, Argentina
This picture is taken of me in front of La Casa Rosada which is the main governmental building in Argentina. It is located in Plaza de Mayo which is the central plaza in Buenos Aires. I selected it because it is an important area in Buenos Aires.

Lani Pickard; senior, Excelsior, Minn.





Picture 1:
Katie Ross, Junior (IES Milan, Italy) and
Erin McCarthy, Junior (IES Rome, Italy)
Taken in front of the Colosseum in Rome
This picture shows both the great opportunity to see historical sights first-hand, as well as the opportunity to travel to many other locations during free time. Despite studying on opposite ends of the country, Erin and I have been able to meet in a number of different locations, including Cinque Terre, Italy, Rome, Milan, and Barcelona, Spain, where we met 2 other Hope students studying in 2 different cities in Spain.

Picture 2:
Katie Ross, Junior (IES Milan, Italy)
Taken in Pisa, Italy
I picked this picture b/c it shows one of the many great world sights you get to see when you study abroad. I have seen so many things that I've learned about since I was little, and it's been amazing. I've seen Michelangelo's David, Pompeii, Venice, and even The Last Supper (I just got back from seeing it!), among others.

Katie Ross; junior, St. Louis Park, Minn.

I studied in Santiago, Chile

The first picture is a picture of me skiing at Valle Nevado in the Andes Mountains right outside of Santiago. I picked this picture because it shows the beauty of the mountains. Skiing was a lot of fun.

The second picture is taken of Cory Warner, myself and Taylor Hughes in northern Chile in the San Pedro de Atacama Desert. I picked this picture because the desert was so beautiful and Taylor, Cory (also Hope students in the same program) had a wonderful experience there.

Mackenzie Snyder; junior, Paw Paw, Mich.





A picture of me, my homestay mother, and the English conversation class I teach.

Kyle W. Stufflebam; senior, Centralia, Ill.





Here is one of the pictures from my semester in Aberdeen, Scotland!

This picture is of Jessica Schmidt, Anna Finger, and me at the Edinburgh Castle standing with a man in a kilt! I selected this photo because it is somewhat representative of a traditional Scottish stereotype (along with haggis and bagpipes).

Chelsea Vandlen; junior, Kalamazoo, Mich.

I studied in Guanajuato, Mexico, with CIEE. The first photo is of me and other people in our program playing with students in a rural village during spring break. It was an amazing way to spend part of my break. We taught an art class in a rural mountain village where they didn’t have much to do over their vacation and art isn’t offered in their schools. The kids were so awesome, playing, laughing, talking to you, and just loving to spend time with you. It was a blast. The second photo is our whole group of students at Tenotichlan. I picked this one because it shows the history and culture of Mexico at least in part and the whole group together, which is integral in the learning process.

Sarah VanZanten; junior, Hudsonville, Mich.

I spent this past semester studying at IES Paris.

The first two photos were taken in November of 2007, when several of my Hope friends came to visit me in Paris. First there's a group shot with everyone: Anna Finger (Aberdeen), Brianna Wynne (Sevilla), me, Chelsea Vandlen (Aberdeen), and Derek Duncan (Nantes), then a shot of just the girls trying to jump like the Eiffel Tower (we never reaalllly got it, but this was as close as it got). It was really great for all of us to get together and explore Paris together - because even though we were all abroad, we were still part of the Hope community. I think this weekend was one of the most fun I had all semester.

My third picture is one of me with Patrick Dupond. Now, I don't know if you all know who he is, but if you mention the name “Patrick Dupond” to any French person, they will immediately gasp and look very impressed. He was a danseur etoile and director of the Paris Opera ballet company, and more recently, my ballet teacher. One of the biggest reasons I decided to study in Paris was that I would be able to study with this dance legend. The opportunity to dance for the biggest French dancer of the 20th century was amazing, and I am so happy to have been able to take a picture with him.

Sarah Williams; junior, Indianapolis, Ind.





Here are some photos from my time abroad in Madrid, Spain. Kathryn O’Connell and I both studied here so I tried to find pictures that have both of us in them.

1st photo: Callie Wulf and Kathryn O’Connell at an ancient Roman amphitheater in Extremadura, Spain. We went to Extremadura, which is a province in western Spain near Portugal, with our study abroad group to learn about the Roman influence in Spain.

2nd photo: Callie Wulf at a Real Madrid soccer game in Madrid, Spain. Soccer is very big in Spain and Real Madrid is the best team in Spain. It was a great cultural experience

Callie Wulf; junior, Upper Arlington, Ohio