Looking Forward to a Sweet Experience in Sweden

Goals While Abroad

• Most importantly, I want to ensure that I actually get out and see the country and its people while I'm there. I have a unfortunate tendency of frequently staying inside and refraining from accomplishing anything productive, and I intend to do everything in my power to amend this while I am in Sweden.
• Ever since the wonderful time I spent in France and Italy while I was in high school, I've heavily considered moving to another country permanently. As one might surmise, Sweden is one of my prime candidates for a home, but I need to evaluate each place I consider in person before making such a drastic change.
• Despite my previous travels to Europe, I've never actually been able to experience living somewhere other than where I was born for any meaningful amount of time. My extended time in Sweden will hopefully give me some perspective on what it's like living in a foreign environment.

What I Want to Learn

• As cliche of an answer as it might be, I look forward to honing my skills at speaking a foreign language. I've spent a decent amount of time teaching myself the basics of Swedish, and I want to both test and improve my ability to use it in a genuine Swedish locale.
• I definitely want to learn more about Swedish history. I've only had a small taste so far from the readings I've done, but it was more than enough to awaken an insatiable hunger for more within me.
• Once I've returned, I hope I will have adopted an entirely new, expanded way of viewing the world. This would not only make me a more well-rounded person, but also allow me new venues of interaction with other people I didn't previously possess.

How I Will Maximize My Experience

• As previously mentioned, I intend to travel within Sweden as much as possible while I'm there, and perhaps even to other Nordic countries if circumstances allow.
• I will try my level best to accomplish all that is required of me by my instructors in a timely manner, not only to maintain/improve my grades and to be a positive representative of my own country, but to ensure I have the free time necessary to make the most of my extra-curricular experience as well.
• Finally, I will constantly compare Sweden to the United States, to determine which aspects I do and don't prefer about it.

Roses Abroad-Red In A Sea Of Black&White

The image of my studying abroad is steadily gaining Color.

My aspirations & Personal vendetta:

Among many things I hope to break through my limited scope of how the world really looks and try to widen my horizons  in terms of what I can accomplish personally with my independent mind and my strong willed perseverance. I would like to experience building new comforts zones and the joy of learning to surpass them.

• I want to learn how to navigate alone in a foreign country
• Learn more about opportunities that can be had when living in another country (internships)
• Gain perspective in how market life works into social culture.

The Feels (*.*)/:

 I am currently FREAKING out but Inside.

Everyone's starting to get placed and I'm sure I'll be the one being placed soon but Holy crap is it nerve racking.  We had our first meeting a few days ago and I can still feel the anxiety from my last meeting.

》The uncertainty is making me feel on edge, like if someone was holding me suspended from about two inches of a freezing pool of water. Yet I feel like that very fact of me freaking out is going to make everything that much sweeter in the end. 

◆My biggest fear emotionally is not feeling that anything was accomplished while abroad.  I know it's really cheesy but I'm all about fulfillment.  I have to know that what I do, or at least feel that what I do has purpose in the greater scheme of my life. 

◆After my general pre-travel anxiety has passed I'm sure a new panic will emerge when I start to examine the fact that I have to really leave the comfort of what my security in the United States means to me.

■NUMBER ONE CONCERN: FAMILY

I already live far away

It's about to go to a whole new level.

■NUMÉRO DOS: FRIENDS
Missing my peepes at home and making new homies.

Taking my experience to the max:

★To really jump into the culture I will join in to local festivities as much as possible.

☆join school clubs,  I know I'd want others to join my club at home.

★Try to not just travel around having fun but I'm going to try to leave something behind too,  I want to represent myself as more than just a school rep.

Pre-departure Study Abroad blog assignment 1

Danielle Taylor
Sept. 10, 2014
Kirsten Sheppard
OVS203

          From a young age I have wanted to travel.  My wanderlust was matched only by my adoration for the past, and it seemed only natural that I carry that thirst for knowledge over into my dreams of traveling across continents.  I wanted to be able to absorb the history of countries I visited like a sponge soaking up water, and I finally have the chance to start that process by studying abroad in Germany during the spring semester of 2015.

          First and foremost, my ultimate goal from this trip is to understand what I'm learning about.  It would be pointless to travel abroad and begin learning about a foreign country without fully comprehending the information being presented to me.  I hope to understand not only the historical context of Germany's past, but also better comprehend their cultural practices, their values, and what makes them German.  A secondary goal, though still important to me, is to gather a firmer understanding of the world around me.  I have never been out of the country, and as such I am still incredibly naive of how other countries and people operate.  Reading only can bring so much light to one's understanding of foreign regions, and the only true way to stay afloat when submerging oneself is to keep an open mind!

          So far, the real excitement has yet to settle in for me, and instead I'm truly paralyzed about being away from home for long, let alone in another country.  My pessimistic nature tends to get in the way of logos, so I have already run through a million scenarios of what could go wrong (losing my passport/money, not understanding my classes, not being able to make friends, having trouble adapting to the culture, etc.), but I'm also excited to be able to challenge myself to overcome any of these situations that might arise.

          Three things I intend to do while I'm there are have as many conversations in German as I possibly can, further my comprehension of the German language and culture, and make friends that are not only from Germany, but that are also from other countries and are just as nervous, terrified, and ready to blossom into respectful ambassadors of our schools and countries as I am.

Goals for the trip: OVS Assignment 1

Goals to accomplish:

So recently I received my acceptance letter from ISEP saying that I will be attending the university in Gissen, Germany. I'm super excited because this means that I will be in the heart of one of the biggest World War II information centers. So while I'm there, I hope that I'll be able to get some really good primary sources on the issue or, if I'm lucky, an survivor of the time or two. Frankfurt will only be a short ride away as will the capital, Berlin, so I'll be in a central location that's rich with history and information. One of my goals is to be able to work on my thesis material, or at the very least be able to get some good information and notes about my topic. Another goal I have is to be able to work on my language and communication skills. I really want to be able to understand and communicate in German since I want to live there later on in my life. Another goal would be to be able to fully immerse myself in this other culture and widen my understanding and experience with things, such as food, music, politics, issues, anything culture related, that is outside of my comfort zone. After all where's the fun in going to another place and expecting it to be exactly like home? If I wanted have everything exactly like the place I just left then I would have just stayed at home~

Pre-Trip Feelings:
Right now I'm feeling very anxious. I know the trip still isn't for several months, but there is so much I need to do and get ready before then. I'm also feeling anxious because I'm really excited about this. I received the email and I swear I was spazzing over it for at least an hour. This is my dream, and I'm just so ready to get over there. I'm starting to look into the issues and things that are going on in the area in preparation and that only furthers my excitement. Something else I'm feeling would be nervousness. I'm usually a pretty shy person, and the thought of going over to a place where I'm going to have to get out there and make the first step is causing some anxiety.

Three things I want to do:
One thing I definitely want to do is get to the more Eastern side of Germany and see how it's changed since the pictures my dad took. My adviser, Dr. Astor, has shown me some of it and talked about how colorful and great east Berlin is now so I'm just dying to see it for my own eyes.
Another thing would be to get close enough to a friend or classmate that I can practice my written German and make a pen pal. It would be a great experience, and I don't want to come back not getting close to anyone by sticking in my comfort zone.
The last of the set would be wanting to actually learn about German history. I know that we're taught some of the 'important parts' of history, but in actuality they could be just a blip or a blurb of how things actually were and are. I want to see the age and the tiny little things that have been here for hundreds of years since we're only used to things that have been around for just over 200 years. It's mind boggling to think of how young the US is as a country, and I want to see some of that old age in Germany.

I'll probably think of more things later and also change my mind at least four more times, but so far these things have been pretty true for me~ Hopefully I'll still be excited about this later on in the future!

Tranquil Thoughts and Timid Treading

Tranquil Thoughts and Timid Tread

When and ability to travel knocked on my doorstep, it was something that I would be unable to refuse, no amount of classes or f would leave me high and furious  dry or tear me from a life goal that I had-ultimately-been planning since the beginning of my conception as a young adult. Money was something that my family didn't have the luxury of as a child. So my hopes of traveling to places where people walked with cows, where people jabbered excitedly in other languages, where cultures clashed and churned effortlessly was very slim. But that didn't change my desire to stand with those people let my frame of reference get torn from my hands to open my mind for explorations untold.

Languages, cultures, people always fascinated me. It twined seamlessly into my excitement for writing and my drive to create. So when I had the ability to choose--thanks to the wonderful staff at Maryville College--the opportunities started to unfold before my eyes, beckoning with their untouched pages and waiting stories; all they needed was a writer. Excitedly scanning over the pages of the ISEP book, I had circled many of the schools and decided that all of them would be worth my time as long as I could force myself to just choose one.

It wasn't until my desire to understand Indigenous Peoples and their culture came up that it had narrowed my search down for me. Again--maybe it might be a little less them, and a lot to do with my professors and my boyfriend, but lets toy with personification shall we--I was wrought with excitement, knowing that I had two choices withing my grasp: Canada and Australia. Canada had an interesting path that I wanted to delve deeper in, and Australia was as untouched as one could come, bulging with crazy critters and dangerous dingoes.

My final decision has left me anxiously awaiting my letter of placement somewhere in Canada, my first choice being Brock University, in St. Catharines Canada while my friends jump for joy with theirs in hand. It's only a matter of time, I feel it in my bones.

I, in turn, hope with my acceptance to Brock, that I gain the opportunity to work directly in the Indigenous population, and gain insight on the Indian Residential schools that plagued the Canadian people for many hears. I hope to meet new friends and gain a respect of the Canadian culture for what it is, outside of the Maple Syrup and Tim Hortons (but really, Tim Hortons is my addiction and I don't even live there). I want to understand other government standings, and regimes other than our own by experiencing a  parliament not learning about it. I want to eat all of the Canadian cuisine and learn to prepare it for when I come home. I want to have the opportunity to be comfortable within my own language, while having the ability to find a Provence and learn French just a small drive away. I want to feel independent. I want to learn myself. I want to fly.

With this I fear somewhat about the change in school size. Going from a school that has professors that know your name, and care for you, to a school that has maybe fifty thousand students does give a different overall emotional feel to the class. I worry that this may effect how I learn, but I am confident in my desire to pull and learn from the coming experiences that those large classes. I worry that choosing a place so close to home it won't exactly feel like I am going abroad, while at the same time I have a conflicting feeling about leaving home to be so far away. The jitters of taking that big leap without knowing what is on the other side is clinging at the pit of my stomach, ready to let go as soon as I make that step.

Excitement hit me the day I realized I get to go abroad, and it hasn't left me since. My constant planning will only further that buzzing feeling and tingles in my toes. Seeing my boyfriend with more frequency will always be on that list. Denying it is denying something that is such an paramount part of my life that I would also be lying to my-self. But with my bonner background, and my desire to work within the community drives my desire become a better person while--in the best scenario--help the community that I leave as well.

While I don't know what is heading my direction, I know that somewhere inside of me a little hedgehog huffs in excitement, ready for the world to com, ready to write the story, ready to claim those pages and publish that novel of my travels; for the world to see.

Are you ready?

How Will I Make These Mountains Move? Blog 1 for OVS

Study abroad. I have been in the process of preparing for this opportunity since I decided to attend Maryville College, and yet now that the date of my departure inches closer and closer, I cannot help but to be overwhelmed by a mix of sensations. Part of me is ready to go; excited to get on a plan and not come back for months. The rest of me is cowering in terror as I realize that I am going to get on a plan and NOT COME BACK FOR MONTHS!

While this debate is ensuing in my body, I cannot help but to constantly think about the trip. I do not know where I will be going yet but that detail is almost unimportant to me. I have set my mind on the experience and the physical act of spending a semester abroad that the smaller details are ones that I know will fall into place on their own.

Every good traveler must have aspirations about their trip. Mine involve personal growth, forming lasting relationships, and learning about a city, a country, a people, and a way of life through experiencing even just a fraction of it.

It’s one thing to set these goals as I sit here in the library at Maryville College, thousands of miles and an ocean away from any of my possible locations, but it will be another for me to actively pursue these goals as I settle into a new way of life for four months.

In order to make these goals a reality, there are a few things I need to remember to be conscious of while I am abroad:

1.      Don’t stress about having every second of every day planned, go with the flow, let new experiences find me and don’t be afraid to allow for changes in my daily routine.

2.      As a follow up to the above, set some goals, make some plans for things I really want to do and see, and finally, follow through with them.

3.      Have the strength to represent myself, my country and my way of life here in a respectful and respectable manner.

I strongly believe that I can do these things and that they will have the power to make my experience the best that it can be. Each of those points will have their difficulties, but life is full of difficulties and as my girl Miley says… “It’s the Climb”.

???

     It's hard to state my exact goals for studying abroad right now, as its still unknown where I will be placed. My top two choices for next spring are the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Australia and Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland, and my experience with these two areas is completely different. Most of my family lives on the east coast of Australia, so I've stayed near and visited Toowoomba multiple times. I have friends and family a short drive away and already know the cultural nuances living in Queensland, where as Scotland will be completely new to me. Both have cultures similar to the United States, but vary significantly geographically and historically. This being said, I have area specific goals and expectations. 

University of Southern Queensland

     USQ would be wonderful for me to attend because as an Australian citizen, working in Australia later on in life is a strong possibility and networking while studying here would be invaluable for my future. I would be on my own, but in a somewhat familiar environment with family near by as a safety net. I already know that I love the area and would also love living here for six months or so.

• I will not depend too strongly on surrounding family, but have them as a support system when needed.
• I will enroll in engineering, field-specific classes not available at Maryville College.
• I will join the local rugby union football club in order meet people outside of university.
• I'm not one who usually enjoys school programs and clubs, but I will strongly consider maybe joining a few.
• I will enjoy not only local culture, but also push myself to explore the beautiful landscape.
• I WILL take many trips to the beach and hopefully have one of my cousins teach me to surf.
• I will try my hardest to step out of my comfort zone in order to make friends.

Edinburgh Napier University

   Because I have never visited the area, I would be getting more of the "travel abroad experience" here. I wouldn't have the luxury of near by friends or family, but I have dreamed of living in this area since I was little. Scotland alone is the reason I began thinking about doing a semester abroad. 

• I will explore so much of the Scottish landscape.
• I will meet up with Joni Burrell and we will travel all over together, meaning I will have to save as much money as possible in order to visit the surrounding areas.
• I will take any engineering classes I can fit into my schedule.
• I will educate myself on the history of and become fluent with the news of Edinburgh.
• I will do my best to research my family's history and ties to the area. 
• I will also join local rugby clubs here to better integrate myself.

    

    I will be elated regardless of where I am placed and aim overall to become a more independent, well-rounded person. And while this is the opportunity of a life time I know that I am going to miss my kitties, dog, and my family, more specifically my dad, the most. Unfortunately, I am going to be even more out of the loop with my dad and sister's inside jokes. I have a bit of experience travelling abroad, so I am not too scared of technical travel related bumps to come, but I sure will be homesick . It will be a struggle not being able to head home, let alone talk to my parents whenever, but I know I will only appreciate them more when I return.