Kipp Trieu, a Communications major with minors in French Literature and Education Studies who wants to become a teacher, is studying at the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (known as Sciences Po). He captured the spirit of the scholarship program when he wrote in his application that he desired to be an exchange student “both in the sense of being a student studying abroad and in the sense of being a well-educated, well-rounded student of the international arena.” Kipp is taking courses covering topics that include an introduction to a globalized attitude; the socio-political elements of decentralization and democracy; society and media; French opera as a political art form; and a French language course. He highlights that all of the courses are taught from the French perspective. In addition to his academic work, Kipp is an accomplished pianist and enjoys cooking, eating and photography. Ray and Verena were excited to be able to host him in Davis, including a trip to the Farmers Market, before he left for Paris. At Sciences Po, Kipp has been hired as an intern (vacataire) at the Center of the Americas, the office that handles incoming and outgoing exchange students to North and South America. In addition to gainful employment, his position as a “study abroad advisor” is allowing him to help coach French students wishing to go abroad. Kipp writes that, “Most French people, or those I’ve seen and met, don’t have pencil thin moustaches. Or eat frog legs every meal. Most of them, anyway. The point: the only way to know how something is is to see it for yourself.”
Nicola Hil (France 2007-08)
Nicola Hil wrote in her application that she has a “goal to have an international career and life.” We think she is well on her way: she was born in Britain, moved to California during childhood, lived in and volunteered for the International House at UC San Diego and is spending the current year studying Political Science at Institut d’Études Politiques (IEP) Lyon and Université Lumière Lyon 2 in France. Ray and Verena has a wonderful time meeting Nicola in August in her hometown of Livermore prior to her departure for France. She is acclimating to Lyon and writes that, “The area is beautiful with medieval churches and buildings and cobblestones along the streets.” She also reports that the independent research project she undertook the prior year at UC San Diego on the impact of French and European legislation on the rights of immigrant populations has provided a very relevant backdrop for her studies in Lyon. A musician, Nicola bought a trumpet (“a reliable English model”) and is looking for French students with whom to form a brass quintet. She has been able to travel to Telford, Strasbourg, Avignon, Grenoble, Cerdon and Geneva thus far and has plans to visit her grandparents in England over the holidays.
Emilie Ellis (Germany, 2007-08)
Emilie Ellis is a double major in Anthropology and International Studies-Linguistics. Going abroad was a logical choice for her because she feels that “an essential component of Anthropology is getting the native’s point of view by living with people for an extended period of time.” During her year in Freiburg at the Albert-Luwigs-Universität, Emilie expects to get a taste of what fieldwork is all about. One of her ambitions is to use the anthropological research methods she is studying to improve aid programs for health, poverty and education in developing countries. In San Diego, Emilie lived in International House and was involved in I-House efforts to help the local community in San Diego and across the border. This summer, Emilie traveled to Tanzania as a volunteer for the Arusha Project, which spreads HIV/AIDS awareness and supports gender equality. In Tanzania she taught English to children in an AIDS orphanage. Since leaving for Europe in late August, Emilie has been able to travel to Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, and within Germany to Berlin and Münich.
Halley Henscey (Italy, 2006-07)
In her scholarship application, Halley Henscey wrote that her passions are language, art and human interaction and that she has a strong, visceral attraction to the Italian culture. We heard more about her aspirations when we met during the summer. At the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy, Halley is becoming fluent in Italian to the point where she will soon be taking classes at the Università per Stranieri, completely in Italian. She is gaining new understanding of her goals and place in the global community as an International Studies major, and most of all, having a marvelous time immersing herself in Italian culture. Between Halley’s descriptions of Etruscan arches, Tuscan vineyards and highlights of her trip to Prague, Amsterdam and London during fall break she has observed that “Having a functional computer does not contribute to my greater happiness” and “If you walk more slowly, you’ll feel better when you get where you’re going.” In early August, Ray, Verena and son Ben (himself a UCSB graduate participating in the EAP program in 1994-95 in the United Kingdom) spent a long and lively afternoon getting acquainted with Halley and her dad Michael.
Sarah Zaides (England, 2006-07)
Sarah Zaides is a first generation Russian immigrant who is majoring in History with a particular focus on the study of Race, Ethnicity and Immigration. In order to study these issues in a global and comparative context, Sarah applied to and was accepted for a year at the Butler Institute for Study Abroad at Oxford University’s St. Catherine’s College. Sarah reports that she has “never, ever, worked this hard” in her life. Her tutorials are on Indian and Irish history, requiring two papers every week. There are no lectures. “Instead, my tutors assign a weekly reading list, usually about twelve texts, and I take off for the Bodleain (where Marx studied) to read the texts and write a paper.” On another subject: “The ritual here is very charming, although sometimes too patriarchal for my taste. The dining hall looks like something out of Harry Potter (not surprising since it was filmed here). We sit at long tables and are served 3 – course meals. The faculty sits at the head tables, and when they enter (wearing black robes, of course) we stand, wait for them to reach their seats, and then the master slams down a gavel and says a prayer in Latin!” While these studies also fit in well with Sarah’s minor, Literature, she is not likely to be able to indulge her pastimes of equestrian competition, surfing and snowboarding this year – but perhaps she will be able to find a piano somewhere (as Achim Lyon did in Beijing).
Paul Suarez (Spain, 2006-07)
Paul Suarez combines a major in Bioengineering with a minor in Spanish Literature and a love of music. During his year at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Paul hopes to achieve mastery in Spanish and gain a broader perspective—expecting to learn as much about himself as about the culture and customs of Spain. Becoming fluent in Spanish has been a dream of his as long as he can remember and he looks forward to finally being able to communicate with his relatives in El Salvador. Besides literature classes, Paul is taking a course on Religious Forces and International Society that involves discussions by a very “multinational” group of students. So as not to lose touch with his engineering field he is searching for an internship. Trips to Portugal and Bunol have provided a change of pace, as did visits to various museums in Madrid. Paul has noticed that there are as many people out in the streets at 4 a.m. as there are at 4 p.m. and comments that “you can’t throw something in any direction without hitting either a bar or a pharmacy.”
Jennifer Kim (Spain, 2006-07)
Jennifer Kim’s major is Literatures in English; her goal is to obtain a credential to teach literature in a bilingual classroom, instilling in her students the love of literature that is so central to her life. As a youngster, Jennifer lived in Argentina—an experience that left a lasting impression on her in terms of her awareness of other cultures and her desire to become fluent in Spanish. She writes that, “The language is beautiful and I do want to perfect it.” To this end Jennifer spent the summer months working on her Spanish in Morelia, Mexico, living with a local family and learning about Mexican culture while teaching her hosts about her own background. In Morelia she missed Korean food, but as soon as she arrived in Granada, Spain she missed Mexican food! Life in Granada, surrounded by large numbers of international students, has made Jennifer aware of how insulated from world affairs she had tended to be prior to this experience. “One subject that keeps coming up and keeps me thinking is anti-Americanism. I never realized how strong and real it was until I got here. Listening to another’s perspective on the American lifestyle is rather startling and harsh at times.” Jennifer was happy to report that a German student said to her in Spanish: ”I don’t usually like Americans, but you’re different and I like you.”
Marilyn Shapley (Egypt, 2005-06)
Marilyn Shapley is a fourth year International Studies and Literature major with a secondary focus on political science. At the American University in Cairo she is able to study policies and literature of the Middle East in preparation for a regional specialization in her planned career as a Foreign Service officer in the U.S. State Department. When visiting with Marilyn last summer, we learned of her great interest in Egyptology, her concern about the current situation of Sudanese refugees, and her eagerness to learn how to communicate thoughtfully in an international setting. A few weeks later she was ecstatic about her first visit to see pyramids, starting to teach English to refugees, discussing the Egyptian election with local students and practicing colloquial Arabic in the marketplace. Some of Marilyn’s courses deal with developing durable peace and stability in war-torn countries, Third World Literature and forced migration and refugee studies. When trying out for the Cairo Model UN club, she had to role play as Saudi Arabia and with two minutes to prepare had to defend her country’s record of religious freedom. Marilyn’s comment: “It was valuable to walk away and realize that there are two sides to every story, and the truth is never as cut and dry as we think.”
Tamami Komatsu (Italy, 2005-06)
Tamami Komatsu is spending her third year as a pre-med International Studies major studying Literature and Italian Studies at the University of Bologna. In accepting the scholarship, she wrote: “Thank you so very much for assisting me in my efforts to become a world citizen – I only wish I could express how much I really appreciate this act of benevolence.” Tamami is very excited about developing an international perspective, independence and a foundation for her later humanitarian work. She has a deep concern for the health crisis in Africa and eventually hopes to work for Doctors Without Borders. After a few weeks of intensive language training in Rome, Tamami wrote: “I miss home a lot more than I thought I would and Italy is lot different than I expected. I love how much I’m already learning and I already feel different than when I came.”
Jenna Carlsson (Senegal, 2005-06)
Jenna Carlsson, a third year student in Sociology with a minor in African Studies who was fluent in French and eager to immerse herself in a completely different culture, chose to study at the Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis, Senegal in a program administered by the University of Wisconsin. Jenna anticipated that a year in Senegal would help her to gain communication skills (in both French and Wolof), patience and a more worldly perspective. Before departing for orientation in Dakar in October, Jenna visited Davis on two occasions. We had a wonderful time getting acquainted and exchanging thoughts. This is one of the first observations she shared after arrival in Africa: “White Americans who believe race doesn’t matter should put themselves in a situation where 99% of the people around them are black. I would predict they would feel much more uncomfortable and different than they think they would. Yes, race does matter.”
Alice Wagner (Scotland, 2004-05)
Alice Wagner is spending her third year as a Biology major at the University of Edinburgh, after a brief vacation with friends in Italy and France. She chose Edinburgh because of its unique ecosystem that will afford her opportunities for field studies not available at UC San Diego, and because of the university’s large and varied science program that may help her explore new options for her future. Alice had previously traveled abroad as a member of the California Youth Symphony and Main Street Singers. She packed her clarinets and hopes to be able to join an orchestra or choir while in Scotland. Her early impressions are of the beauty of the historic city, of a flat and green landscape, of participating in “Scotland’s second national sport: standing in a queue without making eye contact” (“If you don’t see the queue, look for one.”), and of living with flatmates from all over the world.
Henrick Shyu (Japan, 2004-05)
Henrick Shyu is a fourth year Computer Science major with an intense interest in all things Japanese. While studying Engineering at the University of Tokyo he hopes to become fluent in Japanese and use his knowledge of the language and technology to “contribute to the bridge of cultural understanding between Japan and the U.S.” Another observation Henrick made prior to his departure was that through the hardships of living in another country, he hoped to force himself to become a more outgoing person. He is in the unusual position of having his twin brother Patrick studying in Japan at the same time, although in a different program. Henrick has commented on the extreme heat in Tokyo in August (accentuated by rather formal attire), the excitement of climbing all through the night to the summit of Mt. Fuji to view an incredible sunrise, the tame deer in Nara and the experience of being “smashed into a subway train.”
Achim Lyon (China, 2004-05)
Achim Lyon, a third year student in Cognitive Science with a minor in Chinese Studies, left for Beijing in June to participate in an intensive language program over the summer. Now he is studying at Peking University, taking classes in reading, writing, oral Chinese and classical Chinese poetry. “All have proven to be extremely challenging,” writes Achim, “but that is a small price to pay for the opportunity to engage in such a richly international classroom environment.” During the summer-fall break he traveled by train to Wuhan, Chongqing (with a side trip to view the Three Gorges by boat), Kunming and Shanghai. In addition to sightseeing, Achim was the first member of his family to visit his sister-in-law’s parents in Yunnan province. He writes fascinating and insightful accounts about ordinary and extraordinary events in his daily life in China. To catch the full flavor, visit http://www.xanga.com/Achim.
Jonathan Wang (Japan, 2003-04)
Jonathan Wang‘s choice to major in Computer Science with a minor in Japanese Studies is reminiscent of Chris’ combination of science and humanities. He is aiming for a career in computer graphics and animation, artificial intelligence and sound manipulation. Jonathan is spending his year at Osaka University taking engineering classes, doing research and honing his fluency in Japanese. Living in the Foreign Student House, he is paired up with a faculty member for a research project involving virtual reality. As for other courses, Jonathan describes a situation very different from that found in U.S. universities: “I cannot say for certain which classes I’m taking. In Japan a student can enter a class at any time, because entering a class requires no more or less than the professor’s permission. So one can theoretically enter a class the day before finals and pass. What this means, however, is that I will have to attend classes I’m thinking of taking before I can decide which ones to attend to the end of the semester, and which professors to speak to for their permission.” Jonathan contrasted the rigorous testing that determines what high school and college a Japanese student can attend with the relaxed demands on the Japanese college student.
Why did Jonathan decide to go to Japan? “My interest in Japan is based on a mixture of its history, its modern media, and both old and modern culture. Japan is in many ways what American cities are not – it is compact, homogenized, commercialized to the point of being systematized, and there exist standards of politeness, quality, and customs that are unmatched in any other place I have visited. I wanted to come to Japan to be in the middle of a culture which puts so much emphasis on the new, the next, and innovation. I wanted to meet the caliber of people who manage to survive the trying process of becoming a student at a prestigious Japanese university. Most of all, I wanted to be in a world where when I wake up every morning I can expect something new to be seen and learned. Everything is different here, and I love it that way.”
Brian Israel (England, 2003-04)
Brian Israel was able to visit with Ray and Verena in Davis prior to his departure for a year at the University of Bristol School of Law in the United Kingdom. We heard first-hand about some of Brian’s many international experiences in a number of countries in Latin America and Europe, his efforts “to harness technology to shrink the distance between young people around the world” through his project called “The Internationalist,” his involvement in student government and his aspirations to practice international law. After our evening together, Brian wrote: “It is extremely refreshing to learn that others share my desire to spread opportunities for international experience, and your efforts inspire me.” Earlier he had written: “For me it is both challenging and at the same time immensely stimulating to step outside of my North American ideology and into one very different from my own to make sense of events in the world. I much prefer to view the world as a primary text rather than reading someone else’s account of it, and my travels have allowed me to do this.” Living with Portuguese and Serbian roommates will undoubtedly add new perspectives, too.
With a major in International Studies/Political Science and a minor in European Studies, Brian is now taking classes in EU Politics and European Law. Before classes began, he commented that his “academic life is going to be radically different than it is in San Diego – the style of instruction is as different as the place in which it is set.” He continued: “This year I hope to gain a lot of insight into an interest and possible research topic of mine. I am interested in the way in which many Central/Eastern European countries are having to reform their legal/economic systems to fulfill their EU aspirations and/or to attract foreign investment. I became especially interested in this during my recent trip to Belgrade, where I spoke with many international lawyers about the subject.” He hopes to follow up his research in Belgrade next summer.
Jacob Habinek (Hungary & Czech Republic, 2003-04)
With a double major in General Biology and Religion, Jacob Habinek is planning to pursue graduate studies in Religion after finishing his undergraduate degree. He will divide his year abroad between Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary (fall 2003) and Charles University’s Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education (CERGE) in Prague, Czech Republic (spring 2004). In a recent letter, Jacob commented: “While there is little I can pursue here with regards to my Biology major, Central Europe offers a fascinating number of opportunities for the student of religion, having been a meeting place of religious traditions for nearly a thousand years and many times a model of coexistence or a flashpoint of religious conflict during that tenure.” To improve his understanding of these complex situations and developments in the formerly Communist countries, Jacob is taking Sociology, Anthropology and History classes during the fall semester, and learning Hungarian as well. The fact that his ancestors came from this part of the world gives him an added motivation to learn about the region.
Marisol Gutiérrez (Mexico, 2003-04)
Marisol Gutiérrez is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Spanish Literature and plans a career in Immigration Law. At UCSD she worked on the bilingual newspaper “Voz Fronteriza” and performed with the Aztec Dance Group. This year Marisol is enrolled at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City, getting used to a different teaching style (“mostly one-on-one learning and debate with the professors”) while taking classes like Government and Public Issues and The Sociology of Indigenous Cultures in Mexico. She is trying to join UNAM’s soccer team and starting to practice Aztec dance. Besides travel to various destinations in Mexico, Marisol is enjoying life in a metropolis. “One of the things I have come to love about the city are the abundant small coffee shops and bookstores, not to mention the museums and foreign films. My book collection has started to grow, and I have no idea how I’m going to take them back to the States.” In accepting her scholarship, Marisol wrote: “As I prepare to study abroad, I carry with me the comfort of knowing that there are people like you who care about enriching a student’s experiences during college.”
Mary Jo Velasco (France, 2002-03)
Mary Jo Velasco (2002-03, France) is studying European History and Music in Bordeaux. She was very pleased to have auditioned successfully into a prestigious amateur chorale that is performing three big concerts with works by Prokoviev, Mozart and Berlioz this year. In her initial intensive language program Mary Jo met students “from all over the world.” She found an apartment in downtown Bordeaux and had an opportunity to travel in Ireland.
Julia Carter (Egypt, 2002-03)
Julia Carter (2002-03, Egypt) is pursuing a double major in History and Religious Studies. She chose to study at the American University in Cairo to gain some understanding of the interaction of historical and religious issues in the Middle East, as well as to learn how the U.S. is viewed from an Egyptian perspective. In August we were able to discuss Julia’s plans and hopes for the year while she visited in Davis; Ellie by then had come home to Davis and was able to share many lively anecdotes of her year in Spain. Julia has sent fascinating accounts of her explorations of Cairo, Saqqara, Memphis, the Fayyum Oasis (where “I truly felt like Indiana Jones, crawling about in an attempt to discover the mysteries of the ancient world.”) and Taba on the Red Sea.
Ben Winkler-McCue (Spain, 2001-02)
Ben Winkler-McCue carefully considered his options for finding a coastal university in a Spanish speaking country (having spent a year studying in Costa Rica), where he could study toward his double major in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, and Spanish Studies – while continuing his passion for surfing. At the Universidad de Cantabria in Santander he has found the courses he wanted and the ocean three blocks from the apartment he shares with international students. He put his work experience at a Santa Cruz Deli to good use recently when he helped serve a birthday feast in Basque country. “Surrounded by French Basques who didn’t speak a lick of English, I never felt out of place.”