Finding the Unexpected in Florence & Paris
After living in Florence and Paris, one thing is for sure, my feet thank me. I hiked, climbed, and strolled my way through one amazing semester in two of Europe's most beautiful cities. All with one goal in mind: to leave my own footprints in places I had only dreamed of before.
And make footprints, I did. From waving hello to Florence from the top of the Duomo to catching a night view of Notre Dame from the Latin Quarter, I felt like I had entered the adventurer's paradise.
With all the grandeur of the churches and art museums that adorn these beautiful cities, it was easy spending afternoons wandering the cities by foot in order to discover the famous places we learned about in class. But between the big stops, it was the unexpected encounters, or the wrong turns I took, that led me to some of my most fascinating experiences while abroad.
For instance, a very last-minute decision to attend a soccer match, left my cheers echoing and heart racing alongside a stadium full of crazed Italian fans. Awrong turn on my way to the Louvre left me wandering into the chic Angelina Tea Room, a place that welcomed some of the most fashionable Parisians and created a perfect spot for people-watching. A stroll past an advertisement for the Tour Montparnasse left me sitting on top of Paris with the city's tallest skyscraper as my chair. And taking a different way home from school walked me past a Florence jazz club that eventually brought on an evening full of music and fun. These experiences, and a handful of others, are quite small in relation to all the beautiful art and architecture I saw, but they stand out in my mind because I wasn't looking for them when they happened.
Time spent outside these cities took my feet on fantastic adventures as well. With weekend excursions to places like
Rome and Beaune, I explored all the coblestone-covered ground that I could. This meant climbing bell towers, hiking through caves on wine tasting tours, and eating at the best gelateria in Rome before stumbling upon Trajan's column by accident. Between my awe-struck hours of walking through beautiful churches and art museums on group tours, I had some unexpected experiences that wouldn't have been so exciting had I planned for them.
My feet were in for an even bigger surprise when Spring Break rolled around. Climbing to high altitudes with the Swiss Alps as my backdrop was an experience that snowballed into one breathtaking experience. Just one afternoon of skiing
through white powder was enough to keep me in Switzerland for an unexpected five extra days.
While on the Humanities and Western Civilization Semester program the string of small surprises that filled my days gave me huge insights into the cultures of Italy and France. Wide-eyed and feetprepared, I walked my way through one unforgettable semester.
Sarah Coleman
Sarah Coleman at the Forum in Rome.
Study Abroad in Prague ASAP
Tyn Church overlooking the Old Town Square, Prague, Czech Republic.
Study abroad ASAP in one of Europe's most celebrated cities, Prague!
"Some feel that Prague is most enchanting in winter, when a thin veil of snow laces the city and there's hardly a visitor in sight." (Lonely Planet staff)
Venture to Prague (translated: threshold) this January - at the height of the theater season - to study Czech literature, theater and arts, and to experience warm, vibrant and eclectic Czech culture. Discover why Prague is the center for some of the most innovative and exciting theater in the world today and how this contemporary creativity is linked to its long and colorful history, deep cultural traditions, and recent (1989) liberation from Soviet occupation.
The program begins with six weekly seminar classes, October
24-December 5, designed to introduce participants to Czech history and culture, including Modernist Czech art, architecture, literature theater and film, and a bit of survival Czech language. The group then travels to Prague January 213. While in Prague participants will explore the city, visit museums historical and architectural sites attend lectures with local scholars on topics such as scenic design and literature, and attend several theater performances including the famous black light theater and puppet theater.
Participants will be enrolled in three credit hours during the Fall semester, either TH&F 302 or SLAV 504. Class does not start until October 24. The program ends just before the spring semester, January 13.
If you have wanted to study
abroad, but couldn't find fit it into your academic schedule, this is your chance! The program fee is $1500 (includes tuition, room and breakfast in Prague, cultural events and instructional costs). Additional expenses are estimated at $1200-1300 (includes airfare most meals, passport fees, local transportation, books and personal expenses). You can use financial aid toward the cost of this program.
Applications will be considered until October 1 or until the program is filled. Apply today! Applications are available from the Office of Study Abroad.
For more information contact Dr. Dennis Christilles, Professor of Theatre and Film at 864-2689 or dchrist@ku.edu, or Dr. Edith Clowes, Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at 864- 2359 or eclowes@ku.edu.
Take the chance of a lifetime.
STUDY ABROAD
Come to the Study Abroad Fair Wednesday, September 12 9:30a.m.-3:30p.m. Kansas Union 4th Floor