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COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – MATT PETERSON

Posted on by jkim592@illinois.edu
MEET MATT.
Matt studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Spring semester of 2017.
IF NOTHING ELSE, DON’T FORGET TO PACK: Do not forget to pack an umbrella. Getting stuck without one of those is just about the worst start to a day.
ON SECOND THOUGHT, YOU CAN LEAVE AT HOME: You can leave some clothes at home. Over packing clothes can be a huge burden for little reason. Doing laundry slightly more often is really not that bad.
WHERE TO LIVE: I stayed in an apartment with 3 other students studying abroad from other parts of the world. It was a fantastic experience to get to know other students abroad but nothing can beat staying with a family if you are trying to immerse yourself in the culture.
BEST PLACES TO EAT: Best places to eat in Denmark are all the small bakeries littering every corner, but they are all delicious somehow.
FAVORITE CULTURAL ACTIVITY:  Favorite cultural activity is going for a lovely stroll around the Nordhavnen area. The boats and colorful buildings are perfect for a sunset as well.
BEST PERSONAL HIDEOUT: The best personal hideout area is Christiana. Everyone there is just looking to chill out.
FAVORITE PLACE TO STUDY: My favorite place to study was the library at DTU. There are always people working there.
MUST-TRY LOCAL DISH: A must-try local dish would be Smørrebrød. It is basically just an open-face sandwich, but they come in a wide variety of flavors.
BEST PHOTO OP: Best photo location is either Møns Klint (a lovely white cliff) or the harbor of Nordhavnen.
BIGGEST FAIL: Biggest fail was forgetting to ask for my credit card back from a taxi driver after a night of drinking, and had to cancel the card the next day.
BEST PURCHASE: Best purchase is definitely a nice rain jacket. Luckily I already had one, but in Denmark, it is an essential.
MOST INTERESTING CLASS: My most interesting class was the Eco-Marathon project-based class I took. I was the only non-Danish student and we got to build an entire Eco-Car and then race it in a competition in London.
BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM: The best part of the program would be the environment. DTU grouped all the abroad students into “buddy groups” on day one, and I spent nearly every day with someone from mine.
MOST MEMORABLE TRIP: The most memorable trip was the one I took to Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day. Never before have I seen so many happy and helpful people.
BEST LOCAL EVENT/HOLIDAY: The best local event would have to be the first day of spring when the weather is nice. It is not technically a holiday but everyone just hangs outside without coats on and many catch colds from getting too excited and staying out too long.
FAVORITE LOCAL WORD/SLANG: Favorite slang word is “hygge,” which is kind of a life-style more than a word. It can be used to describe anything that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling, and encapsulates the joyful Danish way of life in my opinion.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – MATHEW JACOB

Posted on by jkim592@illinois.edu

MEET MATHEW.

Mathew studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain during the Spring of 2017.

IF NOTHING ELSE, DON’T FORGET TO PACK: A debit card or credit card that you can use internationally. Withdrawing money can be a hassle and the best way to get money is often through a credit card that doesn’t charge conversion fees or through an ATM for a (usually) 3% fee.


ON SECOND THOUGHT, YOU CAN LEAVE AT HOME: American clothing/apparel. Once you leave the country, no one really cares where you’re from as much as you do. You’ll enjoy the experience a lot more if you try to integrate yourself rather than being uppity about where you’re from.
WHERE TO LIVE: Barri Gòtic is a beautiful area close to a lot of clubs, touristy things and the beach. If you want a quieter place to live, I lived up in Gràcia, which is a beautiful, quieter area farther “pujant” (toward the mountains).

BEST PLACES TO EAT: My favorite restaurant in Barcelona is La Pubilla in Gràcia. They have really high quality, but reasonably priced Catalan food. Bar Gato Negro is a great local bar up in Gràcia for tapas, sandwiches and cheap “jarras” (pints). El Glop is a more traditional Catalan restaurant in Gràcia as well. Down by the sea Bo de B has pretty amazing sandwiches and Gocce di Latte has really good gelato as well.
FAVORITE CULTURAL ACTIVITY: There’s events called correfocs where they have little kids run around dressed up as devils spraying people with roman candles. There’s also the “castellers”, which are where Catalans form human towers in the middle of massive crowds. It’s really a sight to see. Both of these events and a lot of other cultural events as well are in Plaça Sant Jaume.

BEST PERSONAL HIDEOUT: Montjuic is a more peaceful area in the city with great views since its on a mountain and on the end of the city. There’s also a cool traffic tunnel up there that was converted into a rock climbing area which you should totally check out.
FAVORITE PLACE TO STUDY: The library at the Universitat de Barcelona is beautiful and a great place to study. Cafes and public libraries around Barcelona are also pretty safe bets in general.

MUST-TRY LOCAL DISH: If you come in the Spring, you should try to go to a calçotada, which is where Catalans eat barbecued Catalan green onions along with romesco sauce and drink wine from a porrón. If you’re not quite as lucky, you should try patatas bravas, morcilla de burgos, mató con miel,  and crema catalana which are more common around.

BEST PHOTO OP: Literally the entire city of Barcelona is a photo op. The most popular areas for photos are Gaudí’s buildings like Park Güell, La Sagrada Familia as well as La Platja de la Barceloneta (the beach).

BIGGEST FAIL: A lot of students in our program lost their phones, wallets, keys, etc. to pick pockets. Keep your wallet in your front pocket and stay aware of your belongings, especially in touristy areas/events.
BEST PURCHASE: My best purchase in Barcelona was probably a wine key. Bottles of wine are only 1 euro in Barcelona, so a corkscrew of some sort is indispensable.

MOST INTERESTING CLASS: Contemporary Spanish Art was my favorite class because we got to learn a lot about the city of about the city of Barcelona and about how Spain, and Catalonia specifically, influenced art around the world. Artists like Picasso, Dalí and Joan Miró are from Catalonia and inspired international movements in art.

BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM: Our program organized a lot of trips around Barcelona and Catalonia. My favorite of these was the trip to the Dalí Museum in Figueres. I was never a huge fan of museums but Dalí designed this museum himself so the entire museum is incredible.

MOST MEMORABLE TRIP: Probably when I went to Mallorca and tried out “deep water soloing” which is rock climbing over water without ropes. I went with a friend of mine who was studying abroad in a different country, and it was terrifying, but also one of the most rewarding parts of my trip.
BEST LOCAL EVENT/HOLIDAY: Probably the Festes de Santa Eulalia where teams compete in forming human towers (castelleres).

FAVORITE LOCAL WORD/SLANG: Vale. It means okay, got it, cool, etc. I use it a lot now even when I’m not speaking to Spaniards.

IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN… There’s a super long list of things to do in Barcelona. If I could do it all again, I’d probably not waste as much time laying around and explore the city more.

DUBLIN, IRELAND – MADISON WILSON

Posted on by jkim592@illinois.edu

MEET MADISON.

She studied abroad during the Spring semester of 2017 in Dublin, Ireland.

IF NOTHING ELSE, DON’T FORGET TO PACK: Pictures from home to decorate your dorm or apartment room with!

ON SECOND THOUGHT, YOU CAN LEAVE AT HOME: Tons of extra clothes.  When you travel, a pair of tennis shoes, a few pairs of pants, and shirts will keep you covered and make the travel lighter.

 

WHERE TO LIVE: The dorms were amazing, because I got to meet people from all over the world.  The university organized for international and national students to live together, and it was a great way to meet travel buddies.

BEST PLACES TO EAT: I enjoyed the hearty pub food and asking locals where their favorite restaurants were.  Make sure to try restaurant specialties!  The Hairy Lemon in City Centre Dublin was my favorite dinner place.

FAVORITE CULTURAL ACTIVITY: I really enjoyed going to sporting events that we don’t have at home like Rugby.  It was a great way to experience the culture and also a lot of fun!

BEST PERSONAL HIDEOUT: The gym was really nice and new. It was a great de-stressor from classes.

FAVORITE PLACE TO STUDY: I like to study in my room. So that’s where I’d get most of my work done, so that I could concentrate then meet up with friends later.

MUST-TRY LOCAL DISH: Beef and Guinness Stew.

BEST PHOTO OP: Cliffs of Moher near Galway!  If you luck out and go on a day that’s not rainy or cloudy, it is gorgeous yet terrifying to stand on the edge.

BIGGEST FAIL: Not following Google Maps on one of our trips and trying to find a shortcut. Then, walking an extra hour because of it.

BEST PURCHASE: I enjoyed buying clothes wherever I went because they were a useful souvenir, and now whenever I wear them, it reminds me of my travels.

MOST INTERESTING CLASS: People, Places, and Regions.  I got an excellent overview of social, geographic, and economic trends, and it was interesting to hear about the U.S. from an Irish perspective.

BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM: Meeting people from Ireland and other countries like New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and France.

MOST MEMORABLE TRIP: I loved traveling to Paris, because I went by myself and enjoyed the freedom of being on my own schedule and meeting daytime travel buddies through tours and the hostel.

BEST LOCAL EVENT/HOLIDAY: Make sure to celebrate Pancake Day by making the traditional Irish pancakes (which are thinner than American pancakes, basically crepes) with lemon juice and sugar.

FAVORITE LOCAL WORD/SLANG: Craic, pronounced “crack.”  I still don’t understand all the subtleties of it but it roughly translates to fun.  Like when someone says “it was good craic” that means it was a fun time.

IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN… I would try to plan a trip to Morocco.  I hadn’t even considered going to Africa until I heard about a lot of people traveling there during the semester.  It’s an easy flight from Europe, and it would have been interesting to experience African culture during my trip.

DELFT, NETHERLANDS – ISHAN KARNIK

Posted on by jkim592@illinois.edu

MEET ISHAN.

Ishan studied abroad in Delft, Netherlands during the Spring semester of 2017.

IF NOTHING ELSE, DON’T FORGET TO PACK: A rain jacket. You’re going to deal with a lot of intermittent rain so be prepared. Also bring a camera.

ON SECOND THOUGHT, YOU CAN LEAVE AT HOME: Pack smart. I don’t know what you won’t need. Pack light, too.

WHERE TO LIVE: Stay with Duwo. They provide great accommodation. Professor Schermerhornstraat was a great location and had nice facilities.

BEST PLACES TO EAT: Delft is pretty expensive, but there are cheap places: Daily Wok or many of the Doner places.

FAVORITE CULTURAL ACTIVITY: Bike around, go see the old churches, go to nearby towns like Rotterdam. Enjoy the tulips. Embrace Dutch culture. See the Delft Blue pottery factory.

BEST PERSONAL HIDEOUT: Anywhere in the city center is lovely to hangout. Go in all the random little stores.

FAVORITE PLACE TO STUDY: The library, but the library gets pretty packed. There is a café in the Delft city center that is nice – Coffee Company.

MUST-TRY LOCAL DISH: Dutch food is pretty mediocre, but certainly have some seafood. They have many coastlines so the fish is fresh and good.

BEST PHOTO OP: There are so many canals – it is awesome to be able to take pictures anywhere and everywhere.

BIGGEST FAIL: Be careful when you are biking. I had two biking accidents while I was in Delft.

BEST PURCHASE: I bought my parents some Delft Blue pottery and they absolutely loved it. It is expensive, but it is so beautiful.

MOST INTERESTING CLASS: I am in aerospace engineering, so all the courses I took were related to this. I found Instrumentation & Signals fascinating.

BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM: The people. I made so many friends from all over the world during my time abroad. I am still in contact with a handful of them.

MOST MEMORABLE TRIP: Italy. Italy is the best country ever. Great food, great people, beautiful country.

BEST LOCAL EVENT/HOLIDAY: Kingsday is so much fun. Wear orange, get together with friends, and have a good time.

FAVORITE LOCAL WORD/SLANG: Learn how to say thank you – “daank-ye-vel.” That’s not how it is really spelled, just a phonetic spelling.

IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN… I would do everything I did over again. Buy flight tickets as early as the summer, because things get expensive. Make your bookings early. Figure out logistics later.

MENDOZA, ARGENTINA – MATTHEW NIEWIARA

Posted on by jkim592@illinois.edu

MEET MATTHEW.

Matthew studied abroad in Mendoza, Argentina during the Spring of 2017.

IF NOTHING ELSE, DON’T FORGET TO PACK: A battery pack for charging electronics (great for long bus rides), and a small gift from home for your host family.
ON SECOND THOUGHT, YOU CAN LEAVE AT HOME: Big expensive camera (someone else in your program will probably have one and share the photos with you). A really large suitcase — don’t want to get charged for oversized bags.  One large (40L) backpack and a medium sized checked bag should be enough.  Packing lighter will make in-country travel easier.  No need to bring consumables like shampoo (they take up a lot of space and are easy to buy once you get there).
WHERE TO LIVE: Homestay for sure!  Almost all of my friends really enjoyed living with host families.  If it doesn’t work out, you can always switch host families. I lived in Godoy Cruz, close enough to the city center and university (20 minute walk, short bus ride), but it also had more of a neighborhood than city feeling.  Even though you have slightly less independence, the benefits (constant language immersion, home-cooked meals, second family in another part of the world) far outweigh any downsides.

BEST PLACES TO EAT: Zampa (Fun ambiance, somewhat pricey, great food and large drink menu); El Palenque Aristides (Good variety of typical food, good price. We would go here as a group occasionally); Club de la Milanesa (Must try! Two locations – Aristides street and Chacras de Coria neighborhood – the one in Chacras has a better outdoor eating area); Arabian Food Truck on Colon street (great falafel for a good price — opposite corner from Universidad de Congreso); La Tabla – Beer & Grill (HUGE portions. The barbecue plate for “3 people” was probably enough for 6)

Azafrán (Best dining experience I had. It is expensive though, so maybe save this for a final dinner or if you have family come and visit. They have an above ground wine cellar room that you can go in and select a bottle with the help of the sommelier); Josefina Resto (Another really tasty spot, but also kind of expensive); All the ice cream shops!
FAVORITE CULTURAL ACTIVITY: Almost every Sunday afternoon my host family would have a barbecue in the “quincho” (a room dedicated to barbecues). One big cultural difference I noticed is how often family gets together. In the USA, I might see my extended family for holidays; however, at my homestay, my host parents’ children and their families would come every Sunday (sometimes for lunch on weekdays as well!).
BEST PERSONAL HIDEOUT: The garden of my host family. Most homes had a private backyard/garden and on nice days (so almost every day) I would try to spend some time there.
FAVORITE PLACE TO STUDY: My room with some “mate” and hot water (an essential study buddy).
MUST-TRY LOCAL DISH: The asado (barbecue).  It’s seasoned with just salt and slow cooked over a wood fire.
BEST PHOTO OP: Either Potrerillos Dam or go on a hike to one of the Aconcagua (tallest mountain in the Americas) base camps.
BIGGEST FAIL: Finding myself in the middle of a flash flood while on a trip to Buenos Aires and only having packed one pair of shoes.
BEST PURCHASE: Mate and bombilla (a gourd and metal straw for drinking the customary hot beverage)
MOST INTERESTING CLASS: Close tie between my “Water Resources in Arid Climates” class and my winery internship.
BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM: Meeting people through the local Ultimate Frisbee club (no need to be any good, great way to meet locals, this is where me and the other exchange students were invited to a bunch of social events (kayaking in the mountains, barbecues, etc.), Facebook group: Ultimate Mendoza).
 
MOST MEMORABLE TRIP: Even though it wasn’t a long trip, going to my host sister’s wedding.  It was especially fun acting as a Spanish/English translator for her host parents who came from Australia (she studied abroad years ago). Favorite “far-away” trip was to Bariloche.  Great hiking and outdoorsy activities — and chocolate!
BEST LOCAL EVENT/HOLIDAY: Vendimia (wine grape harvest festival).
FAVORITE LOCAL WORD/SLANG: “Ojo”.  It literally means eye, but there is an associated hand gesture and someone does it when they want to say “be careful”, “stay on your toes” or something to that effect.  My host mom would say this a lot.
IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN… I’d stay for two semesters.