After an adventurous and exhausting 10 hour flight we finally made it to Athens. Unlike all of the Greeks who were anxiously awaiting a cigarette, I was thankful to get off of the plane to be able to walk around and stretch out my legs. Immediately after our landing we grabbed our baggage and hopped on a bus to our first destination-Titania hotel. Once we became familiar with our rooms and completed a nice 2 hour nap, the group met in the dining room of the hotel for a delicious buffet dinner. From the famous Greek salad all the way to unique cheese pie, eating was a bit overwhelming with the variety of choices, but of course we all tried a sample of everything. Once finished with our meal we hit the town to wonder the streets before heading to bed.

A 7:30 am wake up call was not exactly the way we wished to start our next day in Athens, but we had a lot to do and see. Still exhausted from the flight and experiencing a bit of jet lag, we ate a gourmet breakfast before meeting our tour guide, Marisa. Our first stop Marisa took us too was the 2004 Olympic Games Complex. Holding 71,000 spectators, a field made of natural grass, and taking only 10 minutes to evacuate, the stadium gives you goose bumps the minute you walk through its doors. To this day, Greece is the smallest country to host the Olympic Games. After the taking hundreds of pictures in the soccer complex we continued our day through the viewing of the basketball, tennis, and swimming complexes. Getting the opportunity to visit such an awesome place makes me want to be able to be a spectator at the games some day. Later in the night we went to a play 39 Steps. To our surprise, the entire performance was in Greek. Despite not being able to understand a single word of Greek, the actors and actresses were funny and entertaining.

Since our arrival in Athens we have visited the Olympic Complex, watched the changing of the guards, saw 39 Steps, walked through 2 National Archaeological Museums, toured the Acropolis and Parthenon, eaten an abundance of Gyros, watched a Greek Mens soccer match, and attempted to shop through the chaotic streets.

Today we departed from Athens and traveled through the city of Thebes to arrive in Delphi. Both the Men and Women’s soccer teams have our first matches tomorrow, send us some luck! I wish I could share more about our experience and the opportunities we’ve been having, but unfortunately my time at the internet cafe is up. I don’t know when I will be able to update you next but I will try and keep you posted and inform you more about my thoughts and first impressions on the Greek culture.

I am so glad I finally decided to study abroad. It’s so impossible to explain my experiences during this trip because there are so many and they’re all very contextual, but I will try. For the first two weeks we were oriented to the program and to South Africa, and went on a safari in South Africa’s biggest reserve park. Already having been in Europe for a month, I felt really tired during this time and actually developed a cold. It was different having a want to go home while everyone else has just arrived. But it wasn’t a homesickness or anything, I was fully ready to spend the next four months here. After two weeks we moved into Langa. I had a homestay mother, and a 24 year old sister. Both were extremely nice and helpful, and I had a great time there. The nervousness about accommodations was quickly removed when I saw my own room and a small bathroom.

The schedule here is much more strenuous than college. Our typical day begins at 6:30, when we catch the bus at 7. It takes about an hour to get to class in the same city, due to all the traffic, and class starts at 8:30. Xhosa, the local and one of the most popular languages in South Africa, takes up the first two hours of class. After a half hour break, one or two lecturers would come in to teach on various aspects of South African history and politics. After another break, another two hours would be spent on Xhosa. I spent so much time learning Xhosa it must have been equivalent to two or three semesters of Spanish. After class we would be bussed back to our Langa homestays, where most days we would have to stay inside because it was dangerous to go outside at night. Actually, one weekend while I was gone, a relative of my mother was beaten and killed one block from my house. Alcohol was absolutely involved, but it was a scary realization when I found out.

Anyway it was a great experience and I would have loved to stay there longer. In between the month spent in Langa we spent two weeks on the east coast of South Africa, in Durban and in a rural homestay. Rural life was purported to be much tougher than our actual experience. The house was small, but we still had electricity and running water nearby. It actually reminded me a lot of my vacations to visit my grandmother in North Dakota: the livestock and vastly open areas.

Now we are on our third homestay that began just yesterday, with white Afrikaans speaking people. They have internet and a much more privileged lifestyle, which is why I’m able to finally post. The class politics and race divisions are still intense here, even after 12 years of the new government. Class inequality breeds an ignorance among the white population, and many of them are unwittingly ignorant of the situations and large problems in their country.

After this week we will spend a week with “coloured” (or inter-racial) families closer to Cape Town. After that week, the independent study project begins. This is a time where we figure out our own housing, have no formal classes, and are assigned to write a 40-50 page paper about an intricate topic. I will definitely enjoy the routine involved in staying in one place for that long. I can’t even count how many hotels, backpackers, hostels I’ve stayed in. I don’t know how many times I have crushed my stuff back into my suitcase to move out.

So that’s it for now, it’s time for another lecture. Enjoy the snow, I’ve got a mean sun tan.

I am a junior, Sociology major and dance minor. I’m pretty involved around campus…here are some activities/clubs that I’m in, Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority (co-community service chair), Building Bridges, SHIFT (Students Helping Integrate Fair Trade, treasurer), ACC (Asian Cultures Club), PLEDGE (President’s Leadership Education Diversity Group Endeavour), MTDC (Matching Tights Dance Company), SOFA (Gustavus Student Outreach to Foster Care and Adoption, Co-president and co-founder), STAND UP! Organizer (Res. Life social justice program), AKD (Sociology/Anthropology Honor Society), and DLC (Diversity Leadership Council)….whew! That’s a lot of acronyms!

On Sunday, Feb. 5, I will be going to Prague for four months. The program I am going through is SIT (School for International Training) and I will be studying Arts and Social Change. Check out this website if you want to know more about my program. The program focuses on history, politics, social change and art. We will be studying literature, architecture, music, visual arts, dance, and theater and their roles in the history and politics of the Czech Republic, past and present. I chose this program because I wanted to go to a large European city with a lot of history. Prague is all of that and everyone I’ve talked to has said that it is a beautiful city. I’m excited to see all of the old architecture because Prague survived both World Wars without a direct bombing so there are a lot of examples of architecture that don’t exist any more in other parts of Europe.

I am looking at this study abroad experience as a challenge and an adventure. The next time you hear from me, I’ll be in Prague!

Next week this Jterm ends, and I’m off to Italy, where I’ll be traveling to Cienna, Flornece, Vienna, and Rome. I’ve heard worse pick pocketing stories from Italy than I have from France, so my fingers are crossed.

I am a political science major at Gustavus, with an English minor. At Gustavus, I am the president of College Republicans, a group leader for Prepare Ministries, and (the now former) treasurer for APO, a community service fraternity. I was also active in Proclaim, Men’s Christian fellowship, and the Pro-life gusties. I really value my faith, and I enjoy talking about politics – the two worst conversation starters. The first time I toured Gustavus, I decided I wouldn’t go there. But applying was free, so I did it anyway. Once I was accepted, I toured again, and as I started eliminating colleges I didn’t want to go to, Gustavus remained. So I ended up here, and I am very glad for it.

So here I am in England, for the second time. Last year I took the Gustavus only Jterm going to England, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. London is a tremendously multi-cultural city, and I rarely hear English on the subway (tube). I do have to say I am a fan of the English accent though. It sounds intelligent and confident. But other than that they are a whole lot like us. England is really the most similar country to America. Materialism is insane, and an independent lifestyle is valued. The english barely consider themselves part of Europe anyway.

I haven’t been homesick at all despite knowing I won’t be going home for five months. I now have to keep a long distance relationship, and it has been really tough already being away from her and knowing I won’t see her for so long. I feel very cut-off from the life I lived before a couple days ago, but that isn’t all bad. I enjoy choosing what I can do, and being completely independent in a foreign place.

I haven’t done a whole lot yet in England. I visited Buckingham palace, went in a few shops, and walked around Hide Park. Since I had been here last year, I feel a lot less touristy and not especially excited to see the things I’ve already seen. But my schedule has a lot of new things on it, and next week I’m in Brussels. I’ve been sitting here for an hour writing this and sending emails to other people, and I already feel lazy since I’ve spent the last few days always on the go. But I should go now anyway to try my new European calling plan. See ya in a few.

Oh, hi. I didn’t see you there. I’m not sure why you’re reading this…whether you’re a student, alumni, or prospective student…or if you’re interested in studying abroad…..anyway, my name is Landon Zinda, and I’m a junior at Gustavus. For spring semester, I’ll be going to South Africa on an SIT (School for International Training) program. But before that, I’ll be spending a J-Term with UMAIE (Upper Midwest Association for Intercultural Education) in England, France, and Belgium. Right after that I’ll be spending a week with my friends in Italy before flying straight to South Africa. But before all that, in one hour, I’m flying to Michigan to see my girlfriend one last time before all this happens. She’s going to Ireland for the semester as well.

I first got interested in studying abroad through traveling Jterms. I have traveled around every January Term before this year, going to the east coast of the US, and Ireland. Also, for last spring break, I did a missions trip in the Dominican Republic. It’s actually fun to live independently in a different culture. The decision to spend four months away was not easy, though. I never really made the final decision that I was going until I booked the flights. I applied and made a deposit, but I was still deciding. Ultimately I’m glad with the decision that I made, but if you’re considering studying abroad, don’t feel as though you absolutely have to know right now. Give yourself time to decide, and you’ll make the right choice. I also specifically chose a program where I would not just go to another college somewhere else in the world. I wanted a “real life” education, where I was put directly into the culture and learned from the people living there. The best way to really understand (as opposed to learn) is to experience what you’re studying.

So I have a lot of flights ahead of me, and no guaranteed internet connection when I’m down there. I’ll make an attempt to post regularly, but I can’t guarantee anything. When I get back from Michigan and before I head out to Europe, I’ll try to tell you a little bit more about my interests and why I chose the program I did. Until then, hope your Christmas was great and your break from school even better.

My final days in Scotland were a physical and emotional roller-coaster ride. Near the end of my second to last week in Edinburgh my health started to deteriorate. I thought that if I just took it easy for a few days I’d be better in no time. About five days later I didn’t feel any better and finally made an appointment to see a doctor at the medical center on campus. She told me I probably had a chest infection and prescribed a week’s worth of anti-biotics, which I finished the day of my return to the U.S. Being ill that last week cost me a lot of time and rendered me unable to see most of the things in Edinburgh that I had been putting off until the end. I also didn’t feel very ambitious about studying for my final exam. But the worst part about being sick that last week was being unable to spend time with all of the friends I’d made.

When I made the decision to study abroad, people told me that I would have so many adventures, see so many new things, and meet lots of different people. I had counted on making friends in Scotland, but I never thought I would become so close to them that it would break my heart to say good-bye. I made several American friends, many who I plan to remain in close contact with and see again. Yet I also became very close to some of my flatmates and others who will be spending four years at Edinburgh. And saying good-bye to those people was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I know that we’ll stay in touch and hopefully visit each other from time to time, but it’s going to be rather strange returning to Gustavus instead of Edinburgh and not seeing my new friends.

I had the time of my life while I was in Scotland. I miss it already. My final week was filled with so many tears and good-byes. Between saying good-bye and trying to get rid of my chest infection, I just ran out of time. I will go back, I am certain of that. Now it’s just a matter of saving up the money and making the time. I know now that I returned a different person. I feel so much more independent and confident that I can make it on my own. While it is nice to be home, I do miss Scotland terribly. At least now I have several reasons to return…

I also participated in the second Butler-organized weekend trip. In mid-November, Butler took us to the Isle of Arran. The one hour ferry ride seemed to last only minutes and was quite enjoyable. The island itself is known as “Scotland in Miniature” because its features are amazingly similar to mainland Scotland. Arran is gorgeous; words do no justice to the island’s beauty. It was also the first time that I have seen seals, red deer, and standing stones.

Thanksgiving in Edinburgh turned out to be a very special occasion. About seven Americans, myself included, worked together to produce a bona fide feast for over twenty-four people from all around the world. The dinner was complete with two turkeys, three different kinds of mashed potatoes, candied yams, stuffing, green bean casserole, carrots, bread, cranberries, and homemade apple pie with ice cream. All our guests feasted until they were rendered immobile. A toast to the cooks completed the night. It was truly one of my most memorable experiences in Scotland. Thinking about it now reminds me how much I’m going to miss all of the people I’ve met in Edinburgh, as well as the city itself, and how thankful I am to even have this opportunity. But before I start thinking about all those things, I have a lot to do with the time I have left.

Mid-semester break ran from October 21-26. I took full advantage of the time off and traveled to Ireland with a fellow Gustie for four days. We’d booked plane tickets about a month in advance, so we were able to find a round-trip flight for less than $50 each. We also booked a hostel in advance in Dublin. The hostel turned out to be in a decent location, but didn’t have any outlets. I could’ve left my hair-dryer at home.

Having not done much research into Dublin before traveling there, I had expected the city to be much like Edinburgh with lots of spectacular old buildings, etc. Needless to say I was shocked to find Dublin comparable to any larger American city. To be fair, Dublin is over twice the size of Edinburgh. But I was still amazed at how modern Dublin looks, at least in comparison to Edinburgh. The first two days in Dublin were our major sight-seeing days. We saw Dublin Castle, Dublinia (a museum), Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a Viewing Chimney, St. Stephen’s Green, the Book of Kells at Trinity College, O’Connell Street, Temple Bar, and we walked by the Guinness Storehouse. We walked by so many other significant buildings, but I’d have to dig out my guidebook to remember them all. A highlight was being able to venture down into the crypt below Christ Church and actually attend mass there on Sunday. On our third day there, we took a bus to Galway. The three hours in the bus gave us a chance to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous Irish countryside. Galway is a charming little town and, although it is also becoming more modern, it was nice to be able to experience life in a more traditional Irish town. After discovering that Temple Bar, while very lively and enjoyable, was much too expensive for two poor college students, we spent the remainder of our nights in a traditional Irish pub close to our hostel. The pub, called The Celt, was quite small, but managed to pack in dozens of people for the live Irish music and the unbelievable Guinness. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Ireland. Next time, however, I will definitely have to spend some more time in the more scenic areas of the country.

Halloween in Edinburgh was fantastic. Practically every club, pub, and bar had special promotions and events just for Halloween. Edinburgh is a bit eerie to begin with at night, and on Halloween, the spookiness was just amplified. I dressed up as Poison Ivy and joined my flatmates at a party in my building before heading over to one of our favorite pubs, The Three Sisters, for the remainder of the night. Unfortunately, I had to call it an early night, since I had an essay due on Wednesday and had already begun to have nightmares about something going wrong.

I spent last weekend relaxing and celebrating the completion of my first two essays. On Saturday, I finally made my way up to Edinburgh Castle. It’s kind of embarrassing that I’ve been in Edinburgh for two months and, up until Saturday, I hadn’t even seen the Castle. The admission was rather expensive, but there are so many things to see and the breathtaking views of the city were worth it. I have so much I need to see yet before I leave, not only in Edinburgh, but in Stirling, Glasgow, and St Andrews as well. I’m starting to feel like my time’s running out, and that’s been good motivation to do more traveling.

Sunday night’s “family dinner” was unique (for lack of a better term) last week. The main course was…drum roll, please…haggis. Up until Sunday, I had never come in counter with the traditional Scottish dish. And now I can say that I have no plans to do so again anytime soon. Granted, it was slightly better than I had expected. Slightly. I also sampled the vegetarian version, which was a bit of an improvement over the real thing. The rest of the meal consisted of “neeps” (mashed turnips) and “tatties” (mashed potatoes). Dessert was plain yogurt with blackcurrant jam. Other than the haggis, I really enjoyed the meal. At least now I can honestly say that I have tried haggis.

While I’m on the topic of food, which I seem to write about a lot, there are plans in motion to have a traditional American Thanksgiving with the two flats. There are a few problems that need to be solved, such as where to find a turkey that will actually fit in these tiny ovens. Even if chicken is the only alternative, a real Thanksgiving meal with 24 people will be quite the feast.

It’s hard to believe that it’s Wednesday already. Only two more days until the weekend! Christmas seems to be on the minds of everyone in Edinburgh already. I suppose it helps that there’s no Thanksgiving between Halloween and Christmas. The stores are beginning to sell Christmas merchandise, and there’s a rumor that there’s some type of winter carnival around Princes Street, the main shopping street in Edinburgh. I only hope that I’ll get to see a snow-covered Edinburgh before I leave, even if it’s only for a day.

Just over two weeks ago I went on the IFSA-Butler-organized trip to Inverness and the Highlands. It was quite possibly the most enjoyable weekend I’ve had since I’ve been in Scotland. The trip was amazing; it included a tour of Scone Palace (the site of the coronation of Scottish kings for 450 years), a falconry display, a sheepdog demonstration, a trip up into the Cairngorn Mountains, a tour of a traditional whiskey distillery, a cruise on Loch Ness, a visit to the ruins of Urquhart Castle, and stops at Glen Nevis, Culloden Battlefield, and Glencoe. The Highlands are truly breathtaking and words and pictures cannot possibly do justice to their grandeur.

While I have enjoyed the trips to St Andrews and Inverness immensely, I did find myself impatient to get back to Edinburgh. I’ve become very close with my flatmates and the honorary flatmates (the guys next door). I feel like they’ve all become my third family, if you will, right behind my actual and forensics families. It’s very hard to think about leaving them in a month and a half, so I try to always concentrate on living in the present moment. I’m looking forward to this Sunday, which will mark the return of the now traditional “family dinner.” Each Sunday, one girl teams up with one guy to cook dinner for both flats-a mere 24 mouths to feed. Luckily, my turn hasn’t come yet.

Speaking of food, I’ve actually become somewhat of a cook myself. With that being said, I must state that I am still a novice. My skills have increased, however, and I’ve actually made a broccoli and cheese casserole served over rice (my crowning glory). At the very least, my meals are healthier, and I find myself going through quantities of tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, and, much to the amusement of my flatmates, frozen peas. I’ve also taken up drinking tea. It hasn’t been easy, since I was a hard-core coffee drinker back home, but sometimes I find it preferable to the inferior instant coffee I have here.

On a more serious note, I was notified a few weeks ago about the death of a good friend. Being across the ocean and helpless to anything has been incredibly frustrating and disheartening. It was also difficult being surrounded by people who had no memories of this person. It was during those couple of days after I got the news that I felt more alone here than ever. However, my friends here, particularly my flatmates, have been so supportive and understanding. They truly are like another family to me.

Now it’s time for me to return to the Picts. Wait, you’re probably thinking, didn’t she mention she just had a mid-semester break? Why didn’t she get the essay written then? A valid question. Unfortunately the answer must wait until I finish up with the Picts and a History of Art essay. I’ll leave you with a hint, though: think green…