Melissa holding up the Leaning Tower

Why did you decide to pursue Study Abroad?  Why this particular program/country?
I always knew traveling to Europe was something I only dreamed about doing in the future. I never thought it was possible until Becker sent out an e-mail about students interested in studying abroad. The place I most wanted to visit was Italy so going in I knew I wanted to find a school there.

Was it your first time abroad?  Were you nervous about leaving the country and moving to a new environment thousands of miles away for a few months?  How did you deal with it?
At the point of my life when I was ready to leave I don’t think nervous summed up how I really felt. I was so eager and excited. No one in my family ever traveled as far as I did and for as long as I had. It was easy to cope because I had the mind set of knowing I will be home eventually and that there is no reason to dwell on being homesick because I would regret it in the end. It was also easy to cope meeting my house mates and faculty. They made it a lot easier. The community as well was very helpful!

What did the school, Center for International Studies, and/or the country do to ensure that you felt welcome and comfortable?
CIS was always there to answer my questions and to make sure I was safe. I never felt like I was doing this process alone. As for the school in Italy, we had many days of orientation and meeting with staff that helped us get to know everyone. As for the country itself, I met a lot of caring locals who were always there to help us and come familiar with the language.

How would you compare Palazzo Rucellai to Becker, in terms of:  academics; student life?
Study Abroad was very distracting in terms of academics. As much as you wanted to learn it was hard knowing about all the new excitement going on outside of the classroom. What we did and how we learned though was interesting as well. European education is very demanding and is completely different from what students are accustomed to at Becker. As for student life, it was much the same. Going to school in another country where the general language is not English, we were not able to study with Italian students, so Palazzo Rucellai was a school of Americans.

How would you compare Florence to Worcester?
As much as I love the two cities, I don’t think there can ever be a comparison to Florence. If you were to ask a person what their favorite city is in Italy, I am 100% sure they would say Florence. Florence was my home and in it was filled with history and great places and people.

Learning the cuisine of Italy

What was the biggest challenge?
I think the biggest challenge was life after my study abroad adventure and settling back home. Culture shock hit hard coming home. As much as I was happy to see my family and friends, it was devastating leaving a place you made your home for the past few months and the people who might not ever get to see again.

What was the most rewarding part of the experience?
I think the most rewarding part of studying abroad were the places I got to see and the people I met as well as learning a lot about myself. It’s hard to pinpoint one good thing about this that sums it all up, but it’s every good and bad experience that I went through that will change me forever and those experiences came with no regret.

What did you gain from this pursuit, i.e. how do you feel this experience will help your future career pursuits, graduate school applications, or whatever else you decide to pursue?
This experience has shaped me to be so cultured and to have depth. I think it is intriguing to know someone has study abroad and it shows others that you have responsibility as well as being well cultured and experienced. I cannot wait to apply for graduate school and have someone ask me about my experience in studying abroad.

What advice would you give any Becker student who might be considering Study Abroad, but is a bit nervous to take that extra step and apply?
This I think was the most difficult question to answer. As much as I want everyone to experience everything I had, it’s hard to persuade people into wanting to study abroad and to tell them not to be nervous because yes, you should be nervous, but you should be excited as well. I can only say so much about how amazing it was and how I will never be the same person, but it takes someone who wants a change and who is willing to experience something new to consider studying abroad. I promise any person who studies abroad that their life will never be the same, but I mean that as their life will hold depth, they will be cultured, they will experience things that they never thought of and they will enjoy every second being abroad. For those students who are nervous, don’t be. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! 

Interview conducted by Eric Saczawa, Director of Career Services

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This month, Hillary covers:

• Vacation on the island of Fiji
• Community service at an animal shelter
• Running a 1/2 marathon
• Mixed emotions:  Study Abroad coming to an end!

It seems like just yesterday I was writing my first blog entry for Becker, and now here I am writing my last. People always said how fast time would go by and they were extremely accurate. Although it seems like I just arrived yesterday, I also feel like I have lived here for years. Since my last entry I went on “Easter Break” but to me it felt more like Spring break. After much consideration, I ended up going with a group of friends to two different islands in Fiji. It was by far the best vacation I have ever been on! The people were some of the kindest that I have ever met. I spent three nights on Bounty Island which was small enough to walk around in 30 minutes. It was my first time on a tropical island and I was highly impressed. We spent our time there snorkeling, swimming, reading and soaking up the sun, I couldn’t have asked for a better time. The next two nights were spent on Coral View, which was 4 hours further off of the mainland. The coolest part of the whole trip was going to the Sawailau Caves. A group of 4 of us and 3 guides took a small  motor boat out to a deserted island and climbed stairs that lead into a cave. Then we were given goggles and told to jump into the water and start swimming. The first part of the cave we swam in had an “open roof” but then the guides showed us through an underwater tunnel that lead to an enclosed roof cave. Thankfully one of the guides had a flashlight so we could see because it was pitch black! I was a little apprehensive at first but once I surfaced on the other side it was well worth it. The guides would turn off their lights and you couldn’t even see one inch in front of you, it was pretty crazy. My only complaint about Fiji was that it went by way to fast! I highly suggest going.

l also started volunteering in my spare time at the SPCA here in Dunedin, which is their local animal shelter. It’s been so much fun getting to work with the cats, kittens, rabbits and dogs! One thing that I have really missed since being in New Zealand was having interactions with animals. I searched for the nearest animal shelter and sure enough there’s one about a 30 minute walk from my flat. They were extremely inviting and showed me how I could help right of the bat. Hopefully I don’t cave and adopt a bunch of animals because I don’t think I have room in my luggage for them!

Saint Clair Half Marathon located at the top of the South Island

Some other exciting news is that I participated in the Saint Clair Half Marathon located at the top of the South Island (about a nine hour drive). This half marathon was unique because instead of being alongside a road, we were running through various wine vineyards, farm land as well as along a gorgeous river. Myself and four other friends traveled up to be part of it, considering we signed up for it 4 weeks before the actual race, none of us were by any means prepared for it. I did better than I thought I would, but now after experiencing it I would love to invest time and actually train for another one in the future. On our way home back to Dunedin we stopped in Hanmer Springs to spend some time in the natural thermal springs. This was just what the doctor ordered after many hours cooped up in a car followed by a 13 mile race and then more hours crammed in a car. There were three sulfur pools filled with unfiltered water from below the ground, its natural heat was like a hot tub’s temperature. The only down side was the smell of sulfur in the air.

Overall it has started to get chilly down here as winter approaches; one aspect that I miss from dorm life is not having to pay or worry about electricity, aka heat. There is not central heating here and most electric heaters are very expensive to run, therefore all flats are always very cold. It’s weird to be in your room and have to be dressed from head to toe in sweats and heavy socks; I swear sometimes it’s colder in our flat than it is outside! But I’ve been introduced to the craze of ‘hotties’ which is a flat, flexible, rubber bottle that you fill with hot water and sleep with to keep yourself warmer.

The view of New Zealand from the plane

As my time in NZ winds down I’ve been hit with a lot of final essays and projects to complete within the next two weeks. I have mixed emotions about my time ending here; on one hand I am extremely excited to see family and friends but on the other I am really sad to leave this place I have come to love. I’ve met so many great people, seen great sights and made memories that will last me forever.

I would like to reiterate that deciding to study abroad was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I really hope more people at Becker begin to take interest in the various programs that are offered through Center for International Studies (CIS). It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that I think everyone should experience!

I’ve enjoyed writing this blog and I hope others have enjoyed reading it; see you all in the Fall! 

Take Care-
Hillary Dzamba

Could studying abroad be in your Becker future? Check out Study a Broad for more information!

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by Hillary Dzamba

This month, Hillary covers:

• Siteseeing: Milford Sound, Wanaka, world’s steepest street
• Home visit: the accomodating Kiwis (i.e. native New Zealanders)
• Observations and anecdotes about academics and cultural differences in New Zealand

Swimming in Milford Sound

Hey everyone! It’s crazy to think that school back home is beginning to wind down; meanwhile I’m only at mid-semester break. I’ve gone on a few adventures since my last post, which include exploring Milford Sound, Wanaka and the steepest street in the World. A couple weekends ago seven of us went on a road trip to Milford Sound for a friend’s birthday; the group consisted of four Americans, two Kiwis and one Norwegian. The drive took about 6 hours to get from the east coast of New Zealand over to the west coast. Due to all the mountains there aren’t standard highways, in the sense of what Americans would expect. The main roads are two lanes, sometimes three to allow passing but because they are so winedy the driving can seem to last forever, thank goodness for the beautiful views. During the road trip we passed many farms, including sheep, cows, horses and even deer farms (which seem like such a strange concept). We also passed some spots where the Lord of the Rings was filmed.

We finally reached Milford Sound, one of the World’s top travel destination, Milford Sound is a fjord (an inlet with steep cliffs on the sides formed by glaciers). We boarded our boat for an overnight cruise around the Sound, after we made our way towards the ocean the boat stopped and we were able to participate in water activities while dinner was being prepared. We spent the first half kayaking around the bend, it was a blast.  After working up a sweat we decided to head back to the boat and go for a swim, I was pleasantly surprised when the water wasn’t as cold as what I expected. We were also allowed to jump off the highest point of the boat into the water, multiple times!

The weekend after Milford Sound two friends and I went with a Kiwi to his hometown of Wanaka for the weekend. I heard amazing things about that area so I was very excited to see it. When we arrived at his home we were welcomed with open arms by his parents, who immediately showed us where we would be sleeping and a tour of the house. It was so nice to be in a cozy home instead of a chilly flat, not to mention the luxury of having home cooked meals! They were so accommodating, after hearing I was egan his mom went to the store to buy soymilk, nuts, and other things she knew I could eat, which was super nice and totally unnecessary. The next day we went to a local vineyard for a wine tasting, climbed Mt. Roy, explored the little town, and played on the playground near the lake, needless to say it was a very successful day! Wanaka was just as beautiful as people had described, I would love to visit it during the summertime. We left Sunday to head back home and stopped in the town of Cromwell to shop at the local orchards, and get our picture taken with GIANT fruit.

Hillary and friend laying on the steepest hill

A few days ago I conquered the world’s steepest road, also known as Baldwin Street. It wasn’t as long as I expected it to be, but what it lacked in length, it made up for in steepness. The steepest part was 1 in 2.86 or 19°. We figured it was a good idea to lie down in the street and take pictures, but it literally felt like if I made one wrong move then I would tumble down to the bottom. I was amazed at the variety of people climbing up to the top there were people from 3 years old to at least 75, I was very impressed. To give you an idea of how dangerous the street is I learned that a few years ago a couple teenagers thought it would be a good idea to roll down the street in wheelie bins (big trashcans) which sadly lead them to a tragic death when they rolled into the side of the road.

I’m off to Fiji next week for Mid-semester break next week and I still cannot believe how fast time has flown by. In my classes here, one thing I have noticed that’s different is that there aren’t any quizzes or midterms throughout the semester. It’s mainly just a few essays, research assignments and a final exam. This method has it advantages and disadvantages because I feel like I have less work most of the time, which is great but then all of a sudden I will have a huge paper due in all my classes at once that’s worth a significant amount. I’m still working on managing my time the best way possible, it’s just so hard to sit in the library doing work when I know there is so many things outside to explore.

So far I have noticed a few cultural differences, such as I have yet to hear “bless-you” when others sneeze, and the words “keen”, “heaps” and “sweet-as” are used tremendously. When going out to eat you aren’t expected to tip and instead of the whole table getting one bill and splitting it, each person goes to the cashier and pays for what they individually ordered which makes so much more sense.  It’s also very common to use hitch-hiking as means of getting around (although I have yet to do it), another thing that is totally normal is to see very young children walking the streets alone to the park or convenience store. Where-as back in the States majority of parents are too scared to let their kids out of sight for one second. I love how safe I feel here, whether it’s two in the afternoon or two in the morning I have no problem walking places by myself. Although out of impulse I am always on my toes and aware of what’s going on around me. So all in all I still love life in New Zealand and I know I will miss it a lot when time comes for me to leave.

-Until Next Time,

Hillary Dzamba

• Watch for Hillary’s final blog entry in late May/early June!

Could studying abroad be in your Becker future? Check out Study a Broad for more information!

The post New Zealand Blog #3 appeared first on Becker College.

This month, Hillary covers:

• What academics are like at University of Otago
• Fundraising efforts for victims of Christchurch earthquake
• A lot of great sightseeing in New Zealand
• Encouragement for Becker students to study abroad

I can’t believe I’ve been down here for over a month, it’s funny to think that I was only in my third week of classes while Becker was already having their Spring Break! I’m taking four “papers” a.k.a classes while I’m here, which consist of Human Resource Management, Sales Management, Supply Chain Strategy and last but not least Religion, Science and Magic. Classes are totally different than what I’m used to at Becker, for instance here my smallest class is around forty people and my largest being one hundred. Things run a little differently as well, attendance isn’t taken nor does it count, some teachers have aids to grade the assignments, they rarely know who you are unless you go out of your way to introduce yourself and grades are weighted much differently. For all of my classes the final is worth a significant amount, one of mine is worth as much as seventy percent of my final grade! Overall I’m enjoying my classes and love the professors; all I have to do is make sure I know what they are looking for.

A beautiful view from Mt. Roy

As I briefly mentioned in my last post, a huge earthquake hit Christchurch although I wasn’t affected by the event, many here were. A Kiwi who I have come to know while down here is part of the New Zealand Red Cross and when the opportunity arose to help with raising money for the relief fund, I jumped at the offer. We were all split up into different groups to cover certain neighborhoods in town, once there we knocked on everyone’s door to see if they wanted to make any donations for the Christchurch earthquake. I was amazed at how many students gave whatever money they could to help out, we received donations from twenty cents per person to 30 dollars per person! I’m not sure of the final tally but the estimate was that we raised around eight thousand dollars among fifteen of us. It’s amazing to see how much a community comes together when such tragic events occur. Every weekend I have been somewhere new, different and exciting. Such as exploring  Larnach Castle (New Zealand’s one and only), Tunnel Beach, Sandfly Bay, the Royal Albatross Colony, climbing Mt. Cargill, experiencing my first rugby game and going on a train tour through the countryside. Needless to say I’m excited to just stay in town for a lazy weekend.  Each place had something different to offer, at Sandfly Bay we trekked down a steep dune to find a giant sea lion sleeping on the beach, which was so cool! After walking further we got to a viewing post where we could observe (from a distance) the rare yellow-eyed penguins, and multiple fur seals.

The Royal Albatross center is located at the end of the Otago Peninsula; an albatross is one of the largest flying sea birds with a wing span of up to 3 meters across. They were very interesting looking, but kind of creepy as well. Larnach Castle isn’t your typical castle, it’s on the small side compared to what you would normally think, but the structure and gardens were beautiful. Tunnel beach is definitely one of my favorite places I’ve been so far.  Getting to the beach is about a 20 minute walk down hill from the parking lot. There were massive sea-carved sandstone cliffs overlooking the ocean, but to get to the actual beach you have to walk down 70 steps in a tunnel until you emerge onto the sand, it was magnificent. Not to mention my initials were already carved into the sea wall! A week ago a friend and I went on a hike up Mt Cargil, which is located here in Dunedin and what we thought was going to be a pretty easy task turned into a never ending, steep incline but it was totally worth it once we reached the top. In all honesty studying abroad was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make and if I didn’t have a supportive family, friends and faculty back at Becker I most likely wouldn’t be here. I already love it in New Zealand and have only been here a month. My advice to anyone who is even slightly interested in doing a semester abroad would be to just jump at the opportunity! Most likely you will never in your life be able to pick up and move to another country for four months, with everything taken care of. No matter where you decide to go it’s going to benefit you tremendously and I promise you won’t regret it! Through this blog I hope to share my experiences while inspiring others to take a risk and study abroad.

Until next time,
Hillary Dzamba

• Watch for another Study Abroad Blog entry by Hillary by early May!
• Scroll down to read her previous blog entry,which covered the first week after arriving in New Zealand in February.
• Could studying abroad be in your Becker future? Check out Study a Broad for more information!

The post New Zealand Blog #2 appeared first on Becker College.

Hillary hangs out at the Botanic Garden in Dunedin, New Zealand

Well after months of trying to make a decision and weeks of waiting to leave, I’m finally here in Dunedin, New Zealand and couldn’t be happier! On Tuesday February 15 I put aside my fears and anxiety as I said goodbye to my parents. I had built up this moment so much inside I just assumed I would burst into tears, but surprisingly not a tear was shed (well at least not by me!). I left Boston that afternoon and 6 or so hours later I arrived in San Francisco where I quickly boarded my international flight to Auckland, NZ. We were served dinner and wine, both of which were surprisingly really good. I tried my hardest to get some rest, but it just wasn’t possible, so in the end I slept for only 3 hours. After thirteen long hours sitting in the same position we finally began our descent into Auckland International Airport, around 6am on Thursday, so yes I completely skipped Wednesday. After going through customs successfully and waiting 6 hours, I boarded my third and final flight destined for Dunedin! This was by far the best one for multiple reasons, a) I had a window seat b) It was light out so I could really see the scenery and c) The flight was less than 2 hours.

Hillary (in the middle) at the train station in Dunedin with her flatmates.

Classes don’t start until Monday the 28^th. So for the past week we’ve been able to do our own thing and explore our new surroundings. During the past few days I have spent time at the Botanical Gardens, exploring the downtown area and at the beach! One of the biggest shockers for me is how many people are here. Being use to Becker’s 2,000 student population it’s quite a leap to jump into a campus with over 20,000, but so far I love it here! Students are everywhere, everyone is kind,  and the campus is gorgeous. It’s great to be in a totally new environment with people from all over the world. As much as I love Becker and its tight community it’s awesome to be in a real “college town”, it has a totally different feel to it. I’m anxious to see what classes are like here and how they compare to what I am use to but I’m sure once I get the hang of it everything will run smoothly! My only complaint so far would be that the weather is very temperamental around here, for instance one second it will be hot and sunny and literally the next it will be cloudy and pouring rain. You just have to be prepared for anything!

And as I’m sure you have heard that an earthquake occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand. Thankfully it’s about a four hour drive from where I live, so only after shocks were felt around here. Many students had family and friends who were there and were in a panic to try and get a hold of them. It was a tragic event and my heart goes out to everyone it affected. I will keep you all posted on how things are down here and the experiences that lie ahead. I Hope all is well Becker!

Until next time
Hillary Dzamba

Watch for another Study Abroad Blog entry by Hillary by early April!

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