Summer in Shanghai ~Bertha Bustos, Shanghai, China



Group visit to Volkswagen

Jin Mao Tower View - Jin Mao has 88 floors and is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Shanghai.



Tiger Hill in Suzhou





Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai



Returning to Europe ~Anthony Manzi, Study Abroad Peer Advisor, Rome, Italy, Spring 2010 and Florence, Italy, Spring 2011

 As a first generation Italian American with family scattered throughout Italy, Switzerland, and Spain, I figured I would one day visit Europe, but never thought I would get the chance to study and live in Italy for a full year! Ciao, mi chiamo Anthony Manzi. I’m a senior at CUNY College of Staten Island, and I studied abroad in Rome during the spring semester of 2010 and in Florence during the spring semester of 2011. After living on Staten Island for a number of years you get the feeling of being cooped up in a small place with a whole world out there to explore.

The first time I ever stepped foot in Europe was Fiumicino International Airport right outside of Rome. I will never forget my first day living in a different country, taking on the great adventure that is the Eternal City, meeting my five other roommates, making new friends and meeting locals of Trastevere and Monteverdi (neighborhoods of Rome).

After living in New York and frequenting Manhattan on almost a weekly basis you already have a sure feeling of how living in a major city would be – skyscrapers, fast living, lots of people, sightseeing, etc. – until you arrive in an ancient city such as Rome, with world famous structures and sculptures such as il Colosseo, la Fontana di Trevi, la Scala di Spagna, la Piazza del Popolo, and of course the center of the Roman Catholic Church, la Citta del Vaticano. These historic structures, a couple of them even considered some of the greatest sites in the world, are places you don’t get to see very often in your life, let alone live by them!

While living in a travel hub, with a schedule of 12 credits and decently difficult classes, I had a good amount of schoolwork to do, but also some time to travel throughout the great continent of Europe. I’ve visited eclectic cities from Madrid, Spain to Paris, France to Sofia, Bulgaria to Athens, Greece to Dublin, Ireland, and many more, including the Islands of Malta and the Canaries. Each country, but more specifically each city, has its own unique culture and lifestyle to it, which I’d rather you find out on your own and not spoil it for you!

Since the beginning of my initial study abroad experience in Rome of Spring 2010, I believe that the travel bug has bitten off more than it can chew when it comes to my expeditions- gazing over the snow covered Swiss Alps, sailing on a private yacht around the azure Mediterranean islands of Malta, island hopping right through the scenic Greek Isles, wine tasting throughout the province of Tuscany, even enjoying a cold one at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Travelling has become a big part of my life, so much that I have recently acquired a job for the fall semester of 2012, with one of Europe’s best student travel companies, Bus2Alps. Not Only will I be able to live in Europe once again, I will be travelling every weekend and work as a tour guide - not to mention getting paid to do what I love! So, for any of you students that are thinking of studying abroad in Europe, hopefully, I will see you on the other side. Arrivederci e Buona Fortuna a tutti!

Taurine 2012 ~Victoria Papazian, Marrakech, Morocco

In the days leading up to our trip to Morocco I was both excited and extremely nervous. The only time I had ever traveled abroad was with my mother and aunts and the thought of doing it without them scared me. However, having my classmates along for the ride made me feel much better. The flight there was as smooth as anything and when we finally landed in Casablanca it was still dark out. After going through customs and border patrol, we finally got to go outside. I can’t even begin to explain the sight of seeing the sun rise in Casablanca. It was breathtaking. On our bus ride to the hotel from Casablanca we were introduced to the Hassan II Mosque. This mosque was incredibly beautiful with the ocean shore and bright blue sky as a background.

The whole purpose of the trip was to attend the 18th International Taurine Conference. The conference was very informative on the effects of Taurine on different organ systems, as well as its effects on a wide variety of diseases. We were fortunate enough to have a wonderful planning committee to put all of our dinners and excursions together for us. One excursion brought us to a “carpet store.” This wasn’t just any carpet store - on all four walls were carpets of all different colors and patterns. After one of the store owners spoke, the workers rolled out all different rugs for us to look at and purchase.

We had another excursion that took us shopping, so we would be able to purchase gifts for family and friends back home. We also went to the Djemaa el-Fna which is a large square and market place in Marrakech’s medina quarter. It was amazing to see so many people selling different goods and the children running around together playing games.

  

We went to two different dinner events. The first was Kaftan night when all the female students were given beautiful kaftans in different colors and designs. One dress was more stunning and ornately decorated than the next.  All of the girls looked like princesses. The other dinner night was Chez-Ali, which reminded me of Medieval Times and Aladdin. Each of the dinner rooms was beautifully decorated with different colored silks. Outside of the dinner rooms was a large terrace that had an arena in the middle where performers did riding tricks on horses and donkeys. There were camel rides and belly dancers as well as other performers who came into the dinner rooms and did dances for us while we were eating.

In the time we had to ourselves, we explored the area around our hotel. The scenery was beautiful and breathtaking at every turn. It was such an experience to be able to travel to Morocco with such wonderful people. Professors El Idrissi and L’Amoreaux did so much for us that enabled us to thoroughly enjoy our trip. I’m so thankful to have been able to go on this trip. I’ll never forget my spring break in Morocco and will tell stories about my trip for years to come.

La Dolce Vita ~Cathrine Bernardo, Study Abroad Peer Advisor, Florence, Italy, Winter 2011

During one summer when I was six, my family and I traveled back to my home country. I remember being on the plane and loving every minute of it. I specifically remember asking my grandma if we had explored all of the Philippines. She said to me, “Oh my, no! There is too much!” I argued that I do not want to leave without seeing it all and that I will keep coming back until I do! My grandma calmly smiled at me and told me there were so many other places and countries to see and visit. And traveled I did.

I was fortunate enough to travel all over the United States because of where my cheerleading competitions, my brother’s basketball games and tournaments, and my sister’s dance competitions were located. My family and I also took annual family vacations. But taking on the United States (and parts of Canada) was not enough for me. I wanted to go to a place where it could not be reached by driving a car, and would take hours to get to by airplane.

At 21 years old, I finally embarked on my journey to Florence, Italy. This time around, no family or posse of cheerleaders; just me. While most people would tremble at the thought of traveling into another country, let alone flying solo, I found it exciting and adventurous! Moments before I boarded, my anticipation had built up so much, it became hard to handle. I squealed as I entered the walkway to the airplane, and I am sure all the other passengers thought I was just a bit crazy. I could care less; all I kept thinking was, “I’M GOING TO BE LIVING IN ITALY FOR A MONTH!”

(Fast forward from my flight to landing in Rome) Taking my first steps in this Italian airport in Rome felt like I had just been hit by a whirlwind. Not only did my lack of sleep start to set in, but I remember feeling like I was in a trance. People were moving so fast all around me and talking in different languages. That’s when the panic started to set in. “What do I do? Where do I go? Where are my bags? Oh my gosh, I’m not fluent in this language!” Those where the exact thoughts that crossed my head.

I stayed still for what felt like a couple of minutes, but in reality, it must have been just seconds. My heart felt like it was beating so hard from my chest that anyone who was close enough could hear it. Luckily for me, a little girl (who must have been no older than 6-7 years old) tapped my hand and politely said my bags are on the floor. For some reason, this small, nice gesture made my panic disappear, and I was back to my calm, cool, and collected self. I said thank you very much to her, and she replied, “Prego.” That made me so excited because she was my first encounter of a real Italian!

Her parents came over from behind and smiled at me. Francesca’s dad, Giuseppe, knew right away that this was my first time in their homeland. They offered to help direct me where I needed to go and what I needed to do before taking car service to meet up with my friend. It must have been fate that brought them to me, that I dropped my belongings, that little Francesca had stopped to talk to me; without them, I believe a whole different sequence of events would have occurred, which definitely would not have had the same outcomes. Before we parted ways, Giuseppe gave me a few tips and advice, but what really stuck out to me was that he told me to make sure I live “la dolce vita,” the true Italian way.

It was during my morning class that Stefania, my Italian Language I teacher, brought up the phrase “la dolce vita,” which translates to the sweet life. To live “la dolce vita” means to live in love and happiness. And supposedly, this is why Italians do everything in a calm and relaxing manner. Stefania also said that this way of life makes sense because constantly running around and being stressed is no good; there is no time to appreciate everyone and everything all around you. Italians like to concentrate on the present, but do reflect on the past, and always hope for the best in the future. 

While I kept this in the back of mind, for the first week and couple of days after, I did not live the Italian way in the truest sense. Even though I believed I did by traveling to different places and being exposed to so many new things and experiences. During the middle of my second week in Florence, I decided to go running on my own without any of my roommates (Not only where they getting tired of me forcing them to go, but they also started claiming there was not enough time for it). I am grateful, though, that I decided to go on my own because it was during this particular run in which I discovered what living “la dolce vita” meant for me.

My run started with the regular route I’ve taken previously. For some reason, I felt like I was discovering something new and seeing something different with each stride. Then I started noticing different streets and pathways that I could swear on my life were never there. I was feeling adventurous and curious to see where all these new paths would take me. Now, when I explain what I found to others, it will not sound like any groundbreaking discoveries, but to me they seemed that way. I felt overcome with the same joy, excitement, and sense of magic, most likely similar to how Harry Potter felt when witnessed for the first time the brick walls rearranging themselves to a doorway to Diagon Alley. I got so caught up in my “discoveries” that not only did I lose track of how many miles I was running, but also lost track of how long I was running for. That’s what prompted me to look up and notice that the sun was starting to set.

I went home exhausted, but refreshed at the same time. I also felt accomplished because I ran for the longest amount of miles and time I ever had, despite the fact that I did not know the exact numbers or time. I remember thinking to myself that not once did I look at my watch or timer! This sort of “high” that I felt, appreciation for what had happened, feelings of satisfaction, feelings of accomplishment, feelings of being blessed by Florence’s beauty... all of this combined- that was my sweet life and I had experienced it! So this is what it means to truly live in the present.

Now, some of you may still be confused about what I mean or what it means, this “la dolce vita” way. That’s perfectly okay; it is something that you will have to find all on your own. You can see, hear, read, and study all about it, but until you discover and experience for yourself, you won’t ever genuinely understand it.

My advice? The best I can offer is to tell you to study abroad. Let go of the fear of what might happen and all the things that can go wrong, and just leave! (Mind you, there are precautions that must be taken in order to ensure your safety.) You do not necessarily have to be Italian to live this way; it can be adopted by anyone! You don’t even need to go to Florence. Maybe you don’t even need to go to Italy (although I highly recommend it if you want to see this lifestyle being lived firsthand). To live “la dolce vita” is to embark on a journey of self-discovery in finding and living in happiness, peace, and love. However, in order to start, you have to start somewhere, other than where you are right now. Buona Fortuna!

The Beauty of Fukuoka ~Michael Gigante, CSI Exchange Ambassador to Japan

日本から　こんにちは！　私の名前は　マイクル　ジガンテ　です。私は　西南大学の　留学生　です。どうぞよろしくおねがいします！　日本が　大すきです。たのして、おもしろいです！　スタテンアイランドに　かえりたくない！

What, you don’t understand Japanese? Okay then!

Hello from Japan! My name is Michael Gigante, and I am an exchange student at Seinan Gakuin University. It is very nice to meet you! I love Japan. It is very fun and interesting. I don’t want to return to Staten Island!

Fukuoka, Japan is probably the most amazing city on Earth. I don’t say that very lightly, and I can’t really pinpoint one specific thing. From the language, to the people, to the general atmosphere - Japan is just incredible. The only thing I dislike so far is the fact that time seems to be moving so quickly! One of the coolest little things by far, and something that tells me I am in Japan every day, is the view from my room. Can you see the picture? Mountains! It is absolutely beautiful.

Probably one of my favorite places to visit in Japan is Fukuoka’s Castle ruins, right next to Ohori Park. It is absolutely the most beautiful place in the city, and from the top you can see the entirety of Fukuoka. It really shows off the beauty of the city. The architecture is also incredibly interesting and is nothing like European castles. For one thing, the walls are sloped, which makes them a little easy to climb…don’t ask how I know that, but it raises such interesting questions on the nature of siege warfare in Japan!

The language is also incredibly interesting. I didn’t realize this until I came here, but there are almost like three separate languages within Japanese. First is the very polite form you use to superiors, second is the polite form you use upon meeting someone for the first time, and third is the friendly form. A good example of this can be shown with help of my favorite words: まじ、and ほんとですか.  Both have similar meanings, but the first, まじ, cannot be used to superiors. It basically means: “are you kidding me???” Whereas, ほんとですか, means: “really?” It’s a lot like English, but honestly, I don’t even know any words in extremely formal Japanese, and it feels like such a daunting task to actually have to learn three ways to say a lot of things.

とても　おもしろいね？

(Very interesting, right?) Oh wait…

The people are also very cool here, and probably one of my best Japanese friends is a Japanese student named Yuki. He lives at my dorm, but does not go to Seinan Gakuin. He is a fashion student, and we have seen some of his work at student fashion shows. A few weeks ago, I held a birthday party for him in my room…it was a little cramped, but it was a lot of fun! After, he was so grateful that he gave me a small tub of jelly beans. It was very nice of him, but…I hate jelly beans…

おわりました！　ありがとう！　またね。

(I’m finished! Thanks! Until next time!)

Nanjing and New York ~Matthew Greger, Nanjing, China, Spring 2010

 

Once you give someone the taste for adventure, they will eat the world up. My name is Matt and I was born in Colombia, adopted by an Italian, German/ Irish American family, and raised in New York City. Oh, and I studied in Nanjing, China for four months in the Spring of 2010. This is the common description the president of my college, Dr. Tomás D. Morales, will give of me when he talks about study abroad to aspiring students. It’s humbling, but so is the fact that we first met at the top of a Shanghai skyscraper, and then proceeded to walk the promenade of the busiest river in the world.

The most common question I was asked when I chose to study abroad was: Why China? The answer is simple, and always has been: “It’s the farthest away from here I could possibly get.” Before studying abroad reinvigorated my life, I was slacking in school, partying all the time, and losing track of my goals. I had no idea that I could undergo such a complete reversal and stimulation of knowledge until I defeated the concept of fear and got out of my comfort zone in a way I never thought possible. Study abroad provided me with a gateway to a new world, and now I’m living in one… even after being home for almost two years!

China is a very misunderstood place from people who view it afar compared to those who actually go there. For all you will hear about it and study it, by the time you arrive, the state of things could have changed dramatically. Sometimes even the citizens of that country admit their assumptions about the nation are adapted daily. Imagine all of America’s advances in the past 3 centuries being solved and debated in as much time as the Internet has existed, and you get the kind of confusion and grandeur that Chinese people deal with regularly.

New York City is the greatest city in the world for many different reasons, but I can agree on that and also say I might just enjoy living in Nanjing more. The two cities are similar in many ways – they are about the same size, have a huge river flowing by them, have massive pollution, a giant park, skyscrapers, subways, and lots of history. What most people don’t understand about China is that crime isn’t much of a problem there, and that’s not from a lack of government intervention! The two cities also share elements of racism, apathy, poverty, and religious idealism. What I believe sets the cities (and countries) apart is the kindness and generosity of people to one another, the sense of togetherness and respect.

In Nanjing, you can walk down a city alleyway at night in the dark, (although it is discouraged by study abroad advisors) feel completely safe and at home. That’s not to discount the miraculous work of New York’s police department and public service, which do incredible things to keep society safe, civil, prosperous, clean and fair. Nanjing has police; they just don’t generally need them. Nanjing has poverty, but those people are fine and content with what they are doing, and manage to survive. The city is a magical place where wealth is overflowing from foreign and local investment and population growth. Everyone gets by somehow and manages to give even more to people they don’t know. New York is a different place, where it’s large enough so that diversity and morality fuel philanthropy, individuality and originality which are driving factors, and justice is needed to keep people in their place when they feel discontent towards one another.

Basically, what I’m saying is that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, especially in my situation. Some may consider study abroad beyond their level of comfort, taste, knowledge, or predisposition, but it’s really not. Study abroad can be for everyone because it’s pure discovery. That’s what life is all about, discovery and adventure and though some people lose their way, it’s most important to find them and put them through these trials of recovery. Through education, the world can be yours, and it’s not such a chore as people may think.

Taking the Plunge in Florence ~Zachary Schwartz, Florence, Italy

Hello Readers,

My name is Zachary Schwartz, and I am a sophomore English major at the College of Staten Island. I am currently studying abroad in Florence, Italy for this current Spring Semester until May 13^th. My goal in writing this blog for CSI is to hopefully convince one reader to take the plunge, grab the opportunity and consider taking up CSI on its wonderful offer to study abroad. You will not be disappointed.

Study abroad has always been a goal of mine. Just the idea of being hundreds of miles away from my home in a distant country sounded appealing to me. Not in any way because I hate living with my family but because the freedom I would have would be very gratifying.  I also recognized study abroad as a crucial growing experience in my young life. I feel it is very important to learn about other cultures and not just focus on your own at home. My feelings before leaving for Florence were emotions of anxiety, excitement and restlessness. I KNEW I was going to have a great time when I saw the seat next to me on my seven hour flight was unoccupied. I couldn't wait to start this new adventure of my life. Nothing sounded (and sounds) better to me than an espresso and pastry in the morning for breakfast and wine and pasta for dinner.

I arrived in Florence on January 18^th. I was in Florence a week before school started so I decided to do all of the “tourist-y” things, so I could get them out of the way. The things to do in Florence seem almost endless. There are countless museums which hold the greatest art work in the world (one of which holds the Michelangelo masterpiece David - you can’t take a picture of it, but I’m determined to do so), as well as hundred year old ancient churches that you wish the United States had to offer. The most incredible sight of Florence is the one thing you cannot avoid even if you tried. Florence’s Duomo is a 600 year relic sitting right smack in the middle of the city. If you feel man (or woman) enough, you can climb up 426 steps all the way to the top and bear witness to the beautiful scenery Florence has to offer.

I’m only a month into my experience and so far it’s been more than great. Classes are interesting, food has been great and the people are awesome. I can’t wait to see what else Florence, Italy and Europe have to offer me. I’ll make sure to give you the most information that I can. Until next time…

                                                                                                                             Zachary

International Business in Dublin ~Jeff Drouillard, CSI Exchange Ambassador to Ireland

Not many students get the opportunity to travel miles away from home to study in a beautiful country of their choice. On the verge of graduation, I decided to pursue an International Business Degree, and what is better than doing an International Business Degree “internationally”, and did I mention it’s in Europe. I knew an opportunity such as this does not come around too often, so I was both intrigued and excited. Thus without any hesitation, I seized the opportunity, and on January 20^th I landed in Dublin, Ireland. My name is Jeff Drouillard, 22-year-old student studying International Business and Marketing at DIT, Dublin Institute of Technology.

Going to a foreign country at my age seems a little mind boggling, stepping out of my social norms and taking on this foreign country seems a bit intimidating, nonetheless I was ready to take on the adventure.  I prepared myself to be surprised and not expect the norm. I expect Dublin to be, well, quite “foreign.” Surprisingly, some of the features of Dublin actually remind me of New York City. Although Dublin isn’t nearly as big as New York and does not have any skyscrapers, the City Centre where DIT is located reminds me of SOHO and the village. The highest point in Dublin as advertised is at the Guinness Distillery Store House, which I visited in my second week in Dublin. There is this little area that even reminded me of Times Square, well somewhat. One particular area would be Temple bar, which is composed of tons of pubs and clubs. It is known to be the biggest tourist attraction here. It was the first place I was able to enjoy and also be able to refrain from any culture shock, which sometimes we all know can be a bit overwhelming (at least in the beginning). One of my Irish lads informed me that if I went anywhere else in Ireland, I would have had a major culture shock.

Even though there are places I grew accustomed to, there are still some adjustments needed. Especially when it comes down to time, currency and paying for shopping bags. Most places open around 10a.m. and close between 5p.m. - 6p.m. They have a late day, which is Thursday which stores close 2 hours later.  The euro to the dollar is something I still can’t get used to.  Everything here is more expensive than New York, especially when thinking in terms of dollars; the current exchange rate is 1 euro for every $1.33. When going shopping, it is suggested to bring your own bag; if not, one would need to pay for a shopping bag for their items. The first time I went grocery shopping, I was lucky I had my book bag. So far Dublin is “grand” (Irish terminology equivalent to Ok or Cool). Classes are “grand” as well. The people are great the weather is gloomy, but it’s great so far and it only has begun. But besides the adjusting I still need to get used to, I am truly enjoying my stay here and the new experiences.