Archives for January 2025

My trip to Rwanda was nothing short of magical. I was already excited about going somewhere I had never been to experience things I hadn’t before, but I wasn’t prepared for how much it would change how I thought. 

Perhaps the hardest part of our trip, in my opinion, was learning about the genocide and witnessing the impact it had on Rwanda’s community. I was so thankful that the organizers of our study abroad program made going to the memorials and learning the harsh reality of the genocide part of our curriculum. Although it was difficult emotionally and mentally to hear the stories and see the mass graves or damaged clothes, it was necessary to understand how Rwanda had gotten to where they were. I loved seeing that Rwanda embraced its history and did not shy away from what had happened. It inspired me to think critically about some of the policy actions happening in the United States and how I and everyone else could use what we witnessed to make change at home.

One of our goals throughout the trip was to be conscious of how we processed new information, new perceptions, new experiences, new foods, etc. The thought behind this goal was to challenge the preconceived notions of Western societies that anything different from our norm is bad. This practice of consciously trying to be open-minded made my trip so much better. Instead of being confronted with a foreign language, food, or something as obscure as driving norms and being uncomfortable, I was able to embrace the experience and learn how to better communicate and enjoy life with others. 

The most unexpected learning moment for me was when I realized that no matter how different Rwanda was from home, it really wasn’t as different as I thought it would be. The people were kind and welcoming, the landscape was luscious and beautiful, and nothing was ever so out of my element that I was uncomfortable. There were so many times, before I left that uninformed family members, would tell me to be safe and careful because their idea of Africa was a desolate place with crime everywhere, but I frequently found myself feeling safer and more welcome on the streets of Kigali or Gisenyi than I would at home. I wanted to send them pictures and videos of my time there to show them just how wrong they were about the country I had fallen in love with being in.

Despite having these deep realizations and challenges, there should be no doubt that our trip made some of the best and most fun memories of my life. The people I traveled with have become some of my best friends, and many of us still talk on a daily basis. I can still remember how it felt to be on Lake Kivu riding a boat while eating raw sugar cane. I remember how many laughs and smiles there were during our fashion show where everyone wore the clothes we had bought in Kigali. I remember being terrified by the traffic and driving in the cities. I remember playing volleyball with students at the Nyabihu School for the Deaf and seeing their faces light up when we learned how to communicate with them. I remember passing massive tea plantations where all you could smell for miles were the tea leaves which brought me almost immediate peace. I remember how cool it was to see lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants, and so many other animals up close on our safari. And most importantly, I remember how wonderful it felt to be in a place where community was a top priority and kindness was the default reaction to others.

My trip to Rwanda obviously held a lot of educational impact especially because of my minor, but the personal impact it had on me goes beyond anything I could’ve hoped for. The connections I made to people and the love for Rwanda that I now have run deep, and I could not be more happy to have had this opportunity.

Abby Bunch
Political Science & History
Class of 2025

Brenna Metts with the Carl Gauss monument

As an applied mathematics major, I remember feeling discouraged each summer watching my friends go on exciting adventures abroad and thinking: Why aren’t there exciting summer trips for math majors? Sure, there are semester exchange opportunities available, but taking a higher-level math course in a different country for a semester just didn’t align with my needs and if anything sounded like a great way to raise my anxiety. 

By the time I had decided on my capstone – writing a book that demonstrates the intersectional relationship between mathematics and art – I had nearly given up on getting to study abroad. Thankfully, my Oxford Tutorial professor, Cindy Lea, made me realize I didn’t have to wait for a trip to be made for me; rather, I could make my own opportunity for myself. 

After this realization, I began concocting a trip that aligned perfectly with my research. I began looking into Germany due to its rich math and art history. Admittedly, making an itinerary for a month-long trip in another country is not an easy task and it took a lot of research, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of consulting with close German friends for tips and suggestions. After this hard work though, I was able to get the month-long trip fully funded by a travel abroad grant. 

During this month, I spent each of the four weeks in a new major German city. My first week was in Berlin, my second week was in Bonn and Cologne, my third week was in Hannover with day trips to Braunschweig and Göttingen, and my fourth week was in Munich with day trips to Ulm and Regensburg. I got to explore a selection of math museums and sites including the Arithmeum; Futurium; German Technical Museum; Neues Museum; University of Göttingen math model collection; the Deutsches Museum; and the graves, birthhomes, and memorials to Kepler, Einstein, and Gauss. Additionally, I saw 10 different art museums where I analyzed how artists subtly used mathematics within their works. 

Further, I allotted culture days in my schedule where I gave myself a long list of cultural destinations in the area that I could pick and choose from spontaneously on the day. These days were especially meaningful because they allowed me more freedom on my trip. Because of these flexible days, I got to truly enjoy the culture of the area instead of being restricted to the more tourist-y destinations. During these days I was able to see landmarks, make international friends, participate in the Euro Cup 2024 live viewings, watch the Isar river surfers in Munich, enjoy the Fete de la Musique on the Summer Solstice, kayak down the Oker River, visit local markets, and much more. Allowing myself these “culture days” where I could explore the city for myself with little direction allowed me the chance to “discover” things on my own. When I would accidentally stumble across an event or a notable historical building on one of these days I found myself reminded of Walker Percy’s “Loss of the Creature”.

While this trip was not my first time abroad or to Germany (my mom is a German teacher), I feel as though I can say that this trip was the first time where I traveled and felt as though I was truly immersed in the culture. This trip gave me an appreciation of German culture deeper than I already had because I had the freedom from the restraints of a typical guided tour where you find yourself whisked from tourist site to tourist site. 

This month alone in another country, while challenging, was truly a life-altering experience. This trip reignited my passion for my major by placing me in an environment where I felt my niche interests were nurtured. It also showed me that I have the capability to be independent and the strength to travel solo even though it pushed me out of my comfort zone as a perfectionist, an introvert, and a socially anxious person. My trip motto was: “If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared.” This trip forced me to be adaptable and to have a positive attitude when things were challenging or not going to plan (ie. public transportation problems, dropping a glass jar of tomato sauce in an all white airbnb, or confusing the cities Giesen and Giessen). It forced me to be okay with potentially embarrassing myself or not doing things right the first time (especially when it came to trying to speak German). It was therapeutic as a perfectionist to allow myself this version of rejection therapy and see that making mistakes is not the end of the world.

In short, I will never forget the experience I had abroad and will be eternally grateful for the trust and support the college had in me. I encourage fellow students who may be discouraged because no trip seems to fit their interests or major to not be scared to trust in themselves to design their own trip. While it may be intimidating to travel solo in a new environment and potentially make mistakes, I can assure you it will be rewarding.

Brenna Metts
Mathematics
Class of 2025

The summer before my senior year in the Schedler Honors College, I was awarded a Travel Abroad Grant (TAG) for studying abroad for a month in Florence, Italy. I knew from I^2 Day, where it was explained that Honors provides special grants for traveling abroad, that I wanted to act on that opportunity for myself. At that time, I didn’t know this would lead me to Florence, but I am incredibly glad that it did. I am a psychology major in addition to being an Honors interdisciplinary studies minor, so this trip was perfect in two ways since it offered credit for Honors and for Psychology. Still, this was not the only reason I wanted to go. I was also drawn in by the course’s focus—the Renaissance—and by the thought of finally seeing the Italian cities I had long been captivated by in movies, in person. I used to stare in wonderment at the screen, wondering what it was like to walk on the cobblestone streets and look up at the soft pastel buildings. I didn’t imagine that in a few years, I wouldn’t have to wonder because my feet and eyes would be able to answer the questions I had once asked. 

During the trip, we explored popular chapels like Santa Croce, science museums like that of Otzi the Iceman, and art museums like the Uffizi. We also became regular users of the Florence tram system, as well as the Italian train system. I also got to ride a cable car and a funicular for the first time. I was surprised at how nice it was to ride on public transit. There was a sense of deep community and resourcefulness I felt on the tram—not only was I cutting down on carbon emissions but I was also doing it with a thousand different permutations of people who were in Florence at the same time I was. I felt this same joy at walking around the different cities we visited. Coming from a country where towns are not always walkable, it was nice to feel a kinship with the other people on the street, whether we were walking to a restaurant, standing in a city square, or sitting down eating sandwiches with our feet hanging off the sidewalks. 

Overall, I visited eleven different Italian cities within the trip’s four-week time span. These included not only well-known names like Cinque Terre and Pisa but also not-as-well-known places like Bagnoregio, Civita, and Bolzano. Here, I learned more Italian and discovered each city for myself. My favorite destinations were Bolzano, Bagnoregio, and Corniglia, a village in Cinque Terre. In Bolzano, I observed the blending of German and Italian culture. There were würstel stands next to Italian pastry stands. There were also usually three languages listed on menus, street signs, and museum infographics: Italian, German, and English. I loved the city for how calm it felt in comparison to Florence during its busy season. Bolzano, in contrast, felt more open with its wide streets and mountains that we could see even from directly outside of our hostel’s automatic doors. Later, I went to Bagnoregio with Dr. Sobel and a group of five other students on one of our stretches of free days. There, we were able to stay in an Airbnb with bright yellow accents and an intimidating set of stairs off to the right that led to two other floors and an attic room. It was a brief, inclined walk from the small, quiet town of Bagnoregio to the smaller yet bustling city of Civita, which rested on a tall hill that made the city look like a picturesque scene from a video game. I loved these towns for their relaxed atmosphere and how they made us feel like we already belonged. Corniglia, located within Cinque Terre, was so beautiful that I felt I was inside the movies I had always admired. Each day, I walked down to the marina and felt grateful for the chance to swim in its clear blue-green water and sunbathe on its tall, gray rocks. I was also able to learn about the sea culture that exists there and to see what a local house looked like from the inside, with its historical patterned tiles and windows looking onto the street down below.

I also made friends, both inside and beyond the Honors community. One of my favorite memories with this group is when we walked to a Florence movie theater to watch The Little Mermaid, completely in Italian. We had to rely on our previous knowledge of the plot to understand what was happening, which made the experience even better. That night and the language barriers that sprung up on other days also reminded me of what it may be like to be an immigrant in the US, trying to decode the words and signals other people toss at them. I have a belief that so many connections lie outside of our reach due to cultural and linguistic barriers. I feel that, because of my time abroad, I am now better equipped to connect with other people by bridging the gaps that lie between us. I am coming back from this study abroad opportunity with a greater confidence in myself and a broader connection to life outside of my immediate surroundings.

Erin George
Psychology
Class of 2024