Study Abroad Programs Blog

Surf in France

By Beth Klemick Not many are aware that Biarritz is a city that is immersed with the "surfing" culture, and often referred to as the surf capital of Europe. The "surfing spirit" is a daily occurrence in the city and its region. But did you know that Biarritz is host to many professional surf competitions like the Biarritz Surf Festival, which brings together the worlds greatest names in surfing for one week in July! Attention all novice and experienced surfers have you ever considered the "hang ten" approach to learn a language? AmeriSpan offers exciting Language and Sports programs to blend your interests while learning and exploring. So grab your surfboard and head for the breaking wave!

Travel Guatemala - The Real Thing

By Kayla Allen When I got on the plane to Guatemala, I really had no idea what to expect. I felt the same way when I had been packing the night before and any time I had thought about my trip in the preceding weeks. I knew I would be staying with a host family and learning Spanish. I had done some reading in guidebooks and had done tons of internet searches but still, sitting on the plane I felt pretty clueless; what would it be like? After landing, Guatemala quickly took shape. The first person I met was Jorge, the driver that would pick me up at the airport in Guatemala City and take me to my host family in Antigua. He put me immediately at ease. He was friendly, quick to laugh and genuinely trying to understand my small talk in broken and I'm sure almost completely indecipherable Spanish. We talked and I laughed a lot because I'm sure I sounded like an idiot and we were quickly in Antigua, in the middle of a Semana Santa procession in fact, and I was in love. Yes I admit I fell quickly for Antigua, but I had every reason to. From the sights and sounds of the street, to my host family, the teachers, my fellow students and the staff of the school, everyone was so welcoming and communicative, I quickly felt at home. I was taking 4 hours of private Spanish classes a day. Four hours of almost anything can start getting boring but when you're having interesting in-depth discussions about religion, gender roles, politics, poverty, racism and also finding things to make each other laugh, the time goes by almost too quickly. And it was probably to my benefit that my side of the conversation was slightly limited by my Spanish level because it afforded me the opportunity to learn how to listen both for language comprehension but also to what my teachers were saying. They were really amazing people who had led very interesting and varied lives and I felt very lucky to get to talk to them. Learning Spanish was my focus but it also became a happy side effect to some good conversation. The same was true for my host mother. At every meal but especially at dinner we'd sit and talk for an hour or so after eating, she being so patient and waiting for me to put my slow sentences together and use every word and verb I'd learned in class that day correctly. It's amazing how much can be communicated using simple sentences and gestures. It was nice to be able to converse, if haltingly, with someone other than an English speaker, to see and hear the world from another perspective. The most surprising part to me was how familiar people can seem in such a short time and how very different lives can lead very different people to very similar conclusions about the world. I didn't just talk the whole time though. I went dancing a few times with people I met at the school and a group of us also took an unforgettable trip to Tikal. We climbed the Temples, took walking tours with really knowledgeable tour guides and saw the sunset and sunrise in the jungle with howler monkeys, toucans and various jungle creatures close enough to see. It was an amazing experience and I had great impromptu traveling companions to share it with. At school you can't help but meet people. There are so many activities and many students have their lessons outside so everyone becomes familiar and you can very quickly become friends. In retrospect I think I know why I felt so clueless before leaving. For me what makes a place come alive are the people you meet, the conversations you have with them, their faces and their lives and those things can be difficult to get a sense of before you hop on a plane but probably the most rewarding. Guatemala is a place I will definitely be visiting again. I've got more Spanish to learn and more people to meet.

Travel Brazil - Bahian Cuisine

By Alexa Boyce - When I think of different types of ethnic foods, Brazilian is not one that jumps out at me as anything particularly interesting. However, Brazil has a very interesting ethnic mix of Portugese colonists, Brazilian native Indians and African slaves. It is this that gives its food such a unique flavor. The Africans by far have had the most influence on the cuisine, when they added African herbs and spices to the existing dishes. Today, cuisine from the state of Bahia in the northeast is revered as the country's best. The Bahian food may be a bit heavy to newcomers, but it is the malagueta chile peppers and dende oil made from African palms that define this type of cuisine. The malaguetas are so important that a container of the peppers, minced in oil, is usually provided on tables in restaurants, as salt and black pepper would be in the States. Other major ingredients may also include seafood (usually shrimp), coconut milk, banana and okra. The street vendors who serve this food from thatched-roof kiosks are called baianas. Make sure you check with the locals for recommendations of the best place to sample the native dishes. Dinha, in the Larga da Santana in the Rio Vermelho, Salvador is a very highly recommended place to sample the Afro-Brazilian cuisine. Dada is a baiana whose food made her so popular that she is now a local celebrity in Salvador. She owns the Caranguejo da Dada in the favelas and the Restaurante da Dada in Pelourinho on the beach. One of the most popular dishes is acaraje, a fried ball or patty eaten as a snack or appetizer. This patty is made of mashed black-eyed peas and is fried in dende oil to give it a bright orange color. Sometimes it comes stuffed with vatapa, which is made of cassava flour, oil, pepper, fish or meat. Acaraje Recipe 1 kg of dried fradinho beans (black-eyed peas) 1/2 kg of onion 1 spoon of salt 1 liter of dende oil ground dried shrimp (seasoning) Preparation: Soak the beans overnight. Wash and rub them to remove the skins. Combine the beans and onions and grind until it becomes a light batter. Season with salt, ground dried shrimp, hot pepper and dende oil. Heat the dende oil in a saucepan until it is very hot. Plunge large spoonfuls of the mixture into the boiling oil. When the acaraje patties rise to the surface and are a crispy golden brown they should be taken out of the oil and filled with cauru (okra) sauce. Serve immediately.

Arabic Music Review

The other weekend, my husband and I were at Borders. My husband is a CD junkie and is always in search of any type of music to add to our collection. Upon browsing through the international music section, he came across a 3 disc set of Arab music. I know he was very intrigued by this music, and at the same time could not pass up the great deal (3 CDs for $9.99). Later in the weekend, we were cleaning and doing things around the house, and decided to put on the new CD collection. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of music it included. Everything from traditional orchestral type music with a Middle Eastern flair, to rap in Arabic was featured and from a variety of countries too. Although I haven't had the time, I was hoping to take some time and research who the popular artists were in Egypt or Morocco for example to see if they made the cut on this music collection, or if this was just a case where “cover bands” and such took over. Ultimately, I was impressed by not only the styles of the music, but the emotions that they made come alive, not to mention the sense of an exotic destination far away that comes into your imagination. (I'm not sure if that's even making any sense). It's been a really long week, and I'll quit sounding like a Time Life music commercial while I'm ahead. Maybe tonight I might go home and put on of these CDs to unwind.

Learn Italian through Italian Films

By Kayla Alen - Film is a medium that can often transcend language, but for me the Italian in Italian Cinema is just as important as the cinematography, the actors, the landscape and the soundtrack. Even with no comprehension of the language it is impossible not to intuit some meaning from the sound, inflection, fervor and color of Italian on film. Of course Italian film has more to offer than just its language, like gorgeous framing, unmistakable sex appeal and gritty realism paired with a slow dreamlike quality. All this visual stimulation paired with such an emotional and urgent sounding language draws you so far into the story that you can feel and taste the atmosphere of Italy. You're just as in love, in desperate need of money, as much of a criminal, desired or desiring and as beautiful as Sophia Loren or any other actor/character whose life becomes the focus of the film. And best of all, you can speak Italian! At least it feels like you can, for an hour or two. I'm so in love with the Italian movies I've seen, I even forget that I'm no movie critic, haven't seen some of the most well known Italian films and probably should keep my opinions to myself but I can't! These are some of my favorite Italian films and when you find that your life will simply not be complete until you can watch these films without subtitles well, you're on our blog, so you know where to go! Il Postino Cinema Paradiso The Nights of Cabiria (really anything by Fellini) La Dulce Vita The Bicycle Theif Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Italian for Beginners NOT AN ITALIAN FILM (but shows you where your desire to learn Italian can take you.)

Travel Al Ain and UAE - Local Events

By Alexa Boyce - Al Ain was designed as a garden oasis city, and therefore attracts thousands of tourists each year who are looking for resorts and hot springs spas. However, the city stages a wide variety of social, cultural and business events. The city is home to a number of leading academic and medical facilities, which makes it a focal point for educational, research and medical meetings and conferences. Al Ain is also a hub for sports excellence in the country, especially domestic and international events organized by Al Ain Sport Club. In addition, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) organizes annual sporting events, including the Al Ain dune driving competition and Al Ain Aerobatics Show featuring the FAI World Grand Prix. The latter attracts participants and tens of thousands of spectators who pour into the city to enjoy the dare devil acrobatics stunts. These and other activities organized by governmental authorities in Al Ain city, have helped position the city on the world tourism map. I recently came across a listing of fun events that are coming up in and around Al Ain, and I wanted to share them with you. · Tall Al Ain - Al-Sad (April 19-20, 2006) Car and Motor Bike Championship that takes place on the dunes of Al Ain. · Al Ain National Museum (All Dates) A must-see for tourists, different events going on all year round. · Hili Fun City (All Dates) is the largest theme park in the Gulf Region and contains more than 40 rides and attractions. · Al Ain Ice Rink · Al Ain Zoo and Aquarium · Heat 4 of the UAE International Class 111 6 liter Powerboat Championship (April 21, 2006) Venue: Mina Seyahi, Dubai. · Middle East Aquaculture and Fishing Show (April 22-25th, 2006) Hall 8 (DWTC). · GARDENEX: Middle East Flower and Garden Show (April 22-25, 2006) Venue: Dubai International Exhibition Center. · Middle East Poultry Show (April 22-25,2006) Hall 8 (DWTC). · “Maktoum Cup” Traditional Rowing Race (May 5th, 2006) Venue: Dubai Creek. · Middle East Toy Fair (May 22-24, 2006) Showcase for toys, baby products, games, books & gifts. Venue: Halls 5 & 6 (DWTC) · Dubai Summer Surprises (June 21-September 1, 2006) Fun family and children oriented events. Venue: All around Dubai. · Halal Dubai 2006 (September 11-13, 2006) Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dubai

Travel Guatemala - Semana Santa Traditions

By Kayla Allen - Having just spent ten days in Antigua I was lucky enough to witness first hand some of the many traditional festivities preceding and culminating on Semana Santa, or the week before Easter, in Guatemala. These celebrations are varied and rich and you'll find if you travel from city to city or from pueblo to pueblo that each location will celebrate in their own unique way. Entering Antigua on a Sunday before Semana Santa is like stepping into another world. One where the very streets you trod on are a wonder to behold. You'll see whole families working together in the street in front of their homes to create ridiculously intricate and beautiful alfombra, or rugs, made out of flowers, colored sawdust and pine needles. The family will work sometimes for 24 hours creating these masterpieces and complete them just in time for the procession to walk on them and in the process destroy them. In the weeks preceding Semana Santa the largest local churches each take a turn hosting the vocaciones and processions. Antigua, though it is small is home to around 25 churches a good many of which are awe inspiring both inside and out. When you fill an already gorgeous church with music, song birds, colorful painted tableaus, candles and an enormous alfombra complete with bread in the shape of 3 foot crocodiles, whole fruits and vegetables and a community of people worshiping and rejoicing you can't help but be drawn into celebration. The procession of men in their purple robes, carrying large floats depicting Jesus and other religious figures leave from their respective churches, full orchestra in tow and bring music and incense to every street they visit. The children get to be a central part in the celebration as well in the procesion de los ninos, the boys dress in purple while girls wear little white dresses. The floats are so big it seems impossible that children should be able to carry them, the boys carrying Jesus and the girls carrying Mary, with a full orchestra not far behind. While I'm not sure of the cultural or historical significance in making the alfombras and then destroying them, they speak to me of the impermanence of things and that the beauty in life lies in the moment and the process of living and not completely in the product. In Latin America, a world where the people's fate is so subject to its environment it makes sense to me that impermanence and process would be so celebrated, in a developing country your fate is not always yours to determine. Another thought is that there is beauty in the destruction. That nature and its forces are a sight to behold. That we are at the mercy of our environment and that is how it should be. As is evident in my ramblings, Semana Santa is a holiday that will make you think, delight your eyes and make you revel in all the variety this world has to offer.

Travel Spain - Semana Santa Traditions

By Alexa Boyce - Spain has a rich and vibrant culture full of celebrations and festivals, particularly those centering around religious holidays. Each of these is exciting and fascinating, but none more so than Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Spain's predominantly Catholic society ensures that the week leading up to Easter is filled with processions and celebrations. Each city and town has its own unique traditions, but some of the most famous take place in Valencia, Cuenca, Valladolid, Murcia, Zamora, Malaga and Cordoba. Semana Santa celebrations take place in the eight days leading up to Easter. They begin on Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) and end on Easter Monday (Lunes de Pascua). These celebrations consist of artistic, spritual and emotionally touching scenes. They are displayed via a mixture of sights, sounds, smells and tastes. All of these celebrations include sacred dress, colors, lights and processions through the streets. By far, the most notable festivals take place in the region of Andalusia. Of those, Sevilla is the most renowned for its fabulous displays and emotional processions, or pasos. The origins of the Sevillan pasos can be traced back as early as 1248 when King Fernando III reclaimed Sevilla from the Moors. Hermandades, or brotherhoods, were organized to rescue the injured soldiers and bury the dead. The Catholic church began to reestablish its dominance in the area and by the 16th century, Sevilla's hermandades organized processions that symbolized the journey of Christ to Cavalry. Today, a Sevillan Semana Santa will include many traditional festivities. On Domingo de Ramos, a statue of Christ is paraded through the streets. This figure is over 370 years old and was carved by Juan de Mesa. This is an extremely emotionally moving experience for the Sevillans who confess, cry, laugh out loud, adore, and touch and kiss the image as it moves through the streets. Another procession is the image of the Virgen de la Macarena, to which people sing rhymes and flamenco songs known as saetas. The most important Sevillan celebration takes place on Good Friday, when the city explodes in sounds, instruments and songs and the pasos culminate at the cathedral. Semana Santa is a week that can be written about and viewed through pictures, but cannot fully be understood until one actually experiences it. It will push the envelope of the senses and bring out emotions ranging from the deepest sorrow to sheer ecstasy. No words or pictures can fully explain this fantastic celebration.

Secrets of Italian Cooking

By Beth Klemick - I have noticed and maybe those of you reading our entries have as well, I often blog about topics that are not necessarily my strengths in life: packing, patience to research airfare and now cooking. When I prepare an Italian meal it generally consists of boiling the water, tossing in the store bought pasta and opening a jar of Ragu. “Crazy!” says my sister-in-law the proverbial Italian woman and cook, whose lasagna and eggplant parm are out of this world. From my sister-in-law's kitchen, and her good graces in combination with watching the PBS cooking series with Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, I am slowly learning the secrets of Italian culinary traditions. Italian cooking is among the richest and most varied. Central Italian food seems to be lighter than Northern Italian cooking, for example. And don't forget there is also Southern Italian cooking from the regions of Sicily, Abruzzi, Molise, Campinia to name a few. The dishes prepared although different in each region are all exquisite to the palate in my opinion. All regional Italian cooking and their master chefs seem one very important secret in common: good Italian food is based on good ingredients. Some of the ingredients of much importance in Italian cooking can be olives and olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt, porcini mushrooms, truffles, tomato paste, and hot peppers. My sister-in-law would add that fresh, homemade pasta is a must! If are not as fortunate as I am to have to have a wonderful sister-in-law who is a great Italian cook to show you first hand, Lidia's PBS series is a wonderful way to learn more about Italian cooking. Or check out online within your given city or community, they could very well be offering classes for some hands on experience for the novice Italian chef. Buon appetito!

SALUD Peru Participant Story

By Shane Smith, Guest Blogger - Peru, Summer 05 - About six months ago I was, like all first year medical students inching their way towards June, faced with a decision. How should I spend the final few months of summer vacation that I would ever be granted? Looking into my future I saw 40, maybe 50 years ahead of me void of a similar opportunity to follow my nose where it would lead without distraction. There are several things to consider when making this decision and each must weigh them according to their own priorities. Being of the ambitious mold our type heralds it is natural to consider an activity that is both productive and fattening for one's CV. Research The Study Abroad Opportunities Even the word elicits a bilious taste in my mouth, along with memories of leeches sliced open and stuck with electrodes from my more sadistic undergraduate days. Obviously, my own unpreference for research is not shared by everyone, which is something I am glad of because hey, someone's gotta do it. You might also consider working in order to pare down some of that crushing debt (or maybe just those gas bills) you are most likely incurring. And that would be fiscally responsible of you. But honestly, unless you're pulling down some serious cash how big a dent do you think you can make? Volunteering, shadowing, plotting your revenge on all pathologists. These are all worthy endeavors. But I wanted to do something I couldn't do during the school year. And having lived in Los Angeles for 19 of my 24 years, what is the one thing that I want to do more than any other, but can't when classes are taking place? That's right, leave. So, I got on a plane and went to Peru. Now, I've been around the States and to Canada, Mexico, and even to England. But Canada and England hardly qualify as significantly unfamiliar cultures and my trips to Mexico mainly consisted of 45-minute drives south from San Diego to Rosarito. Needless to say, Peru was an unknown quantity for me and once I crossed that Rubicon of ignorance I would surely be changed. I spent the next 5 weeks learning to speak Spanish, volunteering in the local hospital, absorbing Peru's culture, and visiting some amazing places. The program, called SALUD, was organized by AmeriSpan in conjunction with a local language school and hospital in Cuzco. I took 80 hours of Spanish lessons and spent 40 hours volunteering in the hospital (which surprisingly was prettier than LA County). By the end, my Spanish was about 1000 percent improved and I had seen patients with TB, pseudomembranous colitis, leishmaniasis, and AIDS. I was lucky enough to stay with a local family that treated me like the adopted gringo. Gilbert (the dad) is a civil engineer for the local government and Cecilia (the mom) owns a pizzeria. Mariana, nine, and Marcello, five, sang me happy birthday and gave me cologne for my 24th. I guess they thought I was smelly. Also, Marianna came down with measles and I actually got to see Koplik spots up close and personal. Yeah medicine! Cuzco is an Andean city about a million people strong and located at 11,000 feet. Yes, the altitude took some getting used to but in no time I was playing fútbol and thinking back to that hemoglobin lecture in core with pictures of red-faced Cusqueñans kicking la pelota. My fellow grupo SALUD members, from med schools all over the country, and I had a favorite nightspot called Ukukus where we could test our newfound lung capacities. They always had a local band playing, plenty of dancing, and good drinks (I got fooled once though by the Pisco Sours which have egg-whites mixed in). And at the end of the night they always played Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. Funny how a song that I've heard 17,000 times can now have a new meaning attached to it. The culture is mainly a mix of indigenous native-American (deriving from the Incas and pre-Incas) and Spanish. Accordingly, many people speak both Spanish and Quechua (the language of the Incas). Though poverty is ubiquitous, it's a lively community and the saying is that everyday there is either a fiesta or a protesta. The food is somewhat similar to Mexican with lots of carbs, but it isn't spicy and they definitely have some unique specialties. One delicacy is alpaca, a relation of the llama, and it tastes kind of like a chicken/steak combo. They also like to eat roasted guinea pig, or cuy (COO-EE) and think we are the freaks for keeping them as pets. I must have grown up on a farm because I managed to not get sick once in five weeks. This is really quite amazing considering that the first dish I had there was eggs sunny-side up with hardly-cooked onions and I pretty much ate everything thrown at me, except the cuy. I traveled to a few of the more miraculous places of the world while I was there. Machu Picchu (which means Old Mountain in Quechua) is remarkable for its perched location and impressive architecture. I visited the Colca Canyon, which is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, and saw some wild giant condors. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable body of water in the world at 12, 500 feet above sea level. Basically, it's huge and it's high. I was told by some Grecians that it looks just like the Mediterranean. The Uros Islands, on the lake, are floating manmade islands of grass reeds where indigenous people live out their lives. I also spent a night on the Island of Amantani (a natural earth island) with a family that only speaks Quechua and watched the sunrise over the Bolivian Andes from the island peak. Better than research. So, to wrap up, how would I rate my decision for the last summer vacation in sight? Well, I enjoyed all the people I met there, including the other medical students from around the country. I enjoyed the sights and the food. The music was great. I learned a bit of Spanish, I learned a little about Peruvian culture and heritage, and I learned about some less common diseases. That said, I also learned traveling is just as the cliché goes, addictive..

Marbella Tour - Celebrity Homes and Restaurants

By Alexa Boyce - While studying abroad in Marbella, Spain, I heard a rumor that Antonio Banderas not only lived there, but owned a restaurant in town as well. I asked my host family and sure enough, they gave me directions to La Posada de Antonio, which happened to be three blocks from the school. A classmate and I would often alter our route to ensure that we would walk past the restaurant – just in case Antonio dropped by. La Posada specializes in tapas and grilled meats, and it always smelled delicious. However, meals cost between $10-30, and being the poor college students we were, we never opted to actually go in and eat. Antonio Banderas was born and raised in nearby Málaga, so it is no surprise that he has held on to his roots there. However, many other celebrities call the Costa del Sol home (or home away from home) as well. Melanie Griffith and King Fahed of Saudi Arabia own houses in Marbella, while Sean Connery and Michael Douglas are often seen yachting and clubbing in nearby Puerto Banús. Bruce Willis and Boris Becker occasionally drop by on their yachts as well. Deborah Kerr and her husband, scriptwriter Peter Viertel have named this resort area as a favorite vacation spot. Of course, Julio Iglesias is a fixture around Marbella. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, there was a “boom” of celebrities purchasing summer homes on the Costa del Sol. Towns such as Torremolinos-Benalmádena, Fuengirola and Mijas became popular. The boom did not truly explode until it hit Marbella. Celebrities such as Ringo Starr, Onassis and Maria Calla, Frank Sinatra, Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Quinn, Esther Williams, Sylvie Vartan, Mary Pickford, Johnny Halliday, The Duke of Windsor and the Kennedys all owned property here. The Prince of Monaco and Grace Kelley spent their honeymoon here. When you live in a place as beautiful as the French Riviera, that means a lot! Source: Costa del Sol Tourist Board www.visitacostadelsol.com