As the school year heats up it seems like summer is a distant memory. Back in May, I had the privilege to go abroad for three weeks as a student on the PhilaU Nexus Abroad program. This summer we visited Vienna, Prague, Berlin, and Barcelona (and Lisbon Portugal for two hours during a layover- absolutely gorgeous!). In each of these European countries we discussed the history of design, architecture, and technology during WWI, WWII, and the Communist Era. We learned so much from hands on experiences and it was unlike any other educational opportunity I have had before. Here are some of my favorite moments from each city we hit:
Vienna, Austria:
As a huge fan of The Sound of Music, I was so excited to explore a bit of Austria. We spent our days eating at one of Vienna’s oldest coffee houses and frolicking through the world’s oldest amusement park. We sketched in the MAK Museum for Applied Arts and ran up and down a giant piano staircase at an interactive sound museum called Haus der Musik. I left Vienna eating my weight in schnitzel and bratwurst.
Prague, Czech Republic:
The Czech Republic was unlike any other country I have ever been to- it is absolutely beautiful and greatly resilient. We learned about the hardships that the Czech Republic has faced in its past before, during, and after communism. On a trip to a special archival library called Libri Prohibii, we poured over underground handmade books that were exiled during the Communist Era. I visited a mosque for the first time when we spoke to Bosnian refugees. We climbed to castles and toured the picturesque town of Český Krumlov for a day. Out of all the locations we visited, I would say that Prague was my favorite because of how its colorful buildings, breathtaking architecture, and quaint cobblestone made it look like it came right out of a fairytale.
Berlin, Germany:
Berlin has a craziness about it that makes the city buzz with energy. Its grim history brought about modern architecture and vibrant street art is unlike any other place in the world. We walked part of the perimeter of the Berlin wall and jumped between East and West Berlin in an instant. We visited Checkpoint Charlie and perused the most influential design school in the world- The Bauhaus. We rode bikes through the city and sung karaoke at the top of our lungs.
Barcelona, Spain:
When we weren’t doing work, Barcelona was all about la playa (¡Vamos a la playa!). Lined with palm trees and enclosed by the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona is a place that I definitely want to visit again. We strolled down Las Rumblas, gaped at La Segrada Familia and Parque Guell (Antoni Gaudí, the architect, is a genius), and ate lots and lots of paella, tapas, empanadas, and gelato.
On this trip we visited some pretty awesome places but I have to say that the people made the trip too. I made so many new friends and the professors were exceptional too. Traveling in a group is a bonding experience like no other. Also, if you are interested in studying abroad but do not want to study abroad for a whole semester, I would highly recommend the Nexus Study Abroad Program. Each year, the program travels somewhere different. This year Nexus is going to India for the first time ever! While away, all three courses will be visiting Kochi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi (and more!). This unique study abroad experience allows students to select a course in Global Diversity (required for all students in all majors), a course in Design/Architecture, or a course in Law & Society. You sign up for whichever one interests you the most but either way you get the advantage of working collaboratively between all of the courses and learning from three dynamic instructors who are experts in their disciplines and have personal experience in the cities being visited.
If you are interested, there are four different information sessions happening this semester. The first is this Wednesday, September 13th from 7-8pm in the DEC Forum. In case you can’t make it to this one here are a few other dates:
September 26th (Tues) noon – 1pm DEC Forum (bring your lunch)
October 5th (Thurs) 6 pm – 7 pm Gutman Library Media Room
November 1st (Wed) 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Kanbar Performance (bring your lunch)
Nexus Abroad is a three-week summer study abroad experience open to ALL majors in ALL academic years (including graduating seniors). What better way to kick off summer than with three weeks of travel, friends, and life long memories?