Author Archives: ant5083

Best Countries/Cities I Visited

So I figured that after my abroad experience I would write a blog about the best countries/cities I have visited and why they were amazing and interesting. Every city I visited had something to offer me and I was never not learning something. Whether it was trying the local cuisine, or meeting the locals with different culture, there was never a dull moment.

Rome, Italy:

Yes, Rome can be clich�d at first. Yes, Rome is a very touristy city and many people speak English, but I fell in love with Rome from the moment our plane landed. Rome is such an amazing and historical city. In every turn, there is something ancient to see. Obviously there is the coliseum, which was absolutely amazing, but just walking down streets offered something new to see. Trevi fountain was my favorite, and my first wish came true. I got to return to Rome twice during my abroad experience! Rome also houses the Vatican, the Spanish steps, and the pantheon. Also, Rome is in Italy, obviously, so the cuisine is amazing and of course, writing about the Italian food is making me hungry! 

DSC03072.JPG

Amalfi Coast, Italy:

Ever see pictures of a mountainside with houses situated on the mountain overlooking an amazingly blue ocean? That’s what the Amalfi Coast has to offer. The view of the city was probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. But just a warning, I feel the best time to go to Amalfi would be in late April early May. My friends and I went in early March and although it was warm, it wasn’t nearly warm enough to go lay on the beach!

DSC03120.JPG

Barcelona, Spain:

If you want a weekend of non-stop clubbing and barely any sleep, then go to Barcelona. It was by far one of the craziest weekends of my life. Barcelona is right by the ocean so during the day, take a bike ride or a walk on the boardwalk, it’s so much fun! Go see the the sagrada familia cathedral and gaudi park. During the night, go see an FC Barcelona game (So exciting!) and then go clubbing late at night! It is truly an amazing city with so many things to do.

DSC03200.JPG

London, Great Britain:

This was my 2nd favorite city to visit (#1 city is  Paris, obviously!) London is most comparable to Paris. It is a huge city with lots to see and it helps enormously that everyone speaks English. The best things to see are Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, I especially enjoyed this one because I was obsessed with the Royal Wedding, and take a trip on the London Eye (Go around as the sun is setting, it is such an amazing site to see.) Everyone in London is so friendly and personable. The only downfall is that it is really expensive, but it most definitely worth it to visit!

Munich, Germany:

For anyone studying abroad during the Fall, go to Munich for Oktoberfest. For anyone studying abroad in the Spring, go to Munich for Springfest. Munich, by itself, is a beautiful city but seeing the locals at Springfest, and how they like to entertain and have a good time, made this trip 100x better. This was my last trip during my stay overseas and it was one of my favorites. Along with enjoying the festivities at either festival, make sure you grab a pretzel along the way!

*Sorry if none of these photos work. My computer has been acting up for months now!*

 

 


Location: Paris, France

How to survive out of a suitcase for 10 Days – Spring Break

Hello everyone! Sorry I’ve been absent for forever. All these experiences have made me lose track of time. It’s scary how fast the semester goes by while being abroad! So to make up for lost time, I decided to post several blogs about different topics I have found interesting here and might be useful.

The first is my experience on living out of a small vera bradley duffle-bag for ten days while on my Spring Break to Rome, the Amalfi Coast and Barcelona. 
SO in the beginning, I was so excited ( Who wouldn’t be for Spring Break?). We had ten days off of school to enjoy traveling to new and exciting places, but then came the expenses. Obviously there was airfare, hostel/hotel fares, buses to and from places, taxi fares etc etc. My friends and I agreed that we wouldn’t check bags at the airport and just use a carry on for everything to make it easier on our money expenses and our traveling time. Here was my idea for packing going into this situation:
1. Pack the very basics..this includes a pair of jeans, black/colored jeans, and pajama pants/shorts etc.
2. Pack a couple tops that can inter-mix with the other to create a couple outfits (I brought a shawl or two with intermixing tops/tanktops)
3. Bring one/two going out outfits if you’re intending on being social at night
4. Remember the liquid measurement policy at the airport for your liquids (My friends and I learned this the hard way, believe me, I had to buy at least 2 hair gels because mine kept getting taken from me =( )

All in all this way of packing worked out nicely for me. I was able to survive for 10 days even though by the end I was hating all my clothes because I didn’t have my entire closet with me. In my opinion though, If i had to go back, I would have checked a larger suitcase. Even though the small duffle-bag ultimately worked out in my benefit, It would have been nicer to bring a couple more clothing options and live out of a larger more substantial suitcase. 
Here are some pictures from Spring Break. It was a great time to see Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Barcelona and be with all of my friends!
DSC03070.JPG
DSC03143.JPG
DSC03184.JPG

Location: Paris, France

So obviously the last entry I tried to post didn’t work..

I tried posting an entry last week and apparently none of it went through except for one picture, not like that would help anything at all =. So I’ll try posting another entry now and see if it works this time. 

First off, I never want to come home. I have fallen madly in love with this city. It is always bustling with activity and there is always something to see or do. My favorite, for example, is going to visit the Louvre. It is the most amazing site next to seeing the Eiffel Tower. My favorite is the Louvre pyramid which was built in 1989 to commemorate the 200 year anniversary of the French revolution. It is such an amazing work of art. Inside the Louvre are so many amazing paintings and sculptures and obviously the Mona Lisa. 
Another great location to visit is Montmartre which is the artist district around the Sacre Coeur cathedral. It was such an enjoyment to see the local artists’ paintings and their creativity. I hope to buy one of their paintings to bring home with me at the end of my trip. 
Until my next post, I am hoping to upload some pictures that you all can enjoy until next time.   Like one of my new favorite quotes says, “Paris is always a good idea”
DSC02731.JPG
DSC02993.JPG
DSC03005_2.JPG

Location: Paris, France

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

For my 2nd entry, I decided to write on my first impressions of Paris for only just being here a little under a week. I broke this blog up into 3 parts; the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

The Good:
First off, Paris is beautiful and I haven’t even seen the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Champs-Elysees or L’Arc de Triomphe yet! p.s. that’s for saturday and sundays’ adventures. Around my apartment, which is located in the 14th arrondissement, there is so much to do! Block after block there are bakeries where one can buy any kind of bread or pastry you can think of. There are all kinds of supermarkets, and clothing stores (Right now there are sales going on until February!) I have met so many wonderful people in my program and even on the street. Aside from rumors, many french people are very sweet and are willing to help you out in english if you are struggling with conversing in french. 
The Bad:
The first bad thing I found about France are the showers. They are detachable shower heads which resulted in me having at least a 2 inch swimming pool all over my bathroom floor. I still haven’t found the proper technique yet but I’m trying. The second is the layout of Paris. I am not used to huge cities, I come from a small city. Paris has many streets and alleys and it can be a little difficult getting around. Although this can be a difficulty, there are many ways to help you navigate, like maps and the people. Another thing that is a small difficulty is the attitudes the Parisians have. For one, people do not make eye contact or smile to each other while walking in the streets. I found this difficult because I am usually a very smiley, outgoing person. It takes a couple days to get used to this, but it really isn’t a hinderance in any way to my experience so far. 
The Ugly:
So far the only ugly thing I have found to dislike about Paris is their improper use of cleaning after their dogs. It isn’t like it is covering the sidewalks everywhere, Paris is a very nice, clean city, but sometimes you do need to watch where you are walking or risk stepping on something that is very disgusting, which happened to me the other day. In conclusion, I learned to look down while I walk. 
p.s. pictures will be coming soon!

Location: Paris, France

Intoduction

So for my first blog of the semester, I think it would be best to introduce myself. My name is Alyssa Tomcheck. I’m from Hazleton, Pennsylvania which is south of Scranton and about two hours north of Philadelphia. I’m a junior majoring in International Relations and minoring in Business and French. I’m an avid sports fan and love watching football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. I love going to the movies, reading books, and hanging out with my friends.

Paris.jpg

Inabout t-minus 7 weeks I will be leaving the United States and flying to Paris, France, the city I will be calling home for 4 months. I am so excited for the experience I am about to take part of. I can’t wait to learn and immerse myself in the French culture. I can’t wait to meet new friends and make memories. At first I was hesitant about studying abroad my junior year in college. I will be leaving my friends whom I love hanging out with. I will be missing my 21st birthday and most of my friends’ 21st birthday and at first, I was hesitant. But then I actually thought about it, why would I miss out on this opportunity to spend 4 months in the grand city of Paris? Paris, the city known for the Eiffel Tower, Love, great bread, great wine, and other historical landmarks. I quickly turned excited, and I filled out my application. When I was accepted into my program, it was one of the greatest moments of my life. This study abroad opportunity will open many new doors for experiences I have never thought were possible, and these experiences I will be very happy to share with you through this blog throughout my time in Paris. 

Location: State College, Pennsylvania