Author Archives: Cecilia Cullen

The predominant reason that I selected this study abroad course over any other programs was because it is a geology field camp that takes place in Italy and I want to be a geologist.
So far it has been an amazing experience; I have learned a great deal both about Italian culture and geology. I attribute this to the immersive nature of this field camp. On the typical day I wake up at 6:30 to have breakfast at 7:00. By 8:00 I am out in the field hiking mountains in search of outcrops. At noon our field crew eats a packed lunch in the shade overlooking Italian landscape.

 

View

View from the Sibillini Mountain range. In Roman tradition people would climb up the mountain across from me to ask the Sibillini witches a question. The question would be met with a cryptic and unhelpful answer; this is how English got the word ‘sybil’.

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Ammonite fossil preserved in the Sibillini Mountain. Pen for scale.

It is amazing to have learning integrated in every aspect of daily life, between doing the coursework and adapting to the culture. I look forward to everything else I will continue to experience and learn.

 

In Which the International Study Abroad ‘Show’ Gets on the Road

I embarked on my study abroad trip today and I’m beginning to see why people describe travelling as a tiresome activity. The travel day hasn’t really even begun yet. I’ve only completed one flight out of my set of three flights in my journey from Pittsburgh to Philly to Toronto to Rome. I am writing this in a 6 hour intermission in Philly before my flight to Toronto. (Heck yeah to low price Kayak flights!)

Although I know I will be tired from both the travel and the time change adjustment, I can’t help but marvel at twenty first century travel. When the plane in Philadelphia took off I was fixated on the window as we left the earth behind. As we were speeding through the clouds I thought about how for most of human history most people never left 10 miles of their place of their birth but technology has enabled people with so much freedom. I looked around at other people on the flight who mostly did not seem as impressed with the plane trip as I was. However, to them I probably looked like a slack-jawed fool staring out the window. 😉

If all goes smoothly, I’ll be in Rome in 18 hours. * knocks-on-wood *

-Cecilia


Location: Philadelphia Airport