Studying abroad has always been something I was excited to do in college and I am taking advantage of any and all opportunities I can. For me, the idea of studying abroad for an entire semester is a little daunting but UC has the unique opportunity to study for a semester at the university and then travel to the country. One of the best parts of that program is the wide range of places I have been able to travel to and the even wider span of topics these courses cover. I have been able to explore the most beautiful environments with incredible people.
Empowering Small Business in South Africa (From Home)
Spring 2020
Empowering Small Business in South Africa was a seminar with a philanthropic twist. Our class was separated into groups and assigned to an entrepreneur to work with in South Africa. We spent time learning marketing techniques and applying them to our business. My group was working with a small tutoring service in Khayelitsha, Raheemas School of Excellence. Over the course of the semester, we put together a small business plan package that we would put into practice when we traveled to South Africa. Due to COVID-19 lockdowns we were unable to travel but we still made a Small Business Package for our entrepreneur with the hope that we will be able to travel there one day in the future.
Travel Writing in Iceland is a seminar centered around learning about and practicing travel writing techniques. We also briefly studied Icelandic culture and history so that we would be prepared to travel there at the end of the semester. During the semester we looked at different styles of travel writing and put it into practice by writing about mini field trips we went on and a blog over the course of the semester. While in Iceland we saw incredible glaciers, waterfalls, hot springs (my personal favorite), explored the city and had adventures that we wrote about.
The Atacama: Connecting Earth and Sky Through a Human Perspective
Fall 2018
This honors seminar focused on the Atacama Desert, in northern Chile, South America. The class focused on the geology, astronomy, and anthropology of the region. This course was taught in sync with a small group of students from the Universidad de Concepción, Chile, who then joined us when we arrived in Chile. While in Chile we were able to visit archeological sites and visit some of the most sophisticated telescopes in the world.
Vienna as the City of Music is a class based on the study of classical orchestral and choral music as well as their famous composers and their impact on Viennese Society. Throughout the course various operas, orchestras and quartets written by composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Bach were analyzed. They were approached from the perspective of their historical significance, the interrelated musical components working together in each piece and how they were influenced by Viennese culture.