Study Abroad

During the last couple of days, as we tried to say goodbye to each other and the town we'd come to love so well, I struggled to find words. Even now, a whole week out of there, I still can't grasp the right words. I don't know how to write this post and convey the sadness I felt in leaving, or the profound joy of life I discovered while there. As a big talker, I find myself in a massively uncomfortable situation. Read More »

Honestly, I could not have found a better program than HECUA's The New Norway: Globalization, National Identity and Politics of Belonging. With HECUA, I managed to do an independent research about integration and belonging of Syrian refugees in Norway which is now going to be the thesis for my sociology major. Read More »

From the many interactions I've had, I learned that everyone we meet is broken somewhere inside them. I learned that no matter how put together or perfect a person's life may seem, they have all experienced deep hurt and pain. With that being said, I also learned the power of speech, in voicing in your troubles, and the potential positive effect this can have. Read More »

A very important part of Kichwa culture in Ecuador is the idea of Sumak Kawsay, which is Kichwa for live well, and equates life to the nature. During our stay in Cotacachi and Otavalo, I have realized that I need to work hard to decolonize and re-order the hierarchy in my mind to better serve the earth and communities around the world. Read More »

Each semester, one student from each HECUA program abroad takes on the role of student blogger, sending regular dispatches from the field. Giorgia Piantanida will be HECUA’s student blogger for the Northern Ireland program this spring semester. Giorgia is a junior at Swarthmore College, double-majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies and Environmental Studies. Read on for […] Read More »

We've begun the portion of our study abroad program that is in Wellington! Honestly being back in the city was a bit of a culture shock. We started out our voyage into the city around 10 pm, after a long day of traveling out of the bush. Read More »

Over the course of our program in Ecuador, there are three included field visits. The first one was to Yasuní National Park, which is part of the Amazon Rainforest, about twelve hours from Quito. The second, which we just had this past week, was to Manabí, a coastal region about six hours away from Quito. Read More »

One thing that has been repeated in and out of the classroom during my time in Derry/Londonderry is the power and importance of relationships. I see this at work at the Pat Finucane Centre. Read More »

After talking to my professors and finding out that the classes would count towards both my Spanish and Sociology majors, I decided to go for it. After I did a quick google search on Ecuador and found out that it had mountains, rainforests, and beaches, I was sold. Read More »

I didn’t know how much I needed to be here until I was actually here. You don’t know you are living your best life until you live it. I wasn’t sure what to expect but this was much more than I ever imagined. Read More »