Student Adventures

Those of our students who went to foreign countries recently are posting here a summary of their experience or showing their pictures.

Holly Alspaugh


I studied abroad in Alicante, Spain for 5 months, and it was the time of my life. I got to experience every detail of the Spanish lifestyle. This is a picture of El Castillo de Santa Bárbara, Alicante's famous castle. It is said that you can see the face of the king on the side of the castle.	I got the chance to go to my host-sister's wedding while I was abroad. It was the best wedding I have ever been to! We danced, ate tapas, and enjoyed a great day. This is me with my host-parents, Antonio and Aurelia.


Camino de Santiago This is a picture of one of the greatest experiences of my time in Spain. I did a 5 day, 60 mile pilgrimage from the city Sarria to the city of Santiago, which is located in the northern part of Spain. I lived the life of a pilgrim, which included meeting other pilgrims from around the world, moving from hostel to hostel, walking in hours of rain, and eating the local specialties, like Octopus. I would like to do the pilgrimage again, but from farther away.

Amy Schilthuis

Studying abroad is an experience that opens your world and allows you to encounter another country and culture in an incredible way. I lived with a Spanish family who spoke no English and was challenged to grow in my language skills through that and also truly feel like I have a family in Spain. It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to learn through traveling and amazing to have cultural immersion in a way that can only be found through doing life in another country.

A picture of the barrio antiguo in Alicante

At the top of “El Castillo de Santa Bárbara” in the city of Alicante

Summer 2008


Kelsie and April in the Alhambra and with the best mother ever!

April and Kelsie visited the Plaza Real in Madrid and saw the Roman aquaduct of Segovia.

Kelsey Billie had a wonderful experience in Spain and here is what she has to say:

My trip to Salamanca, Spain was filled with amazing experiences and memories that I will hold with me for the rest of my life. While in this beautiful country I had the opportunity to visit a variety of cities and astounding monuments that had only come to me before in photos and texts. From the towering arches of Segovia to the warm waters of the Mediterranean, I was constantly inundated with new, remarkable sights which really opened my eyes to the world around me. As she taught me valuable concepts from learning the language to making a great tortilla española, there grew a terrific bond between my host mother and I. This journey to Spain was an experience that I would not trade for the world!

Before I say anything about my experience abroad, I want to say one thing: Going abroad is the best thing you could do as a student. My experience in Salamanca, Spain was extraordinary. I stayed with a Senora who made the best pizza in the world, and I had professors who were so passionate about teaching Spanish to foreign students. I traveled a good deal of Spain and was fortunate enough to go to Portugal, a neighboring country. The people and life in Salamanca are amazing, and I learned a plethora of things about the Spanish culture and about myself. This will be an experience that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.

Trip to Mexico

Trip to Mexico

Drs. Marr and Ragone took a group of students to Michoacan, Mexico in May 2007. Here they are, in front of a yacata or ceremonial ground in Tzintzuntzan (above) and in the window of a church swallowed by lava in the eruption of the Paricutín volcano.

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