Franz Gilbert: Post 5

Franz GilbertLondon School of EconomicsLondon, EnglandSpring 2022 Back on an empty Millennium Bridge! Hello! From Round 2 in London. I have been back at school for 3 weeks and it has been a hectic few weeks, to say the least. Initially, on my return, I was worried about how the city was with COVID-19, as the reports coming out of the country were very conflicting. However, as soon as I landed, I was reassured that my term was not going to be significantly affected by more COVID-19 restrictions. In fact, Boris Johnson has announced his plans to make it so […]

Thomas Kinter: Post 1

Thomas KinterLearn Russian in the European UnionDaugavpils, LatviaSpring 2022 January 25, 2022 Привет из Латвии! I have now been in Latvia for a little more than two weeks. More than a month or two ago I would not have believed that I would actually be here in spite of what felt like a thousand road blocks and diversions that worked to keep me in Virginia. Truth be told, I was extremely nervous and full of self-doubt when I finally did arrive here. I have never before left the United States and have never spent very long away from my home […]

Tanner Voliva: Post 4

Tanner VolivaUVA ValenciaValencia, SpainFall 2021 And…we are back in the states! I cannot believe that my time abroad has already come to an end! In all honesty, it kind of feels like a fever dream as if my time abroad was just a moment in time which wasn’t real. It all happened so fast. Yet, I know all that occurred was extremely helpful in finding myself and teaching me so much that I hadn’t known before studying abroad. During my time abroad, I felt very humbled – not only abroad but also now that I have returned to the states. […]

Franz Gilbert: Post 4

Franz GilbertLondon School of EconomicsLondon, EnglandFall 2021 Study View for Formatives I am back in the United States for the next few weeks for the holidays and am extremely excited to get some much-needed rest. As I mentioned in my previous blog, the formative assignments are extensive – taking up considerable time – and that routine did not let up into my last week at LSE. I ended up spending a lot of time on campus studying, and you can see the views are amazing. Until I was on the plane, I was in a constant state of running from […]

Franz Gilbert: Post 3

Franz GilbertLondon School of EconomicsLondon, EnglandFall 2021 The Social Side:Since my last blog, a lot has happened. I have had some fantastic experiences with my fellow General Course students in the City of London. For example, I have visited Saville Row, the premier place in London, if not the world, for Bespoke suits. Realize that this is not just about the suit, but also the experience. The fitting rooms do look like the James Bond or Kingsmen movies – and the options are amazing, “would you like tortoiseshell buttons?” These suits run several thousand dollars. I went for my first […]

Tanner Voliva: Post 3

Tannner VolivaUVA ValenciaValencia, SpainFall 2021 Buenos días from Valencia! As my study abroad experience closes in on the remaining few weeks, I’ve begun to reflect on what all has occurred during my time in Spain. Over the course of just a couple of months, I have had the chance to grow as a person. I feel as though this opportunity has – and still is – giving me the chance to find myself and find my form of authenticity as a human being. I’ve been learning that I am perfectly fine traveling and finding new places to go on my […]

Franz Gilbert: Post 2

Franz GilbertLondon School of EconomicsLondon, EnglandFall 2021 A Pandemic Beginning: Since being in London, I have been able to only experience life as a student in self-isolation. On my first day of classes, I was greeted with an unwelcomed email informing me that I need to isolate due to someone on my floor contracting a breakout case of the virus. Before my isolation, I was able to explore the city and see some marvelous sites and I look forward to continuing my sightseeing adventures. There are several Americans in the program, so it has been fun to talk with them […]

Tanner Voliva: Post 2

Tanner VolivaUVA ValenciaValencia, SpainFall 2021 Hola from Valencia! After spending about a month in Spain, I have come to find many new aspects about Spanish culture, American culture, and new aspects about myself! It’s quite interesting to see how all of these interact with each other and how they make me view life here in Valencia, Spain. One brand new aspect of life for myself is that of the daily commute; before arriving in Spain, I had never taken public transportation before! However, I now use the public metro as a way to arrive at the University and the public […]

Franz Gilbert: Post 1

  Franz GilbertLondon School of EconomicsLondon, EnglandFall 2021   Why I decided to go to LSE:I have wanted to attend the London School of Economics since I was a Junior in High School visiting Hampden-Sydney. I heard a speaker at a leadership program discussing his time with the “General Course.” Since then, I have had a one-track mind to get there. When I first arrived on the H-SC campus, I was eager to meet those who attended LSE and hear what they had to say. Funny enough, the last three people who attended the General Course became my dear friends […]

Tanner Voliva: Post 1

Tanner VolivaUVA in ValenciaValencia, SpainFall 2021 Greetings from Valencia, Spain! My name is Tanner Voliva and I’m a senior here at Hampden-Sydney College. Given that I am a Spanish major, I knew I would be studying abroad in a Spanish-speaking country, so I decided to look into the programs that were being offered during this time. The more I talked with native speakers, the more I was advised to study in Spain, as Spain has the more proper Spanish. After brushing through the programs, I found the UVA in Valencia program! This program had many different options for courses and […]