Category: 2024 Summer

2024 Summer

William Wallis

William WallisSummer Internship 2024Pattaya, Thailand Following a family trip to Thailand when I was six years old, I have always hoped to return to the ‘land of smiles.’ Through Hampden-Sydney and specifically the Compass program, the opportunity to gain summer work experience abroad arose. Since May 2024, I have been teaching English as a second language at Oxford Junior School in Pattaya, Thailand, about one hour’s drive from the capital city of Bangkok. My students range from ages four to fourteen, and working with them every day has enabled me to reflect on the similarities and differences between American and […]

2024 Summer

Leland Blanchard: Post 4

Leland BlanchardProvider: Project GOKaohsiung, Taiwan2024 Summer My time in Taiwan has opened my eyes to the privileges we have as Americans. Unlike Taiwan and the Taiwanese people, we don’t live under the constant threat of invasion and the overturning of our way of life. We aren’t reliant upon foreign nations for the preservation of our own security.  The Taiwanese love America, Americans, and American culture — more than certain Americans do. Me and my tutors, along with my classmate Will, at dinner. Typically, we all go to lunch or dinner together twice a week. Being American has its perks: people […]

2024 Summer

Frank West: Post 4

Frank WestProvider: IESDublin, Ireland2024 Summer Greetings from Dublin, Ireland! I would have to say that Ireland has surprised me quite a bit. Dublin is one of the most vibrant cities I have ever been to, and I have become extremely comfortable here. I imagined Ireland as being a mystical and untamed country unlike any other part of the western world, and in certain respects this is true, but Dublin is like any other cosmopolitan city. It is a metropolis in an ancient land that balances its history with modernity. I was correct is assuming that most Irish people speak quickly […]

2024 Summer

Frank West: Post 3

Frank WestProvider: IESDublin, Ireland2024 Summer Greetings from Dublin, Ireland! Since arriving I am most proud of representing H-SC while studying in Dublin. As Hampden-Sydney men we are to hold ourselves to high academic and social standards. This does not end when we leave campus. I spend a lot of my free time hunting for records and exploring the city. I also spend time on the weekends in pubs or in cafes doing interviews and chatting withlocals. I have gone out of the city a couple of times because Greystones and Howth are only 40 minutes and a couple of euros […]

2024 Summer

Leland Blanchard: Post 3

Leland BlanchardProvider: Project GOKaohsiung, Taiwan2024 Summer   Much of my time studying abroad is spent studying. Class, (mandatory) tutoring, and homework takes up about 7 hours of my day – all involving some aspect of Mandarin Chinese. Typically, each day’s work involves learning 50-100 new vocabulary terms and various grammatical patterns. The course itself emphasizes spoken Mandarin – so most of our in-class work is conversations between classmates. Even though we’re given a lot of work, my classmates and I still manage to find time for fun. A picture of one of our lessons – we had to role play […]

2024 Summer

Leland Blanchard: Post 2

Leland BlanchardProvider: Project GOKaohsiung, Taiwan2024 Summer Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the university administering my study abroad program, managed to find a hotel that was equally convenient to our host university, National Kaohsiung Normal University, and Kaohsiung’s MRT/subway system. In total, the walking commute is about half a mile – which can take up to 30 minutes due to the number of crosswalks and curving paths. Leland and one of his tutors, Selena. His program requires daily 30-minute tutoring sessions with graduate students from National Kaohsiung Normal University’s Center for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. During these sessions, they only communicate […]

2024 Summer

Frank West: Post 2

Frank WestProvider: IES Dublin, Ireland 2024 Summer Greetings from Dublin, Ireland! I finally feel like I have settled in and have adjusted to my class schedule. I have class Monday through Thursday which leaves me with a lot of time to immerse myself in Irish culture. I have class later in the afternoon, so I have plenty of time to explore before Dublin comes alive. Dublin has wonderful public transportation. I can get across the city in a matter of minutes via tram or bus for a couple of euros! My favorite part of my morning and afternoon commute is […]

2024 Summer

Franklin West: Post 1

Frank WestProvider: IESDublin, Ireland2024 Summer   Greetings from Dublin, Ireland!   So far, my trip has been incredible, and I’m still at the tip of the iceberg! There is so much rich culture and history integrated into almost every aspect of life here and that is what I had hoped for! I chose Ireland because of its culture and history! I cannot wait to visit the Natural History Museum and take a trip out to the countryside to get away from the city a bit. I plan to visit Leap Castle, Loftus Hall, and the Hell Fire club.   I’ve […]

2024 Summer, Uncategorized

Summer 2024 Bloggers Announced!

We are delighted to have the following students blog for us this summer.  Follow us on Instagram to see when a new post is added. Leland BlanchardKaohsiung, TaiwanProgram: ProjectGo I love learning Chinese. There’s something about the complicated characters and funny grammar rules that makes even the most tedious assignment fulfilling. At Hampden-Sydney, I was encouraged by both my professors (especially Dr. Varholy in the English Department) and my peers to think about studying abroad. I was told about Project Global Officer, a fully funded opportunity for ROTC Cadets from across the United States … Project Global Officer funds numerous […]