A CAPA Study Abroad Alumna Interview with Erica Bergmann

Meet Erica Bergmann, a second time study abroader from the University of Massachusetts Amherst who spent spring semester of 2016 on the CAPA Sydney program. Below, she talks about her exciting plans after she graduates next month, shares her favorite foodie experiences from the Land Down Under and talks about travel - where she's been, a few tips and the benefits and downsides of traveling solo versus with friends.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself
ERICA BERGMANN: I’m a senior graduating this upcoming May from the University of Massachusetts Amherst pursuing a specialized Bachelor’s Degree of Individualized Concentration in International Relations with a Focus on Germany. Additionally, I will have completed minors in both German Studies and Political Science. I’m an overachiever, I know. I studied abroad with CAPA in Sydney, Australia in the Spring of 2016 and partook in an internship with DEC PR & Communications. 

A CAPA Study Abroad Alumna Interview with Courtney Evans

Meet Courtney, a CAPA study abroad alumna and ambassador from the University of Florida who studied abroad in Dublin during Spring semester 2016. Below, she talks about her internship at non-profit Wells for Zoë and the profound impact this experience and the people she met there had on her, how studying abroad has made her approach her hometown differently and the influence her time in Ireland has had on her goals for her future career.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
COURTNEY EVANS: Hi! My name is Courtney. I am a third year international studies major at the University of Florida with a focus in Europe. I enjoy participating in service projects with my Rotaract Club, and if I’m not doing that, I am probably either working at the public library or spending time with my much-loved cat.

“Connecting Global Cities” is a monthly column written by Colin Speakman, Resident Director for CAPA Shanghai.

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This is the third in a series about how globalization is under threat from the west while Asian countries have become the leading advocates for globalization.

Since globalization is spurred on through the connections between global cities, this trend is seen in the rise of Asian mega cities in the Global Cities Index (GCI). See my column on the background to this index first compiled every two years since 2008 by A.T. Kearny consultants. 

Photo: London (public domain)

It is not easy to get into this list which now is published every year and contains 125 recognized global cities. Here are the considerations that arise:

"The A.T. Kearney Global Cities Index (GCI) ranks 125 cities according to 27 metrics across five dimensions, including business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement."

Words by Carly Hamilton, a journalism major at the University of Missouri who studied abroad in London during summer 2016.

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My study abroad experience this past summer in London, England revolved greatly around the Brexit vote. Prior to my arrival in the UK, I heard buzz about it but wasn’t able to fully understand the significance of this vote. Upon landing in London, that started to change.

I arrived in mid-May and the vote was set for Thursday, June 23^rd. Every morning on my walk to work, I would see people standing on the Hungerford and Golden Jubilee bridges. They were just talking to anyone who would listen about why the UK should stay in the European Union. It seemed that every day, the cover of each newspaper had something to do with the upcoming vote. My interest in the matter grew immensely as I started to understand that I would be present for such a huge moment in history, especially if the vote was to leave.

Once I got more comfortable at my internship with the travel PR agency known as the Brighter Group, I spoke with my supervisor, Stephen, about the vote and what it meant to him as a UK citizen. In summary, he explained to me that anyone who wanted to leave the EU was an idiot. He felt that the UK wasn’t nearly large enough to function on its own and that it would be a disaster if the vote were to leave. It was clear that everyone else in the office felt the same way, although they didn’t voice it as boldly.

Nathan Overlock is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2017, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A professional writing and information design major at Cedarville University, he is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In this week's post, Nathan shares five of his favorite study spots that will get you out and about in Dublin.

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It’s been a little too easy for me to forget, with everything else going on in Dublin, that I'm here to study. Sure, I attend lectures every day, often for much longer than at my home college. But switching from the weekly projects and essay writing of college in the US to exactly one paper and exam per course at Griffith College hasn't exactly helped... Yet, with assignment week approaching, I can’t help but dread the prospect of spending hours typing essays on my computer with the hustle and bustle of the city around me and the weather shifting from winter to spring. There has to be a way to learn and study without missing out on everything going on in Dublin, right? 

Here are five unique study spots that will get you out-and-about in the city!

Niah Humphrey is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A communication major with a minor in Spanish at Auburn University, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In this week's post, Niah takes us along on an autobus tour in the city.

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Thanks, Niah!

Niah's journey continues every Thursday so stay tuned.

Danya Carithers is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A marketing major at the University of Pittsburgh, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Danya shows us around Barcelona in a short visit.

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While studying abroad leads to many opportunities to travel and explore other parts of Europe, there is only limited time to do so. My most recent trip was to Barcelona, Spain.

Overall, Barcelona was full of surprises. I didn’t expect the city to be that big, I didn’t expect the food to be so amazing, and I definitely didn’t expect to be standing in the pouring rain for 30 minutes trying to get a taxi. I learned a lot about the big city in only a small amount of allotted time. With the suggestions of my friend, Megan, who studied there last semester, I was able to hit all the touristy areas and get insider advice on the best cafes, restaurants, and clubs all under 48 hours. It was helpful that I’m a obnoxiously fast-paced walker, but it most, most helpful that I planned my trip out in advance.

Thursday

9am: My hostel, called Casa Barcelo, was located near the Gràcia neighborhood where a lot of the new and trendy restaurants are located, making it quick and easy to find a nice café. After walking down a few blocks, I ran into a cute, beach-themed café called Brunch & Cake. I recognized the name from the list Megan sent me and was instantly sold when I found out they served smoothies.

Sarah Kaplan is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A screen studies major with a concentration in film/media production at Clark University, she is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In this week's video, Sarah takes us to a Tesco inside of a shopping center for a local grocery shopping experience. 

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Thanks Sarah!

Sarah's journey continues every Wednesday so stay tuned!

Courtney Manning is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Convergence Journalism major at the University of Missouri-Columbia, she is studying abroad in London this semester.

In this week's post, Courtney talks about the way the city has become a classroom in itself and the opportunities she has had to explore and learn through class trips and My Global Education events.

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My classes here in London are amazing. We typically do a ton of hands-on learning as opposed to just sitting in a classroom listening to a boring lecture. I think that this is the way that all classes should be taught, because everyone is so much more engaged and therefore learns so much more because they are actually interested in the content being taught.

The other night for one of my classes we went to see a play called "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time", which was one of the best shows I have ever seen in my life. I was kind of skeptical of it at first, but between the acting, the script and the set design, it absolutely blew my mind. I’ve honestly never seen such an amazing, well-performed play in my life. The artistic side of it was incredible as well.

Danielle Thai is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A resource economics major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she is studying abroad in Shanghai this semester.

In this week's post, Danielle takes us along on the CAPA Shanghai excursion to explore Beijing. 

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Twenty-six point two miles – the distance of a marathon. Did I actually complete a marathon? No. Three days walking and exploring Beijing will equal walking a marathon. I am not making it up; my Fitbit tracks the distance I walk per day. I applaud those who complete a marathon within a day because my legs are sore and I had two nights to rest between the days.

The city of Beijing is more spread out than Shanghai in terms of the distance apart that the attractions are located. Although places are spread out, the more popular sights are swarmed with people. Public transportation is comparable to rush hour, but at all hours that the metro and buses run. It is always packed. To make it onto a vehicle, it is either push or be pushed. Once on, it is like packed sardines with no room to move. My body parts would be pressed against at least five different strangers and I would have to slightly tilt my head to get some “fresh” air. In China, I have come to appreciate the times where I am at least an inch from the people next to me.

Saturday

FIRST STOP: BEIJING PLANNING EXHIBITION HALL