CAPA Study Abroad Blog

Finding Peace with Nature During My Semester in China

Nov 12, 2018 11:45:00 AM / by CAPA Study Abroad Ambassadors

In this post, Nicole talks about her experience visiting Guilin, a city in central China, and how this trip led her to connect with nature.

It wasn’t until the trip to Guilin that I realized my love for nature and how happy I was to be in China. Known for its unique landscape of limestone karst hills, Guilin is a city of world renown natural beauty.

The Guilin trip, organized by East China Normal University, invited all international students to explore the beautiful scenery of the Guangxi Zhuang region. After a nine-hour ride in the bullet train, we started our adventure. We visited the Elephant Trunk, the Longji Terrace, Xingping Town, the Lijiang River, but my favorite place was the Gudong Waterfall.

Posted in: Shanghai, China, Nature, Weekend Trip, Cultural Immersion

A Day Well Spent in Capri

Oct 10, 2018 10:30:00 AM / by Irene Kanthan

Michaella Estevez is an official CAPA vlogger, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Marketing major at University of Massachusetts Amherst, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this today's post, Michaella takes us on a trip to Capri and shows us the beautiful nature and scenic views of the island.

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Thanks Michaella!

See more of Michaella's journey in Florence.

Posted in: Travel, Florence, Italy, Activities Abroad, Nature, Environment, Activities in Florence

Heading to Gordon's Bay for the Day

Mar 14, 2018 3:30:00 PM / by Irene Kanthan

Bridgman is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2018, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Finance and Marketing major at University of Pittsburgh, he is studying abroad in Sydney this semester.

In this week's post, Bridgman makes his way to Gordon's Bay and spends a day having fun in the water.

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Thanks Nicole!

Bridgman's journey continues every Wednesday so stay tuned.

Posted in: Sydney, Australia, Activities Abroad, Nature

Solo Hiking in Glendalough

Mar 2, 2018 10:30:00 AM / by Irene Kanthan

Brandon is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Political Science major at Clark University, he is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In this week's post, Brandon shares how he spent his weekend visiting the National Gallery of Ireland and hiking in Glendalough.

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Last weekend most of my friends went on their own trips about Ireland, so I decided to spend my time doing some adventuring by myself. I think that a big part of studying abroad is traveling on your own and feeling more independent, as you are in a whole other culture and country, separated from your traditional friend and support network. In that vein, I went to the National Gallery of Ireland and walked about the Temple Bar district a bit on Saturday, and then took a day-trip to Glendalough on Sunday.

CAPAStudyAbroad_Dublin_Spring2018_From Brandon Mooney - National Gallery of Ireland.jpeg

The National Gallery of Ireland is in the formerly British, aristocratic area of Dublin, surrounded by impressive, four-story Georgian apartments that contrast beautifully with the single-story, red-brick row houses around Griffith College. The museum has no admission fee, which is excellent for a college student like me. It contains the national selection of Irish and European art, with a particular emphasis on Irish paintings and Italian Baroque and Dutch masters.

Posted in: Dublin, Ireland, Activities Abroad, Nature

Checking Out Tamarama Beach in Sydney

Feb 28, 2018 12:30:00 PM / by Irene Kanthan

In this week's post, Bridgman heads to Tamarama Beach and enjoys one of Sydney's beauties of nature.

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Thanks Nicole!

Bridgman's journey continues every Wednesday so stay tuned.

Posted in: Sydney, Australia, Activities Abroad, Nature

A Day Trip to Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny

Oct 20, 2017 11:30:00 AM / by Irene Kanthan

Tylor is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Communication major at Arizona State University, she is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In this week's post, Tylor brings us to see the beautiful Irish sights on her day trip to Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny.

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Thanks Tylor!

Tylor's journey continues every Friday so stay tuned.

Posted in: Dublin, Ireland, Activities Abroad, Nature

The Sister Cliffs

Oct 2, 2017 1:30:00 PM / by Irene Kanthan

Maureen is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A BFA major at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London this semester.

In this week's post, Maureen creates a short film from her visit to the Seven Sisters Cliffs in Sussex, England.

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Thanks Maureen!

Maureen's journey continues every Monday so stay tuned.

Posted in: London, England, Nature

A Tranquil Day at Yu Garden in Shanghai

Sep 14, 2017 3:30:00 PM / by Irene Kanthan

Sarah is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Fashion Retail and Merchandising major at Lasell College, she is studying abroad in Shanghai this semester.

In this week's post, Sarah brings us with her on a trip to see the tranquil Yu Garden in Shanghai.

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Thanks Sarah!

Sarah's journey continues every Thursday so stay tuned.

Posted in: Shanghai, China, Activities Abroad, Nature

One of China's Most Popular Tourist Destinations: a Trip to Guilin

May 2, 2017 1:30:00 PM / by Julie Ritz

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 to Guilin, an area known for its natural beauty and flowing rivers.

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Guilin is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China. It was one of the options for a subsidized school trip in April, so along with a group of friends, we all signed up. A couple of the perks of school trips are the excused absences and extended time for the trip, although some of the drawbacks are rescheduled missed classes and early days.

The trip started bright and early Wednesday morning at 8AM. Gathered by the Mao Statue on campus there were forty students along with five teachers waiting for the bus to shuttle us to the railway station. Once at the station, we boarded the high-speed train. High-speed trains have more leg room, stewards walking through the trains selling food and cleaning [not just collecting waste from passengers but also sweeping and mopping the walkway], and bathrooms. True to their name, high-speed trains go up to three hundred kilometers per hour. Although these trains go extremely fast, it does not feel any different than being on any other train. It just takes a fraction of time to travel from one place to another when taking a high-speed train compared to a regular one, or driving a car.

A nine hour ride later, we arrived in Guilin. From the station we were brought to our hotel and later to dinner. We were left to recharge for the night to prepare for the packed days ahead of us.

Thursday–

CAPAStudyAbroad_Shanghai_Spring2017_From Danielle Thai Guilin 1.jpg Photo: a Bamboo Drift on the Yulong River