We are happy to announce the results of the CIEE story contest. We asked all Fall 2009 CIEE Study Center participants to submit their story – a reflection of their international experience. We asked: what did you learn about the local culture, people, yourself? How has it changed your outlook? What would you tell other students thinking of going abroad?
We received many wonderful and inventive entries. It was hard to pick the winners! For those who participated, thank you. We greatly enjoyed reading all about your experiences on a CIEE Study Center program.
Congratulations to all!
Overall Winner
Michael Miller, Villanova
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Abroad
It starts at different times for everyone, for all of us. Saying goodbye to friends and family the night before, on the way to the airport, packing, forgetting to pack, the car ride.
For me it happened as I got off my connecting flight from home and arrived at the gate of my flight to Argentina. Waiting, fidgeting, anxious, in airport seats, eating Chinese food; we all got to the gate at different times. Dazed and confused college kids, we must have stuck out to everyone but ourselves, some of us slowly put it together
Read the rest of Michael's story.
Honorable Mention
Michelle Goldberg, Northeastern University
Alicante, Spain
La vida es asi
On September 7, 2009 I was crying to be home, in the U.S., with my friends and family, speaking English.
On December 28, 2009 I was crying to stay at my new home, in Alicante, Spain with my friends and family, speaking Spanish. So what happened during those months?
I always thought of myself as a strong person—I didn’t think I would have a problem stepping foot off the plane in Spain. I quickly realized that wasn’t the case, and it took me a bit of adjusting to overcome the sudden communication barrier and unfamiliarity with this new city.
Read the rest of Michelle's story.
Honorable Mention
Rebecca Goldstein, Indiana University
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Hodge-Podge with a Purpose
On my first Sunday morning with my Costa Rican family, my host father looked over at me and invited me to go walking. I was surprised because I had barely spoken two words to him since I had arrived at the farmhouse the night before. Although he seemed friendly, he was clearly a man of few words and I was a very nervous American totally out of my element. Although I knew Spanish, the idea of speaking to him was overwhelming. I knew I would make many mistakes, and since he spoke only Spanish, I couldn’t use English to explain myself.
Read the rest of Rebecca's story.
Honorable Mention
Trevor Brown, Santa Clara University
Seville, Spain
My Very Own Sevillan Sauna
Starring blankly into his eyes, his face marked with the frustration of trying to explain a simple task to somebody who can hardly understand a word of his language, I tried to find the perfect speed at which to nod my head. Not too slow, that would convey confusion, but not too fast either, because then I would look crazy, and you don’t want your host family thinking that they were given the spaz kid on your first night in the house. No, just the right speed to show that, hey, don’t worry, I think I can figure out how to turn the air conditioner on. Regardless, when my host dad finally left the room I felt as though a hurricane had just pummeled my brain into oblivion, leaving me with less knowledge of both the Spanish language and of your common air conditioning unit. Trying not to feel frustrated, I reminded myself that being abroad wasn’t going to be easy. On the bright side, I thought, at least I have an air conditioner and, as I turned it on and went to sleep that night, I wondered if I would ever call this new bed, in this foreign country, my own.
Read the rest of Trevor's story.