Posted By: Career Enrichment Network
Zagreb, Croatia: Social Transformation in 20th Century Eastern Europe will be running for the second time this coming summer 2016. Students travel to Dubrovnik, Croatia; Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Split, Croatia and Zagreb, Croatia. It is a three credit course (either EDTHP 497 or SOC 499) and the program is three weeks long. The program is designed for students studying Sociology and Education, but can also be appropriate for students focusing their studies in other disciplines. Read three student’s perspectives below!
Content Contributed by Christy Carfagno, Sociology Major; Sean Connelly, Education and Public Policy Major and Sociology and Labor Employment Relations Minors and Lillian House, Sociology Major.
Why did you decide to take part in this program? What did you get out of the experience?
Christy Carfagno: The location was important to me because Croatia was very unfamiliar to me, and the recent war provided for good discussion and research, and I wanted to study somewhere within my major. Studying abroad made me discover how much I like to travel and experience new cultures. I now know I may want a future career that allows travel and interconnection with other cultures. The course increased my GPA and helped with my researching techniques. This showed me how privileged I am in the US, and taught me how to slow down and enjoy life more like the Croatians.
Sean Connelly: I took EDTHP 497 in Croatia with Drs. David Baker and Mimi Schaub. I made this decision because the class counted both towards my major and one of my minors and I was really interested in studying abroad. I thought that Croatia was important to go to because not many people think of going to Croatia to study abroad. I want to work on getting the arts into the education system more. Studying abroad helped me realize that I’m really interested in seeing how the arts are globally in the education system. This experience impacted me in a very large way. I feel like I learned a lot more than I thought I would about sociology and educational policy in other countries. I feel more culturally aware and I also feel worldlier. One of my favorite memories of the trip was when we went hiking though the Plitvice Lakes National Park and I’ve never had a better hiking experience. It was beautiful with great trails and amazing waterfalls.
Lillian House: Love, and Religion in 20th Century Eastern Europe took place primarily in Zagreb, Croatia. We were studying the social changes that took place as a result of the Yugoslavian wars and trying to grasp some of the social conditions of these tumultuous Balkan countries. Because the conflicts and social systems of these countries are so complex, it was very important that we were in these countries to observe them firsthand and build our understandings from accounts of the native people. The decision for me to go on this trip was easy because the subject I most love studying is social change, and I knew absolutely nothing about this part of the world and its history. Also, this course gave me the opportunity to experience a less tourist-oriented and stunningly beautiful region of Europe. I took this course in the Maymester, the only time it was offered. I would argue, though, that this is the best time for European travel because it is not as hot as the rest of the summer and less tourists are out. The traveling I have done through this course has helped me to decide that I will take time off before going to graduate school to do more traveling. I believe I will go to graduate school for International Relations or Sociology. The enrichment funding I received covered my trip completely. The course reinforced my interest in Sociology and fulfilled needed major requirements. One of my favorite memories from the trip is of a tour we received of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina led by a local who gave us personal accounts of living through the Balkan wars of the ’90s. I really appreciate that the professors arranged for us to hear accounts from a range of people who had experienced different sides of the conflicts, which helped to shape an understanding of the social systems that was genuine and appreciated the complexity of the conflicts.
To learn more about study abroad, attend the Education Abroad Fair on September 30, 2015 from 11am- 4pm, in the Alumni Hall at the HUB!
All Liberal Arts students studying abroad are eligible for Enrichment Funding. To learn more, please schedule an appointment via Network Symplicity or email Jackie Smith, Global Experiences Coordinator (jds54@psu.edu).