Life in Roma: Sara Young

Buongiorno from Roma! I am very excited that I can take a break from homework to write to you fine women!

Being here in Rome has been a total dream come true for me. There are endless things to do and see here. My school lies right across the bridge from the beautiful Castel Sant’Angelo, due east of St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City. Our classes are really awesome because we have required field trips every Wednesday all around the city. I get to see and study places like the Colosseum, Vittoriano, Roman Forum, Pantheon and Vatican for class credit! I am also a part of a photography class which is great because I can bring more of a creative eye to the photos I will be bringing home. Whenever I have down time or breaks between classes, I usually just take a walk and get lost (voluntarily). It continuously blows my mind that you can turn a corner and be greeted by a monument that was built long before our time. I have been told that it takes a lifetime to fully understand Rome… I think that is the understatement of the year!

I have had the pleasure of seeing beautiful places inside of Italy as well as out. One of my favorites so far has been wine tasting in Tuscany with my IES program! My upcoming trips include Springfest in Munich, hiking in Cinque Terre, and visiting friends in Belgium and Ireland before I return home. Although I am very excited to start my internship at Abbott Labs this summer, I am not looking forward to the day that I hop on a plane for the last time.

Being abroad has taught me that transition and change is not easy, but it is totally worth it. Pushing yourself in a situation like this brings you to a new level of independence. I have learned a lot about this city and a lot about myself during my time here. Next time I walk past the Trevi Fountain I will toss in a coin and make a wish for my Wibbers!

Ciao ragazze, e buona Pasqua!

Maggie Morrissey takes on London

Cheers from London, Wibbers!

I miss you all so much! I'm currently deep into studying for my finals this week. It is so beautiful outside, so it is a drag being stuck inside studying! Luckily, London has a lot of green space and parks, so yesterday I laid in the grass and read "Hamlet" before my Shakespeare final.

I cannot believe my time abroad is almost over. Time flies by, doesn't it? I'm trying to enjoy every last second in this beautiful city before boarding my flight on Saturday. One of the greatest parts of the Study London program is that everyone on our program lives in the same dorm building, and there are tons of us here from IU. So, anytime I want to go explore the city and do something fun, I have lots of people who want to go with me! We are all trying to cross everything off our "London Bucket List" in these last few days.

Here are some things to add to your London Bucket List, if you are thinking of studying abroad here: walk through Regent's Park, eat the grilled cheese "toastie" at Borough Market, frolic around Picadilly Circus (during the day AND at night), channel your inner Hermione Granger at Platform 9 3/4 and the Harry Potter studio tour, paddle boat in Hyde Park, enjoy tea at Harrod's, stalk the royal family at Kensington Palace, have a drink at the top of the Shard, sing along at a concert at the O2 Academy Brixton, be artsy at the Tate Gallery of Modern Art, feel like you're in "What a Girl Wants" on the top of a double decker bus, take selfies in front of Big Ben, and dance the night away at Roxy on a Wednesday.

I'm going to miss it here, but I can't wait to see you all soon!

xx,

Maggs

Travels in Denmark: Katie Addison

Hello Wibbers all the way from København!  I hope all is going well in Bloomington!  I know you are all probably so excited that the warmer spring weather is finally here.

I have now been in Copenhagen, Denmark for a little over three months and I have to say, I absolutely love it. Never did I think I’d visit Denmark let alone call it home. The city is gorgeous, the classes are interesting, and the pastries are dangerously good. 

The classes here are all very fascinating.  Each professor has their own way of doing things and their own way of connecting the course material with the Danish culture.  I have learned so much about Denmark’s history, values, and current outlooks.  Two weeks ago I finished my midterms and was rewarded with a weeklong break for traveling.   During my time in Europe, I have been lucky enough to visit Croatia, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, Luxembourg, and still have some trips coming up.  All of these places have been absolutely spectacular, eye opening, and really old.   Every time I visit somewhere new, I am constantly shocked by the amount of history present.  I recently saw a fortress that was built in 963.  The fact that there was no number 1 before the 963 was hard to wrap my mind around.

Thankfully, the weather here has gradually been getting warmer, which means Tivoli and the gardens will soon be opening!  I have heard that Copenhagen in the spring is beautiful and unlike anything else.  Just in the recent days, when the sun has been out, I have seen more Danes out and about then in all of January, February, and March combined.  I swear the population has either instantly tripled, or the Danes are finally coming out of hibernation.  I have just about a month left, and I have a lot to see and do during that time.  Europe has been an amazing home to me.  I am not even close to being ready to leave!

I miss you all!

Katie

Kelly Shah: Ciao from Milan!

Ciao Wib! I am currently studying abroad in Milan, Italy, and loving it! Midterms are quickly approaching and I cannot believe my time here is almost half way over! It has finally stopped raining in Milan allowing me to explore the city without an umbrella, and I am taking full advantage!  Last night I went to the Navigli, a canal lined with restaurants and bars, and went to a karoke bar. Hearing Italian men sing “Barbie Girl” in Italian accents sure was an experience!  

I am also taking advantage of the diverse course selection. One of my classes is called Managing Fashion and Luxury Brands, for our field study we went to the flagship store of Armani and into La Rinascente, a glamorous department store! My favorite class is Transcultural Psychology; we study the difficulties in treating patients who are culturally diverse from the psychotherapist. It is one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken!

On the weekends I have managed to do a lot of travelling. My personal favorite was Istanbul! It was a beautiful city with so much energy. We shopped in the spice bazaar and the grand bazaar, both of which require strong bargaining skills! Another favorite was skiing in the alps at La Thuile. The view from the top of the mountain was above the cloud line and it looked as though someone had pulled down a backdrop! 

I hope all is well in Bloomington! I miss you all!

Ciao Ciao Ragazze!

Lindsey Ellington's trip to Hong Kong

Hello Wibbers! I’ve been abroad for 8 weeks now and have had so many eye-opening experiences, both in Hong Kong and in other places. For Chinese New Year I traveled to Thailand where I stayed on the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Samet, and spent two days in Bangkok. In Koh Chang I rode and swam with an elephant and had the dead skin nibbled off my feet by fish in Bangkok at a spa. It was a great 9 days but it was nice to head back to Hong Kong for a few weeks.

There is so much to see in Hong Kong. I’ve kept busy hiking, going to museums, studying, exploring Lamma Island and Macau, and eating lots of great food. Yesterday we went to an afternoon tea, which is a very popular Hong Kong custom that started during its time as a British colony. For two hours we feasted on a buffet of the most delicious and beautiful hors d’oeuvre and desserts. It was better than any tea party I could have imagined as a child.

While I make it a point to enjoy every possible moment abroad, this week I’m hard at work completing assignments in advance so that I can travel next week with Taylor Stinson to Taiwan and the Philippines. I hope everyone enjoys spring break!

Kate White: "Have It All"

Kate White, former Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan, shared four bold success tips at our Women in Business Annual Conference. White’s experience in the fashion, literature and magazine industries provide her with vast knowledge on how to succeed in an area.

Don’t believe everything you think. White referenced a pivotal moment in her life: when she was promoted to Editor-in-Chief of Cosmo. After a call from her boss on a Sunday, Kate immediately thought she was fired but instead, grasped the reigns of a multi-million dollar company. But she had to be willing to challenge herself to fill and exceed the position’s expectations. She advised us to take opportunities that will challenge us, especially roles others do not think we can strive in.

Go big or go home. While working at Cosmo, she constantly asked herself “Better, Bigger, Bolder, Badass”. Then if it could be any more of those qualities, they would push the limits. White started to push out the voice inside her head saying her best ideas were reckless and encouraged the same for us. To be successful don’t wait for permission and make them say wow not just good job.

Stop worrying what others think about you. Kate spoke on asking for what you want in the workplace, regardless of being turned down. Being forward with what you want and believe you deserve is imperative to being successful.

Drain the swamp. Paying attention to the big picture and not the little speed bumps is the ultimate perspective.

All four of these concepts created a moving, energetic and funny keynote speech. Women in Business appreciates Kate White’s passion while speaking at our conference!

Keystone

The Keystone Group representatives Linda Peddle, Danielle Moushon, and Gilli Mizrahi gave an inspiring presentation on what it means to “Have It All” in our morning portion of Conference.  The ladies focused on the fact that it is important to understand what “Have it All” means to you as an individual.  Linda informed WIB that your experiences shape you, which will, in turn, define your life.  Most of the presentation was centered on finding the right experiences in your life.  The three concepts our Keystone representatives focused on were: (1) More is More—start broad and work your way in, (2) Dig In, and (3) Culture, Culture, Culture.

The idea of “more is more” is based on purpose, people, and industry.  Danielle shared with us that we should “leverage our strengths rather than support our weaknesses.”  Knowing that in the business world you will work with many different people and personalities, it is crucial to learn from them and develop your own unique work style.  In this sense, it is all about challenging your passion.  Make sure to immerse yourself in the company and your life.  Finally, in order to “Have it All,” one must surround themselves with bright and passionate people.  Thank you to these awesome ladies for their great insight on how to “Have it All” and showing us how they have achieved that at Keystone!  We look forward to seeing you around campus again soon!