Reporting in Crisis – Summer 1
This dialogue is unique because it’s located in a different country every year. For example, this past year it was in Greece; this coming year it will be in Cuba. I interviewed Isabelle Hahn, a second year Journalism major, about her experience in Greece.
“The Journalism dialogue was an incredibly rewarding experience. Going in as a first-year was overwhelming, to put it lightly. I had little experience and my only published works were about rowing. Now, I have three internationally reported stories that I have used as clips for co-ops, one of which got me a job offer during an interview. It is impossible to give anything other than 100 percent to this time-intensive and demanding dialogue. If you are looking for a relaxing experience in your study abroad, I wouldn’t look here. Reporting seeps into your entire experience abroad and sometimes (more often than not) you’ll find yourself working a 10-hour day, but you tailor the experience to what you want to write about.”
Courtesy of Isabelle Hahn
“While it wasn’t always easy, I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. I learned an astounding amount about journalism in those five weeks, more than I learned during the academic year, and am extremely thankful for the experience.”
Courtesy of Isabelle Hahn
“The cities are incredibly beautiful and ancient ruins are integrated into the urban landscape everywhere you look. If you are someone who wants to be a reporter, this dialogue is the one for you. It gives you five weeks of real life experience in the field, with all its ups and downs: hours spent editing, frantically running around trying to find sources, photo snapping, and then rewards you with the feeling of finally finishing your story.”
Courtesy of Isabelle Hahn
Cuba y la Fotografía – Summer 1
This dialogue is absolutely incredible. The university you take classes at is incredibly beautiful, and the people are the friendliest you will ever meet. The professor from Northeastern, Luis Brens, has been to Cuba so many times that he has developed an incredibly close relationship with the head of the Cuban university, Jorge. Luis and Jorge are like brothers and Jorge goes out of his way to make sure every student feels welcome and enjoys their time in Cuba. He even rented Cuba’s famous taxis for my entire class to ride around the city in.
Courtesy of Bronia Bogen-Grose
Aside from exploring Havana – where you live and take classes – you also get to take two trips outside of Havana. The first is to Viñales, which is famous for its tobacco fields. Ninety percent of people who know you’re going to Cuba will ask for a cigar; wouldn’t you like to be able to say that you met the farmer who grew this tobacco and he rolled these cigars for you? Fun fact: farmers who make cigars directly don’t have to use chemicals in their cigars. Instead, they use rum and honey as preservatives, giving the cigars an incredible, slightly sweet taste (Also the prices are more reasonable – I got 20 cigars for 20 dollars, vs. ~80 from a cigar store in Cuba).
Courtesy of Bronia Bogen-Grose
The second day trip you get to take is to Las Terrazas, which is a stunning nature reserve.
Courtesy of Bronia Bogen-Grose
Your classes are a mix of photography tours, photo critiques, and music and culture classes. While it is a lot of work, it is nothing like a typical semester at school. The assignments include street photography, portraits, light/shadow, and you get to chose your topic for your final project. Don’t be discouraged if you’ve never picked up a camera – this dialogue was full of people ranging in skill level, and everyone was incredibly helpful if you weren’t quite getting the results you wanted.
Time Machine: Iceland- Summer 1
I interviewed Annalise Jones, a second year in the Explore Program, about her experience.
“The best part about my time in Iceland was hands down the people. I went into this trip with no close friends and came out with more than a handful. I honestly believe an experience is a great one because of the people you share it with. They made each day unique and funny. When I came back to Boston, I felt like I was in withdrawal because I had just spent 24 hours a day, everyday, for five weeks with these people. I really could not have asked for a better group of people. They made this experience unforgettable.”
Courtesy of Annalise Jones
“On a day-to-day basis, I woke up, had breakfast, went to 10am yoga, caught up on project work, ate lunch, explored, went to afternoon film class, ate dinner, did more project work, and hung out with my classmates. It may sound like a routine, but each day was more different than I could’ve imagined. One day, two friends and I climbed the tallest mountain in our town. Another day, I ran miles down the road into complete isolation. I woke up never knowing what the day would bring. And honestly, no matter what I did I knew would be amazing because the views we had were absolutely breathtaking. I spent hours staring out into the ocean and the never-setting sun (literally never-setting – during the summer, Iceland never sees nighttime).”
Courtesy of Annalise Jones
“On this dialogue, I studied culture and yoga, and videography. I personally love being active, so the yoga class was especially nice because we had the chance to get a peaceful morning workout in. As far as the videography course, I went into the trip expecting to be in over my head, but it turned out to be very manageable. I learned how to use the editing software Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects, which I can now confidently navigate on my own. I gained many valuable skills in this course that I will keep with me forever, especially since I’ve found that video creation is something I truly enjoy.”
Courtesy of Annalise Jones
Courtesy of Annalise Jones
“As for why other people should go to Iceland…I could give a million and one reasons. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever experience a more beautifully magnificent country. Everywhere you look you see oceans, mountains, snow caps, waterfalls; the list could go on and on. Beyond the views, Thingeyri, the town we stayed in for a majority of the trip, was so peaceful and calm. It was a town of only 250 people, but I felt at home there, especially as I got closer to my classmates. I consider them to be some of closest friends, and I couldn’t have wished for anything more.”
Courtesy of Annalise Jones
Check out these dialogues and others on the Northeastern Global Experience Office website!