Emmy Mathews' London Summer

This week, we are catching up with junior midfielder Emmy Mathews (Baltimore, MD/Bryn Mawr School) who is spending the summer taking finance courses at the London School of Economics:

What made you want to spend your summer in London?

Playing two sports, I knew I wasn't going to be able to study abroad for an entire semester but I knew that I wanted to have an abroad experience. Going to London and taking a Finance class at the London School of Economics, I knew I would get a european perspective on Finance and also be more prepared for my Business Administration major.

When did you arrive in London, how long will you be staying?

I left for London on July 3rd and will be there for the month of July. My course only lasts three weeks and after that is finished I am traveling to Barcelona for a weekend and Prague for my remaining three days in Europe.

Where are you currently living? Will you be traveling anywhere else?

Right now I am living in a LSE dorm on High Holborn St. It's a very convenient location, right next to Covent Garden and close to Leiscester Square, Piccadilly Circus, and many of the theatres in London. I walk only five minutes to class and can walk to most of the museums as well. This weekend I am traveling to Turnberry, Scotland to see the British Open. I have a ticket for Saturday and then am planning on watching Sunday's round in Turnberry somewhere.

What does your normal day look like?

On weekdays I have lecture from 10-1. After grabbing lunch, I have class from 2-3 in the afternoon where, in smaller groups, we go over problem sets. After class I usually find something touristy to do around the city. My favorite museums so far have been the Victoria and Albert Museum which has some AMAZING decorative arts and the British Museum. I have been to the British Museum twice and there is still so much more of the building to explore!

What has been the best part of your time in London so far?

My favorite part of London so far has definitely been taking in the sights. From walking all around the city, I have absorbed so much culture and gotten to see so many things that are just incredible. In the National Gallery, in one of the what seems like thousands of rooms, Van Gogh's "The Sunflowers" is just hanging out on a wall next to some other paintings. It amazes me that or free I can just go in and look at paintings as famous as that one. It really blows my mind.

What has been the most challenging part of your trip so far?

The most challenging part has definitely been trying not to spend so much money! The exchange rate is currently around 1.7, and it's been really hard to stay within a budget especially because I want to cram so much in while I am here for just a month.

See you all soon!

Natalie Herndon's Adventures in Costa Rica

Senior defender Natalie Herndon (Atlanta, GA/Westminster Schools) is spending the summer in Costa Rica to further explore her Spanish major and Latin American Caribbean studies minor. Let's hear from Nat on how a summer in Costa Rica is treating her:

What made you decide to spend your summer in Costa Rica?

I wanted to spend my summer in Costa Rica because I knew that I wanted to be teaching abroad this summer and I thought, that Costa Rica offered an experience that I would value and enjoy. At first, I was conflicted between choosing internships in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Nicoya, Costa Rica, but I ended up applying for the internship in Costa Rica because Nicoya is a very small town and is very connected to it's heritage and I wanted a place where I could not only get a true Latin American experience, but also a place where I would absolutely have to speak spanish and to also be able to connect to the people and their history. Also -- in June and July it's really cold in Argentina and I don't really like cold weather :-)

When did you arrive in Costa Rica? How long will you be staying?
I arrived in Costa Rica on June 13, and I'll be staying till August 15 (9 weeks)

Where are you living? Will you be traveling anywhere else?
Right now, I'm living in a house with my Costa Rican mom (Isabel). It's a really nice house compared to all the other houses here-- its very clean, and I have my own closet and bathroom. It's also great because a lot of Isabel's family lives really close by, so I've met a lot of people through them.
What does your normal day look like?
Well, it's been kind of crazy recently because the schools in Costa Rica were on vacation for the past two weeks, and now, because of the swine flu scare, they've shut down again. However, prior to these past two weeks, I would wake up early and eat breakfast with Isabel, then go to Spanish classes in the morning and receive Spanish instruction. We worked our way through grammar workbooks, talked about a couple of short stories, and talked about how daily life in Nicoya worked. Then, usually at around 2, I would leave the institute to start working at the Elementary School (The Cacique School of Nicoya) There, I worked with 4th 5th and 6th grades to help improve their English language instruction. We worked a lot with pronunciation, listening skills, and a little with writing, but not much. I love the kids, and I see them all over the place when I walk down the street-- No matter what, they always stop me and tell me how their days are and what they are doing. However, recently, because the schools have been shut down, the Institute where I received Spanish instruction decided to provide free english language instruction to the community. Currently, I'm assisting in the development of this project. Right now, I'm working as a receptionist, administrative assistant, curriculum planner, and next week, I'll be a teacher. It's been a pretty hectic week, but I'm so excited about next week, and all the kids that will be here. We've had a pretty big response from the community already, so I'm excited for the project to get under way.

What has been the best part of your trip so far?
So far, the best part of my trip has been my weekend getaway to Monteverde. I went with a couple of my friends to Monteverde (which is in the Cloud Forest) to go on a canopy tour of the rain forest. We did the Selvatura zipline tour and it was AWESOME! We were literally on top of a mountain in the middle of the clouds, flying through the air. We did one zip line that where the fog was so intense that you couldn’t see anything around you but the line about a foot in front of you… (we have a video of someone disappearing into the clouds, it’s pretty incredible) I was pretty scared when we first started going because we’re up EXTREMELY high, and there’s nothing really to hold onto except this skinny cable and a harness—but I’m so glad we did it.

What has been the most challenging part of your trip?

The most challenging part has been being away from my friends and family in the states--I absolutely love getting updates from everyone whenever I send out emails. However, my friends here have helped me out a lot with being lonely-- When Ellie left, I was a little sad, so a bunch of them called me and invited me to go watch the sunset over Nicoya on top of a mountain. That was really special to me.

Are there any things in particular that you miss from the U.S.?

There are two very specific things that I miss from the US. I miss air conditioning, and I miss my own bed. I used to really miss hot showers, but recently, it's been so hot that I really look forward to a nice cold shower in the evening.

Any other messages that you want to pass on to your teammates and/or other blog readers?
I miss yall ssooooooo muuuuuucchhhhH!!!!! I can't wait to get back to Lex and hang out. KEEP ME UPDATED ON YOUR LIVES! I hope everyone is having an amazing summer, and I can't wait to get back to the states and see your shining faces :)

Love, Nat

Lauren Acker's Summer in Chile

As the summer continues the next few blog entries will chronicle our team's summer jobs, internships and adventures in various corners of the world. To kick things off we are checking in with sophomore midfielder Lauren Acker (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Seaholm HS) to see how her summer abroad in Chile is going:

What made you want to spend your summer in Chile?
- I had wanted to study abroad for a long time and I knew that this summer it would be especially difficult to find a job at home in Michigan so I began doing some research into abroad opportunities. I knew I wanted to travel in South America, since I have never been, so I began researching the various programs. I had three programs to choose from: Peru, Argentina and Chile. I heard from several people that Chileans are very welcoming and that Chile is a beautiful country, and I have found both statements to be true!

When did you arrive in Chile, how long will you stay?

- I arrived here on June 18th after an overnight flight from Dallas and will be here until July 25th after spending a total of 5 weeks with my host family.

Where exactly are you living now? Will you be traveling anywhere else?

- I am living in a small apartment with my host mom and sister. We live in Chorrillos which is an area of Viña del Mar. Viña del Mar is a city on the Pacific coast of central Chile. At the beginning of my trip I spent 4 days in the capital of Chile, Santiago (see pic of Lauren with the Santiago skyline above). Tomorrow, I will take a day off from classes and travel north by bus to La Serena for the weekend. When I leave Chile, I head to Peru for 6 days to hike the Incan trail to Machu Picchu with my parents and my brother who are meeting me in Cuzco, Peru.

What does your normal day look like?

- A usual day for me consists of waking up at 8:30am, fixing myself breakfast, and taking the metro into Vaplaraíso, where I take classes at the Pontifical Catholic University of Vaplaraíso. In total it is about a 20 or 25 minute commute. Then I have classes from 10:00-1:15 and after that I eat my lunch with friends at the International Studies Abroad office across the street from school. After that I usually explore Viña or Valpo with a few friends or on my own and then return home. I do whatever homework or studying I have to and converse with my family. We eat dinner and talk until we head to bed.

What has been the best part of your trip thus far?

- The best part of my trip so far has been getting to know my host family; I have a mom and a sister who is 23 (see picture below). My sister’s boyfriend spends a lot of time at the house as well. Spending time talking with them is usually the best part of my day; they are all so sweet! One night I went Salsa dancing, which was really fun but very difficult to learn! And I love walking around, exploring new places, and observing my surroundings!

What has been the most challenging part of your trip thus far?

- The hardest part is the fact that my brain is constantly functioning, trying to translate everything I see or hear and speak in Spanish; its exhausting! I remember the first morning at my home-stay, I had just rolled out of bed and was on my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth and my mom asked me if I had slept well. And I was speechless for a minute when I had to think about what she said to me and reply in Spanish when I was still half asleep!

Are there any things that you miss from the U.S.?

- I can’t say there is much I miss! I love it here! I do wish, however that the air was cleaner and there were more places to run and exercise safely. And I guarantee that I will never again take for granted central heating in the winter! (July is their coldest month since our summer is their winter.) It doesn’t get much colder than the 40s but when the only place you can warm up all day is in bed with a hot water bottle (“guatero”), you definitely appreciate how lucky we are to have heating!
Is there anything else that you'd like to pass on to your teammates or other blog readers?

- I have had such a wonderful experience and wouldn’t trade it for anything! I encourage everyone to study abroad if you have the chance. And to those of you studying abroad this fall: I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! I’m excited to see you all back at school and on the field!

The Latest Update from 2007 Graduate Mallory Lobisser

After graduating from W&L in 2007, I headed straight to grad school at UVA for my masters in accounting. It was a quick 9 months in Charlottesville, but without lacrosse, I found myself with a lot of free time. While I definitely missed the forced workouts on the field every day, I finally had the opportunity to pursue a few things that I hadn’t had time for throughout my four years in Lexington. I immediately got in touch with the athletic director at St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville and was given the reins of the girls JVB lacrosse team. I coached girls from 7th grade through 10th grade and we had a great time! My patience was tested on a regular basis, but I loved sharing my passion for the sport with the girls and watching them improve from our first game to the last. It was something I definitely hope to do again in the future!

In addition to coaching, I took a job at Dover Saddlery. Horses have always been my passion, but finding the time to be both a rider and a lacrosse player in college was never easy. Working at Dover gave me the opportunity to work with other people who love horses (not to mention a killer employee discount!). Being surrounded by “horse stuff” unlocked a long-suppressed desire to be a horse owner so last January, I became the proud owner of a Dutch-Warmblood colt named Benji (see photo).
When I was a senior in high school (2003), my trainer back home in Seattle gave me the opportunity to show her horse, Sally. Sally was quite a character and despite her antics and stubbornness, we had many successes in the show ring. Our time together culminated with a trip to the world renowned facility Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta. To this day, it was one of the most amazing competitive experiences I have ever had (next to beating Amherst in the NCAA tournament in 2005!) When I went away to college, I sadly had to leave the barn and horses behind. In June 2007, my trainer called me and told me that Sally had given birth to an adorable chestnut colt that would be named Benji. I didn’t actually meet Benji until August when he was just 2 months old, but I fell in love immediately and was ecstatic when my trainer agreed to sell him to me.

Since then, I have gotten back in the show ring on another of my trainer’s horses (Puerto Rico – See photo) and passed the CPA exam. In September, I once again said goodbye to the barn back home and moved to Washington, DC. I began working for Deloitte & Touche out of the McLean, VA office and I am a staff auditor and my largest client is Fannie Mae (I am sure you can imagine how exciting that is…) Benji arrived at his new home in Virginia at the end of April 2009 and I don’t think he is missing Seattle one bit. It will be a long road to the show ring as Benji is just coming two years old, but the experience of working with a young horse has been amazing.
I miss lacrosse, my teammates, Lexington, and W&L, very much, especially each spring, but horses have given me the opportunity to foster two things that made my days as General so rewarding: my competitive spirit and teamwork. Lacrosse taught me so much about success and failure and the lessons I learned are invaluable. I will always be proud to be a General!