Katharine Farrar's Fall Term Abroad in Sevilla, Spain

This week we heard Junior Katharine Farrar's (Lexington, VA/Episcopal High School) perspective on spending her Fall semester abroad in Spain:
Where are you studying in Spain?
Katharine: Sevilla (Seville) which is in Andalucía in southern Spain.

What made you choose this location?
Katharine: Friends from W&L who studied abroad in Sevilla last spring couldn’t stop talking about how amazing it was. Also, being a small town girl from Lexington, I knew that I didn’t want to be studying in a huge city like Madrid so I looked at my other options. Sevilla seemed to best fit the profile of the study abroad experience that I was looking for so I went for it!

What's the best part about living there in Sevilla?
Katharine: The best part about living in Sevilla is the learning experience that I am having. Going off to college and being on your own in the US is one thing, but leaving the country and being on your own in a completely different cultural setting is another. I think that being here has enabled me to learn a lot about myself as well as the outside world and other cultures. I have finally been able to apply my many years of studying Spanish in a real life setting which is so cool to be able to do.

What's the hardest thing about living there?
Katharine: The hardest thing is probably not having all of the conveniences that we do at home in the US. It is pretty hard to find certain things that you really need and not having a car also makes things pretty difficult. You can’t just zip across town to pick something up; you have to plan ahead because it takes at least 20 minutes to get anywhere you need to go. Something else that is pretty hard about being in Sevilla and not another part of Spain is the difference in the Spanish accent. In Andalucía there is a very distinct accent that doesn’t sound like “normal” Spanish so it is pretty hard to understand people at times and even harder for them to understand us when we speak because we don’t have that accent.

What are the biggest adjustments you feel you've had to make living in a foreign country?
Katharine: Learning to adapt to the different kind of lifestyle has been a huge adjustment. The day to day routine here is so different from the one I follow at home which was very hard to get used to. I was pretty exhausted the entire first 2 weeks because I was not used to the schedule of a very early breakfast, a late lunch and a late dinner. Not to mention we walk EVERYWHERE here so it can get pretty tiring. Another big adjustment would have to be the supermarket scene over here...which isn’t so “super.” It is not as easy to go into one store here and find everything you need. Most times you go to one store for fresh bread, one store for fresh veggies etc. and the grocery stores provide the basics. There is no such thing as your one-stop-shop Rockbridge County Super Wal-Mart over here.
What classes are you taking?
Katharine: I am taking four classes that are all helping me fulfill my Spanish major requirements: Spanish Realist Novel, Writing and Composition of Texts, Culture and Society of Spain and Spanish Art: El Greco to Picasso.

What do you and Wilton do on weekends?
Katharine: We have been using most of our weekends to travel around Spain and other parts of Europe. In Spain, we have gone to Granada, Toledo, Madrid, Cordoba, Malaga and Cadiz. We have also ventured to Munich, Portugal, Morocco, London and we plan to head to Rome in December. When we are in Sevilla for the weekends we usually treat ourselves to eating out for meals, since we cook for ourselves during the week days. We also walk around the main part of the city, going in and out of shops and just to kill some time. The weather is pretty consistent here in that there is usually sunshine and blue sky so venturing out during the day is very enjoyable!
What is the one thing you miss most about W&L/Lexington?
Katharine: I miss the atmosphere of the W&L campus and my favorite places to eat. We really don’t have a school campus here…I go to classes in one building and that’s it. There is no true “campus” which I miss because you really feel like you are at school and you get to see all of your friends during the day. I also must say that I really miss Blue Sky, Franks and Lexington Restaurant. To be honest…the list could go on and on but I won’t embarrass myself by mentioning all of the places that I can’t wait to go to when I get back.
Anything else you'd like Generals' fans, players and parents to know?
Katharine: I can’t wait to get the season started and reunite with everyone at our AWESOME tailgates. I also look forward to seeing Maggie and her family, some of our biggest fans, at our games cheering us on! See everyone in the new year!!!

Catching up with Amanda Strickler '06 in Washington, DC

This week we're catching up with 2006 graduate Amanda Strickler on how she's enjoying life and work in Washington, DC:

What made you decide to move to Washington, DC?
Amanda: After living abroad for the better part of the last three years, I wanted to be fairly close to family and friends. A career may have had something to do with the choice as well...

When did you move?
Amanda: June 2009

Where are you living in the city?
Amanda: Alexandria, VA-southwest of D.C.

Where are you working?
Amanda: The L-3 Services Group

What’s your favorite part about living in our nation’s capital?
Amanda: The vibrant, upbeat, and exciting atmosphere. There is always something to do in D.C.

What’re the biggest adjustments you’ve made since moving?
Amanda: The cost of living in the D.C. area - I am accustomed to Lexington prices...Additionally, I am now without my annual RCHS "Drive Your Tractor to School Day" viewing.

What do you like to do in your spare time and on weekends?
Amanda: I love to walk around D.C. and discover the city. The outdoor farmers markets, museum exhibits and events on the mall-there is constant change. I'm also taking an art class in Alexandria which has been fun. But when I'm not feeling cultural, I put on my #3 penny, UA Shorts, white lighting turfs, and gogs and spend hours pelting lax balls at small woodland creatures.

Still keeping in touch with your fellow Generals’ alums?
Amanda: Yes! They will all tell you that I suffer from a correspondence handicap, but I think we do a good job of talking and getting together. We're hoping to have another laxy reunion sometime in 2010.

Anything else you’d like to share with Generals fans, players, parents and alums?
Amanda: Go Gennies! Stab and Kick! Also I am currently without a camera so I'm sorry for no pictures!

Kathy Brown's Term Abroad in Cortona, Italy

This week we heard from Junior Kathy Brown (Baltimore,MD/Catonsville HS) about how much she's loving her time abroad in Italy:

Where are you studying abroad in Italy?
Kathy: My study abroad program is located in Cortona, Italy. Cortona is in an part of Tuscany about an hour or two outside of both Florence and Rome. If I were to provide a visual that anyone at W&L could relate to, I'd say that the town would be similar to a Lexington that was built on the side of House Mountain (only about 2000 years older). The view from this mountaintop town allows me to see most of the Tuscan valley and all the way into Umbria.

What made you choose this location?
Kathy: I ended up choosing the UGA- Cortona program for a number or reasons. I seriously considered going with Syracuse's Florence program, but a large part of me thought that I would miss out on a more relaxed, authentic atmosphere. My art major adviser actually recommended the Cortona program to me and from there it really seemed like a no brainer. After all I am used to going to school in small-town Lexington, so Florence would have been an even bigger change.
Are you happy with your decision?
Kathy: I have been here for over two months now and I have very little to complain about. There are 48 people in my program and I think the thing that everyone has the biggest problem with is the food. Funny concept right? Actually the problem with the food is not that it is bad, but rather that we are served too much of it. On a more serious note though, this program is very well-established. When we first arrived, we flew into Rome and traveled to Florence from there. They exhausted us with sights and visits to more museums than you can imagine. I thought they were crazy, but when we arrived in Cortona it became quite clear that it was all a ploy. They had exhausted us intentionally knowing that Cortona would be that breath of fresh air at the end. A place that felt more homey. I don't think anyone here has regretted not being in a big city after that. The UGA set-up is also very inclusive, from the meals to the field trips I would be hard-pressed to find another program that provides this much for me (and at this cost). I also love, love, love my professors. W&L is not too shabby either, but it is good to get out and experience other styles of teaching. Especially with regards to the art department. The art department is pretty small, but this semester has taught me so much already. The professors here come from all types of backgrounds and they have really exposed me to the possibilities available in the art world. OH! and I have met so many people from all over the U.S. Yes my program is small but we have people from California, Montana, new Mexico, Fargo, you name it and we have the region covered. If I had to do it all over again, maybe I would have signed up to come in the summer and the fall.

What is your living situation like there?
Kathy: My living situation is pretty fabulous. I live in an old monastery that was converted into a dormitory. The dorm is located on one of the highest points in town and the view out of my bedroom window is just wild. (Did I mention that it is one of the highest points in town? Yes, I essentially scale a mountain every time I have to walk back to our building. There have been days when I didn't think I was going to make it.) Anyway I have two roommates that are both from Maine and they very kindly gave me two beds...well a bunk-bed all to myself. That may sound luxurious but I cannot actually sit up in my own bed. Luckily most of my work has to be done in the studios anyway. My bathroom situation is another story, but lets just it has the European touch.
Have you done a lot of travelling thus far/do you plan to travel more?
Kathy: Well as I said the program started off with a few days spent in Rome and Florence. A car backed into me in Rome and the gypsies stalked me in Florence. We saw just about every sight there was to see in those two cities. My favorite events from that week were probably wandering around in Trastevere, Rome and sitting by the Tiber River at night (the Trevi fountain was also really neat at night). In Florence, the gelato at Vitello's and climbing the Duomo. Additionally every weekend we take field trips to different Italian towns for my art history class. I have been to Viterbo, Orvieto, Urbino, Gubbio, Arezzo, Assisi, Perugia, Pienza, Montepulciano, San Gimingano and Volterra. Out of those towns I thought that the Orvieto Duomo and Orvieto Underground (caves) were neat, Pienza felt like you were in a poppy up fairytale book and Arezzo had a particularly great antique market. I have also been to Lake Traismeno. My parents came this past week and we went there for the day. The lake is huge and monumental looking. AS for the remaining field trips, I am going to Bevagna and Torgiano tomorrow, then Siena and Naples in a few weeks. Last but not least I am going to hop around in Spain for a week. Spending a few days in Barcelona, then jetting off to Sevilla to spend Thanksgiving with Katharine and Shwilton!!!

What has been the biggest adjustment/challenge you've faced in living in Italy?
Kathy: Well I'd say it has been an adjustment not playing field hockey this year. I think I needed to take this time for Italy, but a part of me was sorry that I had to leave the team.
The cultural adjustment hasn't been more than I can handle. Yes, I used to get stared down when I would go for my runs in Nike and Under Armour but that's nothing too serious.

What classes are you taking?
Kathy: Over here I am taking Italian Language, Renaissance Art History, Painting and Printmaking.
Have you come across any familiar faces in your travels?
Kathy: Familiar faces, well my parents came to visit and a friend from school is stopping by next week but no pleasant surprises. I guess you could say that the Madonna and child has popped up in more places than I ever imagined.
Besides familiar faces from home, I see many of the same townspeople everyday, so in that regard the faces here have become familiar.

Anything else you’d like Generals fans, parents, players and alums to know?
Kathy: If they know of anyone looking for a good art program they should look into going with UGA. My time here has been incredible and I am going to be a mess when I have to leave in a month. I am already really grateful for this experience. It has probably been the best thing that I have done in my academic career.

Wilton Megargel's Fall Term in Spain

Junior Wilton Megargel (Charlottesville, VA/St. Anne's-Belfield) is enjoying her semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain. We caught up with her to find out just how much she's liking it and what she's up to over there:1.)What made you choose Sevilla as your study abroad location?
Wilton: I chose Sevilla because I wanted to go to Spain and Madrid was too big of a city and in Barcelona they speak Catalan instead of the type of Spanish I have been learning in my classes. Also, I had friends from W&L who went last winter term to Seville and had a great time, so after talking to them, I was sold!

2.)Are you happy with your decision?
Wilton: I am really happy with my decision! I always knew I wanted to study abroad and being here and taking classes is better than I imagined! At first it was kind of a shock and the style of life here took a week or two to get used to. For example, everything closes here for siesta (yes that still goes on) from one o'clock to five o'clock in the afternoon so you can't run errands during that time and have to plan your day accordingly. This also means that if you forget something at the store for lunch, you can't run around the corner to the grocery store to pick it up. At first I found this really frustrating but now it's just normal. I really like that when I decide I want to go to the beach for the day randomly I can say, "Oh, I think I will spend the day on the beach in the south of Spain to catch some sun..." Sounds a little cooler than driving to Roanoke for chinese buffet (not that I don't love Red Palace).

3.)What is your living situation like there?
Wilton: I am living in an apartment with Katharine and two other girls from Colorado who are in the same program. We have a living room that feels small when filled with all four of us and our laundry rack (because they don't have dryers), a kitchen (complete with a clothes washer next to the sink), and two bedrooms and a bathroom. Oh and we have an air conditioner!!!! Which is pretty key seeing as it still gets into the 80s these days!
4.)Have you done a lot of traveling thus far / do you plan to travel more?
Wilton: I haven't packed all my weekends full of trips but I have done a good amount of traveling. Our program takes us on trips around Spain, so I have been able to visit Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba and Granada. It is fun seeing different parts of Spain because they are so different. Katharine and I traveled to Munich for our first "big trip" and loved it!! It has to be on my top five list of places I have been in my entire life. The city is so clean, the people are really nice and everyone there loves Americans AND everything is very efficient. Germany has got it going on! (SO jealous that Mere can communicate with the Germans...) I also got to spend a beach weekend in Lagos, Portugal (probably second to Munich on my list of great places...) which was really cool. Lagos is a small beach town on the southern, most western point of Portugal and it used to be thought of as the end of the world before Columbus! Tomorrow I leave to go to Morocco to see the Medina in Fez and then ride a camel to spend the night in the desert. The camel ride is by far the part that I am the most worried about. Katharine and I are also planning to make it to Rome and Paris for our December break.

5.)What's been the biggest adjustment or challenge you've faced living in Sevilla?

Wilton: It has been hard adjusting to the pace of life here. The Spaniards are not the most efficient people and really don't have a sense of urgency doing anything, especially when you are American. They walk really slowly on the street, are never in a rush, constantly sitting outside sipping coffee/wine and like to take long siestas. Sometimes things happen on time, and sometimes they don't - why get stressed? Also, it took us a while to realize what everything on the menu meant. The first night I almost ordered pig intestines because the picture looked like pasta and red sauce - yeeuck. And everything comes with the eyeballs still attached. But these are really small prices to pay when you are studying abroad. It just comes with being in a different culture. Oh yeah, and we have to cook for ourselves!!! Some nights this is a challenge. No madre/dhall/srat over here to make us hot meals! Katharine and I have had some wild experiences trying to cook a good dinner.

6.)What classes are you taking and are you enjoying them?
Wilton: I am taking four classes over here and they are all in Spanish - three literature and one writing. Our university here is at the total opposite end of the spectrum compared to W&L, being a huge public university. Again, everything just runs a little differently in Spain and it took me an hour to locate all my classrooms before the first day of school because the rooms aren't numbered in order and the building is huge!! I also learned the first week of school that when I went to a class and the professor never showed up, that I should not worry because it is totally normal here for a professor to skip a class - I just had to pick a different class to take (silly me!).

7.)Have you come across any familiar faces in Europe?
Wilton: In Munich at Oktoberfest, Katharine and I saw some friends from W&L who are in our class and also studying abroad which was really fun. We have also had some of Katharine's friends from high school visit and Kathy Brown is going to be appearing in Spain for a week before she heads back to the US!!!!!! Can't wait!

8.)Anything else you'd like Generals' players, parents, fans and alumnae to know about your time in Sevilla?

Wilton: Can't wait to see everyone in January and meet all the freshmen I don't know yet!!! Miss everyone!

Parents' Weekend 2009 - Annual Parent Appetizer Party

October 31st marked the Annual Parent Appetizer Party for Generals' Women's Lacrosse. We had a great turnout, complete with a festive spread of appetizers and desserts. Senior Captains Laura Cavanaugh (Pyslesville, MD/North Harford HS) and Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St.Stephen's & St. Agnes) kindly hosted the event along with their parents, Betty and Wayne Cavanaugh and Joan and Robert Gotwald. It was a great opportunity for current Generals players and parents to get to know and welcome new faces to the group. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making the event a success. We're all looking forward to seeing everyone this spring!