The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/tag/abroad/)
Although Cornellians have enjoyed studying abroad in countries like the United Kingdom and Italy, many have also had to navigate the unique challenges brought about by the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Students take creative gap years and semester abroad to make the most of the unique college experience COVID has created.
My Italian art teacher is an older man with a receding hairline and his flannel shirt untucked. He’s a Fulbright scholar with the personal style of a hobo. We are 12 college students with previously-purchased black sketchbooks and no prior knowledge of technical drawing. Nevertheless, we will be released into the city to draw the sculptures and statues. Gesticulating wildly with a 2B pencil, he tells us, “I need you to give up.”
Give up.
Last Saturday, I touched down in London-Town with my eyes wide, my hopes high and my fake British accent well-rehearsed and ready to go. I turned my back on the more obvious, tropical, MTV-sponsored locales for the first time and packed my bags for a sun- and body shot-free zone. Just hours into my journey, high above the Atlantic, I was certain I’d made the right choice. Although I admit this may have had something to do with the combination of sitting next to an empty seat on the plane and/or the Valium my lovely mom slipped in my carry-on, my excitement prevailed and after seven pleasant air-borne hours I approached the friendly-looking immigration officer with a skip in my step and a smile.
Officer: “Passport?” … Why of course, sir.