The City of Florence and Gelato. Lots and lots of Gelato...

Beautiful no? This was a view of the every night here in Florence over the Fiume river. But this is not all we have seen while in Florence. Not by a long shot. We have bought plenty of goods from the market, eaten the Italian cuisine consisting primarily of the best pasta and pizza I have ever had, and consumed mountains of gelato here in Florence. Today, our Italian tour guide Roberto took us on an "Off the Beaten Path", which consisted of taking us  through the history of the Tuscan's civilization, a winery tour, an amazing five course meal, and a walk-through of a medieval village. It was quite a way to end our visit here in the Tuscany region of Italy.

From shopping in the local markets to touring the countryside with our tour guide Roberto, our 2012 Study abroad group continues it's trek through Italy and into Rome tomorrow, our final destination. Hard to believe we are almost through with the trip.

TCJulian

Swiss Chocolate, the Matterhorn, and Vlog Update

The glorious mountains, the clear crystal water, the smell of chocolate... yep, we're in Switzerland. In only the past two days, our 2012 Study Abroad group has done a handful a unforgettable (and tasty) experiences: The Chier Chocolate Factory and the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Go check out the CSOB Study Abroad Page and check it out some of the sweet pics!

Also, the Vlog has uploaded two more videos of our fun times on The Jewel of the Seas!

Major Blog Update

At long last, the major update to our Study Abroad trip has been released, giving you pictures, videos, and descriptive day by day portrayals of our experiences, including The Jewel on the Seas, London England, and Paris France.

Before I go any further, I would like publically apologize if I disappointed anyone’s expectations for this blog. I hope to get better at doing this job correctly, and coming through to all of you loving parents, faculty, students, and prospective students out there. I know I have not been updating as regularly as I should..(and when I say that I mean not much at all.) But hopefully, this major update will do you all some justice as to what you were expecting and hoping for.

As I said before, the update consists of three parts:
1. Pictures- I have uploaded many of the pictures that I (and many of the students abroad with me) have taken to the CSOB Study Abroad Facebook page for easy access and availability. The link is located in the tabs on the menu above—the one that says CSOB Study Abroad! Just give it a click and you are there. And be sure to like it to get updates on new pictures and info about the CSOB Study Abroad Program.

2. Videos- With the help of Alex Livingston, we have started The Vlog, which is a "video blog" of the places that we have been. From funny moments to sports interviews, the Vlog is a fun place to get a real perspective as to what it is like to study abroad. We are currently working on getting more videos up (it takes a loooong time to render them over Wifi) so check now and then for updates. The link is above on the tabs menu. Click it, like it, and check out some of the hilarious moments we have had! (Isn't that right Val?)

3. Stand Alone Pages- This is the meat that some of the viewers (and when I say some I mean most) have been waiting for. These stand-alone pages are descriptions of our journeys on the Jewel of the Seas, through the streets of London, and upon the Eiffel Tower in Paris, semi-day by day type structure. Stand Alone Pages for Paris will be posted tomorrow, while Switzerland and Italy will become available after we have fully completed our time there. Feel free to post your thoughts/comments on the pages at the bottom!

And a couple more notifications:

-The Travel and Tourism, International Business, and Archives pages are still under construction and will probably not be available until after the trip. This is because their course descriptions and material is not first priority at the moment. Getting the viewers picture, video, SAPs (Stand Alone Pages), and posts come first.  

I hope you all enjoy the pages, pictures and videos, and be on the lookout for more updates are we journey through Switzerland and Italy.

TCJulian 

The First of Many

Day 4

                We are already 1/3 done with our transatlantic cruise, and already we have made our mark on this ship, and it on us. From day one to now day three, we have eaten formal dinners with elegant music, danced the Foxtrot on the Vortex dance floor, won belly flop contests, and interviewed and enjoyed our time with many of the ships elder guests and hardworking crew.

                While this trip has been amazing, I am sure you are wondering where the actual “academic environment” exists amongst all of the festivities. In all actuality though, this entire trip has been a very special and education. Already in our activities and assignments in class, we have interviewed foreigners and crew around the ship, hearing stories of marketing to learning more of the culture of others.

               As the trip continues, we expect our experience to continue to expand and our knowledge of other cultures and environments to grow. Pictures will be coming, as soon as we get more connectivity

By the way, I would like to congratulate our Belly Flop Champion, Alex Livingston, also known as the King Flopper, and Marley Simonis our Name that Lyric Champion for their outstanding win for Berry College!

WELCOME ABOARD



Well guys, we made it.

     After months of waiting, watching, and ultimately procrastinating on packing till finals, we are offically only four days till we cast off to Europe.  I know personally I have been very excited the past week and have been ridiculously busy trying to get everything together for the trip while also studying for classes, as I am sure you all can relate.

So what exactly is all this for? Well, the purpose of this blog is solely to make this trip the best it can be by providing important information, updates, and opportunites that you can partake of while abroad this summer. Everything from train hours, dress code reminders, assignment due dates, daily agendas, and even Bingo nights will be posted and shared for your use. This information and reminders are being provided to make your experience as stress free and enjoyable as possible.

Now, just to be clear this site is NOT a requirement for this trip. You can visit the site every day, every other day, once a week, or not at all if you don't feel like it. This site is not designed to be a to be a burden or a commitment, but merely a fun and encouraged addition to the trip that you can use to your advantage.

I am currently in the process of building and improving the blog, so keep an eye out for updates! Feel free to share this page with family and friends, so they to can get a taste of your Study Abroad experience!

TCJulian