Cara Tenerelli

Cara Tenerelli (NT ’16) took advantage of the chance to learn in a new cultural environ-ment when she received an Ann (NC ’78) and John (G *78) Rossi Scholarship to spend the fall 2015 semester in Copenhagen, Denmark. "One of my favorite things about studying in New Orleans was having the chance to live in a unique city with its own culture and heritage," she says. "These funds [to travel to Denmark] helped me to again experience more amazing cultures in new places."

While overseas, Tenerelli’s studies contributed to her degree program in neuroscience and psychology. While "traveling around Europe... (taking) breathtaking hikes in rural Sweden... (and) exploring beautiful markets in Germany," among other activities, she learned about innovations in neuroscience by touring labs, investigating current research, and experiencing different jobs in the field. However, her favorite memories came from her personal interactions and growth. "I made Danish friends that I will keep forever," she says. "There were challenges throughout the journey, but I am a much stronger and more mature person due to the experience. I am so thankful for the entire opportunity and would recommend [studying abroad] to any student that is at all interested."

The Office of Study Abroad partners with top universities and organizations like the Danish Institute for Study Abroad to provide the highest quality overseas educational experiences for undergraduates. The office emphasizes that studying abroad "can be one of the most enriching, educationally stimulating, and fulfilling experiences of [a student’s] life." Tenerelli would agree. My four months in Copenhagen were a truly impactful, life-changing experience for me, she says. I am so thankful for the Rossi Scholarship, as it gave me the freedom to truly have the best experience possible!

Faisal Akhtar

The staff at OISS have helped me connect with the unique lifestyle in the US and New Orleans!

Tatiana Derouen

This blog is sort of a last minute decision to inform friends and family that I am alive and well. Everyone also keeps asking about my adventures so far, and I guess pictures aren’t worth a thousand words.

It has only been a few days, but I think I have walked over a 100 miles! This city is truly a walking city (even with a bus pass). I have hiked and walked all around the city, from Arthur’s seat to Edinburgh Castle. I have truly had a wonderful time thus far. My first day was definitely interesting. I lost my luggage, hitched a ride with three other students who happened to be there at the same time, and managed to get lost in every way possible. Thankfully, I had a friend to share these experiences with me! But nevertheless, I survived and was able to not pass out of exhaustion.

Even though this castle is in ruins, it is probably one of the most beautiful places I have been (probably what I say about most castles). I can still see all the history in it too. At the top around the castle are walls where guards would have stood protecting the castle. Several fireplaces were still visible in bed chambers, so I am sure it must have gotten really cold! I even spotted the kitchen because I could see the mold of the oven and chimney. I wish I would have known more about the history of the castle. The only thing I know is that Mary Queen of Scots stayed here after she fell ill, and the Craigmillar bond was signed there. The bond was a plan to kill Mary’s husband.

Audrey Brown

I studied abroad for a semester at University College Dublin in Ireland. Ireland is incredible. The people are, to generalize, friendly, funny, and engaging; the country is breathtakingly beautiful.

At Tulane, I am an Anthropology and Geology major, so it was amazing to study those topics in Ireland! While abroad I also had the opportunity to work with an international research team as part of my course at UCD. It gave me so much experience and helped me meet so many people. I am applied to research internships abroad for the summer because of how awesome this experience was..

I travelled both within the country, and around the continent of Europe as often as possible. I tried to partake in as many cultural and scenic activities as possible as well, from museums to markets to simply walking along the sea.

Preparing for study abroad during the year before you go is essential to having a really stellar experience. I think Tulane students really need to consider their overall budget for the trip. Some countries are much more expensive than others, and it is always good to try and look for bargains ahead of time. Planning your coursework is also important. I selected a lighter course-load than I would have taken at Tulane, but I also picked some classes that truly interested me and gave me great experiential opportunities (my independent research, for example, as well as a class on Irish landscape archaeology).

I had so many opportunities for cultural immersion while I was in Ireland. It is practically impossible to choose just one memory that sums up my experience -- the people of Ireland tend to be very welcoming and open to speaking and sharing their cultural experiences. I became good friends with many of the people in my major-requirement class, which was also the only class I took where I was the only non-Irish person. We all met up at "the local" after a particularly grueling exam and were just able to talk, relax, sing a bit, and cheer as we watched a Gaelic Football match.