Studying abroad is a time of self-discovery. By the end, you may become a person that you would never expect. Maybe you pick up new hobbies or find a new dream career path. Maybe, like me, you will become a regular at 7-Eleven. This is where I started my Friday morning in Copenhagen. Nothing leaves you fiending for a cold bottle of orange juice like a night spent in a sweaty club. To start my day, I miraculously managed to roll out of bed and get ready in time for the bus.
Photo courtesy of Catelyn Fitzgerald ’23. This semester, Catelyn Fitzgerals ’23 studied food anthropology and Danish language in Denmark.
By Catelyn Fitzgerald ’23
Contributing Writer
Studying abroad is a time of self-discovery. By the end, you may become a person that you would never expect. Maybe you pick up new hobbies or find a new dream career path. Maybe, like me, you will become a regular at 7-Eleven. This is where I started my Friday morning in Copenhagen. Nothing leaves you fiending for a cold bottle of orange juice like a night spent in a sweaty club. To start my day, I miraculously managed to roll out of bed and get ready in time for the bus. After collecting my much needed OJ and a blueberry muffin, I headed to Danish Language and Culture, my first class of the day. The day’s class looked different from our usual recitations of tongue-twisting Danish dialogues. Instead, we workshopped ideas for our final papers on Danish culture. While I opted to write about Danish author and cultural superstar Hans Cristian Andersen, several of my classmates opted instead to write about a topic that Americans might find puzzling: the Danish welfare system. Denmark serves as just one example of the thriving welfare systems that are prevalent throughout Scandinavia. It might be hard to imagine how they succeed when in America government welfare is often underfunded and subjected to the whims of political turnover. Denmark’s welfare system relies on deep-seated societal trust to keep it going. This collectivism pays off, with Danes — and foreigners staying for an extended period — receiving free healthcare and other services.
After Danish, I headed to my next class, Anthropology of Food, where we mulled over the true meaning of “home-cooked,” which naturally made me very hungry. I met up with some of my roommates after class and we walked to one of Copenhagen’s buzzing centers, Nørreport, for one of the city’s only affordable meals: falafel pitas. Danish food is not known for its spice, nor, frankly, its flavor in general, but one thing Copenhagen does right is have a shawarma shop on every corner. The prevalence of foods from the Middle East is one of the more obvious signs of increasing multiculturalism in Denmark. Immigration into the country is the source of much political and social controversy in Denmark, as it has been across Europe over the past decade. Food is one of the tools through which Denmark has resisted the influx of non-Western immigrants and their cultures. I remember learning in Anthropology of Food about one famous incident dubbed “Frikadeller-gate,” which involved an attempt to mandate serving pork in school cafeterias, despite strict rules against consumption of the meat in many religions, notably Islam. The ease with which Danish society integrates some parts of immigrant cultures while attacking others is almost as puzzling as it is expected.
We brought our tzatziki-laden pitas to a local park, where it seemed the entirety of Copenhagen had gathered to sunbathe, since the temperature had finally eclipsed 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The green surrounding the central lake was dotted with people sipping iced lattes and lying out on blankets. My roommates and I spent a while enjoying the sun before taking the bus back to our apartment in a quiet residential neighborhood just outside the city. After rushing to get ready in time for the next bus — which I missed, in typical fashion — I headed off to meet with a friend who was visiting from Berlin. A 20-minute walk, metro ride and bus trip later, I arrived at Reffen, an outdoor food market placed along one of Copenhagen’s idyllic canals. The market, which is the place to go to try cuisines from around the world, had just opened as the weather started to become tolerable. After waiting in a couple impossibly slow lines — the pace in Copenhagen is anything but fast — I happily stuffed down my chana masala and veggie empanadas. Once the sun went down and we couldn’t stand to be outside any longer, my friends and I parted ways, and I embarked on the lengthy journey home. I arrived to my roommates eating dinner together and, before long, I fell asleep in front of our current favorite show, Love Island, which we’d been chipping away at all semester
When Mount Holyoke College closed its campus and switched to remote learning in March 2020, international students were encouraged to fly back home. Throughout the last academic year, international students have dealt with time differences interfering with online classes. In the face of this difficulty, some students chose to take a gap year or semester.
Over the past year, the meaning of a normal college experience has changed drastically. What was supposed to be a time of meeting new people and making memories has transformed completely. The online college experience is devoid of interaction with peers beyond an educational setting, which is negatively impacting many students.
Greta Thunberg tweeted a “toolkit” for the farmers’ protests currently happening in India on Feb. 2. Thunberg is not the first prominent figure to have spoken out about the current protests. Her tweet came after Rihanna shared a CNN article on the Indian government cutting off the internet near protest sites with the caption, “why aren’t we talking about this?!” These tweets, however, had real-world implications for the activists on the ground, such as 21-year old Disha Ravi.
China Night is an annual event held by the Chinese Cultural Association to celebrate the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, with song and dance. In past years, it has been an evening of food, music and community. Because of the need for social distancing and remote formats for large events this year, however, the CCA directed students to watch the live CCTV Spring Festival Gala, a variety show broadcast on the eve of the Lunar New Year featuring an array of performances. The CCA posted traditional Chinese customs on Instagram while the Spring Festival Gala aired.
The spring semester saw Mount Holyoke College open up its campus for almost 60 percent of its student population, a move that prompted many students to make the journey back to South Hadley. Among this group were numerous international students, who chose to return to campus for stability in the online learning environment, a closer connection to campus and academic reasons, among others.
By Amelia Luo ’23
Staff Writer & Photographer
From Dec. 1, 2020 to Jan. 15, 2021, the Language Resource Center is hosting an online recipe swap for Mount Holyoke community members to share their favorite recipes and holiday traditions. This activity will take place via a shared Google Doc, which is accessible to everyone interested.
In the document, people can link or type out their recipes as well as comment on the recipes provided by others. This activity aims to encourage people to try different dishes from around the world while connecting them with different languages and cultural communities.
Jean Janecki, the Language Resource Center coordinator and liaison, said, “I have been saddened by the emptiness in the LRC and missing all our students, staff and faculty that share the love for different languages and cultures. I am always looking for ways to keep our community connected and even more so now in our remote world.”
Inspired by a recipe swap hosted by LITS and other colleges’ online activities, Janecki chose food as the theme of this activity. “Since food is something we have in common, I thought it would be nice to see what others enjoy around the world and even better if the dishes, stories and recipes could be shared. All MHC students, staff and faculty are welcome to submit their recipes, along with photos, and it would be great to have some videos too,” Janecki said.
Ina Dombrowski ’24, who participated in the recipe exchange, shared her recipe for Laugenbrötchen, or pretzel buns.
“I was very excited to participate in the international recipe swap, especially since I love to travel, I love all kinds of food and I love learning about other cultures. I chose to share my [Laugenbrötchen] recipe since they are my go-to-bake when I’m craving some comfort food from Germany, where half of my family is from,” Dombrowski said.
Due to the busy time of year, Dombrowski has yet to test out the other recipes but is excited to try them soon. “Baking and cooking things outside of my own experience and comfort zone [is] one of my hobbies, even if the recipes don’t turn out the way they were supposed to,” she said.
Janecki shared that she hopes to eventually organize the recipes into a website. “When we are allowed to meet in person, [I want to] have a celebration of cultures featuring some of the dishes. I submitted the first recipe, beef empanadas since my family has an Argentine background and this is one of our favorite fiesta foods.”
These recipes can be found in the Google Doc to be read or attempted as a break after or during finals.
Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ‘22
By Sophie Soloway ’23
Global Editor
The Chinese Language Table has moved to a remote space this year. In past years, the group met over a shared meal featuring a traditional Chinese dish, but this year, event organizers have adapted to ensure that students still have an engaging space to practice the Chinese language. Students gather weekly to practice their speaking abilities with peers and TAs as well as discuss current events related to their studies.
Jamie Day ’22, a double major in biology and East Asian studies at Mount Holyoke, talked about what she most appreciates about the event. “I enjoy talking about Chinese culture and … implementing my newly learned vocabulary from that [day’s] Chinese lecture,” she said. “I get the rare opportunity to speak with native speakers and see other peers my age struggle with me to [perfect] a very tonal-heavy language.”
In fact, some participants prefer the move to a remote setting. Day has participated in the Chinese Language Table since her sophomore year but has noticed that some aspects are better on a virtual platform. “Being virtual has made it easier for me personally. Before MHC went remote, [the] Chinese [Language Table] was during dinner time, and I was unable to make it at most times. The [dining] hall would be loud and made it hard to have one-on-one conversations,” she commented.
Remote participation allows some students to have more individualized practice, as well. Day said, “Now, during our [Zoom] gatherings, the students [are] divided up into chat rooms and paired up with a professor or a TA. This [is] an improvement in terms of the learning environment.”
Day described her new routine with the table, saying, “As a third-year Chinese student, I will usually come in with a Chinese newspaper article that I need help reading through for an assignment. When in my private chat room, I can get some quality tutoring and get all my questions answered effectively!”
Day reflected that what she loves most about the Chinese Language Table is “the chance to keep in touch with my previous Chinese teachers that I don’t have classes with anymore, or meeting other professors in the Chinese department that I will likely take courses with in the future!”
The Chinese Language Table meets every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST and is open to students of all language levels. Contact Professor Alice Kao at akao@mtholyoke.edu to participate.
Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ‘22
By Amelia Luo ’23
Staff Writer & Photographer
This year, due to remote learning, the Korean Language Table is being hosted through Zoom. Although different from the traditional language table experience, students are adapting, finding new and innovative ways to celebrate Korean language and culture virtually.
“The table’s goal is to make students more motivated in learning Korean as their second language … because sometimes it’s hard to start learning a new language,” Chloe Choi ’21, the host of the Korean Language Table, said. This is Choi’s first year working as a Korean language assistant and third year as a language tutor.
“The Korean language assistant [and] tutor job is always pleasant because I can meet many students who’re interested [in] or even love the culture where I’m from,” she said.
Each week, the language table has different themes. In the first module, they covered the national holidays of Korea; in the current module, they are learning more about Korea’s culture, history and geography.
Choi expressed her initial worries with holding Korean Language Table on Zoom. “In the beginning, I was a little afraid of using Zoom since I was a bit worried about … less motivation [from] students,” she said. “Fortunately, everyone is very passionate and active in the events.”
Clare Heywood ’21, who is also a Korean language mentor, sees the event as a bridge that connects a small community. “I find that it’s a very lovely way for those learning Korean at the moment or those people who have taken Korean courses at Mount Holyoke in the past to connect with the language in a small and community-based manner each week,” Heywood said. “I’m incredibly glad they’re still being held through the pandemic, and that I can continue to meet a wide array of Mount Holyoke students with similar interests as well as offer them my support as an upperclassman.”
Ayesha Khalid ’23 expressed excitement about how the language table has influenced her study of Korean. “I took Intro Korean in the first module, but I am still attending Korean Language Tables in the second module,” Khalid said. “The breakout room discussions are very engaging, and it is really fun to talk about Korean culture even if our class peers are far from each other and doing it virtually. The experience is very lively and [we’re all] inclusive of each other.”
“It would be even more fun if Korean Language Table takes place in person over the upcoming semesters,” Khalid added.
Venesia Delancy ’22 hasn’t missed a single Korean Language Table since the semester started. This surprised Delancy, who said, “Given the circumstances, I'm glad we’ve been able to transform the language table into something that still engages us and the students during these times.”
The virtual Korean Language Table is hosted weekly on Thursdays from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST. Anyone interested in learning about Korean language or culture is welcome to join. The event is made accessible to all levels of Korean speakers, as well as people who have no background in the language at all. For the Zoom link, please contact Professor Kyae-Sung Park (kspark@mtholyoke.edu).
By Corrine Celupica-Liu ’23
Staff Writer
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mount Holyoke announced the implementation of the Flexible Immersive Teaching model as a means of academic instruction for the 2020-2021 academic year. This model, as explained on Mount Holyoke’s “Opening the Gates” webpage, emphasizes synchronous classes to “ensure an immersive experience and inclusive excellence,” offering courses from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. EST so that “students in different time zones across the world can participate.” While the entire Mount Holyoke community has had to adjust to this new model of instruction, international students have faced unique challenges and experiences due to widely diverse geographic circumstances and time zones.
For Deborah Korboe ’21, who lives in Sakumono, Ghana in West Africa, time zone differences mean she attends her Module 1 courses starting at 5 p.m. and finishes at 2 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time.
“It has certainly been a tasking job,” Korboe said. “It helps that I have time during the day to do homework, but I have to change my [biological] clock to keep up with synchronous classes.”
Both Aurora Vo ’23 and Hongtian Wang ’22, who are 11 and 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in Vietnam and China, respectively, are also taking classes late at night and have faced difficulties adjusting to time differences.
“For this module, I have classes starting from 7 p.m. through 11:15 p.m. every day, and all require students to attend in real time,” Vo explained. “Even though it’s only been three weeks, I am already tired because I stay up late, making my sleep schedule a bit off.”
Wang also mentioned how it can be difficult to keep track of and calculate deadlines in a different time zone. “There have been some difficulties for me in calculating deadlines,” Wang said. “I have made mistakes calculating deadlines, so I ended up turning in assignments late.”
Mount Holyoke has made efforts to maintain access to resources and community despite remote circumstances. “My professors try to put students in the same time zone into a group so it will be easier for us to communicate, and they also hold a virtual common room for us to do homework together outside of class,” Wang explained. “I feel very involved and cared [for], even living very far from the campus.”
Vo also noted how the tight-knit nature of the Mount Holyoke community is helping to maintain a connection to campus. “One cool thing about Mount Holyoke is that because our student body is not large, I have seen most of my classmates on campus before,” Vo said. “A big picture of Mount Holyoke is still there for me.”
For Korboe and Wang, however, the support and community felt in courses seems not to apply to extracurricular activities.
“It seems like [student organizations] won't be a feature for me this semester, because meeting times are always in the middle of the night for me,” Korboe said. “I just wish my colleagues would be a little more considerate.”
Wang noted that, because “I sleep early, I don’t participate in any events. That is a pity.”
While the FIT model marks a significant adjustment for the entire Mount Holyoke community, the experience of Mount Holyoke’s large international student population is important to understand in order to continue work on fostering community through the academic year.
BY CASEY ROEPKE ’21
Photo courtesy of Astha Kiran Kc ’21
Astha Kiran Kc ’21 spent her fall semester abroad in London, England.
Astha Kiran KC ’21 just returned from a semester abroad in London. As an economics major, she studied at the University College London — a public research university — and took liberal arts courses focusing in economics.
What was the most memorable moment of your experience?
At the end of term, I took part in the sustainable fashion show as a model and walked for creative student designers and prominent sustainable fashion brands in London.
What was the hardest thing to adjust to?
The weather! I thought New England was bad and then I went to England — it was honestly really bad. I got about 15 days of sunshine in the three months that I was there.
Was there anything that happened that surprised or struck you as unexpected?
How friendly and approachable the people were. Most of the people at my university were always ready to help and it was quick to make friends.
What was your favorite new food that you tried?
I followed a travel blog’s advice and went to this super cute chocolate-themed cafe. I tried their hot chocolate, and it was probably the best chocolate-related food I’ve ever tried.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to study abroad?
It’s going to be hard at first and you are going to miss Mount Holyoke, but you will create your own happiness as you explore new places, meet new people and discover your own favorite places abroad.
Any other stories or experiences that you want to share?
While I was in London, I went to Edinburgh and it was surreal to see how magical the city was! I took a Harry Potter tour with a local guide and visited the grave that inspired the names of many, many Harry Potter characters.
