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Bearcats on the Road

And So It Begins

Posted by Natalie Ambrozic on Tue, Jul 01, 2014 @ 11:59 AM

So remember how in my last blog I mentioned that applying for a visa is really stressful and difficult? Well, I discovered that the process of waiting for the visa is actually worse.

When I sent in my passport to the UK Consulate in New York City, I opted not to pay the additional fee of nearly $200 to expedite the process because I thought I had plenty of time. When I had not received the visa a week before my flight was scheduled, I started to get nervous. And little did I know, there is absolutely no way to contact the consulate. No direct email addresses, no phone numbers, nothing. I ended up calling the only service offered, which was an outsourced phone help line run in India, and they told me that there was nothing I could do and I might have to reschedule my flight. They also told me that the number of days the processing could take were unpredictable. I never got an email saying that my application was finished, and I was stressing over possibly being late to my program in London. Then, on the last possible day I received the passport and visa in the mail! I am so extremely, incredibly lucky.

But anyway, I ended up having a remarkably easy packing process. My suitcases were well under the weight limit and there is plenty of room for souvenirs. I discovered an awesome packing technique on Pinterest that really helped me. All you have to do is roll your clothes and then put them in a big Ziplock bag. This saves SO MUCH space in your suitcase!

The first couple days here have been a whirlwind (in a good way). Our group has been navigating the tube throughout London and seeing nearly all of the major sites, all while attempting to recover from jetlag! I have seen The London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, 10 Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus,Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge(including the crown jewels!) and the Tower of London all in a few short days! I definitely will be re-visiting these sites because I am absolutely in love with this city. We also were able to explore a few pubs and that was really fun too. Our internships start on Monday and I am excited to start working as well. I'm so thrilled to see what else lies in store for me here!

Natalie

Tower Bridge

The Tower Bridge in London

Inside the Tower of London

Inside the Tower of London

Buckingham Palace:

Buckingham Palace

Big Ben and Parliament:

Big Ben and Parliament

Topics: marketing, summer program, study abroad, internship, London, Natalie Ambrozic, travel

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In Bearcats on the Road, students chronicle their lives while studying abroad or completing internships away from campus.

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Paige Casario

Paige Casario is a junior International Business major with minors in Spanish and Operational Excellence. She is studying Business and Spanish and living with a host family in Sevilla, Spain, for the spring semester. She is very excited for this opportunity and experience and can't wait to venture all over Spain and Europe.

Nicole Reitz

Hi! My name is Nicole Reitz and I’m a junior psychology major at SVC. This spring, I’m studying at Edge Hill University in England.

Gianna Boburka

Hi! My name is Gianna Boburka. I am an international business major with minors in operational excellence and entrepreneurship. I will be studying abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece, this summer for five weeks. In addition to taking two classes abroad, I will be exploring many different sites around Greece.

Theresa Thimons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theresa Thimons is a sophomore majoring in mathematics. She is the proud little sister to nine siblings and aunt to seventeen nieces and nephews. Theresa believes that each encounter she has with another human is an opportunity to better understand the heart of Jesus, as every person is the result of God’s love. In whatever career path she ends up taking, she looks forward to solving problems and hopefully inspiring more people to explore the world of fun that is found in math.

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My name is Sam Geer. I’m from Murrysville, Pennsylvania, and I’m a junior at Saint Vincent. I’m getting my major in Environmental Science and minoring in Public Administration. I’m a work study at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve and am a member of the Benedictine Leadership Studies Program. This summer, I'll be traveling to Bhutan in the Himalayas of Central Asia, home of the bearcat, where I’ll be studying environmental sustainability and Bhutanese culture. 

Gabrielle Kohl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi! Im Gabrielle Kohl, an avid reader who loves to travel around the world! I love to experience new culture, literature, people and food. I aim to make a positive impact in the lives of people with whom I interact in order to make the world a happier place.

Nicole Berry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi! My name is Nicole Berry and I am currently a junior studying communication and psychology. I also am minoring in children studies. I am a commuter and currently live in Delmont, PA. I am hoping to graduate in May 2017 and go on to graduate school for my Masters in Social Work and Juris Doctorate.

Anastasia Jaeger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anastasia Jaeger is a junior English education major with a minor in German and a minor in peace and justice. She has always dreamed of being able to travel around the world and is thankful that Saint Vincent College has these opportunities available to students. When she is not at college, she is likely working her part-time job at a local bakery. In the future, she hopes to travel more and do humanitarian work or teach high school students English.