Penn Abroad

New on our blog, Aaleyah Jackson (CAS '26) discusses the experience of witnessing the daily commemoration of history at Tiananmen Square: "On our last day, a group of students and I set our alarms for 1:00am to end our trip on an unforgettable experience, enriched with history and tradition. Everyday, thousands upon thousands of Chinese citizens wake up early and wait patiently for the flag-raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square at the break of dawn."

Experiencing the Dawn of Patriotism Journey to Tiananmen Square's Flag-Raising Ceremony

New on our blog, Saw Nwe (SEAS '27) shares her thoughts on summer research in Germany: "I really love being surrounded by my lab community because even when we are not in the lab, we still have lab outings such as hiking and grabbing ice cream after, participating in the university’s sports day, and celebrating the Fourth of July with a BBQ picnic at the park. It was really great to know each other more throughout our time spent together and we grew very close to each other over time that I look forward to our lively work environment every day."

Summer Research Experience Abroad in Aachen | Penn Global My engineering research internship in Aachen, Germany was at a biomaterials lab at Uniklinik, the university’s hospital, alongside four other interns (two also from Penn Bioengineering!) in the RWTH University’s summer program (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)).

One of the best parts of the Penn Global Seminar: Tourism, Sustainability and Local Impact in Indonesia? Definitely the people! My classmates really bonded over all the activities, exploring local cultures, and laughing through every adventure. The awesome professors, staff, and local tour guides made the trip truly special. And then there were the local students—we spent a day at the University of Udayana learning about tourism and getting new perspectives. Afterwards, we became fast friends, hitting the beaches, enjoying Korean fried chicken, exploring the city, and making unforgettable memories. So many good times with great people!

Read more about Sacred Stuff: Religious Bodies, Places, and Objects, a Penn Global Seminar led by Donovan Schaefer, which traveled to London and Oxford, in Penn Today!

The song “Don’t go chasin’ waterfalls’’ doesn’t really apply when exploring Iceland! On Day 3 of PGS: Case Studies In Environmental Sustainability, we explored beautiful waterfalls, like Skógafoss. In slide 3, hexagonal basalt columns are present around the waterfall, which are a unique formation from lava cooling. Slide 4 shows us in a narrow opening with a waterfall us. Post waterfall scouting, it was time to head to the black sand beaches, as seen in slide 6. These beaches are created by the erosion of volcanic material like lava.

"I learned a lot about the history of Japan and its connection with old cultural ideas, and also creating new ones," Mekhi Sappleton (CAS '27) says, "And how Japan is still connected between culture and technology." Read more in Penn Today's story on PGS: Scientific Nationalism in Japan, led by Dr. John Kehayias.

On my final excursion with my study abroad program, I finally got to visit Granada and the Alhambra! My favorite unit in my “arte español” or Spanish Art class has been Islamic architecture, often reflecting the importance of nature, paradise, and the writings of the Koran. I’ve never taken a class that was so applicable to my daily experiences as I was able to relate the learnings from class to every single room of the Alhambra. The history of the southern region of Spain, Andalusia, never fails to fascinate me: while its identity has been marked by Catholicism in the past few centuries, the markings of Muslim conquest are surely present and impressive. The exquisite, detail-oriented walls with the marble tiles, the sound of running water intentionally added to every space, the immensity of the garden and greenery; the Alhambra may be the most impressive architectural structure I’ve seen in Spain.

The last place I expected to be this semester was among real professional archeologists, digging up the floor mosaics of houses from the first and second century Roman empire. However, through the immense generosity of my “La Excavación Arqueológica” class professor, Sebastian, two CASA students and I were offered the chance to go out into the field, applying our class principles to real life artifacts. Just a quick 30 minute drive away from Sevilla, Spain is the Roman city ruins of Itálica, and we were assigned to excavate a floor mosaic of a large house, completely untouched. While I wasn’t sure if I was 100% qualified to be touching century old remnants of history, I quickly but patiently learned the art of chipping away at old pieces of dirt to eventually reveal, piece by piece, the mosaic design.

10 slides, 10 days in Athens, Greece. Here’s a high level overview of how “American Race: A Philadelphia Story” spent this time.
1: Arrival. After a ten hour flight, we were welcomed by a rooftop lunch – fighting jet lag.
2: The next day, we visited the US Embassy and Consulate, where we met with a US foreign service officer. Another foreign service officer had visited our class in Philly, so it was full circle to be on their turf. In the afternoon, we asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about Greece’s role serving influxes of migrants and refugees. Since our class focused on race, our conversations had an emphasis on how relocation and resettlement differ across these barriers.
3: Iconic structures, the Acropolis and Parthenon, were visited by an iconic global seminar.
4: We explored the pistachio-ridden island of Aegina, where we enjoyed the Temple of Apollo and peacocks on Moni island.
5: Melissa, a center for migrant and refugee women, hosted us. Serving as a hub, women are immersed into Greek society through activities like dramatherapy, group sessions, and language lessons. Working with US specialized grassroots, I was surprised that one organization had such breadth.
6: A visit to We Need Books, Athens’ first and only multilingual library. Later, I played defense in a soccer game run by nonprofit ActionAid Hellas, a community center combating poverty through acclimation.
7: In addition to the Mazi Housing Project and Hellenic Red Cross (bottom left), we had a food tour. We watched the changing of the guards, snatched baklava, and sat down together.
8: The highlight of this day to me was the Saffron Kitchen Project, which serves scheduled handmade and healthy meals to all, no questions asked. Studying food security in Philadelphia, I was struck by this generous model.
9: This is also day 8, but the choice to spend our free time hiking Mount Lycabettus during sunset easily deserved a slide.
10: A day at the SNF Paideia Cultural Center, the class sponsors. We presented our research to their staff – mine was an archival case study in New York on urban mutual aid and community fridges – and connected them to our time in Greece.

I recently visited the beautiful small town of San Gimignano while roadtripping through Italy with some friends from my exchange program. While wandering the town looking for lunch, we stumbled upon a small free exhibit of Salvador Dalí sculptures and Picasso sketches. Salvador Dalí is best known for his painting, The Persistence of Memory, and I immediately recognized the same iconic melted clock motif in his sculptures. Despite being in Milan for three months already, I still haven’t had the chance to visit an art museum, so it was such a pleasant surprise to be able to see these beautiful sculptures by such a renowned artist for free. Each Italian town is so full of art and culture, which makes exploring feel like a treasure hunt!

We are having an incredible time in China during the ‘AI and Robotics’ PGS! So far, we’ve hiked the Great Wall, explored the X Museum founded by a Penn alum, and tasted delicious traditional Chinese food. We’ve also visited Peking University (PKU), with more university and school visits to come. Stay tuned for more exciting highlights from our journey!

‘Case Studies in Environmental Sustainability’ students take on the Vatnajökull national park, a UNESCO world heritage site in Iceland! There, students explored an ice cave, hiked on a glacier, and took a boat tour of Jökulsarlón, a glacier lagoon. Check out these “cool” pics!

‘Sacred Stuff: Religious Bodies, Places, and Objects’ checking in from the United Kingdom! Since arriving, PGS students have explored how religion manifests into the material world through a tour of Anglo-Catholic History in Oxford and visiting Stonehenge.

Check out Cosette Burrese's (CAS '26) new blog where she discusses her personal attachment to Korean tradition as a reason for her involvement in PGS: "I chose to enroll in this Penn Global Seminar to blend my academic interests with my personal heritage. Korea’s unique mix of tradition and innovation is fascinating to me, academically and personally. I’m excited to explore these contrasts, seeing how the historical aspects I’ve learned about in class play out in modern Korean society."

More than K-Pop & K-Dramas: Ready to Explore the Rich History and Vibrant Culture of Korea | Penn Global Cosette, one of the PGS Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Spring 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the Instagram feed.

Since arriving in France, students in the course ‘The Great War in Memoir and Memory’ have visited American, British, German and Australian cemeteries and a World War One tunnel system to learn about the methods of public commemoration and memorialization of the Great War. In between visits, the group had a picnic lunch and stopped by a strawberry farm for fresh berries. Dr. Warren Breckman’s class will continue to explore the personal experiences of World War One this week, meeting with local historians and community members to hear their perspectives.

PGS: Tourism, Sustainability and Local Impact in Indonesia checking in! So far, the group has hiked Tegalalang Rice Terrace, visited the Penglipuran Village temple, and met the founder of the Agung Rai Museum of Art, an art museum that exhibits both traditional and contemporary works by Indonesian artists. The writing seminar will continue to connect with local institutions this week to learn about the impact of the tourism industry in Bali, so stay tuned!

students in the course ‘Case Studies in Environmental Sustainability’ have kicked off travel to Iceland! So far, the group has visited Samherji Fiskeldi aquaculture plant to see where arctic char are harvested and the Agricultural University of Iceland learn about farm equipment used in Iceland through the ages. For fun, students hiked around the geothermal town of Hveragerdi and melted chocolate fondue in a hot spring!

"Golf originated in the eastern coast of Scotland, making The Old Course one of the most famous, sought after golf courses in the world. As a student studying abroad at the University of St. Andrews, one of my favorite activities is to walk around the perimeter of the golf course, which happens to boarder a beach. Besides, what’s better than enjoying the scenery while also catching up with a friend?! Bonus points for when the sun is out…!"- Global Correspondent Gabrielle Horwitch (CAS '25)

"Berlin has been the perfect city to pursue my academic interests in political science and urban planning. A few weeks ago, I visited the Reichstag to attend a Plenarsitzung (government session) with my program, where we heard the parliament debate and listened to a speech by Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany. Now, in my courses at the Free University of Berlin, I am learning about how these political processes are used to influence public policy in Germany. In one of my classes, “Public Policy and Federalism in Germany,” we are learning about how certain laws like housing reform are passed in each German region. In a few weeks, our class will be going to the Bundesrat, the German legislative building, where we will participate in a public policy simulation. Each person will act as a representative for a different German region and debate to pass a bill. I am excited to continue studying the intersection between these issues in a German context."-Global Correspondent Leo Biehl (CAS '25) explores his academic interests in political science and urban planning through a German lens.

"As a child, one of the first ways I was taught to form relationships was by listening. Good listening skills will strengthen your friendships, I was told. It will show that you are present, that you understand, and that you care about others." Grace Dai (CAS '25) explores how deep listening heals in her new blog.

How Deep Listening Heals | Penn Global Penn Global Seminars Late-Night Lessons and Diaries by
Ani Petrosyan, SEAS '26 Penn Global Seminars From Wharton to the World: My First Venture into Asia by
Vicky Vo, Nursing '26 Penn Global Seminars I Am Because You Are by
Sean Woo, CAS '27

"With the Exchange group at Penn we went on an excursion to the Morris Arboretum of Penn, a 92-acre Victorian garden. As a flower and garden lover, this was my happy land. Only a 25 minute drive from Penn’s campus, you can enjoy nature’s beauty, swans, tulips, and take a break from the busy city." -Celia Ngoga, Exchange at Penn, Queen Mary University of London

"The University of Sydney’s spring break equivalent is called mid-semester break. For this week off, I had the best time exploring the beautiful scenery of New Zealand. Truly a spectacular experience, walking around New Zealand felt so unreal. The views and the gorgeous hikes made me appreciate being able to explore the Southern Hemisphere even more. These are places I would probably be unlikely to visit without being so close already, so having the opportunity to see the wonders of New Zealand felt so special." -Annabel Sumardi, CAS '25

“Last week, a couple friends and I took a day trip out to Sai Kung, an area in Hong Kong known for its beaches, hiking, and extensive pier with boats that can take you to dozens of surrounding islands. We started the day with the best pineapple bun I’ve tried in hong kong so far! The four of us got on a speedboat and ventured into the sea, where I tried wakesurfing for the first time (it was insanely hard but an absolutely incredible experience). After 2 hours of falling into the water too many times, we headed back to the pier, grabbed more pineapple buns, and took a bus to a gorgeous beach with soft white sand and beautiful blue water. We ended the day back at the Sai Kung pier, had some frozen yogurt to cool ourselves in the hot, humid weather, and feasted on cart noodles (車仔麵) before taking the bus back to campus (which only takes 40 minutes!). A truly exhausting, but unforgettable day.” -Katherine Wang (Wharton & Engineering ‘25)

This past Friday, Penn Abroad partnered with the Greenfield Intercultural Center for a panel for students of underrepresented identities studying abroad. Four student panelists shared important insights about their time abroad: the highs and lows, the challenges and rewards, navigating cultural differences, practicing cultural humility, and learning to deal with cultural ambiguity.

Thank you to our student panelists, Timethius Terrell, Diana Mota, Tianyi Wang, and Tytianna Pope for sharing their invaluable experiences! We greatly appreciate your passion for the study abroad community.

Executive Director Kristyn Palmiotto discusses what’s next for Penn Abroad with Penn Today!

Penn Abroad director on making study abroad accessible and her first passport stamp | Penn Today Kristyn Palmiotto was named executive director of Penn Abroad in the fall. Here, she discusses what's next for the program and her journey to the University.

"To future study abroad students, allow yourself to say yes. Being open to new adventures will allow you to experience new places to their fullest potential." Global Correspondent Annabel Sumardi (CAS '24) in her new blog!

Say Yes | Penn Global Semester Abroad Ramadan in Buenos Aires by
Zoya Ahmer, CAS '25 Semester Abroad Cats, Canals, and Carnevale: Stumbling into New Experiences by
Anoushka Ambavanekar, Wharton '24 Semester Abroad Can I Get the Bill Please? by
Anna Zhou, SEAS '25