Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Program

Winter in Japan is looking magical this year😍! Japan is a country overflowing with both cultural and natural beauty, and we don't think Hataeda Hachimangu 幡枝八幡宮 could be doing a better job at reminding us of this incomparable interconnectedness🏯⛩️🎋❄️

"Hataeda Hachimangu 幡枝八幡宮 is a shinto shrine established in 894 in Iwakura, north Kyoto. The main shrine is principally associated with metal craftsmanship, adjacent to which is a small additional shrine associated with needles (hari), established by the Kyoto textile industry association. Ceremonies are still carried out regularly at Hataeda Hachimangu for the local community, sometimes using the beautiful Noh stage in front of the main shrine."
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time! In today’s edition, we introduce you to Helen He, who spent last quarter studying away with 🗽! Check out her pics ⬆️ and poem ⬇️ 🥰

“Autumn in New York
It spells the thrill of first-nighting
Glittering crowds
And shimmering clouds
In canyons of steel
They’re making me feel
I’m home” 🍂”
📝& 📸: Helen He, , New York, Autumn 2021

Have pictures you want spotlighted from your time away, too? Reach out to us via DM or email Cassie ([email protected]) or Paloma ([email protected]) to send in your photos!

Reminder that THE ANNUAL BOSP PHOTO CONTEST IS NOW TAKING SUBMISSIONS!
For those of you who have, are currently, or will be participating in a BOSP program during the 2021-2022 academic year, be sure to submit your best pics for a chance to be featured and win an AMAZON GIFT CARD! 📸📸📸

Head to the BOSP website for more information about the contest and to send in your submissions!

"Libraries upon libraries! As a visiting student at Oxford, you get access to all Bodleian Libraries. The Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items and there are 28 in total! Exploring new libraries is a wonderful part of coming to Oxford, since many of Oxford's most famous buildings are actually libraries, including the Radcliffe Camera. Some of them are more lively, some quieter, some are older (housing rare books and special collections!) and some are newer. Once you find your favorite one, it is sure to become your go-to study spot!"
📸: Tara Hein, Oxford, Autumn 2021

"One of the best parts about studying at Oxford is the beauty of the city. It takes a few weeks to get used to the gorgeous old buildings that surround you on a daily basis (my camera roll is overflowing with pictures of buildings). Unlike Stanford, the University of Oxford does not have a central campus. Instead, colleges are spread out throughout the city. It is truly an amazing experience to live and study in this environment, especially when contrasted with what we are used to at Stanford."

*P.S. All of these photos were taken within a ten-minute walk from the Stanford House! *
📸: Tara Hein, Oxford, Autumn 2021

Thank you to Christina .ding and for an amazing !! We’ll see you next week with a new takeover 😉
📸 Christina Ding .ding, Florence, Autumn 2019

“Last weekend we had our quarterly Bing trip, and this time we got to go to Venice! The cool thing about Venice is that everyone gets around using boats, so our main forms of transportation over the weekend were water taxis and gondolas. During out time there we also visited the neighboring islands of Murano and Burano, which are known for their glass-making and colorful houses. The weather was beautiful and we even experienced the famous ‘acqua alta’, high water in Venice.”
📸 Christina Ding .ding, Florence, Autumn 2019

“Many of the Stanford in Florence classes feature interesting field trips to sites in Florence and even other parts of Italy! This quarter, I’m taking Professor Timothy Verdon’s Cathedral and Town Hall course, which meets at a different site every week. We’ve gone to the Duomo, the Duomo Museum, Palazzo Vecchio (the town hall), and various other churches and historical buildings throughout Florence. It’s really special to be able to see the works he is lecturing on in real-time, especially from such an expert on Italian history and art!”
📸 Christina Ding .ding, Florence, Autumn ‘21

“I love being in a walkable city like Florence! Back on campus or in my hometown in Seattle, you definitely need a car to get around. Here, I can walk to school everyday and I am fortunate to pass by amazing sites along the way like the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, The Uffizzi, and Ponte Vecchio. The Stanford Center in Florence also has a wonderful location in a historic building right along the Arno river. Between classes, I like to find new lunch spots or visit some nearby museums.”
📸 Christina Ding .ding, Florence, Autumn 2021

New alert 🚨 Check out our content throughout the day to hear from one of our Florence program students, Christina .ding as she takes you through her day with ! 🇮🇹

“Hey there! My name is Christina Ding and I’ll be taking over the BOSP Instagram today. I’m a senior and coterm majoring in Computer Science, and I’m currently studying abroad with Stanford in Florence. I have been loving every moment of my time here and I’m excited to take you through my day!”

"And that’s it for my takeover! Reflecting on my time in Kyoto, it was full of only amazing memories for me. Ultimately, what made my time so enjoyable were the people I met from my Stanford cohort, host family, and local university and I will be forever grateful for their friendship. So, whichever adventure you go on while abroad, always bring friends to share it with! And if you are curious to learn more about BOSP, feel free to message me or any of the other awesome student ambassadors and we would love to share more about our experiences!"
📸: Daniel Chiu, , Kyoto, Autumn 2019

"One thing that I definitely miss from Japan is its public transportation. Coming from Southern California where you need a car to get anywhere, being able to take a bus or train to not just travel anywhere within Kyoto but also to other cities across Japan was amazing. Traveling to cities like Nara, Kobe, Osaka, and Tokyo allow you to experience the diversity of local histories, lifestyles, and people within the country. Being able to do this made me realize how much I enjoyed being adventurous and just getting up and out there to see what this big and wonderful world has to offer."
📸: Daniel Chiu, , Kyoto, Autumn 2019

"Kyoto is an incredible place to study Japanese art, history, and culture and BOSP provides classes that get you out into the city to learn first-hand alongside experts who are truly passionate of their work. One of my favorite courses was Buddhist Visual Arts with Professor Catherine Ludvik. We took a field trip to a different Buddhist temple every week to analyze the technique and symbolism of its architecture, sculptures, and artwork. And at each field trip, Prof. Ludvik would be able to answer every question about every detail in the temple! We tried but we never could stump her with something she did not know. As a STEM major, I found these classes to be just as important to my academic career as those required for my major because of how they broadened my education beyond just the boundaries of my degree."
📸: Daniel Chiu, , Kyoto, Autumn 2019

“In addition to the big Bing trip to Wales, we also make two separate trips to London. On our first London trip we went to the Docklands Museum, the Greenwich Royal Observatory (where the Prime Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time were created), the Thames River Barrier (engineering marvel that has worked flawlessly for over 40 years to protect London from tidal/storm surge), and we attended a Ballet (Romeo and Juliet) at the Royal Opera House. Our second trip to London is next week.”
📸: Joshua Davenport, Oxford, Fall 2021

“In addition to the big Bing trip to Wales, we also make two separate trips to London. On our first London trip we went to the Docklands Museum, the Greenwich Royal Observatory (where the Prime Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time were created), the Thames River Barrier (engineering marvel that has worked flawlessly for over 40 years to protect London from tidal/storm surge), and we attended a Ballet (Romeo and Juliet) at the Royal Opera House. Our second trip to London is next week.”
📸: Joshua Davenport, Oxford, Fall 2021