All posts by Cristian Jacome

SPC student greeted with smiles at dental clinics in Jamaica

Jamaica (Dental), Study Abroad
Serving a community’s dental hygiene needs and fueling a desire and passion for service during study abroad in Jamaica.

– Jennifer Wiegert, SPC Student, Jamaica Dental Program, October 2018

When I was first accepted into the Dental Hygiene program at St. Petersburg College, one of the opportunities offered was the Jamaica study abroad program. I didn’t think twice. I was signing up and I was going to go.

When the time came the application process was super easy. I answered a few questions, hit submit, and off my application went. I was signing up and I was going to go. When the time came the application process was super easy. I answered a few questions, hit submit, and off my application went.

After receiving the email that I and nine others were selected to go, we started fundraising by conducting four yard sales, hosting a bowling tournament, collecting private donations, and applying for scholarships, among many other activities. We all worked so hard together and we achieved our goal about one month before our trip.

SPC dental hygiene students volunteer and gain experience in dental clinics in Jamaica.

When the day came for our trip everything went smoothly. The moment we got to Jamaica you could feel the love. I felt as if we were in a different world. I worked in three different clinics around Ochos Rios, Port Maria, Eltham, and the staff clinic where we stayed. Each took a piece of my heart.

At the dental clinics we would have people waiting from 4:00-5:00 in the morning until 5:00 at night to be seen. They would walk in with a smile and be so grateful that they were able to be seen. I crossed paths with many people who made an impact on me as I hope I instilled something in them.

My favorite part of our trip was the last day. We were there on community day. We took a bus ride through the different communities where we opened our windows and handed out toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, toys, and things we had collected during fundraising. The looks on peoples faces, the laughter, and the gratitude was worth the whole trip. It is as if we handed them a million dollars.

I will forever remember my study abroad Jamaica trip. One love.

– Jennifer Wiegert, SPC Student, Jamaica Dental Program, October 2018

Thank you for sharing Jennifer!

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you!

blog.spcollege.edu/international | 727-341-4735 | studyabroad@spcollege.edu

SPC high school student notes the architectural and cultural charms of Canada

Canada High School, Study Abroad, The Alps (High School)
Visiting grand cathedrals, acting out Canadian legends, and learning to play the spoons during study abroad in Montreal and Quebec City

– Joshua Pierce, SPC High School Student, Canada Program, January 2019

The trip to Canada, specifically Montreal and Quebec City, will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the very first time I had ever been outside the country, and it was the first time I had ever traveled on my own. I experienced the personal satisfaction of trying something different. In fact, I almost decided not to go on the trip, but I am more than happy I chose to participate; it was truly the experience of a lifetime.

The program was an excellent length overall. Some students would have loved to stay longer, but personally, a week is plenty of time to experience a lot of unique cultural activities. Spending more time in Quebec City was also a wise decision. There was more to see and explore, and more unique charm than we found in Montreal.

Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal. Photo by Joshua Pierce.

That is not to say Montreal had nothing of interest; quite the opposite. Montreal is an excellent transitional place to visit for new travelers from the United States. It is a large city that shares many similar attributes with larger American cities, such as New York, Boston, and Chicago.

However, Montreal has its own unique flare compared to those other cities, namely an underground city featuring its own labyrinth of tunnels and shops, a four-story mall, and several European-style cathedrals. The first night ended with a game of laser tag, something more familiar but still fun and engaging. It made a nice pace breaker and a fantastic way to wind down after a long start at the airport.

The real fun began with our arrival in Quebec City. It featured many more European architectural designs, and English was a far less common language than it was in Montreal. This forced me to adapt and overcome a social barrier, which thankfully I was able to do. The landscape in general was far more beautiful in Quebec City as well. Being a smaller city, larger buildings did not take away from the scenery as much, not to mention there was far more snow there than in Montreal.

Canadian Snow! Photo by Joshua Pierce.

We also paid a visit to the Huron-Wendat reserve in Quebec City, learning about their cultural practices and legends. We even went snowshoeing in the forest, a wondrous sight for certain.

One of the highlights of the trip was at a place called the Sugar Shack, a log cabin out in the woods where they make maple syrup. The sap can only be collected during Spring time. Inside the cabin, we were treated to a father and son putting on a stellar musical performance, getting all the students involved in learning Irish jigs and how to play the wooden spoons (see cover photo). It was a lively time and everyone was engaged.

The final night was also a bit of a treat as well. As a surprise, all the students were divided into two groups, and each group would perform one of two Canadian legends. It was a surprisingly entertaining time, and it was a fine way to spend the final night of the trip.

Along the way, our fantastic tour guide Vanessa always made everything enjoyable. We visited several other places including a wax museum, an archaeological museum (at the exact location where its featured artifacts are from), and had sightseeing tours in each city. All were highly educational and interesting.

All in all, this trip to Canada was an excellent experience and it left me feeling confident that I would return to Canada and consider another study abroad program, or traveling in general. The entire experience was very educational and it made me aware of cultural differences and brought diversity further to my senses. The entire trip was highly informative, engaging, entertaining, and attention-grabbing.

– Joshua Pierce, SPC High School Student, Canada Program, January 2019

Thank you for sharing Joshua!

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you!

blog.spcollege.edu/international | 727-341-4735 | studyabroad@spcollege.edu


SPC high school student affirms her passion for archaeology in Canada

Canada High School, Study Abroad
Discovering cultural preservation and the historic wonders of the built environment during study abroad in Canada

– Katja Ziemer, SPC High School Student, Canada Program, January 2019

During my week in Canada I saw and learned so many things. The two cities we visited revealed so much about Canadian culture and their way of life.

In Montreal the houses were multiple stories, similar to row homes, and all the staircases were on the outside, which I thought was really interesting. The reason behind this was a law that required all buildings to be further away from the street. So to save space, contractors moved staircases outside. This showed me that the actions of a few people can completely change the architecture of a whole country.

Montreal is very serious about preserving their culture. In fact, they have sets of laws to ensure their culture isn’t diluted and lost. In Montreal, the first language is French and they are very proud of this. One of the laws to protect the French language is that every sign has to have a French word. So “Starbucks”, became “Café Starbucks.” I love how seriously Montreal takes the preservation of their culture. Another example of this is their law that prevents any building from being taller than Mount Royal. They did this to protect the view from the top of the mountain.

In Montreal there is a museum–Pointe-à-Callière–that focuses on the city’s history and is located on the site of Montreal’s first European settlement. On this archaeological site, you can see remains of a fire, the outline of where the perimeter fence used to be, and the walls of the homes. As a lover of archaeology this was one of my favorite activities of the trip. It was amazing to see how much had come from the events that transpired in this tiny settlement from hundreds of years ago.

The view from old Québec looking up to new Québec. Photo by Katja Ziemer.

The second city we went to was Québec City. The city was built in two different levels. The base level is old Québec. This city was built very early on, destroyed, taken by the British, fell into despair, and restored. The city is very beautiful and it has replicas of some of the important buildings that were first built there. The determination of the Canadian people to change the course of this city and restore their history is inspiring, it makes me want to focus on history and its preservation.

This entire trip reinforced my decision to pursue a career as an archaeologist. That alone made this trip worth every penny. 

– Katja Ziemer, SPC High School Student, Canada Program, January 2019

Thank you for sharing Katja!

Cover image: View from Mount Royal Chalet / Chalet du Mont-Royal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Photo by Bohemian Baltimore (cropped), Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0].

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you!

blog.spcollege.edu/international | 727-341-4735 | studyabroad@spcollege.edu