All posts by Gloria Parrott

Fall in love with the Alps Abroad

Austria and Germany (High School), News, The Alps (High School), Travel

Every time I go to Europe, I fall more and more in love with it. Everything about it is amazing to me, from the beautiful architecture to the kind and fashionably aware people to the amazing food. To say that Europe is vastly different from America would be an understatement. I remember this one day in Zürich, Switzerland where we had a lot of free time to go out and have lunch and to walk around and see the city. We must have been there around the same time that the students were having a school break because there were a ton of kids my same age walking around the city. I remember thinking about how different Zürich is than America. These teenagers were walking around, in clothing that I would consider being my best outfit only worn occasionally, just around the town. Not only did I notice that they were in gorgeous outfits, but I also noticed that they were too, walking around the city as if they were tourists, taking in all the beautiful sights just as I was. That is something that I have rarely seen in America, residents of the city appreciating the beautiful sights that their own city has to offer.
Another one of the biggest things that I noticed that took a lot of getting used to for me was the lack of cars in the cities.

In Europe, it is not common to have a car or to use that type of transportation to get to places. Most people choose to walk around their city to get from place to place, which is very uncommon where I’m from. It took a lot of getting used to for me because we were constantly walking to places, which I loved, I just wasn’t used to it.
One of my favorite things that we did on the trip was taking a train to the top of Mount Rigi and being able to see the snowy mountains. I thought that the views from the top of the mountain were absolutely stunning and I also loved getting to have fun in the snow with my friends.

Sophia, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

As my first time leaving the country, this trip was everything I could have asked for. I had so much fun at every single place we went to, and all the history and culture simply blew me away. I got to try so many new things and saw pieces of art and music that I had never seen before. One of my favorite places was the mountains next to Innsbruck that we took a lift to the top of. It was so cold, and the snow was so incredibly bright. It was a magical experience, especially when I climbed just a bit higher and saw mountains on every side. I also really loved the free time we got to explore the cities we went to, and I tried a lot of food that I had never even seen before.

I created so many new amazing memories on this trip and I am so sad that it’s over. I will be telling stories of what I experienced for years to come, and I know that I desperately want to go back and spend more time in the places we went to, as well as explore the places we did not. Another place that I wish I had seen more of was Salzburg. That city was rich with history and I know I could have spent weeks there just enjoying the atmosphere and all the sights. I am so glad that I got to try one of their infamous Mozart Kugels, and that I got to see their beautiful architecture. That being said, my favorite place by far was Vienna. The way that those centuries old buildings melded with the more modern architecture was breathtaking. I loved the intricacies of all the churches and will not be forgetting how historic and sprawling Vienna is. This trip was an incredible opportunity for me and I will treasure the memories and souvenirs for years. Everything was so exciting and all the people we met were very friendly and good natured. I honestly cannot wait to return when I have the means to do so.

Riley, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

I have always loved travelling but growing up getting to go to Europe seemed like an impossible dream I would never achieve, so when I heard about this trip I jumped at the chance. I loved getting to observe the rich culture and history of each of the amazing places. The beautiful cathedrals, statues, and natural wonders were sights to behold. Most of the towns felt like we were on sets of a movie or living in a postcard. I am forever grateful for the amazing friendships, memories and laughs I got to experience that I never would have sans this trip.

Maryssa, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

SPC students relive the beauty of the Alps

Global Perspectives on Health and Social Care, News, The Alps (High School), Travel

The world is not so small after all. I never imagined the amount of beauty that I saw when I went abroad this past March. Travelling for me was more than just the exploration of the countries, it was an exploration of myself, meaning that I got to learn what lit my soul and passions on fire. I got to be one hundred percent me in a group of individuals who were so accepting and kind. We all created bonds and friendships that are lasting far after the trip, and it was just such an incredible experience for us to all meet each other in that environment.

Study Abroad is more than just a school trip, it is the best way of showing every opportunity that is offered. I was nervous about this trip because it was brand new to me and I really don’t like planes, but I fell in love with every part of it so much that I will be travelling again in July of this year. I highly recommend study abroad to any student who is considering it, because I promise you that you will experience things beyond your imagination and create bonds that will last a lifetime. I want to thank St. Petersburg College for giving me this opportunity because it was the best memory I have so far! 

Caitlin, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

“It was hard choosing just one picture, so I chose one day — one excursion. The Lindt Chocolate Museum in Zurich Switzerland has been on my bucket list from the day it opened. I had so much fun eating chocolate and exploring Zurich with people I had grown to be friends with. Recommended to every chocolate fanatic, just remember to bring some home!”

Sarah, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

I originally heard about a school trip going through the Swiss alps through someone at school and decided to take a look. I always wanted to go to Austria and Switzerland ever since watching The Sound of Music. When I decided to look up the trip the deadline was coming up fast, so I signed up for it without thinking about it too much. The application process was very easy and straightforward and Frank Jurkovic at the study abroad office supported us throughout.

One thing I enjoyed the most was all of the free time we had. We were able to go off in small groups to shop and explore. I got to try lots of new foods that you don’t normally eat like pancake soup and schnitzel. Our tour guide was also amazing. He always had great stories to tell and a lot of information about the places we were visiting. He even gave all the women flowers on International Women’s Day. The two professors, Professors’ Fratus and Rich, were the most amazing people to travel with and made sure we were safe and had everything we needed.

This trip was definitely an experience that I will never forget. When I signed up for the trip I didn’t know anybody but ended up making some lifelong friendships. I recommend if you have the opportunity to study abroad to DO IT!

We did so many amazing things on the trip like exploring salt mines in Germany by way of an underground train, a boat ride, and a wooden slide. I also loved taking the cruise on Lake Lucerne to a cog rail train to get to the top of a snowy mountain in Switzerland. The views were incredible and like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life.

  • Emily Fernandez, St. Pete Collegiate study abroad student.

SPC Students take The Alps!

Austria and Germany (High School), News, The Alps (High School), Travel

This whole study abroad opportunity was so incredible it’s very hard to pick a favorite part of the week long trip. A definite highlight was the whole day we spent in Lucerne, Switzerland. We got to do so much in just one day, we learned about the history from our wonderful tour guide at some of the city’s landmarks like my personal favorite monument of a lion carved into stone. The Lion of Lucerne commemorates Swiss Guards who were killed during the French Revolution, and that’s just a little snippet of history I learned on just that day. After a guided tour of a bit of Lucerne we all had some free time where me and some other students visited a museum and we got to see some glacial potholes and get a nice view after going through a whole underground cave thing. Now I thought the views from the museum was nice, but the most gorgeous part of the trip was when we went up on a mountain after our visit in the city part of Lucerne. To get up top we took a very fun, but quite cold boat ride and then a train up to a nice snowy area that felt scarily high up compared to Florida’s biggest hills. I’m sure most students were ecstatic about playing in the snow since it’s not something we see down here; I know I was really excited. That was just one day we had out of the many and each felt so filled to the brim.

Prior to Lucerne we got to learn and explore Vienna for a couple days, along with Salzburg and Innsbruck in Austria. In Salzburg we learned about Mozart and saw his birthplace and the free time we got in Innsbruck might’ve been my favorite use of our free time we got each day. We also briefly were in Germany to visit a salt mine, definitely a completely new experience going down a wooden slide that resulted in some pretty fun photos. After Lucerne we ended out the trip in Zurich, which I had had been to before and it was even more fun this second time around. We toured the Lindt chocolate factory on that last day and as a chocolate enthusiast, that was the best note this trip could’ve ended on.

Isabella, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

This was my first trip abroad, and to be quite frank, I was nervous! I had never been that far away from home and was worried about staying with folks I had never met, especially in a country I didn’t speak the language of. This trip exceeded my expectations, I not only grew my cultural understanding but also made a lot of friends along the way. 

The scenery is something I’ll never forget, those beautiful mountains covered in snow is not a common sight here in Florida. Every day was an adventure, we learned about the cultural customs, the history, and the values of the people. I can’t wait to travel again, I miss Europe so much!

Sophia, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

I was so excited to have heard that I was going to be participating in the Alps Study Abroad Program! The ten-day experience was an eye-opening, incredible time that I will never forget. Going from Austria, to Germany, then Lichtenstein, and finally ending in Switzerland made it an action-packed trip, but a worthy one. All the cities, people, and places that we went to were extraordinarily beautiful and interesting.
When I first heard about the opportunity to go on this trip with several my peers, I jumped at the chance to expose myself to the multi-cultural experience. I had never been abroad before, so everything was new and kind of scary, but the tour directors and guides we met along the way eliminated that fear. All my worries about COVID, the situation in Ukraine, and other issues were pushed to the back of mind with the attentiveness and caution of the people who went on the trip with us. I am so grateful they were able to be there to reassure and help us to make it a learning experience.

The warm and friendly environment of the tour wasn’t simply attributed to the tour directors, but also to the people who went with me, fellow students from SPC. I am so thankful they were there with me so we could experience everything together, because I made so many new friends during my time there! The fact that it was a bigger group of twenty-two made me feel more comfortable and relaxed while there.
The hotels, restaurants, and monuments we visited were all catered to give us the most out of the experience, through making sure it was an authentic Switzerland, German, or Austrian event. Additionally, there was many learning instances that stemmed from this because I was, before this trip, very uneducated about the rest of the world and its working. I’m grateful I was able to learn so much from everything the tour guides showed us.
Most of all, I am grateful for the scholarship given to me for the trip. Without the help, I wouldn’t have been able to go, and I am so grateful that it was awarded to me and the other students in my group that went on the trip with me. Thank you so much for the opportunity EF Tours!

Haiden, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022