All posts by Gloria Parrott

Zimbabwe Welcomes SPC

News, Study Abroad, Travel, Zimbabwe (Vet Tech), Zimbabwe (Vet Tech) 2027

I have had so many wonderful experiences on this trip. The most amazing experience so far would be the care that Antelope Park staff have for their animals and and conservation efforts. I am not sure I have seen a group of individuals come together for so much care and love for something they are so passionate to teach and protect. I have had an amazing time here in Zimbabwe and am grateful for the opportunity and enlightenment this trip has taught me.
– Candace , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

Upon arriving to Zimbabwe, I was not sure what to expect. I had prepared for a dangerous area, food I may not like, and to be petting animals in the areas we were going to visit. My view changed drastically midway through the trip.
I was greeted by the most friendly people at every turn. At one location, we were greeted by people playing drums and dancing as a welcome. Not only that, but every meal was four courses and dessert was served at lunch and dinner. The food was not only edible, it was delicious! From chicken to steak, every meal went beyond my expectations.
Finally, watching the male lions run at full gallop and compete over their prey built a sense of fear and respect that is difficult to describe. As they roared and wrestled and leapt at the gate, it became clear to me that these animals are meant to be be respected, not pet!
Though the trip is far from over and there are many more experiences to come, I have already had my view of Zimbabwe shaped into something new as I learn more about the country, animals, and culture.
– Valerie , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

“Wildlife Conservation has had a grip on my heart since I was a child. I have always deeply enjoyed learning as much as I possibly could. So, this trip was the epitome of everything I have ever dreamed of. I did so much research and was eager to be able to experience what I have learned about veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation first-hand. I became quite biased in my opinion on how I felt wildlife should be preserved.

Based on my experiences here, I found I was wrong.

I always thought that poachers were the scum of the earth. I always believed that culling or trophy hunting “healthy” animals was blatantly wrong. To an extent, I still hold belief in both of these concepts. However, I have been able to have in depth conversations with locals, conservationists, and veterinarians about conservation and I have found it to be so grey.

For instance, poachers who use snares to catch animals are often trying to catch animals in order to feed their family. While it is an incredibly cruel way for an animal (intended target or not) to die, I understand that the individual is trying to feed their family by any means necessary. This is why most people only get a stern warning for setting snares despite their devastating consequences.

We were lucky enough to find one snare during our sweep at Antelope Park. We then were able to do a practice snare sweep to get a better feel for how they look at Iganyana, They were practically invisible, but I was able to find two once I learned to scan the tree bases for anything that looked similar to vines.

Afterwards, we stopped by the Painted Dog Sanctuary where we attended a lecture about the story of “Eyespot”, a Painted Dog that they were monitoring, who eventually succumbed to poaching via a snare. The speaker mentioned that they find 80+ snares a day on their sweeps and, instead of throwing them away, they model them into the animals that may have lost their lives to the snare. I bought one of a beautiful Painted Dog pictured below. I loved the idea of something so ugly being repurposed into something so beautiful.”
– Bailey , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

SPC students get the picture in Zimbabwe

News, Study Abroad, Travel, Zimbabwe (Vet Tech)

A picture speaks a 1,000 words but a memory… an experience speaks a million. One of the most amazing experiences we’ve had thus far was our encounter with the lions/ lionesses (in Africa a lion is called Shumba) and learning about the program in antelope park. In Africa, a prominent problem stems from ticks and the many diseases they pass. Thus we gave lions flea/tick protectant (spot on) and dewormed them with ivermectin injected into meat and fed the meat to the lions. With the spot on we had to shoot the liquid onto their back via a syringe, so we had to distract them with meat and have them turn their backs to us which was rather difficult with how aggressive they are. We also observed lion feeding happening. The most interesting portion is they will lay on food and defend it as a dominance thing rather then because they are actually hungry. This can go on for hours and the weaker ones would just have to wait it out. It was amazing seeing wild lions and learning how truly aggressive they can be despite their cute cuddly appearance. Learning about the lion program in antelope park was also fascinating and the phases they are initiating to be able to release lions back into the wild. Phase one consisted of breeding. Once they had enough lions/lionesses they gave contraception’s to the lionesses; however this can only be used 3 times as it can cause reproductive issues in the future. Because of this, they have separated the lions and lionesses. Phase two consists of finding a preserve that has enough hunter to prey ratio which they are currently working on. Phase three then involves release the cubs (once they are old enough) of the phase 2 lions/ lionesses into the wild since these ones won’t have any human interaction.
– Linda, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

On Friday June 10th 2022, we went to learn about the lions that are cared for by the staff of Antelope Park. We drove down to their enclosures on the right side of the park and our plan was to give them their dewormers and apply topical tick prevention. On the way, we learned that the previous owners of the park used to do “lion walks” with the lions in captivity to try to give them the chance to learn how to hunt and how to live in the wild. Since then, the goal has been to prepare the lions in a way to be released back into the wild so each new generation of lions would have less human contact in order to get them more used to living on their own. This would also help reduce human wildlife conflict as they would avoid hunting too close to human populations once released.

Unfortunately, the secondary location to be used for the next generation of lion-raised cubs has not been found yet so the staff at Antelope park has not been able to start this transition. Due to this delay, staff initially tried using injectable contraceptives for the female lions to avoid pregnancies but that was making the female lions sterile and unable to reproduce after just a few injections. As of now, the lions are kept separately (males in one enclosure and females in the other) so that they cannot reproduce until the staff at Antelope Park are ready to transition into their next phase of release.

Once at the enclosures, we retrieved some stored meat (cow leg) and our dewormer/prevention supplies. We went to an enclosure with 3 female lions who were separated into a smaller “holding” enclosure on the side and our guide cut some meat off the cow leg. We then used a needle and syringe to draw up the dewormer (ivermectin) and injected it into each piece of meat (1 dose per lioness). Once the medication was injected into the pieces of meat, each lioness was given an individual piece through the fence and all received their dewormers. After that, we cut some more meat off the cow leg to use when applying the topical tick prevention (spot-on). The meat was used as a distracting treat to keep the lionesses by the fence and while they were trying to take it, someone else would take the syringe of tick prevention, put it through the fence, push on the plunger, and spray the preventative on the shoulders/back of the lionesses. Once all the lionesses were given their meds, we moved on to an enclosure with 2 male lions and did the same procedures with them. Also, during the time we were working with giving medications, other staff and volunteers were cleaning the enclosures for those particular lions (picking up stool and leftover pieces of meat/bone).”
– Kimberly, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

SPC students experience Zimbabwe

News, Travel, Zimbabwe (Vet Tech)

Being a part of the study abroad program was a life changing experience. There have been so many aspects of this trip that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am coming away with a strong sense of accomplishment for facing my fears and pushing forward to experience new things. Spending the night in different places, with people I don’t know, and many insects that I’m afraid of are just a few things that I have overcome. Walking through the thick grass out in the bush doing snare sweeps was extremely out of my comfort zone because of my fear of spiders and snakes, but I found myself enjoying the activity immensely because I was doing something important that could save the lives of the animals that the park were trying to protect. I am learning so much about not only the local people, but about myself too and what I am capable of doing. I am coming home from this trip feeling like a new person with a greater respect for the differences between cultures and people. Each day the activities we get to experience are getting better and better, and the amount of knowledge that I will be bringing home will be applied to all aspects of my life.
– Jennifer , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

The trip to Zimbabwe was everything I could of ever imagined plus more. I have always wanted to go to the continent of Africa since I was a little girl, so seeing first hand the wildlife here was incredible. While in Africa after visiting Antelope park it was clear to me how important the conservation of all these different species is and how important a role each of them play in the ecosystem. Prior to going to Zimbabwe I always thought lions were adorable animals, but after being here and working with the lions it became clear to me that these are predatory animals who would not hesitate to kill me, which is what lions are meant to do. During one of the lectures one of our guides told us the lion population had been steadily decreasing since the 1980s due to various reasons. Antelope park has been conducting a project to try and save the lion population. The individuals there I felt cared so much about the park and truly loved what they were doing with the animals which is all you could ever want in life.

The elephant experience was out of this world as well because being able to see the elephants up close and feed/touch them was truly amazing. It was really interesting to me that one of the elephant trainers had been with the elephants for over 20 years. The oldest elephant was 35 years old so the one individual had been with them for a majority of their lives which is a special bond like nothing else. To have a relationship like that with a wild animal is incredible. After both these experiences it really opened my eyes to what else is out there and made me possibly want to do veterinary medicine for wildlife. I am very excited to see what wildlife the rest the journey brings and what else they are doing throughout Zimbabwe to help with conservational efforts.
– Christine, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

SPC goes to the Bush and Beyond

News, Study Abroad, Travel, Zimbabwe (Vet Tech)

This trip has been the most fun and enlightening trip I’ve been on yet. I have never traveled out of the country before so I was very nervous to come but I am so glad I did. I have learned so much about the different cultures and tribes here and have been able to diversify my knowledge about foreign cultures. The people are very opening and want to know all about what life is like in the states and it’s so beautiful to make connections with them. The animals were also an amazing aspect of this trip. We were able to learn about conservation straight from the sources and learn why they have certain feelings and ways of doing things. I can’t wait to come back here as Africa is one of a kind. You truly can’t meet people and have a closed mind. This trip has also taught me to be grateful for everything we have in the US. We have electric all the time, hot water, clean drinking water, healthcare, and support.
– Jaida , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

I was unsure what I was expecting when I first signed up for the trip. I knew there would be cultural differences, I just wasn’t prepared for what they would be. This is the first time I’ve been on a plane, and I went 36 hours around the world. When landing in Africa, the landscape was gorgeous. Not what I was expecting in the slightest. We visited the University of Zimbabwe and learned about their Veterinary Science program. This was a big shock to me as I was surprised by what they actually had available to them, but how far behind in times they were compared to what we have available in the States. Everyone was very friendly and dressed professionally which is the opposite of what we experience back at home.
From there we went to Antelope Park and saw a lot of wild animals. On the first day we got up close to Giraffes and Zebras. We were 10 feet away! We saw some tamed Elephants, though they are still considered wild. The experience thus far has been beyond what I can put into words.
– Megan , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

SPC Explores Zimbabwe

Travel, Zimbabwe (Vet Tech)

Africa is one of the places most people never get the chance to step foot in during their lifetime. When we had this opportunity to go especially for our veterinary technology program I was all on board. This was my first time out of the USA and I was definitely taken back by how different other parts of the world are. The people here were one of the most welcoming and friendly I have ever met, making this experience exceptionally great. I was convinced, like many of my other classmates, that we would not enjoy some of our food options since we can be very picky. I think I ate more here than I do back home and I am dreading having to go back to our home food. It is hard to pick out a favorite activity we did when everything was just life changing and amazing. Seeing animals in their natural environments and so close to us sparks a joy in you like nothing else. Getting to help work hands on with hyenas helping them move to a new enclosure and get base line lab work was amazing to be experience. Touching and feeding elephants was another awesome interaction.

We learned so much about human animal conflict and now understand why their wildlife can be such a problem for them. I was still able to learn so many thing about animals while on this trip from our guide and will be taking that knowledge home with me. Getting to visit their veterinary university and interact with students was also eye opening because they didn’t have many of the resources we have in the states. Driving around the whole country you can see the difference in city life versus rural Africa and it was an experience to see how life treats them and their day to day differences.  I went into this trip excited to just see animals and happy where I was in my life at the time. Coming out, I have learned my real passion is to work with wildlife/conservation and I couldn’t be happier. If you have a chance to do a study abroad it is very much worth it and life changing to experience other cultures and ways of life.
-Katelyn, SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

This study abroad trip to Zimbabwe has been a once in a lifetime experience. Full of amazing sights, cross cultural experiences, and new and different foods. One thing that has stuck out to me during this time is the time we spent in the local craft market. It was quite a cultural experience. It was very overwhelming between the sheer number of items to look at in a small space, and all of the shop owners pulling you in to try and sell to you. They would try to relate to you by calling us “sister”, some tried to use our compassion to make us buy saying “no one has bought from me in days”. The haggling for a better price on the handmade items was something I have never experienced before, and was certainly not good at, though I did try. All I wanted was to end it fast so I could run to the bus and be done. Having the shop owners ask for trades instead of money was also interesting. They were asking for my (very cheap) hat or sunglasses or water bottle in trade instead of money for some of the beautiful works of art they had on display. One even kept asking for my hair tie. Some students they even asked for their socks and old shoes. This was extremely odd to me, as their work is worth so much more than the value of the items they were asking for. As it did not seem fair (and there were some items i was not willing to part with), I did not end up trading anything, but watching the other students trade was fascinating. The cultural aspect of the market in Zimbabwe was so different from anything in the United States that it is something I will remember for a long time to come.
– Bridgette , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

The cultural aspect of the market in Zimbabwe was so different from anything in the United States that it is something I will remember for a long time to come.

Wildlife medicine was never something I really thought about before this encounter. I never understood what mechanisms, equipment, supplies, and people are needed to preform necessary procedures on these animals to provide proper care for their overall health and well-being. For many, not much is known about treatments, handling, or care. While deworming and dipping these large cats, I observed their behavior.

The deworm consisted of 5 ml bremamectin injected into a 2×4 cm^2 piece of antelope.

While approaching the cage, the 4 subject lions became slightly aggressive. The difficulty of getting each lion to obtain the dewormer called for multiple employees distracting other lions, funneling the correct lions into the desired cage and position, and correctly distributing the dewormer into each lion separately.

This technique demonstrated many difficulties wildlife veterinary care teams face. Some of these difficulties include ensuring an adequate amount of dewormer in each lion, maintaining human and lion safety, and even correctly recording which lion received the dewormer and at what time.

Firstly, it was extremely difficult to inject bremamectin into the cow meat. After drawing up 5ml and placing the needles into the meat, it was very difficult to inject all of the solution without any leaking from the piece of meat. This technique unfortunately allows great room for human error if the person injecting the solution doesn’t notice if there is any leakage.

Secondly, maintaining human and lion safety did not come easy. One person was designated to distract the non-subject lion with a non-injected piece of meat. This lead to lions fighting for dominance, approaching the cage, and for humans, getting close enough to the cage to distract them.

Lastly, it was difficult to record which lion received the dewormer as they are constantly moving throughout the cage. Confirmation between the workers, which consisted of calling out the names of the subject lions when the dewormer was given, increased the accuracy of the data.

As hectic as this process may seem as a veterinary student with little to no wildlife experience, this treatment was done relatively quickly with the help of the veterinary students and the smaller subject lions. With many eyes on the subject lions, it seemed as though there was less room for error while recording data and ensuring each lion was dewormed. I enjoyed learning about this process in antelope park as it is a common treatment lions in captivity receive. I do hope to learn about the differences between antelope park’s treatment plan versus other facilities and expand my knowledge on deworming wildlife.
– Brianna , SPC Zimbabwe Vet Tech Program, June 2022

SPC student experience the culture of the Alps

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

Before going on the study abroad Alps trip I was lucky enough to have already been to Austria and Switzerland but going back now that I’m older and have more knowledge I truly appreciated more the experience. Not only was it an insanely fun and adventurous trip but it was also educational, and learning about history from a textbook is one thing but going to these countries and seeing what you’re learning about is a whole new experience and one that I would recommend to anyone who is considering studying abroad to do so. One part of the trip that was really interesting to me was trying all of the foods from the countries we visited because it is one thing to have these foods in the United States and another to actually go to where these foods originated because the recipes have been passed down from generation to generation.

Something that I learned about Austria that I don’t think was really explained in my history classes before was that Austria was a huge country before World War 2 and after the war, it condensed to a very small country; it originally reached all the way to the border of Russia. In fact, for many younger people such as myself, the effects of World War One and two don’t really affect us personally but while we were in Austria, we learned that when Austria lost so much land it truly affected those who lived in Austria before and during the war and even today some people are still struggling because of that.

One part of the trip that was a culture shock what is that not as many people speak English as much as I thought they would. In the United States, we learn that English is a universal language and that many countries learn it as their secondary language, however when we were in Austria, we found out kids start with German and then can choose English, but many choose languages such as French or Italian. After this trip, I think I will pay more attention in my French class as it seems to be a good language to know when traveling throughout the European continent, and also brush up on my German.

-Paige, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

I have always been interested in other countries as well as their cultures, and I have wanted to study abroad for a long time. However, affordability has always been an issue for me with studying abroad as it tends to be very expensive, but the scholarship I received really helped. I am super grateful for the program because I would not have been able to go on this amazing trip without it. I learned so much about the history and culture of Austria and Switzerland the countries that we visited and had a great time.

On the trip we had time we spent with guides who were amazing and time we spent on our own in groups. Our guide was with us the entire trip and he was super knowledgeable about everything we asked him, and he showed us some really cool historic sights. On our time in groups, we visited a lot of different places, and it was really nice to be able to go to places we chose. We went to a lot of museums and palaces which were really cool. We also went to some local cafes which were cool. We even went to the Furst café in Salzburg which is the café that Mozart went to when he was alive. 

Going on this trip would not have been possible for me without the scholarship that was given to us. I will always remember this experience, and the fun I had with my friends. Through every place we visited there was something new and memorable to see and learn. All in all, I had a great time and am super thankful for the opportunity to go on this trip because I would not have been able to go without the scholarship that we all received.

-Zachary, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

This photo was from Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. The shores of this lake are formed by steep mountains, specifically Mount Rigi and Pilatus, and it is the fourth largest lake in the country. This was one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland and looked the best at night.

– Abhishek, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

The Alps: A Once in a Lifetime Trip

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

My study abroad trip to Austria and Switzerland was amazing and once in a lifetime! My favorite parts of the trip were Salzburg and Vienna in Austria and Lucerne in Switzerland. It was great learning about the difference in culture between America and Europe, and to learn the history and conflict between these European nations. The architecture in the cities were astounding and very ornate, and all of the cathedrals in each of the cities were incredible! The Schonbrunn palace in Vienna was enormous and very beautiful, it was probably bigger than my school’s campus! I would definitely recommend a study abroad trip to anyone thinking about going on one in the future!

-Boden, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

During my Study abroad experience in Austria and Switzerland, I was presented with a vast amount of educational and social opportunities that I have never been offered before. I got to bond with my teachers and meet new students, forming lasting friendships. This trip was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which was packed with plenty of tours, free time, and suggestions for various museums and places to visit on our own. 

Study Abroad provided amazing meals that accommodated my dietary needs, which I appreciated as it’s hard to find accommodations sometimes. I also had tons of fun going out on my own with a group and trying different local foods and shops. My favorite parts of the trip were the museums, exploring local shops, and the chocolate factory! Our tour guide gave amazing museum recommendations that were fun to check out if the time was right. While exploring we found cool shops and nice thrift stores where I could get plenty of gifts to bring home to my family. The chocolate factory was also amazing and I would have never expected it to be so big! Other highlights of my trip would be the scenery I got to see along the way. The mountains were beautiful and I got to have my first experience of snow! The salt mines were memorizing and I learned about the ancient processes of how operations were performed there. Even some of the street art and murals were gorgeous! The architecture was next level and the fact that some of these buildings and places are older than our country was so weird to think about!

I also want to say that my teachers were absolutely wonderful the whole trip and did amazing staying on top of everything and making sure we all had the best trip we could. As well as our tour guide for putting his all into showing us his love for the country. I loved the touching moments we all got to share during and especially towards the end of the trip. 

I would love to go on another study abroad trip as the mountains and land of Switzerland and Austria were absolutely beautiful. This trip was 100% worth every penny spent and I wish I could have stayed for longer. I hope I get to travel again soon, as every day I’m back I dream about seeing the beautiful places I saw in Austria and Switzerland again.

– Joy, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

When I first heard of this trip, I was instantly moving to at least try and sign up, seeing that there was a scholarship that would go to the trip if you earned it. It was a simple process, and eventually, I was told I got it! And through that, it allowed me to enjoy the trip with my friends and newfound friends more comfortably! I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity it gave me, allowing me to try new things, be it foods or activities that were local to the country. The scholarship made the trip affordable too, as everyone knows going abroad takes a bit of money, be it due to hotels or travel. This is not even considering the food or things you asked to bring back. So, any help goes a long way in allowing this trip to be incredible as it turned out to be.

When we were allowed to go on our own, with our friends, I would use this time to go out and take advantage of every moment. I went to various museums, one of which was the globe museum, which was just that, a museum about globes. Which was surprisingly enjoyable, and after, we went to a local restaurant in Vienna, trying the coffee and food. None of which would be possible without the opportunities given to us through the scholarship. I’ll forever remember this experience, and the fun I had with my friends, it was amazing! Through every country there was something new and memorable, be it something silly like the globe museum, or something profound in history along the streets of the historic cities. But all in all, I’ll remember the people on this trip, our guides were wonderful and my peers fostered a fun learning environment for all.

– Ana, SPC Collegiate High School Student, Alps Program, March 2022

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