: ehrend students combine study, fun in overseas experience
by Erin McCarty
assistant features editor
Summertime has come and
gone, and school is now upon us.
Already planning your next sum
mer vacation? Here is an option
to consider: study abroad.
This past summer, 17 Behrend
students joined 21 others from
various locations for the Interna
tional Summer School program at
University College Northampton
in England. Four students from
Mercyhurst and one from Gannon
completed the Erie group, which
was led by Behrend English pro
fessor Dr. Dean Baldwin and his
wife, Vicki.
"I have taken students to
Northampton for the past three
summers, and the response has al
ways been enthusiastically posi
tive," Baldwin said. "Many have
told me they would love to go back
again."
"I had the best time I ever had
at the Northampton summer pro
gram," said Becky Ore, Interna
tional Business, 03. "I met so
many great people over there that
I still keep in touch with. I ex
tremely recommend this program
for anyone who wants to have fun
and earn class credits at the same
time."
Classes commenced on July 9,
and ended on Aug. 10. Although
decreased enrollment caused sev-
eral classes to be canceled, stu
dents still had a good variety of
topics to choose from. Some of the London, depending on which so purely for enjoyment, there
more unique courses included Se- Id trip most related to their was an element of study involved
rial Murder, Dante, and Folklore. - se of study. Students on the as they had to manage their
Each 3-credit class met on a ro- (don trip stayed there for the money and become experts at
taring schedule, with class time lion, while travelers to Italy reading maps and train schedules.
occupying a different two-hour France visited several cities. "My advice is to bring lots and
slot for each of the four weekdays favorite parts of the trip were lots of money, especially if you're
that class was in session. field trip to Perugia where going to travel around Europe on
The remaining weekday was re- the clubs and shops were in the weekends like everyone just
served for special day trips, which ancient architecture and the week- about did," said Ore. "And don't
students were not obligated to at- end in Edinburgh, Scotland during forget to bring your clubbing
tend but usually did. The four ex- the largest festival in the world," clothes!"
-The weekly column that asks if there is intelligent life out there
HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!? A female judge went ballistic when she spotted her 20-
years-younger boyfriend out on a date with another woman. Her beau, who is a sheriff, contends
that their courthouse affair had ended, but apparently that was not her understanding. After a
decidedly unpleasant confrontation at a New Jersey restaurant, the judge followed the couple to a
nearby saloon where she continued to air her distress at high volume and with great hostility.
Police involvement followed. She has been suspended from the bench.
OH MAN, I AM FLYIN', BA-B000000M! Seeking to get high, a man inhaled propane gas
from a spigot in his Michigan home, but forgot to turn it off before he lit up a marijuana cigarette
The resulting explosion actually blasted the house off its foundation before burning it to the
ground. The man suffered minor injuries. He was arrested.
MMMM, SALMON, HEY, WHAT THE ...!? As he reeled in a salmon in a small boat off British
Columbia, Myron Chamberlain didn't realize that, beneath the water, a killer whale was just
about to chomp that very fish. But Myron pulled it into the boat first, depriving the orca of his
lunch and greatly angering him. The irate whale rammed the vessel several times, so Chamber
lain sped from the scene. .
WHAT THE HECK, IT'S ONLY MONEY: When an attractive young blonde appeared at the
door of their Oslo, Norway home, elderly brothers Arne and Oeystein Tokvam, were only too
happy to let her in. The two men, ages 73 and 80, were even happier when she started to disrobe,
and she was soon joined by her female friend who did the same. They left after a 15-minute strip
show, and the men soon discovered that while it was going on, an accomplice was stealing their
safe containing $8,200. But Arne said they didn't feel too badly about it: "It's been a long time
since we had so much fun."
SPORTSMANSHIP ABOVE ALL THINGS: After a 15-year-old boy scored the winning run at a
youth league baseball game in Salt Lake City, upset parents of the losing team beat up his mother.
HOT ENOUGH FOR YA? GLUB, GLUB! A heatwave in Moscow has encouraged many citizens
to seek relief in the city's rivers and lakes, but, since Russians mix beer and vodka to both cool
off and get drunk quickly, many have drowned. Since the beginning of summer, 211 people have
been pulled from the water, dead, and "most of them drown in an inebriated state," a local doctor
said.
r ... ... ... ...
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cursions consisted of said Cassie Willey, Mechanical Money is certainly an important
Northamptonshire and Althorpe, Engineering 03. consideration for students inter-
Princess Diana's final resting The weekends provided yet an- ested in the program. The cost of
place, Cambridge and Ely, other opportunity for students to the program ranges from $2,550
Stratford-Upon-Avon, and see more of Europe, though it was for one class to $3,550 for three
Stonehenge and Bath. In addition up to the students to make ar- classes. This excludes the cost of
to these brief outings, students rangements for these journeys airfare, extra travel, accommoda
also made a one-week trip during that were not a part of the school's tions, food, and souvenirs. Pru
the third week of classes. They program. Although most students dent students should have a bare
spent their week in Italy, France, who took this time to travel did minimum of $l,OOO to last them
PHOTOS BY ERIN MCCARTY
,ing London in the "eye" from St. James Park. The London Eye a large Ferris wheel
ted just off the Thames River near Big Ben can be seen in the background.
by Mike Pingree
TM S Campus
. .
: . . . . . .............
• •
A
Friday, September 7, 2001
the five weeks, and $2,000
is much safer. England
tends to be more expensive
than America, and who
wants to come back from
Europe without souvenirs?
Students also need to re
main mindful that the En
glish pound is worth about
$1.50.
Punters tourists travelling the River Cams on boats pushed along with
Luckily, students don't
long poles pass under the many bridges in Cambridge, England.
DITHERED TW TS
Oh man, the iting's in heaven.
~~,~:.
~£:
have to spend any extra money to for the students, while the degree
get a taste of the culture of other of independence which they were
countries right on campus. "I met allotted in an unfamiliar place re
so many great people from every- quired many of them to spread
where in the world," said Willey. their wings a bit.
Participants in this year's Interna- "What is particularly satisfying
tional Summer School included for me is to watch students grow
students from China, Canada, in sophistication and confidence in
Latvia, and Portugal and UCN just a few weeks," said Baldwin.
staff from Tanzania, Germany, "Many have never been on an air-
France, Finland, and Sweden. plane before, let alone traveled
from Ecuador, Italy, and Greece. weeks they are off to Dublin,
In addition to meeting people Amsterdam, London, or Paris on
from diverse backgrounds, stu- their own. I hope Behrend's stu
dents had plenty of opportunity to dents continue to take advantage
immerse themselves in English of this opportunity."
culture in Northampton. Students interested in this or
Comparing and contrasting the other study abroad opportunities
English lifestyle and overall at- should contact Ruth Pflueger in
mosphere with their own provided the Learning Resource Center at
opportunities for valuable insights rcpl @psu.edu.
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