Tag Archives: europe

GRAZ GRAZ GRAZ!

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Hallo! My name is Cora and I just spent this last spring Graz, Austria for my Beyond the Classroom Experience. Graz is the second largest city in Austria and is home to four universities, including the one I was studying at, Universitaet Graz. Graz is designated the UNESCO City of Design because of the historic and well preserved architecture in its historic city center. Graz is situated southeast of the Austrian Alps and only two hours away from Austria’s capital city of Vienna.

During my time abroad I was able to travel throughout Western Europe, participate in a field course, and explore my global theme which was Resources and Sustainability. The European Union has a more extensive sustainability framework for its members when compared to the United States. Learning about the differences between the environmental policy in the United States and Austria was very insightful. I took a course that was named Geotechnologies for Monitoring Protected Areas, which explained the legal framework Europe uses to achieve conservation goals, including Agenda 2030. Being exposed to different perspectives and strategies to achieve sustainability will better prepare me to solve problems by implementing ideas I’ve learned from these different approaches. My global challenge was to explore alternative economic systems to capitalism. I took a course on the Circular Economy model, which allowed me to understand how businesses can look at different models and structures to promote sustainability. 

I was also able to take an Alpine Hydrogeology field course that was conducted in the Austrian Alps right outside of Gesaüse National Park. During the field course I learned how water moves through Karst landscapes, specifically in Eastern European landscapes. I learned how to conduct a variety of water discharge measurements, and a tracer test to determine the path of water through the karst system. I was working with graduate and PhD students, which pushed me to produce a higher level of work. This experience was incredibly interesting, and sparked my interest in hydrology.

Resources and sustainability were not the only things I took from my Beyond the Classroom Experience. While I was abroad I was able to travel to eight different countries, which was a very eye opening experience. I was able to learn about different cultures and connect with people from around the world. I hiked up the northern coast of Spain on the Camino de Santiago. On this trip I learned a lot about the history of the Catholic Church and importance of this pilgrimage.

My time abroad pushed me to grow in many ways, and I will see its impacts in my life indefinitely. I am so grateful that I was able to experience new cultures and learn outside of the United States. I am excited to continue to travel, learn, and explore. Bitte schön!

Le meilleur semestre en Suisse!

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Bonjour, grüezi, ciao, hello! My name is Hannah Halvorson, and I spent 5 months this spring studying at the University of Fribourg in Fribourg, Switzerland. Fribourg (or, for the Swiss Germans, Freiburg) is located just 20 minutes from the Swiss capital of Bern by train. It is a medium-sized city with an old town dating back to the medieval era, on the border of French and German speaking Switzerland. Switzerland is an incredible country for many reasons, but its four national languages and small size contribute to its unique culture. My Global Theme is Culture and Politics, and I found Fribourg to be a perfect place to dive into that.

I explored my Global Theme in many ways. Most clearly, I focused on my Global Challenge. I wanted to find out what the global perception was of the USA, and specifically, of the American people, in this turbulent time. I took a class called “American Self-Deception and Self-Renewal,” and this was a fascinating starting point to answer my question. This was a literature class, so explored the ways Americans were presented in stories. Yet it also offered interesting commentary on the American lifestyle, and through conversations with my professor, I started to understand the impact that recent political events have had on the people of Switzerland. Another way I learned about global perception was through the friends I made, coming from countries all over Europe. I encountered several stereotypes about Americans through these relationships, some positive and others less so. The final way I explored my Global Challenge was by continuing my studies in French, both through classes at the university and immersion in the language in daily life. Learning about a different culture in their language deepened my experience in an unforgettable way, and I know already that I want to do it again. While studying abroad, I had the opportunity to experience other cultures as well, traveling to many surrounding countries throughout the semester. By visiting friends in their home countries, I got to see how families lived outside of the US, and hear their input on global events. Below are a few photos of these travels!

The cultural perspective I gained by exploring my Global Challenge will stay with me forever. Learning French and hearing about global events from my home country was valuable, but experiencing them in a new environment was something I think everyone should have the opportunity to do. Thank you, GLI, for helping make this experience happen!

Beyond the Classroom Experience in Milan, Italy

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This summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Milan, Italy—the heart of the global fashion industry. As a Resources and Sustainability student in the Franke GLI and an Economics student at the University of Montana, I wanted to explore how Italy’s fashion markets balance style with sustainability. Milan provided the perfect backdrop for this research, offering a firsthand look at how practices like recycling, reusing, and maintaining high-quality clothing can reduce the environmental impact of fashion. I chose Italy for my Beyond the Classroom Experience not only because of its reputation for craftsmanship and excellence in the clothing sector, but also because it aligned with my Global Challenge of building a more sustainable planet. Along the way, I gained insights into sustainability, my own role as a consumer, and how to make more intentional investments in the pieces I choose to wear. This opportunity to spend the summer in Italy opened my mind to many different ways of life and perspectives that I will forever be grateful for.

This is an image of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This historic and elegant shopping arcade connects the Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala and is known for its luxury shops, high-end boutiques, restaurants, and iconic glass-and-iron dome. I spent much time around this area in Milan to better understand shopping and quality trends of products. This is a hot tourist spot for those looking to invest in luxury goods.

While completing research about sustainability practices in Milan, I visited many shops, markets, and vintage stores. I found that the clothing in many of these stores was made much better than the average clothing you might find in the US at a much more affordable price. The clothing didn’t have to be from a high-end brand to be made to last. There were Zara and Mango stores in Milan that I went into, which appeared to be of higher quality than their stores I have visited in the US. The clothing in these stores was very reasonably priced for clothing that was well-designed and stylish. Which was of interest to me because, why is it that the European version of these brands provides a better quality of item to consumers? Could it be that the average American consumer is more consumed with the quantity of product rather than the quality of product? Through some investigation and internet research, I found that this has unfortunately become the case in the US in our relationship to fast fashion and overconsumption. While living in Italy, I decided I would only thrift and invest in quality pieces, avoiding fast fashion and cheaply made clothing.

The images above are the places I learned to explore, ask questions about the quality of the product, make responsible purchases, and help to curb my carbon footprint by investing in items that are meant to last.

I did many other things outside of the learning of my Research in Sustainability. I attended the University of Cattolica in Milan, where I took classes in Global Economics. At Cattolica, I collaborated with students from around the world to craft projects that explained global economic problems that all of our individual countries were facing. I really enjoyed working with all these differing people because of their diversity of ideas and cultures. I learned so much from them all, and now I have couches to crash on in Mexico, Saudi Arabia, England, Canada, France, India, and Italy. These friendships enriched my knowledge of the world outside the comfort of the USA.

On my second day in Italy in May, I met a friend group in Milan that I would spend the majority of my time with. They had no connection to my University, yet they truly made my life in Milan so enjoyable. They all taught me so much about friendship and enjoying the sweet, slow life of Italy.

The family of friends I got to be a member of all summer and hopefully will be a part of the rest of my life!

My opportunity to live in Milan, Italy, provided me with easy access to the airports, buses, and trains that could take me all around Italy and Europe. On my second day in Italy in May, I was rock climbing in the French Alps with my new friends. In June, I stayed for 2 weeks with friends I had made in Sicily and learned about the Italian subculture there. 2 weeks later, I backpacked to Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic. There, I learned so much about the World Wars, politics, and European history. 2 weeks after that, I went all over Southern Italy, visiting Florence, Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Siena, Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii, Venice, etc.. I got to see so many amazing places and the cultures that cultivated their abstract beauty.

Here are a few images of Pompeii, Palermo, Pompeii, Hungary, and Rome from my adventures during the summer!

Living abroad in Italy this summer enriched my life and knowledge of the planet that I inhabit. I will forever be grateful to the Franke GLI program and those who worked so hard to give me this amazing opportunity. I feel rich now, though my pockets are empty, for I have seen the world with my own eyes.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” – Saint Augustine

Thank you, Franke GLI and the University of Montana, for allowing me to read a different page!

Studying Abroad in Cork, Ireland

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Hello! My name is Daniel Martin, and from September to December 2024 I studied abroad in Cork, Ireland at University College Cork (UCC). My global theme is Resources and Sustainability, and my global challenge is how to use governmental policy to solve environmental problems such as climate change, especially in rural states like Montana. I used my experience to better understand and work towards the resolution of my challenge because Ireland is a vastly different place than Montana, and by understanding its environment, people, and issues, I could prepare for similar analysis back home in Montana. A key part of my experience was a class I took at UCC called People, Places, & Politics: Ireland 1660-1960. In this class, we took a deep dive into understanding Ireland’s past and present through the lens of the country’s relationship between environment and people. In one particular lesson we looked at how land was used by various groups throughout Ireland’s history to control populations and how those policies were able to enact, or failed to enact, lasting change in Irish history. 

Cork City at Dusk

Alongside the courses I took at UCC, I also learned innumerable things from travelling throughout the country and experiencing the environments and communities that existed in Ireland. From the rocky coasts of County Sligo to the hilly farmland of County of Meath and from the distinctively British culture of Northern Ireland to the Irish-speaking areas such as the Dingle Peninsula, I was able to take my learning outside the classroom for an even more amazing experience. I was also fortunate enough to travel throughout Europe, where I expanded my cultural immersion. On one particular trip I visited Brussels and visited the headquarters of the EU, an organization whose climate and environmental policies, including their Net Zero plans, were key to understanding Europe and Ireland’s approach to climate change and sustainability.

One of the coolest things about Ireland I learned while on my semester abroad is that Ireland’s nickname, the Emerald Isle, is partially due to its prime environment for growing grasses. All this grass allows Ireland to be a world leader in wool production, which it uses for its famous sweaters, and butter production, thanks to the especially productive dairy cows on the island.

My favorite part of the semester in Ireland was exploring the incredible outdoor opportunities the country offered. In one of my favorite trips, I took the train from Cork to a city north of Dublin called Drogheda, not far from the border with Northern Ireland. Beginning in Drogheda is a long-distance hiking trail called the Boyne Valley Camino, which is part of the larger Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. I spent an entire day hiking this trail, which took me through lush farmlands, ancient battlefields, and finished at a Cistercian Abbey from 1142. This hike allowed me to truly experience the Irish outdoors while also exploring the rich history of Ireland.

The Ruins of Old Mellifont Abbey near Drogheda, Ireland

Me on a trip to the Aran Islands, off the coast of Galway

As I reflect on the 16 weeks I spent in Ireland, it is amazing to reminisce about everything I experienced, all the people I met, and the things I learned. I highly recommend a semester abroad for anyone who may be interested, it truly is a life changing experience. Of course, I could not have done it without the generous support of the Franke Global Leadership Initiative, of whom I am very grateful.