The Office of Study Abroad held a welcome back reception for the class of 2015 and summer 2014 study abroad participants in the Hogan Ballroom. During the event, the winners of the fourth annual study abroad photo contest were announced.
First Place
Caitlin Cantor ’15
Title: “Unveiled Truth”
Location: Cusco, Peru
Program: Lima, Peru (Spring 2014)
Student quote: “After spending a week with weavers in Cusco, I learned about local, traditional techniques, patterns, and clothing, and that the clothes they wore were in fact uniforms to exhibit and preserve these traditions.”
Second Place
Caitlin Cantor ’15
Title: “Unknown Field, Unknown Workers”
Location: Caral, Peru
Program: Lima, Peru (Spring 2014)
Student quote: “The price of eating and feeding could mean waking up at 3 a.m. to find work at an unfamiliar camp with unnamed terms and lack of security and human rights.”
Third Place
Sophia Jin ’15
Title: “Do you want to build a snowman?”
Location: Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China
Program: CET Intensive Language in Beijing
Student quote: “Before coming to China, I watched Disney’s ‘Frozen’ with my sister. On a trip to freezing Harbin, I attended their annual Ice and Snow Festival, and was reminded of the movie and a particular scene where the main character sings the song “Do you want to build a snowman?” Being there amidst all the ice and lights was so magical; I knew I had to snap a photo to capture the memory. It definitely felt like an ice kingdom that Elsa, the ice queen in ‘Frozen,’ could’ve created.”
Honorable mention
Meghan Casey ’15
Title: “This is my home: A Zanzibari seaweed harvester looks out to sea”
Location: Paje, Zanzibar
Program: American Councils African Language Initiative
Student quote: “This photo was taken in the Paje region of the island of Zanzibar — women there are seaweed harvesters, often working from sunrise until sunset to create intricate fields of seaweed within the water. For cultural and religious reasons, they keep their typical clothing on during work, submerging the colorful clothing in the water. The ocean is integral to their daily life, as they use this seaweed for everything from cooking to soap-making to weaving. This photo shows the natural beauty of the seaweed fields as well as of Zanzibari women in daily life.”
Honorable mention
Maura Tracy ’15
Title: “A Coastal Walk”
Location: Connemara, Ireland
Program: University of Léon, Spain
Student quote: “The weekend I spent in the countryside of Ireland in Connemara, I witnessed some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I took this photo while on a hike and decided to capture the beauty of the Irish coast with a flock of sheep grazing in their field. This photo depicts the natural beauty of this special place.”
Honorable mention
Meghan Casey ’15
Title: “A Road of Progress: An urban dala dala carries boys through town”
Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania
Program: American Councils African Language Initiative
Student quote: “This picture is of boys riding through town on a dala dala, the traditional Tanzanian mix between a truck and a taxi that characterizes urban Zanzibari streets and epitomizes their richly fast pace. Because Zanzibar is very rural, the presence of dala dalas usually means that the area is also more developed — you can see the electricity wires in the photo. Urban Zanzibar is also swarming with youth, as demonstrated by the throng of boys crowded into the vehicle. This scene is typical for urban Zanzibar, from the dala dala to the tropical trees to the makeshift shop on the left. ”
