May 08, 2009
The first pharmacy cohort to study abroad in Europe has just
finished their semester in Rome, Italy after having studied in
Salamanca, Spain and Paris, France---three countries in just 15
weeks. College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions professor
Louis D. Trombetta, Professor and Chair of the Department of
Pharmaceutical Sciences was in Rome with the students, teaching
“Applied Anatomy and Physiology” as well as “Public Health.”
Some
of the students related their experiences in Paris and then in
Rome. What they did and how they felt about the study abroad
opportunity is noted in this article.
While studying in Paris, Bhavini Shah said, “Paris is a beautiful
city. Our campus is only a few minutes from the Eiffel Tower!
Studying here has been wonderful. The staff has done everything to
make our stay comfortable. I feel lucky to be studying in one of
the most exciting places in the world!”
Tracey Cannova was impressed with the courses she took: “My
experience in Paris was amazing. I was taking the online
pharmacoeconomics course and the art course and each worked out
great. The pharmacoeconomics instructor was always available
through e-mail and the reading assignments were helpful. I am so
glad I decided to take the art and architecture class in Paris.
Half the class time was in the classroom and the other half was
spent visiting various museums. The instructor was so passionate
about the work and she was very interesting. The class helped me
see more of Paris and it enabled us to learn more in depth about
what we were looking at. I now have a better appreciation for art
and want to see more museums when I get back to New York.”
Tracey is also one of the Ozanam Scholars in the study abroad
program who did service while in Paris:
“Every Tuesday, Rane Jabonillo, Meredith Leverich (St. John’s
College of Liberal Arts), and I would go to the soup kitchen. While
walking there on the first Tuesday I was nervous because I knew
there would be a language barrier and I was just hoping that it
would not completely hinder our ability to interact with the people
because that is such an important part of service. However, as soon
as we walked in and were welcomed by the people who work there that
nervous feeling went away. They were so warm and tried the best
they could to understand us. We also tried to speak whatever French
we had learned. Going to the soup kitchen made me want to learn
more French and speak it more often. Whenever I would go back to
campus after volunteering at the soup kitchen I would catch myself
responding to people with common French words!
Volunteering abroad has helped me see various ways of running a
soup kitchen. This will help me as an Ozanam Scholar because when
researching and trying to implement a lasting solution to poverty I
can keep in mind what I learned. By seeing first hand some things
that work and some things that do not work, I can use these ideas
to help better the solution.”
Shannon Tellier reflected on her experience in Rome. “What
I enjoyed most was learning about different cultures. Being abroad
affected our learning because we were able to go out and experience
the city we were living in. We did most of our travelling and
sightseeing on the weekends, exploring other countries. I
made side trips to London, Dublin and Belgium.”
Lila Ahmed also spoke about travel opportunities. “I loved
traveling between countries. We traveled to Amsterdam, Belgium,
Ireland and London. I also love being immersed in the culture. In
Paris there was so much to see and do, especially with art.”
In wrapping up her experience in Rome, Marina Yermolayeva
pointed out what she feels are the benefits to such a program of
study. “It seems like we just left. Europe had so many overwhelming
experiences to offer, it's hard to put them all into words. What I
can say is that I definitely recommend studying in Europe to other
pharmacy students. Although it was difficult to be away from home,
family and friends for so long, it is temporary and, in the end,
very rewarding.
Marina added, “The reward of being in Europe made me more
independent. Planning and scheduling travel and activities –
everything is yours to decide. This experience made me realize I
had never felt freer, and I am capable of making my own choices.
The memory of the excursions we took while in Rome will be with me
forever. Visiting Pompeii, the Castle of St. Angel and the Pantheon
were experiences that brought to life the names of places I had
only read about.”
The opportunities the pharmacy students had outside the classroom
definitely impacted on their study experience. The combination of
study and travel and interaction with people broadened the
students’ outlook on different cultures and enhanced the classroom
experience.
Learn more about the pharmacy students’ experiences in
Salamanca, Spain.
For more information about the pharmacy study abroad program,
contact Joseph Brocavich, Associate Clinical Professor in the
College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions at (718) 990-1439
or brocavij@stjohns.edu.