For students unable to participate in traditional semester-long study abroad programs, Duke offers more than 20 summer study abroad options. Many students take advantage of this opportunity to explore the diverse cultures of their host country. The Chronicle’s Annie Wang asked Duke summer study abroad students to share the highlights of their experience abroad.
"Geneva is beautiful and literally fits the definition of the great outdoors. My dorm was right next to a beautiful mountain range, a huge flowing river, and ten minutes away from the shore of Lake Geneva."
-Jeeso Nam, Duke in Geneva
"Duke in China was one of the best decisions I've made since starting college. I liked that this program was not dominated by Duke students but had a good mix of Yale and Brown students too. Everything was perfect, from the students to the teachers to the cultural experiences. I enjoyed everything."
-Yuchen Long, Duke in China
"'Berlin since the War' was undoubtedly the most interesting course I have taken thus far in my college career. Living in a city so rich in history was an incredible experience in itself, but the course instructors’ desire to take full advantage of the historical and cultural resources Berlin had to offer made the lessons that much more engaging. Almost every class period was spent out of the classroom visiting sites, which often included a behind the scenes tour from an expert in the field or witness to whichever event we were studying at the time. This course was definitely a hands-on and in-depth learning experience I will never forget."
-Cara Buchicchio, Duke in Berlin
"I've really enjoyed my Duke in Istanbul experience because of the amount of freedom and autonomy they give you, while still making sure you see the important parts of Istanbul. I especially thought the activities and tours they planned for us during our excursion to central and southern Turkey allowed us to get a good sense of the country. While the combination of schoolwork and pressure to experience as much of the culture as possible has been a bit overwhelming, I know I'll really miss Istanbul."
-Sarah Tufano, Duke in Istanbul
"Greece is one of the most scenic and picturesque places I have ever been to. I couldn't stop taking pictures. The philosophy class and the great people in the program really enhanced the overall experience."
-Dechen Lama, Duke in Greece
"Having previously visited Spain three times prior to my study abroad experience, I applied to Duke in Spain to fully immerse myself in the language as well as students that are also attempting to achieve fluency. Within the first week, I quickly began to feel like a Spanish resident and not a tourist. I fell in love with the language even more so and the interchange of experience and knowledge among my classmates while abroad was enlightening in a way that I began to learn phrases and general aspects of Spain that I never would be able to stumble upon or find by myself. After my six weeks abroad, my experience in Madrid and the connections I made in Spain will carry over whether both back in Madrid or back in Durham."
-Marsha Kononenko, Duke in Madrid
"For most of the program I felt like I was on a four-week walking tour, but I think that's what makes this Duke in Venice program special; we were there not to study a specific subject in a different country, but rather to study that different country. And even though the only things I learned to say in Italian are the gelato flavors, I have realized that for a sinking city, Venice is full of life and still has so much to offer to the world."
-Tammy Liaw, Duke in Venice
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