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spine-buster · 2 years

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the oh my god there’s only one bed.

gif credit @/leafsgm

A/N: Heritage Classic time! Plus, a big dream of Lusine’s is realized.

The email came through while Lusine was writing one of her final essays, one that was really taking the life out of her, but the one that she needed to ace (much like everything). She almost didn’t hear the notification because she was busy typing away like some sort of Beat poet on their typewriter. It was only when she was done writing her paragraph that she checked her email.

From: University of Toronto Summer Abroad Program [[email protected]] To: Lusine Forrester [[email protected]]

Dear Ms. Lusine Forrester,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to the 2022 Summer Abroad program in Berlin, Germany. All of your admission information (including course, residence, flight, invoice, and next steps) is available here:

http://summerabroad.utoronto.ca/student-login

Please login to this site immediately to confirm your details and complete the admission process.

In addition to your admission materials, the portal includes an online discussion forum. This will enable you to interact with other 2022 program participants. We have also invited last summer’s students to the forum, so that they can help answer questions you may have about their experience.

Finally, please note that there is information about the program on our main website that is relevant to your family members. We ask therefore that you send them the following URL:

http://summerabroad.utoronto.ca/for-families-of-students

Congratulations! If you have any questions please let us know.

Regards, Wendy Shern

Lusine shrieked. Loudly. She re-read the email and screamed at the top of her lungs. “Biancaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!”

“What’s going on?! What’s happening?! Why are you screaming?!” Bianca was screaming down the hallway as Lusine heard her footsteps barreling towards her room. The door burst open and she rushed into the room. “What’s wrong?!”

“Bianca I got in!”

“You got in?”

“I got into the summer abroad program. I’m going to Berlin!”

Bianca’s eyes bulged out of their sockets – and it was her turn to scream at the top of her lungs. Then they both screamed, jumping up and down and grabbing each other and jumping and hugging and jumping and jumping and jumping and jumping. “Oh my Goooooood!!! Oh my Gooood Lusiiiiiine! You’re going to Berlin!”

“I’m going to Berlin!”

“Berlin!”

“BERLIN!!!!!” they screamed simultaneously, continuing their jumping and shrieking until Piper began barking from Lusine’s bed, wanting to get in on the action. “Berlin, Piper! I’m going to Berlin!”

“Lusine—Lusine I—oh—oh my God my mom’s on the phone!” Bianca suddenly remembered, fishing her phone out of her hoodie’s pocket. “妈妈，Lusine 要去柏林读书了!” Lusine watched as Bianca’s face lit up and what her mom was saying. She was shocked when Bianca handed her the phone. “She wants to say congratulations.” [[ Mom, Lusine is going to study in Berlin!]]

Lusine had spoken to Mr. and Mrs. Yang countless times before – they were warm and friendly (and, albeit, strict), but Lusine knew they were cheering for her as much as they were cheering for their daughter. She took the phone from Bianca, bringing it to her ear. “Hi Mrs. Yang,” she sung into the phone.

“Bianca says you’re going to Berlin!” Mrs. Yang was excited on the other end. “Congratulations to you, Lusine!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Yang!”

“You tell your boyfriend yet?”

“No, not yet. I have to call him – he’s in Ohio.”

“Your parents will be very proud of you, too.”

Lusine couldn’t help but feel a sting of guilt at the words. Her parents wouldn’t know she would be going to Berlin until she actually touched down in Berlin. They probably wouldn’t find out about Rasmus either until she told them she was going to Sweden after Berlin. Lusine didn’t know how much Bianca told them about her relationship with her parents, but it didn’t matter to Lusine. At least she had one motherly figure congratulating her. “I hope they will be,” Lusine offered.

“Why wouldn’t they be? Very prestigious program! Next time you’re in Richmond Hill with Bianca, we’ll cook you free celebratory dinner.”

Mr. and Mrs. Yang owned a restaurant, so that was music to Lusine’s ears. “Deal. Thank you Mrs. Yang.”

“You’re welcome. Now give me back to my daughter.”

Lusine giggled slightly as she handed the phone back to Bianca, who was mouthing “We’ll talk after I finish this!” as she took it. Bianca continued to speak rapidly in Mandarin to her mom as she left the room. “我什么时候可以去柏林学习？绝不?！但是妈妈!” [[When can I go study in Berlin? Never? But mom!]]

Lusine giggled to herself as she took out her phone to text Rasmus.

She was so giddy with excitement that she couldn’t concentrate on her essay anymore – well, until she logged into the portal for students and confirmed her attendance to the program. It was official – she was going to Berlin. She didn’t know how, but she was going. She definitely didn’t have the money in her bank account. And she had no clue how to book a flight. She had a passport, at least – that she used as ID to get into clubs. But the logistics of it could wait, could sit at the back of her mind for now. Right now, adrenaline was coursing through her veins at the prospect of studying abroad. In Berlin. In one of the world’s greatest cities, with so much history and culture.

She made sure to print everything she needed to know about the program – the dates, itinerary, flight information, course information, textbook list – before reading through it all and stapling it all together. It was only when she calmed down enough (not really) to focus back on her essay (even momentarily) did her phone start buzzing on her desk. She looked down to see Rasmus’s name on her caller ID, of course. She picked up immediately. “Hey handsome,” she cooed into the phone.

“Hey,” he said quickly. “What’s your news, lilla fågel?”

“Rasmus, I got in.”

“Got in?—”

“—I got into the summer abroad program. I’m going to Berlin,” she interrupted him, unable to hold back.

“Yeeeeeeeeeessssssssss!!!!!!!!!!” he screamed into the phone, so loudly that she had to take it away from her ear momentarily. “Lusine, that’s the best news ever! I—hold on—hold on—I’m gonna put you on speaker—”

“Where are you right now?”

“We’re literally just walking out to board the plane. Repeat what you just said to me.”

She couldn’t help but blush and smile at his actions. He was so proud of her, he was showing it off to his teammates. “I was accepted into the summer abroad program to study in Berlin!” she announced. God only knew how many of his teammates were listening.

A round of loud yelling, hoots, and hollers could be heard through the phone, causing Lusine to laugh. She could distinctly hear Morgan Rielly’s voice yell “Atta girl, Lusine!” right before Auston’s “Can I tag along?” and William’s “Congrats, Lusine!” She couldn’t believe he put her on speaker phone. “You hear that?” Rasmus asked. “What an accomplishment, lilla fågel. You deserve it.”

“I just accepted the offer by email. I—Ras, I’m going to Berlin!”

“We’ll celebrate tomorrow when I get back,” he said. “I’m so proud of you, Lusine. You deserve it. You deserve the world – to see the world.”

***

It was going to be cold in Hamilton for the Heritage Classic, which meant Lusine needed to make sure she bundled up.

When Rasmus and the rest of the team got back from Columbus, he made good on his promise. He bought a small bottle of champagne and cracked it open with Lusine as congratulations for her huge accomplishment. As it was closing in on the end of her second year, she had piles of work to do, which meant she couldn’t go to the games against Seattle or Arizona. But, that also meant that with a substantial percent of her work done, she was truly able to enjoy the Heritage Classic weekend in Hamilton. Wives, girlfriends, and family members were riding in two of their own luxurious coach buses – with some even driving down themselves – and the team had taken their own coach bus earlier in the day. Lusine made sure to get a seat beside Bee, with Aberdeen on the other side of the table in the quad seat set up.

The second Bee saw Lusine approaching their quad, an excited smile appeared on her face. The girls had their jackets, scarfs, mittens, and other cold weather gear off, but Lusine still had hers on. “Lusine! Congratulations!” Bee beamed.

“Thanks, Bee,” she smiled bashfully.

“Congratulations? What’s the congratulations about?” Aberdeen side-eyed them.

“Morgan told me you called Rasmus when they were boarding the plane out of Columbus and he put it on speaker—I—Lusine, you should tell her,” Bee said.

Lusine looked over at Aberdeen with a giant smile. “I got into the summer abroad program. I’ll be studying in Berlin this summer.”

If Lusine thought Rasmus was loud on the phone, or the guys were loud when he put it on speaker – well, those were nothing compared to how loud Aberdeen was screaming once she dropped the news. “Oh my God Lusine that’s amazing!” the smile on Aberdeen’s face spread from ear to ear. “What an accomplishment! You’re going to have the best time in Berlin.”

“Have you ever been?”

“No, but I hear it’s a blast,” Aberdeen said. “When is your program?”

“Um, we fly out July 2nd, but the program is officially from July 4th to August 5th.”

“Oh my God an entire month in Berlin!” Bee exclaimed. “We’re not gonna recognize you when you get back!”

“Give us every detail, girl,” Aberdeen urged.

So Lusine did. She spoke at length about the program – exactly what she’d be studying, what she’d be doing, the big essay at the end of it; all the excursions the group would participate in; her class of only twenty students for her specific course, which was ideal – and the girls ate it all up. “You are seriously going to have the time of your life,” Bee said when she was done. “You’re going to learn so much about yourself while you’re over there.”

“William’s a dead man for not telling me,” Aberdeen huffed. “I can’t believe he forgot something so important.”

The girls giggled – William could be forgetful. “Have you booked your flight yet?” Bee asked innocently.

“Uh, not yet,” Lusine said. “I just had to put down a deposit to save my spot. We—we don’t have the flight details yet to book, so I’m just waiting. Until then I’m gonna have to put on some more concerts for some extra cash,” she joked.

It was okay to tell a little white lie, right? Because that’s what Lusine just did. There was some truth to what she said – she did put down a $1000 deposit to save her spot – but the flight details were already provided because the university had blocked off a section of seats for the participants. The absolute truth was that she couldn’t afford it, at least not yet. With the $1000 deposit taking a chunk out of her bank account, Lusine had researched the price for a seat on the flight and it was going to be upwards of another $1000. While she could technically book, it would mean that she would just scrape by for her April rent on the first of the month – and that didn’t account for groceries, her phone bill, the internet bill she and Bianca split, or anything else. The other thing that she hated to think about was the entire fee. Including everything – course fee, incidental fees, field trip fees, accommodation, flight, meals, textbooks, local transportation, and travel insurance (this didn’t even account for spending money) – she was looking at a bill of just over $9000. She had nowhere near that amount of money saved up. And she needed to have it all paid by April 30th.

She liked to think she had options. Her first option, of course, was to get a second job, but she didn’t know a job where she’d be able to earn $10,000 in two months. The second option was to go to her bank and get a loan. She was responsible with her money, always paid her rent and bills on time – the bank surely would lend her money, maybe even a student loan, so she could study abroad. If the bank didn’t give her a loan, there was always the option of sitting down with Bianca and Mr. and Mrs. Yang and asking them for a loan. It would probably be much “cheaper” in term of interest, and at least there was a relationship there, which meant there was trust that Lusine would pay them back.

The last resort was talking to Rasmus about it.

The absolute last resort was involving any of her brothers.

It was unthinkable to even involve her parents.

***

“Owww! Why’d you do that for? You can injure me before our big outdoor game!” William whined as he rubbed the part of his bicep that Aberdeen pinched the moment she saw him.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew Lusine got into her summer abroad program?!” Aberdeen demanded.

“I d—I don’t know!” William said. “I guess I forgot.”

“How could you forget?”

“Minskatt, what have I told you since day one, hmm? All I think about is you. I think about you when I’m not even thinking.”

Aberdeen rolled her eyes, though a warm flush ran throughout her body. Even after a few years, those words still brought her so much love. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you love it.”

***

“I bet Aberdeen’s pinching Willy right now for not telling her,” Morgan said as he hung his suit in the hotel room closet. He looked back at Bee, standing by the window, looking out at the view of Hamilton. “She’ll probably leave a bruise on his delicate Swedish skin.”

Bee laughed at Morgan, looking back at him momentarily to see him walking towards her. “She’s very lucky,” she said, looking back out the window.

“Aberdeen?”

“Lusine,” she clarified, feeling his arms wrap around her. “She’s lucky and she knows it.”

“I’m sure she does.”

“No, I don’t mean…” she trailed off slightly. “She made this joke on the bus today that she’s going to have to put on more concerts so she can earn more money. She knows she’s lucky. She’s not gonna take it for granted.”

Bee could feel Morgan give her neck a quick kiss. “Just like you, Bumblebee,” he mumbled against her skin.

***

Rasmus gasped loudly and dramatically as he carried Lusine’s overnight bag into their hotel room with her following close behind. It was as if he saw a dead body or something. “Oh. My. God!!!” he exclaimed loudly.

“What?! What is it?”

“Look at this!”

Lusine hurried through, standing beside him as she surveyed the completely normal-looking hotel room. “What?”

“There’s only one bed!” he was emphatic. “There’s only one bed!”

Lusine was confused. “So?”

Rasmus whipped her head towards her. “How are we supposed to maintain our virgin innocence when there’s only one bed?” he demanded.

Lusine snorted laughing at his tone of voice and the way he asked the question. She was a fit of giggles as she shook her head at him. “You’re such a little shit, you know that?”

“I took a trip to Steeltown, not a trip to pound town,” Rasmus continued. “I can’t have Sheldon thinking I participate in the no pants dance when I’m at work. I’m a serious hockey player.”

Lusine lost it at his euphemisms. God only knows where he learned those. “Get over here, you idiot.”

“Don’t tempt me! I’m gonna have to sleep with that chastity belt I packed—”

“—Rasmus,” she stressed, walking over to him and throwing her arms around his shoulders. “As if you’d resist me.”

“I’m a serious hock—”

She kissed him to shut him up – really kissed him. Took-him-by-surprise-and-ran-her fingers-through-his-hair-and-stuck-her-tongue-down-his-throat-kind-of kiss. And, in no surprise to absolutely every single soul on God’s green earth, Rasmus kissed her back. “How long until you have to board the bus?” she asked quickly.

He looked over quickly at the clock on the nightstand. “Half an hour.”

“We can get up to a lot of fun in half an hour.”

***

Aleida and Aryne drove into Hamilton separately, what with both needing car seats and their own schedule based on their children, not a team executive, and arrived to the hotel later that afternoon. Buffalo had their outdoor practice and family skate earlier that afternoon, which meant that the girl bundled up and headed to Tim Horton’s Field during the Leafs practice because they were going to have their own family skate afterwards.

Lusine noticed there were cameras everywhere. Most of them were positioned around the ice, filming practice, but there were some lingering around where all the families were, getting ready to go outside. Lusine was so bundled up she thought she looked like the Michelin man. She didn’t even know if she would be able to bend over to tie up her skates.

“You’re not nervous, are you?” she suddenly heard Bee’s voice behind her.

“Not nervous,” Lusine shook her head. “Just…”

“They’re intimidating, aren’t they?” Bee seemed to pick up on what Lusine was apprehensive about. “All the cameras.”

“Very,” Lusine admitted with a nervous giggle. “How did you get used to them?”

“I haven’t,” Bee said. “I don’t think you can, really. It’s not like this anywhere else, by the way.”

“No?”

“God no. One of my best friends, Tyler – he plays for the Ottawa Senators, and he’s also played for Edmonton – there’s nowhere near this amount. And Edmonton has Connor McDavid.”

Lusine gulped. “I guess this is something I’m gonna have to live with.”

“Unfortunately. Mo’s got a knack for staying out of their way, so if you stick around us, you should be good,” Bee offered. “D’you need help with your skates?”

Lusine followed behind Bee and sat on a bench as Bee walked on, only to have Manny Malhotra help her tie up skates. Aryne was fastening skates and stabilizers onto Jace, but the infamous sled was also present. Lusine looked around the room to see Aberdeen being helped with her skates, and Bee talking to Aleida – Bee had Helena in her giant snowsuit bouncing on her lap while Aleida tied up her own skates. Not long afterwards, some of the guys came in, as did cameras, and announced that everybody was allowed out on the ice.

Lusine took a deep breath and walked through the tunnel until they got outside. It was still snowing. It was probably going to make for some excellent romantic pictures, but that just meant it would be colder and the ice wouldn’t be like the ice at the family skate back in December. She waited for Rasmus to approach, and when he did, he had a smile on his face. “Ready, lilla fågel?” he asked.

“I think so.”

He extended his hand but she didn’t grab onto it – instead, she stepped out onto the ice independently, just like last time. She wobbled a bit, and slipped slightly as she tried to take off, but for the most part, she was able to do it on her own. When she looked up again to find him, she saw him smiling at her, snow falling all around him. It was probably the most earnest he’d ever looked. “Why’re you looking at me like that?” she asked, unable to keep her own smile off her face.

“Cause you’re the best. And because I love you so much.”

“Because I skate without your help?” she teased.

“Because everything,” he said. “You’re just the greatest.”

Lusine reached out for his hand, finally, and they skated together around the ice as the snow fell dreamily around them. Michael Bunting skated by Instagram-living, making smoochie noises behind the camera. As always, Aberdeen skated up with William and began to take hundreds of pictures of them because they were just so freakin’ adorable, forcing them to take out their own phones for some selfies. About half way through the skate, all the girls got together near the bench, forming a line and posing for a formal photo, taken by none other than a roped-in-by-Aberdeen Brendan Shanahan.

While she posed in between Lisa, Erik Källgren’s girlfriend, and Aberdeen, Lusine took a moment to look around her – at most of the guys still skating on the ice, at the women that surrounded her, at the support staff, coaches, trainers, and other family members having fun and taking pictures. She smiled to herself. As someone who spent so much time alone, sheltered away from the outside world, it was a gift to her to be able to be surrounded by people who were her friends, skating on an outdoor rink while it snowed outside, taking in a truly Canadian and truly magical experience.

***

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! Please act surprised when she tells you. I wasn’t supposed to say anything and now I’ve blurted it out and ruined everything,” Bee said quickly to Aleida as they skated with one another.

“Don’t worry, I will,” Aleida assured her, pulling an empty sled behind her as Freddie had taken Helena out to show her off to the guys. “She told you guys on the bus?”

Bee nodded. “You know how you and I always talk about how people around us take things for granted?”

“Your thank you note to Masai,” Aleida nodded her head. “Of course. Some people never learn and still aren’t as classy as you.”

Bee couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, I think something similar is going on with Lusine.”

“What do you mean?”

“She made this comment on the ride over here about having to put on more concerts for extra cash,” Bee revealed. “It just got me thinking, Aleida, like I always do. Unlike many people we know, I don’t think her parents are spotting her for this. If at all.”

Aleida sighed slightly. “That game against Pittsburgh, when Saylor said those horrible things to her – when I was talking to her in the bathroom, she mentioned how she was very sheltered, how her parents sort of – she used the word hover. They hovered over her. And part of her coming to Toronto was her wanting to prove that she can survive without them hovering over her.”

“Well, there was that car accident she told us about, remember? I wonder if they’re connected,” Bee mused.

Aleida didn’t answer. Instead, she paused and considered Bee’s words and Lusine’s comment about needing to put on more concerts to earn more money. Aleida knew a lot of people in her life, past and present, and the main topics of conversation amongst some circles was always one thing, and one thing only: money. It made the world go ‘round. And for many girls in Toronto, money was their saving grace, but also their biggest worry; it was their biggest cushion, but also their biggest concern. It was what they cared about the most. How they got it (rich parents, jobs, sugar daddies), how they spent it (designer bags, high-end dinners, $25 cocktails), how they kept up appearances. It seemed like everybody had cash to spare, but smart people like Aleida knew that wasn’t the case. People like Aleida knew about the lengths some people would go to to make it seem like they had all the money in the world. Lusine wasn’t that person. She lived a modest life – a true 19 year old living on their own for the first time. That’s when the gears started shifting in Aleida’s head. “You think she’s gonna have to put it on student loans or something?”

Bee shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve never asked about money and I don’t think I will. But it’s obviously something she’s thinking about. I mean, I know what it’s like to live on a tight budget, and to not have the money in your bank account for stuff you really want to do, especially travel. This is obviously an amazing opportunity for her and she’s going to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

“Do you think she’ll ask Rasmus?” Aleida asked, but immediately knew the answer – she didn’t even know why she asked it in the first place.

Bee even gave her a look. “Come on. Have any of us – me, you, Aberdeen? I had to beg Morgan to pay for groceries when we first started dating.”

“You’re right. That was stupid of me. He’s for sure the last resort,” Aleida nodded. She looked down the ice to see Lusine and Rasmus skating together, holding hands. Eventually, he pulled her into his chest for a hug and started spinning in circles, getting her to giggle. “They’re so young and in love it actually makes me sick sometimes,” Aleida joked.

Bee laughed too. “There’s the Aleida I know and love.”

***

After a lovely team dinner at the hotel after the family skate, everybody retired back to their rooms for the night in preparation for the game tomorrow.

Rasmus and Lusine took things slowly. There was no rush to get each other’s clothes off, no rush to get into bed or see each other naked. They kissed for a long time, long enough that their lips swelled slightly red, and it was only then that Rasmus moved to take off Lusine’s clothes, that she moved to take off his, that they fell into bed while holding each other in each other’s arms.

“I love you so much,” Lusine mumbled against his lips as he shifted positions so he was on top of her.

“I love you too, lilla fågel,” he responded. “You excited for tomorrow?”

“I’m always excited for your hockey things,” she said as he kissed along her jaw. “You know that.”

Rasmus continued kissing down her neck until he got to the mounds of her breasts. “I’m gonna remind you that you said that in fifteen or twenty years,” he said, looking up at her.

She smiled down at him, pushing his hair back quickly. “Deal. Then after twenty-five, thirty, forty, fifty years too.”

Rasmus bit his bottom lip. “Deal.”

He worked to unclasp her bra and she pushed his boxers down; their hands moved all over each other’s bodies until they were both fully naked. Lusine let out a sigh as he entered her slowly, intertwining his fingers with hers and raising her arms above her head. He looked down at her as he began to move, noticing how she closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. “You always feel so good, Ras,” she whispered, squeezing his hands.

“Because I was made for you,” he mumbled. “You and only you.”

There wasn’t much more that could be said; everything else had to be felt by the physical adulation. There was more squeezing of hands; more little sighs escaping the both of them; more whispers of sweet nothings to each other until the both of them came together, taking the time to make it last until he released her hands and laid himself on top of her.

“I love you,” Lusine whispered into his ear. “You and only you.”

He smiled at the repeated sentiment. “It’s always been that way. Always will be.”

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fairfieldustudyabroad · 7 years

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Introducing: Summer 2017 Global Ambassadors!

Fairfield students know that summer can be the perfect time to study abroad! Whether motivated by strict academic schedules, athletic commitments or personal preferences, many students find the summer months preferable for studying abroad rather than a full semester or year (beautiful summer weather helps too!).

Reporting back on their various experiences this summer are Fairfield’s six Global Ambassadors below. In their introductions you will learn where they are studying and why they chose to go abroad now. Follow along on the blog all summer long for updates on their experiences!

Name: Hannah Anderson

Major: Nursing

Minor: Spanish

Program location: Madrid, Spain

Class of 2019

I chose to go to Comillas International because the program has everything I was looking for: language, culture, and full immersion into the city of Madrid. As an aspiring nurse, it is imperative that I take advantage of opportunities to expand my knowledge. Being that my career will likely expose to people from all over the globe, it would be ideal to make my future patients feel comfortable. For some that may mean speaking in their native tongue of Spanish. I cannot imagine a better way to learn Spanish than in a naturally Spanish speaking environment. I think it would also be fascinating to experience the teaching style of a native speaker. While abroad, I hope to explore all that Spain has to offer and I am beyond excited for the adventure that’s in store.

Name: Julia Cooper

Major: Business Management

Program location: Sydney, Australia

Class of 2019

My name is Julia Cooper and my major at Fairfield University is Business Management. I am a sophomore student who transferred here in the fall of 2016. My study abroad location is Sydney, Australia and I will be attending Australian Catholic University (ACU). I was deciding between this program and one in Florence, Italy and I chose Australia because it is an English speaking country and I thought that I would enjoy Australia more because it is more similar to what I am interested in than Italy is. Traveling to Italy would have been amazing, but I am more interested in seeing the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney Opera House than I would be to see sculptures or paintings in Italy. Another reason I chose Australia is because my parents lived there for a year before I was born. My entire life I have always wanted to be able to travel there because of all of the stories I have heard. A few of my parents’ friends from Melbourne and other places have visited us in the United States and they are all so friendly and simply good people. I chose to do a summer study abroad session instead of a semester because I am a transfer student and I already missed a year of being here at Fairfield. I also don’t think I could be that far away from my family and friends for 3-4 months. My goals for my time abroad is just to make the most of my time there and try to see everything that I can see. I want to meet new people and experience a different culture than my own. I am excited for the class that I am taking. It is called Beaches and Coasts and I think it is going to be very interesting. Another goal is to stay on top of my school work while also being able to explore the city and do some activities.

Name: Michaela Cottam

Major: Nursing

Program location: Florence, Italy

Class of 2019

Hi everyone! I’m Michaela Cottam and I will be spending four weeks of my summer in Italy. Since I am part of the Cultural Introduction Program I will be starting in Rome, and I will be participating field learning and research in Tuscany. My final destination will be Florence, where I will be spending most of my time. When abroad, I am going to be studying the History of the Italian Renaissance, which will definitely be a nice break from all of my nursing classes! I am looking forward to being able to visit many of the places I have been learning about like the Colosseum, Michelangelo’s David, and the Piazza della Signoria. Not to forget one of my excursion trips to the Amalfi Coast! I have seen so many pictures, but I cannot wait to see it in person. I am so excited for this opportunity and I cannot wait to see what Florence has to offer!

Name: Kieran Cottrill

Major: International Business, Minor: Marketing

Program location: Galway, Ireland

Class of 2018

Hello, my name is Kieran Cottrill and I am from Yardley, Pennsylvania. I am currently a junior here at Fairfield University. My major is international business with a minor in marketing. Unfortunately for a whole slew of reasons I was unable to study abroad during the 2016-2017 school year. However, I strongly encourage the prospect of studying abroad somewhere, as it is an extremely unique opportunity. I can hardly contain my excitement to go abroad this summer. On June 19th I am headed to Galway, Ireland for The National University of Ireland Galway’s summer Irish studies program.

Half of my family lives in England so I have been to the United Kingdom 4 or 5 times in my life. However, I have never been lucky enough to go over to Ireland. The fact that I am 100% English will be something I will keep very quiet In Ireland as I understand the English and Irish have a checkered past. I plan to introduce my name as Kieran and leave it at that. Having said that, I love the Irish culture and every Irish person I have met has been incredibly amiable. I chose this location because I think it will be a great opportunity for me to visit somewhere I have never been to before and to experience an entirely new culture.

My goals for this study abroad initiative are two-fold. Firstly, as an international business major it will likely be very important for me to be able to travel abroad alone. I have never once traveled abroad alone before so this will be a tremendous growing experience. Secondly, I would like to become an overall more worldly person, as the experience of immersing oneself in a new culture is imperative to accomplishing that. Understanding a broad range of cultures is essential as an international business major and I can hardly wait to embark on that journey!

Name: Aisling Coffey

Major: Nursing

Program location: Athens, Greece

Class of 2019

Hello! My name is Aisling and I am studying in Athens as part of the College Year in Athens program for a month during this summer! I am taking a class on the Anthropology of Food in Greece with other American students from across the country. I am very excited to immerse myself in the Greek culture by learning about the Mediterranean diet and its connection to the national identity of Greece. Greece has always been a country I have wanted to visit and I am so excited I get to experience it through this program. The majority of my time abroad will be spent studying in Athens and discovering all the city has to offer. The class will then finish in the town of Koroni. Studying abroad during the summer was the best decision for me as a nursing major. Now I am able to stay on track with the nursing program while at Fairfield and still have the opportunity to study abroad and experience a new culture. I am very excited to begin this adventure and share with you all what I learn!

Name: Katie Santo

Major: Business, Minor: Business Analytics

Program location: Berlin, Germany

Class of 2019

Hi everyone! My name is Katie Santo, I am a rising junior here at Fairfield University. I am a management major with a business analytics minor. I am also extremely involved with the student association on campus, FUSA. I was elected to be Class of 2019 President my freshman, sophomore, and now upcoming junior year, as well as the Speaker of the Senate for the 2017-2018 academic year. Due to my roles here on campus, I decided I could not spend a full semester abroad, but did not want to miss out on the opportunity. Consequently, I decided to look into the summer programs offered here. As a person, I have always been extremely independent, and often times find myself in situations where I know no one, but this is where I thrive. I truly enjoy getting the chance to meet new people and break out of my comfort zone. Therefore, when I began my search for when I wanted to spend my time abroad, I knew I did not want to go where a lot of my classmates had gone or are planning to go. I wanted to be able to know no one, and be forced to experience everything on my own. After researching various programs with and without the school, I made my decision to study abroad over the 2017 summer session in Berlin, Germany. I have been to Europe various times, yet have never traveled to Germany or around that area. I do not know anyone else going for to this location during this session, and will be staying with in a dorm with three or four roommates while I am over there. While in Berlin, I will be taking a Holocaust Studies course, which I am very interested to learn about from someone with a German perspective. After I decided to spend my time in Europe, I decided I should also use this time to travel to all the other countries available to me. I began doing research on where I could travel within a reasonable distance, and purchased a Eurail pass that will allow me to travel throughout Europe continuously for the month I am staying there. With no German background or language proficiency, I am getting a little nervous about being on my own. However, I have faith in myself that once I arrive, I will make the very best of it. While abroad, I hope to meet a lot of new people, both from the area and other students choosing to spend their time abroad there. It is a big decision to make, so I feel that if I meet those other students we will find to have a lot in common. Truthfully, I really do not know what to expect, so I am simply hoping to thoroughly enjoy my time over there. I want to have the feeling of being at home, and never wanting to leave. I am really looking forward to my trip and all the experiences awaiting me. I am also excited to document each step of the way to share on here, and hear all about everyone else’s experiences! Best of luck to you all!!

#fairfieldabroad #studyabroad #hannah #julia #michaela #kieran #aisling #katie #fairfieldu #summerabroad #fairfieldsummerabroad

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