The faculty in the Religious Studies Department is well-traveled. We teach about religious traditions throughout the world, and some of our members conduct their scholarly research in various foreign countries. For that reason, we encourage our students to enrich their study of religion by means of college-sponsored study abroad programs. In the recent past our students have studied on six of the seven continents of the world-North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The religious studies courses that our students take in foreign institutions count toward their religious studies major or minor at Gettysburg. Although most of our students study abroad for a single semester, students are permitted to study for two semesters in two different locations. Therefore, we encourage students to study abroad during the sophomore year, so that they can go abroad again during one of the two semesters of their junior year or during the first semester of their senior year. As you will see from the testimonials that some of our majors and minors have written, study abroad adds an important dimension to one's educational experience at Gettysburg College.
Allegra Teehan
I went abroad to Florence, Italy, and it was hands down the most amazing and rewarding experience of my life. I had a hard time adjusting to everything at first, especially given the language barrier, but once I was settled in I fell in love. I was able to travel to 9 different countries during my time abroad, and I had the time of my life, but nothing really compared to going back home to Italy. I felt as if it was truly my second home, and I don't think I've ever learned so much about a culture, or myself. I miss the city terribly and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
 This photo is from my first weekend of traveling when my friends and I went to the Amalfi Coast. I had the flu and it was around 90 degrees, but the views and the beaches were the most beautiful I had ever seen. This was taken on top of one of the coast's many large hills |
 This photo is of the Duomo in Florence. |
 This photo was taken in Perugia. My friends and I went for the chocolate festival in October, and it was one of the most delicious experiences of my life. This was the view from one of the higher points of the city, only accessible by a tiny train! |
 This photo was taken while in Venice during my mom's visit. We were on a canal tour and it was one of the few canals we had passed that wasn't bustling with gondolas, so I took the opportunity to snap a picture. |
Jessica Powell
While in England, I had the amazing opportunity of taking a three-week seminar in London and then studying at Lancaster University. In London, I saw the incredible history contained within the walls of Westminster Abbey and attended an Evensong service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. At Lancaster University, I took several classes in their Politics, Philosophy, and Religion department. These classes gave me the opportunity to study many religions and how media and society interact with them. I was in England while the vote concerning women bishops was taken. Watching history unfold in a country where religion has played such a monumental role was an incredible experience, as was taking classes there. I also attended services at several churches in the Lancaster area. In addition to all of this, I lived, took classes, and participated in activities with full-time students at Lancaster University. I learned from experience what it means to be a student at a British university. Studying abroad in England was, overall, an absolutely incredible and life-changing experience.
|
The Tower of London |
Stonehenge |
|
|
 The Lakes District |
Elizabeth Marshall
During my semester in Nepal, I spent the majority of my time in the Kathmandu Valley studying development and social change and Nepali language while living with a Nepali Newari (their caste/ethnicity) family. It was such an incredible experience being in a country where religion is such a large aspect of every day life and ritual. One of the biggest highlights of my semester was spending Tihar (a hindu holiday worshipping many different aspects of life) with my host family and being able to participate in the ritual and celebration. For my independent study project during the last month of my semester, I did research on Newari women and their attitudes on the importance and impact of educating girls (which was against the law 40 years ago) and how different religious, educational, and marital backgrounds influence educational decision making for the next generation of daughters. I loved meeting and interviewing so many inspiring women for my project and also being able to use my Nepali language skills in understanding these women's stories and hopes for the future in regards to girl's education!
Me in Muktinath, which is part of the Annapurna Circuit and at an elevation of 3600 M |
My host sister and I at Swayambuh, or the monkey |
My host sisters and I dancing on the night of baai tika(brother's worship) during Tihar. I am dressed up in traditional newari (a caste/ethnicity in nepal) dress. |
|
My host brother giving me tika (dot of blessing on the forehead) on the night of baai tika (brother's worship). Brothers and sisters give eachother tika to thank each other for protection and bless them for the next year.Erica Sieg
I studied abroad through the Washington Semester Program at American University. Each student enrolled is expected to have an internship in DC as well as enrolls in a seminar. I chose the "Peace and Conflict Resolution" seminar, which took us to meetings with officials within the State Department, The United States Institute of Peace, NGOs, IGOs, and Ambassadors all over DC. My DC experience was incredible, I loved my internship with a small marketing company as well as meeting influential people all over the Nation's Capitol. In March, my class of 16 students traveled abroad for one month working with individuals in Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. My time there was life-changing. In Cyprus, we met with individuals striving for peace and reunification between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots as well as we helped rehab families with members who went missing during the Civil War. My class worked with UN officials and even saw a facility that housed the remains of missing persons from mass graves. We met with the current and former President of Greek Cyprus as well as the former president of Turkish Cyprus. In Greece, we worked with former victims of human slavery and helped support the cause of the NGO the "No Project" (which rehabs and negotiates for human rights of human slaves). We also saw Greek Parliament and got to sit in on a Greek Parliament meeting before the continued uprisings in April as well as we observed public unrest. In Turkey, we worked with human rights advocates for Kurdish and Armenian individuals within the state as well as we studied the actions of the current AKP government and the changing rights of women within the state. We also had a private meeting with the Turkish leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in the heart of Istanbul as well as we were able to see the Blue Mosque and the Ana Sofia. I do not have one negative thing to say about the program--it is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.
 Some of my classmates and I outside of the temple of Athena on the Greek Island "Aegina." |
 The Acropolis in Athens, Greece |
Image of the ceiling inside of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul |
 Turkish Embassy:" My classmates and I with the Consular from the Turkish Embassy in DC. |
