Lizz Herron-Sweet ’09
2006-07
Copacabana and Carnaval, futebol – Ronaldinho, anyone? – and capoeira, Gilberto Gil and Lula, favelas and beaches and the Amazon. What’s not to love about Brazil? I started Portuguese on a whim at the beginning of freshman year at Midd and I found myself thrown not only into the language, but also the culture and history of a country that seduces me more and more every day. Middlebury introduced me to Brazil, and my long-standing interest in Latin America has found focus in this mysterious and rich Portuguese outpost in Latin America. It is this region that I want to study in depth, not just one academic discipline, and the International Studies program serves this purpose exactly. Whether I’m reading “the one hundred best Brazilian short stories of the century” in Portuguese, discussing the colonial founding of Rio de Janeiro by Mem de Sá, or studying torture under the military dictatorship, the mix of perspectives I can get on Latin America contributing to the major will always keep me interested. Hard as it will be to leave Middlebury, I know I’ll be going abroad completely prepared to be a brasileira for a year. It all sounds perfect. The only problem? Once I’m there I may never be able to come back…
Alexis Nichole Stangarone '09
2006-07
Whether I was shopping in Venice, relaxing under the warm Piedmontese sun, or eating more food than I thought humanly possible, all my experiences in Italy have been among my most memorable. Be it the city or the country, the north or the south, the present or the past, Italy has captured my imagination. For me, becoming an IS major was one of the best decisions I could have made. I have been given the opportunity to continue learning Italian—everyday I am more and more amazed with its beauty—while at the same time exploring European (and Italian) history, which is another one of my passions. The most exciting thing for me, though, about being an IS major is the opportunity that awaits me when I will study in Florence. I can’t believe that I’m actually going to living in Italy, and that I will have the opportunity to take classes alongside Italian students. Until then there are so many things that I want to study about the region while I’m at Middlebury. Who knows, may be next year I’ll find myself discussing the impact of the European Union, or the Renaissance in class and then a semester later at quiet café in Florence with some new friends.
Maeve Margaret Whelan-Wuest '09.5
2006-07
Montreal, Canada and Tijuana, Mexico: the only two places outside the United States I have traveled to. This may seem a bit astonishing, given that we live in such a globally connected world, or even more so, because I decided to be an International Studies major. I believe, however, it is the unknown that drives curiosity, so I chose to focus on a region that is unlike any I have ever experienced. To my western mind, East Asia conjures images of an exotic place bustling with people, markets and beautiful landscapes. While I’m still a bit unsure as to why I chose to study Chinese, I couldn’t have been happier with my decision. The complexities of the language not only inspire me, but instill a sense of excitement within me to immerse myself in the equally complex culture as well. While some might find the prospect of being among, literally, billions of people overwhelming, I cannot wait to interact with people who have different experiences and viewpoints to offer. It was the idea of majoring on one subject that I found overwhelming, until I discovered the IS program and the versatility it offers. Now, I will be able to immerse myself in a language and culture in the context of geography, and to study how physical and human patterns of China interact on local, regional and global scales. So I guess the only thing left for me to do now is get my first passport!