Transcript Study Abroad Photo Contest - Case Western Reserve University

Study Abroad Photo Contest
And the winners are…
Honorable Mention
Katie D’Angelo- Nicaragua. “Hanging by a Thread”: This picture was taken on the top of a volcano in Nicaragua,
called Cerro Negro, on March 15, 2012. Cerro Negro is the youngest volcano in Central America and the most active
cinder volcano in the world. As a group, we traveled a few hours to get to the volcano in Leon, Nicaragua, and then
hiked up the volcano for one hour. The hike was extremely difficult, and it was very windy. There were no manmade paths, just ledges, and steep incline next to you. Once we got to the top of the mountain, we boarded down
on our boards, which were essentially pieces of wood. (I went the fastest in my group: 55 km/hour!) We came
across this rock, which was slightly over an edge, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take pictures (and rest!).
Carrie Tulino- Amsterdam, Netherlands. “Canal view”: A friend and I took a ride/tour on a canal boat to
explore the city. I think this is an interesting view which captures the Dutch charm of the canals, buildings,
and bicycles that a part of the culture.
Heather Voss-Hoynes- Dublin, Ireland. “Castle View”: This is a photo of Temple Bar, a popular destination, taken
from the steps of Dublin Castle. The glowing lights and a whir of activity at the crosswalk captured in the photo
epitomize life in Dublin: inviting and exciting. The bus pictured is of significance to me, too, because I took a similar
one to get to dance class each week; the women in my class became a family to me.
Catherine Raber- Séléstat, Alsace, France.
“Haut Koenigsbourg”: The photo is of Haut
Koenigsbourg, located in the Vosges
Mountains outside the small town of
Séléstat, Alsace, France. Restored by Wilhelm
II in 1900, Haut Koenigsbourg was first
mentioned in 1147 as a castle. The castle
belonged to the Dukes of Lorraine, who in
turn leased it to the Ratsamhausen family for
two centuries. I took this photo, as was
Emperor Wilhem II’s intent, to celebrate the
qualities of medieval Alsace, and one of its
many changes in nationality. The mountains
that can be seen in the horizon of the photo
are the Black Forest in Germany.
Matthew Wells- Okayama, Japan. “Zazen (座禅)”: During my time in Japan, I spent a month living and training in a
Zen monastery in Okayama, Japan. This was from February, 2011 until March, 2011. My time in the monastery
included waking up at 3:30 A.M., meditating from 8-14 hours per day in the freezing cold, and essentially every
other typical aspect of monastic life. I chose the photo because my time at Sougenji (the monastery) was one of the
most life-changing experiences I have had. Also, very, very few foreigners are ever allowed to train in a monastery in
Japan, so it was quite an honor to be given such a privilege.
Nicole Chiu- Athens, Greece. “Aesthetic Athens”: This photo was taken as I was exploring the Acropolis of Athens
(just after walking past the Parthenon!), thanks to a friend studying abroad in Athens. The weather was warm
despite the winter month, the sun highlighted the honey stains on the white columns, and I was taking a break in
the shade when I noticed the perfect straight lines of ancient columns. Structures in Athens are impossibly old, and
this photo is proof of the flawless Greek architecture, despite age and time.
Sharif Sabe- Costa Rica. “Sunset at Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica”: I feel that this photo best captures the beauty of
the Costa Rican foliage, sunset, and the overall awe that the natural landscape in Costa Rica elicits.
Kelly McCready- St. Petersburg, Russia.
“Hermitage Silhouettes”: Outside the
Hermitage on the cobbled streets of St.
Petersburg, my classmates and I worked on
our Russian stage movement exercises.
Elliot Schwartz- Turkey. “Biking”: Biking with friends in Turkey’s Saklikent Gorge.
Jessica Taylor- Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia. “Irukandji”: One of the many activities you can do on
Magnetic Island is ride horses through the bush and into the ocean. Many locals are quite skeptical of the ocean
that tourists are so drawn to. During our bareback horse ride, we were required to wear stinger suits to reduce the
risk of being stung by any of the several lethal jellyfish species found in these waters. Moments after I took this
picture of my friend, she was stung by an Irukandji jellyfish on the one part of her body that wasn’t covered – her
toes. The venom from these tiny creatures induces severe pain, restlessness and a feeling of ‘impending doom.’
We rushed Lauren to the local emergency clinic where she was carefully watched for several hours while receiving
morphine for the pain. Though this won’t keep us from enjoying the Great Barrier Reef, we are much more careful
and aware of the dangers that await us in the water.
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Elliot Schwartz- Madrid, Spain. “Guernica”: Picasso’s most famous painting in Madrid
Third Place
Jinny Ye- Guilin City, Guangxi Province, China. “Scenic Route”: Bamboo rafting down the majestic Li River
provides one of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of Yangshuo County. Yanghuo County and the rest of Guilin is
known for their picture perfect and unique, rounded mountains. This photo shows the wondrous backdrop for not
only a ride my friends and I took but also of the local people’s imagination as they described the animal shapes
some of the mountains had.
Second Place
Peter Knutson- Amsterdam, Netherlands. “Relaxing with Friends”: I chose this photo because it shows several
aspects of Dutch life in Amsterdam, yet Leidseplein is an area filled with tourists. In the foreground, part of a tram
track can be seen in the middle of the cobblestone road. The middle ground is filled with hundreds people (tourists
and locals alike) sitting outside, enjoying their friends' company and a drink on a nice day. Bikers also whip by,
weaving between pedestrians. The background shows some of the buildings that enclose the square, which contain
mostly restaurants and cafes.
First Place
Kelly McCready- Moscow, Russia. “The Painter of St. Basil’s”: This was taken on the bridge just by Red Square in
Moscow. The colors were so vivid, and the painter perfectly encapsulates what I remember about Russians;
passionate, messy, creative, and talented.