Student travels the world during Fleximesters
May 5, 2009
Caroline Hopkins’ upcoming trip to China will be her fourth Fleximester trip she’s taken at PC. Hopkins will travel with other business administration and political science majors and minors from May 10 - May 26.
“I am really excited to see China,” she said. “I have never been to a country where the native language hasn’t been Spanish or English. I think it will be different trying to communicate in a place where I do not have any knowledge of the native language.”
The Spanish and math major and business administration minor has taken trips to Chile, Scotland, and one to Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. Since she was able to spend time with the Guizhou University students who recently visited PC, Hopkins is also looking forward to seeing the similarities between the US and China.
“I feel that these college students are very similar to us as college students,” she said, “and I feel like I will be surprised because China is such a different culture, but I am also expecting a lot of resemblance.”
Why Fleximesters?
The rising senior has preferred taking Fleximester trips because she says she would “miss PC too much” to spend an entire semester studying abroad. Plus, after visiting Chile during her first trip, she liked the idea of studying in a foreign country and receiving course credit.
“These trips have helped me earn my major and minor hours as well as given me incredible personal and firsthand knowledge of unique cultures and parts of the world,” Hopkins said.
She’s also grown along the way. She experienced culture shock when she flew into Santiago, Chile because she was completely immersed in a Spanish culture for the first time. She was much more prepared when she arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina during her next trip. While arriving in English-speaking Edinburgh, Scotland was the “easiest,” all were worthwhile.
“I think I have learned a lot from being forced to adapt in such different parts of the world,” Hopkins said. “Everywhere you go people recognize and understand you as a tourist, but there has always, for me at least, been an opportunity to learn.”
In addition to studying in Chilean and Scottish universities, Hopkins has visited famous sites, such as Easter Island in Chile and the Iguaza Falls in Brazil. She’s also had the chance to spend time with professors outside class, especially her Spanish professors.
“Dr. Saffi and Dr. Ramirez both took us into the homes of their families so that we could truly experience the culture, taste the food, and spend time with people from these different countries” she said.
“Traveling with PC to all of these different places has truly been such a rewarding experience for me,” Hopkins added. “I will never forget the opportunities I have had at PC to expand my knowledge and strengthen my education.”
More about Hopkins and PC's 2009 Fleximesters
Hopkins is a member of several organizations at PC, including Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Honor Council, College Republicans, Mathematics Association of America (MAA), Spanish Club, Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish Honor Society), Order of Omega (Greek Honor Society), and Omicron Delta Kappa (Honor Society). She was also an RA for the 2007-2008 school year.
The trip to China is one of six Fleximester trips that PC students will take this spring. Other trips include those to Ecuador, Europe, Ireland, Israel, and a tour through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi for the Civil Rights Fleximester.
Posted by Stacy Dyer '96
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