| | Fall 2019 #8 | October 14, 2019
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~Study~ - Staff Profile- Meliha Duraković
- LUX 345 Class Trip Recap with Emile Haag
- Student Teachers Arrive in Lux
~Engage~
- Claire DiCuccio- Host Family Reunion
- SFC Cookout and Halloween Decorations Recap
~Travel~
- Travel Photos
- Discovery Tour-In Flanders Fields
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Staff Profile- Meliha DurakovićMeliha is MUDEC's new housing coordinator and has taking over Crici Dumont's role in the Château. Read on to learn a little more about her:
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1. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where did you go to school and what did you study? Did you study abroad and if so where?
I was born and raised here in Luxembourg, but my origins go back to Montenegro (a country that was part of the former Republic of Yugoslavia). I recently graduated from high school and got a degree in "Sciences Sociales" (roughly translated in English means social sciences) and had subjects such as psychology, education, sociology, languages and many more. No, unfortunately I never got the chance to study abroad, but now I might get the opportunity to go on study tour with the students and visit some new places.
2. I know that you are taking over Crici's position as Housing Coordinator. What are you most excited about?
Well it's hard to tell what I'm most excited about. I'm excited about several things such as using English (which is my favorite language) on a daily basis, and working with the students and the host families. But if I had to choose, I think that interacting with people and not sitting behind a computer 24/7 would be the one thing I'm most excited about.
3. What has been your favorite memory of MUDEC so far?
The warm welcome I received on my first day. Everyone was so nice and so happy to be working with me and that's a memory that I will cherish forever.
4. What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I love to binge-watch my favorite TV shows over and over again! Re-watching "Friends", 'The Big Bang Theory" and "Grey's Anatomy" never gets old. Cooking is another passion of mine, I really love to experiment with recipes and just try out new stuff, and it doesn't matter if it turns out well or not.
7. What is a fun fact about you that most people, and especially MUDEC Méinden readers, don’t know?
I'm already fluent in so many languages, however I've decided to learn Arabic. It's harder than I thought so it might take me a good amount of years to actually learn it :). I just love the traditions and culture of the Middle East and the North African countries and would love to visit most of them.
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LUX 345 Field Trip to Luxembourg City
LUX 345 students took a Friday field trip to Luxembourg City. Students traveled to The Court of Justice, the Old Quarter to visit the Museum of the City of Luxembourg, and a bus ride to Betzdorf, to visit the satellite company SES. Check out pictures below!
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Miami Student Teachers Arrive in Luxembourg
The department of Teacher Education (EDT) has been placing student teachers in Europe for about 40 years and only recently have some of these students been placed in Luxembourg or, more specifically in Differdange or Esch. Student teaching is a required course in all teacher licensure programs and the students who come to Lux are fulfilling some of their program requirements. Welcome to Michaela Brun, Kathryn Guirnalda, MacKallie Householder, Brooke Roach, Elizabeth Snyde, Sun Xintao, and Katelyn Young.
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Coming Home to Lux
by Claire DiCuccio-Spring 2019 Student
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This week Luxembourg had the absolute privilege of welcoming me back into its borders. While I unfortunately didn’t recommence my wonderful study abroad experience, I came for a better reason. My beautiful host parents were married on Saturday, and I was lucky enough to be invited.
To have the capability to say to my family and professors: “I need to return to Luxembourg for a week”, is something not every student could say. And who would be crazy enough to say no? I was fortunate enough to be matched with a host family that provided me with every opportunity to experience Luxembourg for the wonderful country it is. From our spring day trip in Vianden to our afternoon at the Casemates, I could not have asked for better companions.
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And of course, the reason for this week’s visit was their marriage. I remember when I landed in Luxembourg for the first time, Marco told me they were going to be married in October. Never did I consider I would be in attendance! It was so nostalgic to exit baggage claim and see Marco waiting for me this past week, and then the familiarity of the city followed with the drive home. I truly felt back at home. The wedding took place at the catholic church in Hamm, and the reception followed in a farm outside Bastogne, Belgium!
They are more than my host parents; they are my family. It was so wonderful to see how much their ceremony reflected who they are, and the fact that I could recognize it makes it even more gratifying. It’s very special to have this relationship with them, I wish every student could have this experience! I would be remiss if I didn’t thank and dedicate this article to Crici Dumont. Without her, I would not have met this wonderful family and had an unforgettable semester in Luxembourg. I know Crici will be missed, but I am so grateful for all she gave me, and I wish her the very best!
I look forward to my next visit to Luxembourg and knowing I will be returning to the house in Bonnevoie is one of the small things I look forward to. Congratulations Marco and Vanessa! I love you both very much!
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SFC CookoutTuesday, October 8th, the students were treated by their amazing chef Stephane to a tasty, all-American cookout! On the menu were hot dogs, bratwurst, burgers, and veggie burgers, with sides of coleslaw and potato-salad, and topped with soft drinks! Students were able to enjoy this extravagant meal in their newly decorated, spooky Grand Hall while listening to even spookier Halloween music. This meal put MUDEC in the Halloween spirit in the best way. So, from all of the students, thank you Stephane!
And if you've been in the Chateau lately you might've noticed something different. It’s finally October, and you know what that means…. HALLOWEEN! Here at the Chateau, we wanted to put ourselves in the “spooky” season by decorating our spaces with smiling pumpkins, sticky cobwebs, and so much more. During this “makeover” students played classic Halloween music like “The Monster Mash” and “Thriller” to complete the experience. Next week, students will be able to complete the “Chat’s” new look by carving/painting pumpkins to place around the campus! Happy Halloween!
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Dublin and Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
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Discovery Tour-In Flanders Fields
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This Discovery Tour will take students sites in and around Ypres, Belgium, where trench warfare took place in World War I for 4 years with very little movement. After the bus ride from Luxembourg we will spend the afternoon with a local guide visiting famous sites such as:
• Christmas Truce Memorial, where Allied and German troops stopped fighting to celebrate Christmas together and play soccer in 1914
• Bayernwald-German trenches where Hitler was wounded in 1914
• Hill 62-trenches which were preserved by the owner after the war and give the most “realistic” sense of what it was really like
• Island of Ireland Peace Park-trenches which were preserved by the owner after the war and give the most “realistic” sense of what it was really like
• Craters from the 19 simultaneous explosions in 1917 that were the biggest explosions before the atomic bomb
For the evening of the 18th, we will stay in the town of Ypres, a famous textile town known for its beautiful Cloth Hall and impressive ramparts. We will attend the nightly 15-minute Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate at 20:00, held in tribute to those soldiers who lost their lives defending Ypres.
On October 19, we will start the day with a walking tour of Ypres before visiting the Flanders Fields Museum inside the Cloth Hall, where we will have an introductory presentation by Dominiek Dendooven, an expert on non-European participation in World War I. Following that visit, we will leave Ypres and stop to visit the Tyne Cot cemetery, which is perhaps the most well-known British cemetery in Belgium and gives visitors a similar feeling to the American cemeteries from World War II. After lunch, the bus will drop students off in Ghent or return to Luxembourg.
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Birthdays This Week Wishing a very Happy Birthday to:
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Abby O'Rourke- October 14th
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We wish you the best birthday yet! Cheers to another wonderful year!
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Monday: Classes19:00 SFC Pizza and Pumpkin Carving Night
Tuesday: Classes17:30 Mandatory (2 out of the 3 lectures this semester) Lecture-Ambassador Guy de Muyser-"The living experience of diplomacy: understanding the decline of Russia as a Super Power in International Relations through an art collection"
Wednesday: ClassesThursday: Classes
12:00 Inside the Ivory Tower-Lunch in the Dean's Residence with MUDEC alum and Fulbright Scholar Bob Eckhart
18:30 Faculty, Staff and Host Family reception for Crici Dumont
Friday-Saturday: No ClassesDiscovery Tour-In Flanders Fields
Staff Absences: Anne Schwartz Monday, Andy Adams Friday
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Château Hours
Monday-Thursday: 8:00-22:00 Friday: 8:00-17:00 Saturday- Sunday: Closed
Administrative Hours
Monday-Friday: 8:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00
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