| | Fall 2019 #4 | September 16, 2019
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My First 3 Weeks at MUDEC-Alec Hoelker
Three weeks before Alec Hoelker hadn’t even left for Luxembourg yet. Last week he was wearing a press badge and taking pictures of the Grand Duc and ambassadors at the official 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Luxembourg. How did this happen? MUDEC happened.
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As a senior Strategic Communications and Political Science double major, Alec Hoelker wanted to study abroad in Luxembourg because he saw it as an ample opportunity to explore Europe before he graduates in the spring. He had been to Europe once before, but not independently.
"I had friends that came to MUDEC and all I ever heard were good things. MUDEC is perfect because I was able to select courses that applied to my major, so I wouldn't be worried about not graduating on time," Hoelker says.
Before arriving at MUDEC, Hoelker was interested in doing an internship or independent study and reached out to the staff, who put him in touch with the US Embassy in Luxembourg. Shortly after arriving, he turned that opportunity into reality. Serving as a virtual intern, he is able to work in the Embassy every Tuesday, with the rest of his time spent writing press releases, orgranizing news articles over events the ambassador attended, and taking pictures at events like a soldier commemoration and the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Luxembourg that happened this past Monday.
"The Liberation was a beautiful and unforgettable experience. It was so unique to see how a country gives respect and gratitude towards the sacrifice of US soldiers," Hoelker adds.
This experience has given Hoelker the opprotunity to meet a lot of great people and to bring the feeling of Oxford to Luxembourg- just not with 20,000 other students.
"It has changed my personal perspective on how people live. Here, people really just live by their means. I don't like fancy things and I enjoy how most people sit out at cafes all night talking about life and town drama. People are not in a rush as much as Americans, and the change of pace definitely suits me," Hoelker concludes.
When asked what advice he would give to prospective students thinking about coming to Luxembourg he says:
"Do it. Whether you know people or not, do it."
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|  | Alec Hoelker (left) with dignitaries such as Grand Duc Henri at the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation in Pétange on September 9.
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~Study~ - Class Field Trip Previews
- ARC 404 Trip to Trier Recap
~Engage~
- SFC Spotlight- Mallory Sanchez
- Scheuberfouer Last Night
- We Are Families- Anna Ruscitti
- Randy and Randy at the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation
~Travel~
- Safe Travel Talk with the US Embassy
- Travel Photos
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Class Field Trip Previews
On Wednesday this week, each sprint course will be traveling outside of the classroom to visit different spots around Europe. The professors encourage the students to be able to apply concepts learned in class to the real world through field trips to respective museums and landmarks. Read on for some previews of field trips this week:
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Professor Venelin Ganev- POL 330L
I am teaching a class on the Cold War, and our field trip’s destination will be the headquarters of one of the most important international organizations involved in this geopolitical conflict, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), located near Brussels, Belgium.
Professor Jeannie Ducher- EDT 221L
I am teaching a class on comparative education policies, so our main destination will be the European Parliament in Brussels where we will tour both the hemicycle (where all policies, including education policy, are debated) as well as the Parlamentarium, an interactive center where we will get more information about how the parliament works.
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| Professor Mila Ganeva- FST 250L
My film studies course, FST 250L is also headed to Brussels, Belgium. We will be visiting the Magritte Museum and exploring the connections between surrealist art and experimental film in Europe of the 1920s and 1930s.
Professor Gerardo Brown-Manrique- ARC 188L
My ARC 188L A Survey of Modern Architecture, will be travelling to Cologne, where we will visit some significant structures of the post-war period, some of which we will be discussing in a later class. While there, the students will have ample time to sketch [a requirement for the class is to keep a sketchbook/journal] and free time to take in the marvels of this ancient city [second only to Trier as Germany's oldest city -- the Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium].
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Professor Claudine Bechet-Metz- ART 188L
This week our class visited St Michael’s church with a baroque altar and the baroque section of the MNHA (Musée nation d’Histoire et d’Art) which is the national museum for history and arts. Afterwards we made a small tour through the medieval part of Lux city, took the elevator open to the public in the LCM (Luxembourg City Museum) to go to the gallery where we we met the New Yorker artist Alison Elizabeth Taylor on show in the Zidoun&Bossuyt Gallery in the Grund. Next week our field trip will take us first to Völklingen to visit the biennial urban art show exhibited in a Unesco World heritage site. After a guided tour and some time to discover the exhibition individually, we leave for Saarbrücken where students present art movements of the 19th and 20th century in the local city’s gallery. According to the artist Nannucci’s quote « All art has been contemporary", we try to understand the contexts in which these art works have been created and what their messages are for today’s viewer.
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ARC 404 Trip to Trier, Germany
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Last Wednesday, ARC 404 students visited and sketched the Trier Cathedral, one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built originally by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 320 AD. It has seen a great deal of history and its current form shows how often it has been destroyed and rebuilt. It was attacked by Germanic tribes, the Vikings, possibly the Huns and was bombed in World War II. Along with its reconstruction in practically every era of history, the Our Lady of Lords cathedral, which is the oldest and one of the most beautiful examples of French Gothic architecture in Germany, was built adjoining it. The photos you see are of the students sketching in the courtyard connecting the two structures.
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Student Faculty Council Spotlight- Mallory Sanchez
Now that the SFC is in place, each member is excited to get started. Over the next few weeks each member of the council will be presenting their role and what they wish to accomplish with their time on SFC.
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Hi everyone! My name is Mallory and I am the Diversity and Inclusion Chair and Ombudsman Co-Chair this semester. My roles are to promote diversity within MUDEC and the community, and to encourage a fun and inclusive environment. As Co-chair Ombudsman, it is my duty to listen to student concerns and address any issues that come to my attention. Feel free to come to me anytime with any questions or concerns! I am excited to bridge the gap between students and faculty and to help in any way that I can. I’m looking forward to making memories with you guys and making this a semester to remember.
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Luxembourg Schueberfouer Fun
This past Wednesday, September 11, a few of our students had the opportunity to get a taste of the Luxembourg life with a great evening at the Schueberfouer in Lux City! The fair had been running basically since the students arrived and this night marked the end of the fair. With half priced rides, lots of food stands, great music throughout, and a fireworks display, our students had a blast getting to celebrate the city they now call home!
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We Are Families- Anna Ruscitti
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To continue in our series of interviews with MUDEC host famlies, meet Anna Ruscitti, hosting students Emily Miklas and Valerie Gniady.
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1. When did you first start hosting MUDEC students and what got you interested in doing so?
I started hosting about 12 years ago but I don‘t remember exactly when, after my daughters left the house and I had an empty apartment. I wanted the opportunity to practice my english and to tell of Luxembourg and also learn about America. It was a win win deal.
2. What are some of your favorite memories about hosting MUDEC students?
I always have had great memories. I love when the parents come and we are able to go to dinner and meet each other.
3. What are some of the challenges related to hosting students?
I don‘t really find any challenges when hosting students.
4. What advice would you give to a family thinking about hosting students?
Don‘t do it only for money, do it when the students are your children and do what you would do for the students that you would do for yourself. You can learn from the students and the students can learn from you.
5. What would you tell to a prospective MUDEC student who doesn't know whether they want to do study abroad with a host family rather than in a program that has apartments or dormitories for students?
It depends on the student. If a student is coming alone and does not previously know anyone it is better if they live with a host family. With a host family, there is someone who you are comfortable with to become more engaged culturally and they are able to answer any questions for the new environment you are in.
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Randy and Randy-75th Anniversary of the Liberationby Sam Perovsek
Last week we went to the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Luxembourg by US troops. Andy Evans (editor's note: usually goes by Randy) and I went with our host dad, Guy Graul. We started by listening to speeches, and then we went on a parade through the streets to the exhibit in Petange. There was a very dramatic skit, and it was very moving. It was truly an honor to be a part of history, and to honor the sacrifices that so many made in order to fight tyranny and oppression. I will always be in shock at the courage that so many young men had to fight for what they believed in. In the US, there are lots of memorials, but nothing compares to being in the actual place where this history took place.
At the end we even got to meet the US Ambassdor, Randy Evans. He had fun meeting someone with the same name!
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Safe and Smart TravelSpecial thanks to the US Embassy in Luxembourg fo talking to the students last week about how to stay informed and be safe when traveling.
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Weekend Pictures from Prague
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Wishing a very Happy Birthday to:
Julia Arwine and Tayler Smith- Sept 16th
We wish you the best birthday yet! Cheers to another wonderful year!
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Monday: ClassesTuesday: ClassesWednesday: Field Trips, no classesThursday: ClassesFriday: No ClassesSunday: Steel Run in Differdange-a 10km run that actually goes THROUGH the inside of the Château! If you're here and like to run, sign up for it. Starts at 15:00 (3:00 pm).
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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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MUDEC Méinden Audience Participation-Tell YOUR Story!
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MUDEC Méinden is the newsletter by the MUDEC Community for the MUDEC Community. You can update your profile, or subscribe directly if you are not currently subscribed, at MUDEC Méinden subscriptions.
Audience participation is what makes this newsletter special, so if you would like to contribute an article or have any other ideas or suggestions, please write to us at eur-mudec.newsletter@miamioh.edu.
Recurring columns where we are looking for contributions, or where we will be looking for contributions once we start, are:
1. We Are Families (Host Family interviews)
2. Travel Misadventures (MUDEC students and alumni sharing their travel mishaps)
3. MUDEC Changed My Life (Alumni stories about what MUDEC did for them)
4. Mir Wëlle Bleiwen Wou Mir Sin (Luxembourgers who studied in Oxford and never came back from the US)
5. MUDEC Mergers (do I need to explain?)
6. MUDEC Alumni Newsletter Takeovers (a MUDEC class takes over an entire edition of the newsletter and makes it their own!)
7. It's a Small World After All (random MUDEC or Miami encounters from your time at MUDEC)
Don't be shy, we want to hear from you!
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