MUDEC Méinden Spring 2021 #10
MUDEC Méinden Spring 2021 #10
Miami UniversityJohn E. Dolibois European Center logo
MUDEC Méinden-Weekly news from the MUDEC community for the MUDEC community-#lifelongMUDEC

Spring 2021 #10

March 29, 2021

Study
  • ART 188 Reloaded
Engage
  • An Internship at City Savvy Luxembourg
  • Fall MUDEC Applications Due This Week
  • Lunchtime DJ
Odds and Ends
  • Looking Back on the "Unprecedented Semester," One Year Later
Study

ART 188 Reloaded

by Hannah Sroka, MUDEC student
Professor Claudine Bechet-Metz’s ART188 class wrapped up their study of art history by recreating famous artworks. This was a way for them to be creative and have some fun during their last class. Check out some of the examples below!
Students reenacting the creation scene depicted on ceiling of Sistine Chapel male students reenacting three famous statues
Students reenacting a tryptch students reenacting a famous painting
Engage

An Internship at City Savvy Luxembourg

by Megan Fogarty, MUDEC student
This semester, sophomore Brynn Pierce is interning at City Savvy Luxembourg, a life and leisure company dedicated to assisting expatriates ("expats") in Luxembourg.
Pierce described her company as "an English speaker’s guide to Luxembourg." Expats can use the City Savvy website to find restaurants and shopping, learn Luxembourgish, and find resources for things such as buying houses or travelling.
“Being a business major and being able to go to different restaurants, I get to see how businesses are run in Luxembourg and compare them with America,” said Pierce.
Pierce researches nearby restaurants and events and writes articles on them, as well as brainstorming new ideas for the website. She visits businesses and interviews the owners for articles. She also started a TikTok page and will film content for that.
“I think that classes try to teach about different countries, but with this internship I am able to hear their stories, how they got here, what COVID is like for them,” said Pierce.
Pierce said one of the most rewarding aspects of her internship is how many different people she’s been able to meet. She said she’s worked with Americans, Luxembourgers, Scandinavians, and Italians so far. She said that the diversity of people in Europe is something that American internships can’t typically offer.
Check out Brynn’s articles on www.citysavvyluxembourg.com and her TikToks @city_savvy_lux

Fall MUDEC Applications Due This Week

It seems like yesterday that we welcomed Spring 2021 students to Differdange. But at 5 pm Ohio time this Thursday, April 1, we will have assembled a new pool of applicants who wish to study at MUDEC this fall!
Spots for Fall 2021 are filling up fast, so now's the time to remind your stateside friends to sign up for the most memorable semester of their college years.
Again, the deadline is April 1—no fooling! Interested students can visit MiamiOH.edu/MUDEC to learn more and apply!

Lunchtime DJ

by Megan Smith, MUDEC Student
Lunch at the Château just got a lot more interesting on Wednesdays. MUDEC student William Caldas transforms into a DJ, employing a full set up to play his remixes, reworks and mashups. The other students love the lunchtime entertainment and look forward to it every week.
From dance to alternative, Caldas tries to include a little bit of everything into one set, giving an upbeat performance that brings a new energy to the Château. He has even begun taking requests, and hopes to include more visual effects in the future. He said, “Seeing people react to a song they like and get into it makes it all worth it.”
It’s clear that not only do the other students enjoy his DJ skills, but Caldas also enjoys putting together sets and performances. When students share their talents at MUDEC, it makes the cultural exchange so much more enriching for all.
Odds and Ends

Looking Back on the "Unprecedented Semester," One Year Later

Olivia Casey
by Hannah Sroka, MUDEC student
In January 2020, Olivia Casey packed her bags, grabbed her passport, and flew to Luxembourg for a semester at MUDEC. Casey, a sophomore at the time, picked the MUDEC program because she had always wanted to study abroad for an entire semester. She was looking forward to volunteering at the international school and traveling all over Europe.
When she arrived, she quickly fell in love with the Château and Luxembourg. “I loved the architecture, furniture, and artwork. It all felt so authentic and timeless,” she said.
Casey is a middle childhood education major from Cleveland, Ohio, and she loved her EDT221 class with Professor Jeannie Ducher. She was looking forward to the class study tour to Copenhagen. She lived in nearby Niederkorn and could be found doing homework in the library, hanging out with friends in the Cave, or getting a pastry from Berto.
More than anything, however, Casey wanted to travel. “Paris was at the top of my list,” she said. “Pictures don’t do it justice. It was everything I imagined and so much more.” She loved Munich and its lively city life, and has fond memories of The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg, Austria. She saw the Alps, went to Cologne for Carnival, and visited Trier, Metz, and Interlaken. She enjoyed meeting new people in hostels or around new cities.
But eventually, things began to go downhill. “We started hearing about COVID more and more in February, and then Milan had an outbreak. One of my friends was studying abroad in Florence and was sent home. From then on, we knew it was only a matter of time,” she said. Sure enough, in mid-March it was announced that Americans abroad should return home in the next 48 hours. MUDEC students received an email saying that the program was cancelled and they needed to look for flights home.
Casey felt absolutely devastated. She wanted to find some way to stay, but knew it would be impossible. “I remember sitting in the Grand Hall and crying to my mom on the phone because every flight was sold out,” she said. She was the last student to leave the Château, which meant she was able to avoid crowds at the airport, but this gave her little comfort. “Quarantine was awful,” she said. “I kept looking at the weeks ahead and thinking, ‘This weekend, I should be in Greece. This weekend, I should be in Spain.’ MUDEC was one of the reasons I came to Miami, and now it’s been cut short.”
At first, MUDEC from home was difficult. Casey’s classes were asynchronous and not too difficult, but she had little to no motivation. “I was much more excited about travel than classes, so it was hard to ignore the fact that we couldn’t go anywhere,” she said. “The staff tried their best to communicate with us, and they sent us the weekly newsletters, but it was really hard for everyone."
By the time the semester ended, Casey had accepted the fact that Europe was long gone and began to focus on the positives. She started being social, having fun, and looking into new study abroad programs. She wants to student teach abroad, which would take her back to Luxembourg.
Casey looks back on her MUDEC experience fondly, despite all its hardships. “I enjoyed every moment in Europe,” she said. “COVID only gave me a month and a half, but I was able to immerse myself in a different culture. I met so many new people and absolutely want to go back.” She also discovered a new passion for travel. “I’m a believer of the lifelong learner perspective,” she added, “so there’s always more information for me to observe. I learned that the world is made up of so many different people, and I want to meet all of them.”
When asked what she would say to her February 2020 self, Casey laughed. “Buy a mask! Invest in mask companies—and get ready for a wild ride!”
Château & Administrative Hours
Winter view of the Château de Differdange, where Miami's Luxembourg campus, the John E. Dolibois European Center, often abbreviated to MUDEC, is located

Château Hours

Monday-Thursday: 8:00-22:00

Friday:                     8:00-17:00
Saturday, Sunday: Open variable hours;                                     students, please                                           check Canvas


Administrative Hours

Monday-Friday:  8:30-12:30
                           13:00-17:00

Follow MUDEC on Social Media

Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
We are happy to share MUDEC events and news with all of you! If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter per GDPR, please unsubscribe below.
powered by emma
Subscribe to our email list.