MUDEC Méinden Spring 2021 #6
MUDEC Méinden Spring 2021 #6
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MUDEC Méinden-Weekly news from the MUDEC community for the MUDEC community-#lifelongMUDEC

Spring 2021 #6

March 1, 2021

Study
  • Discovery Tour: National Mining Museum
Engage
  • Spotlight on Student-Faculty Council, Part 1
  • An Internship at Foundation of Autism Luxembourg (FAL)
 Travel
  • Backpacking in Europe: A Reflection
Study

Discovery Tour: National Mining Museum


by Megan Smith, MUDEC student
Over the course of the semester, students have the opportunity to participate in discovery tours, which are designed to explore nearby regions. This past week a group was taken to the National Mining Museum.
First they were given hard hats, as the tour guides warned that rocks are still able to fall at any moment, even though it is very unlikely! 
Then they rode a modernized mine car underground to the base of the museum. From there the tour guides took them into the separate “galleries” where the miners would drill for iron ore.
Much of Luxembourg’s early economic success was due to the influx of mines and mineworkers in the late 19th century. The tour guides provided the history of this mine and the many others surrounding Luxembourg.
This discovery tour allowed students to get firsthand experience of the conditions the miners used to work in. There was only the light of a candle; they worked 6am to 6pm, and had no mechanized equipment until the 20th century.
This rich cultural and historical experience was a fun and unique way for students of MUDEC to explore the area around them.
Masked MUDEC students wearing yellow hardhats Students about to board trams to go into the mine Dimly lit interior of mine, with guides and group of students
Engage

Spotlight on Student-Faculty Council, Part 1


by Hannah Sroka, MUDEC student
The Student-Faculty Council (SFC) is a group of committed students (and faculty) who work to make our time at MUDEC more enjoyable. They plan events like a Château-wide game of word assassins, a chess tournament, and a Family Feud-style game night. They also work with faculty and other students to resolve issues relating to things like laundry and lunchtime. Here’s a little bit about two members: Landon Halverson and Sabrina Dunlap
Landon Halverson poses in front of stonework on bridge
Landon Halverson (President/Co-Chair) is a junior political science major from Seattle, Washington. In Oxford, he’s the President of Students for Market Based Climate Action. He’s also involved in Alpha Kappa Psi and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship.
His favorite place he’s visited so far is Strasbourg, France. His dream destination is Greece, with the Nordic countries as a close second.

A fun fact about Landon is that he’s a violinist and has been playing since he was four years old. He’s looking forward to getting better at art with the help of Claudine Bechet-Metz, his ART188 professor!
Sabrina Dunlap poses in front of a brick wall
Sabrina Dunlap (Secretary) is a sophomore from Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. She is a supply chain and operations major with a co-major in sustainability. Back in Oxford, she’s involved in the Center for Business Leadership, Pi Sigma Epsilon, the Business Student Advisory Council, the Academic Scholars Program, and the Supply Chain Management Association.
Her favorite place she’s visited so far is Paris, and her dream destination is Liechtenstein.
A fun fact about Sabrina is that she’s left-handed. She’s excited to try Chef Stephane’s meals. She has enjoyed many of his creations so far and is looking forward to seeing what he has in store for the rest of the semester!

An Internship at Foundation of Autism Luxembourg (FAL)


by Megan Fogarty, MUDEC student
Maeve on a boat ride
MUDEC offers students the unique opportunity to intern during their semester abroad. Many students have taken advantage of this immersive experience.
Students can pick internships based on their future career paths or interests, across many disciplines. For example, Maeve O’Malley is a student intern at the Foundation of Autism Luxembourg (FAL). Her internship serves as three credit hours in lieu of an extra class. 
O’Malley, a Kinesiology and Family Science and Social Work double major, travels to Rambrouch, Luxembourg every Tuesday to work a full day. O'Malley is also the first Miami student to intern at FAL.
“I’ve never had an internship before; this has been a great opportunity to learn more about people with autism,” said O’Malley, “We don’t speak each others' language so there’s an extra emphasis on body language and interactions.”
O’Malley’s main job is to provide assistance to the participants in everyday tasks. She said she helps with small tasks such as brushing teeth, cooking meals and exercising. She also helps with more involved tasks, such as overseeing trips to restaurants and facilitating interactions with members of the community.
FAL aims to “promote and defend the rights of people with autism in Luxembourg, regardless of the severity of their disability” (fal.lu). The organization was founded in 1996 by a group of parents in order to improve the lives of autistic people within Luxembourg.
O’Malley said she is so thankful for this opportunity, and it will prepare her for her future within the healthcare field. “This is a great organization because it solely focuses on its participants,” said O’Malley, “The employees make participants feel so special. They are open every day, even through COVID.”
An employee works with a client at the autism center Person wearing fluorescent vest and hat walking on trail
Travel Section Banner

Backpacking in Europe: A Reflection


Note from Professor Elena AlbarránStudents of "World History since 1945" have been studying youth travel in Europe in historical perspective. As a companion to the course, students are reading Richard I. Jobs’ historical monograph Backpack Ambassadors: How Youth Travel Integrated Europe (2017), and Johny Pitts’ travelogue Afropean: Notes from Black Europe (2019) as guideposts to orient their own travel reflections.
Ethan Kopp, wearing a face mask and posing in snowy Luxembourg
by Ethan Kopp, MUDEC student
This weekend was the first time I got the backpacking experience. In truth, I did not live out of my backpack for more than one night, and my group and I ended up staying in a very nice Airbnb in the evening. However, whether it was from carrying the weight of the backpack itself or my enormous European traveling expectations from sources like family and Backpack Ambassadors, the collective physical and metaphorical mass forced me to consider my role as a European traveler.
The shared proximity of hostels might not be available in today’s world, yet it can still be found in Luxembourg. I noticed this proximity this past weekend when I felt more comfortable practicing my non-existent French language skills with a commuter. Though our conversation was short and switched to English because of my poor language skills, I still valued it as a unique experience I would otherwise not have had in Oxford, OH....
Read More: Backpacking in Europe
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

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