Guest Post: Eirik's MBA Trip to India

This week we have a special guest posting on the international student blog. Eirik graduated from PLU in Spring 2015 however continued on with the School of Business to complete a Masters Degree in Business Administration. He has held two jobs while attending PLU, working both in Dining & Catering Services and as an assistant in the Scandinavian Shop section of the Garfield Bookstore. His Masters program concludes in June and he is actively searching for positions that may allow him to do an OPT year upon his graduation. This January Eirik and the MBA students accompanied their professor Gaurav Gupta to India. Read more about his experience below!

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Hey everyone, my name is Eirik and I am a graduate student from Norway. I am currently an MBA candidate at PLU and in this J-term I studied abroad with my MBA cohort. The MBA program requires students to study abroad under their Global Business Perspective course, and this year we could choose between India and Costa Rica and I chose India.
It was only a 10 days trip in India but we learned a lot and visited a lot of different places all around India from the southern tip and all the way to the north next to the Himalayas. The purpose of this trip was to experience the differences in business culture compared to USA but most important the difference between American and Indian culture in general.

The one thing that you need to know about me is that I love food so the first thing I looked to experience was the cuisine. I always have been a fan of Indian food and I always though food like Tikka Masala and Tandoori Chicken was all over India but I was wrong. India is a country with different cultures and every different state has its own food. For instance food in southern part of India use more rice while in the North they use more potatoes, and they do not eat beef since cows are considered holy in the Hindu religion. Food such as Tikka Masala and Tandoori are famous dishes from Punjab province. Also another fun fact is that most of the food I saw and most of the people I meet where vegetarian which is quite interesting and good for the society.

Well that is enough about my passion for food. We did learn other things as well, for instance according to our first business lecture India has over 45 languages and 300 dialects (some sources indicates that they even have more languages and dialects.) One thing that I notice is that the culture is quite calmer and relaxing in India compared to USA. For instance things take time which is not good for an impatient Norwegian such as me. I call it Indian time where things are supposed to take an hour takes 2 hours or more. But I envy them though; they are appreciating the time more than what we do while we are always in a hurry.

Eirik at the Taj Mahal!

Other thing that I notice is all the poverty that we saw. Many people live in shacks covered with dirt and trash and I remember that we said that how we feel sorry for them, but the weird thing that surprised us is how happy they looked. Even though they lived in terrible conditions, they were able to appreciate what they had and where happy. If we compare it to the western world we like to complain about everything we have and do not have.

This trip has been amazing, I have seen and learned a lot, much more than what I have been mention here and I would definitely go back to India and see the rest of the country and meet all the wonderful people again. If you have any questions about my experience in India or my experience with the MBA program at PLU please leave a comment below and I will try my best to answer you!

Eirik

Look into the New MSMR Program

I have survived the first few months of being a Master's student at PLU and as part of the first MSMR cohort. So far It has been very intense and we have already done so much. I definitely feel like my statistics background in Psychology has helped me a great deal and will continue to be a big part of my success in the program. 

Already our cohort has had the chance to work with real life clients in different companies, had several presentations and even worked in the field! Because it is such a short program, only 11 months from September 2015 to June 2016, there is an immense amount of information to be processing at hyper-speed. This will hopefully prepare us for the fast-moving nature of the data-world ahead. 

Because of the small cohort size, only 18 students it has allowed us to get to know each other thoroughly and keeps the group tightly connected. We are working in different teams for all four classes and know each others strengths and weaknesses in order to function well as a group.

Here is our cohort posing with Bjug Beards for the #BjugDay of Giving!

My team took on a difficult task the first weeks and signed up for a client that needed us ASAP! My team members and I put on our running shoes and got to work! Our client was the Washington State Fair and the fair was already coming to an end when we started, which means we had to move quickly in order to collect the data that was needed.

In the end it was a lot of fun, we received official staff T-shirts and official "Marketing Staff" badges for the two days we were on site and also received free admission and extra tickets for our friends to join the fun. After we collected data we of course had to enjoy the Fair's staple foods (Scones and Turkey legs), see some cute animals and go on a few rides. We were even able to see part of Duran Duran's performance and I got my picture taken with storm troopers!

The homework load is as expected for a graduate level course and the reading is never ending, but entering a graduate program you should be prepared for that. Returning as a PLU alumn I already know a majority of my professors, the faculty, the buildings and even some of my classmates from my undergraduate degree, which makes Grad-life a little more simple and less scary.

If you have any questions about the MSMR program leave it in the comment section below!

Madeleine

Surprise! I'm Back!

I'm back at PLU once again after deciding to get a Masters Degree at the PLU School of Business! This is the first year that PLU will be offering a Masters of Science in Marketing Research, a rapidly growing field as companies struggle with the masses of "big data" they have been able to collect as technology advances. As the first cohort my classmates and I will be undergoing an intensive 10-month program before walking across the Tacoma Dome stage once again in June.

www.plu.edu

If you had asked me a year ago today about my plans for after graduation I would not be able to tell you. I was pursuing a BA in Psychology with a Business minor and was very unsure of what course I wanted to choose next, let alone if I wanted to stay in the USA or go back to Norway after graduation. When I heard about the program I was intrigued and applied right away through the Fast Track Admission option provided for current undergraduate PLU students and was accepted a month later.

A happy Madeleine & Co. after Graduation 2015

Today was my first day as a graduate student and it feels quite a bit different than undergrad so far. The great thing is that I know the professors I will be having from classes in my undergrad or research projects and several of my classmates have been group partners previously or co-workers. I am even taking a class with my professor from sophomore year, which I thought would be really strange. However, the people in my classes come from so many different areas of study (including computer science/information technology, economics, psychology, communication and religion) and can bring so many good qualities and experiences to the class as a whole and I am really looking forward to the next 10-months with the sixteen of us.

@brekkemo

I will keep you posted on how the next few months go and if I am able to keep up with the new program! If you have any questions for me please do not hesitate to leave them in the comment section below and I can try to answer them to the best of my ability!

Best,
Madeleine

The PLU Bucket List

This is my third and final year as an undergraduate at Pacific Lutheran University, which had me thinking about all the things I still have to cross off my PLU Bucket List! The last year has gone by so fast and I will have so many fun memories to look back on, but there are still a few things I would like to do! If you are graduating or your stay at PLU is ending take a look through the list below to make sure you don't miss anything!

Here are 55 things to do before you graduate from PLU:

1. Go to President Krise's Gonyea House
2. Get a gold nametag
3. Get your picture on the PLU website or flyer
4. Skip a rock across Red Square to hear music
5. Declare a Major/Minor
6. Have a class in every building on campus (MBR, Morken, Admin, Xavier, Hong, Ramstad, Olson, Columbia Center, Ingram)
7. Befriend a student from another country than your own
8. Take a class just for fun
9. Perform on campus
10. Study away with PLU
11. Pull an all-nighter in the library
12. Put gum of the "gum tree"
13. Have coffee/lunch/dinner with a Professor
14. Join a club on campus
15. Start a club on campus
16. Study on Garfield street
17. Shop at the Garfield bookstore
18. Volunteer through PLU
19. Explore with Outdoor Recreation
20. Attend a PLU Sports Event
21. Hang out in the D(iversity) Center
22. Attend a concert in Mary Baker Russell
23. Perform on Stage
24. Play Tennis in the courts
25. Run on the PLU Track
26. See Mount Rainier from the 9th floor of Tingelstad
27. Have a sleepover in the dorms
28. Go on an all-hall retreat
29. Attend office hours with your professor
30. "Study"/Sunbathe on Foss Field or Redsquare
31. Learn a new language
32. Eat in the UC
33. Make dinner in a dorm
34. Visit every single dorm
35. Swim in the PLU pool
36. Participate in the PLU Color Run
37. Go to the Women's Center
38. Participate in Relay for Life
39. Attend LollaPLUza
40. Eat at every restaurant around campus
41. Attend a Career Fair
42. Buy something at BizVenture
43. Check out the Keck Observatory
44. Go to the Writing Center for help
45. Play with therapy dogs during final's week
46. Attend a PLUtonic and HERmonic concert
47. Buy a PLU sweatshirt
48. Take a picture infant of a PLU sign
49. Take a selfie with President Krise
50. Pull an all-nighter in the library
51. Read an issue of the Mooring Mast and the Daily Flyer
52. Rent a bike from the Bike Co-op
53. Attend Open Micc Night at Northern Pacific Coffee Co.
54. Play sand volleyball outside Pfleuger
55. Spin the sculpture in Red Square

I'm excited to say that I will be returning to PLU in the Fall to do my Masters which will give me a little more time to complete my list! Good luck everyone! See you next year!

Madeleine

Spring Visit Day 2015

On April 10th PLU again invited local international students from several community college in the area to visit campus and our current international students. This gave them the chance to see the campus for themselves, experience a real day as a student, meet students from their home country and even spend a night in the dorms.

Campus showing itself at it's best! (@brekkemo)

This year we had ten students join us from Green River College, Shoreline and Tacoma Community College. They received a campus tour and had a dinner social with current international students where they were given the opportunity to ask the important questions:

"What are classes like? How are the professors? What is there for students to do around campus? Should I live in a dorm or off campus?"

Visiting students and current students enjoying dinner in the Commons!

The students also went to the annual Dance Ensemble, which showcases talented PLU student dancers and choreographers, the PLU dance team, and professional choreography. Students of all technical dance levels can participate and it is a lot of fun! This is a huge campus event that everyone usually attends!

The Admissions interns at the Dance Ensemble

Some students chose to spend the night with hosts on campus, meaning that they could experience what PLU dorms are like and breakfast on campus. This could be a valuable experience when applying for housing to help decide which resident hall they would like to live in. 

All of the student volunteers and admissions interns had a great time with the visiting students and we hope to one day see them on campus! If you are interested in a campus visit you can request a visit here! See you on campus!

Madeleine

2015 PLU International Student Photo Contest

PLU Campus Photo:@brekkemo

Are you interested in seeing photos from real life international students attending PLU? This year the International Admissions Office is holding a Photo Contest for current international students (2014-2015). To see photos submitted on Instagram and Facbook search for #PLUintlphotocontest or #PLUintl to see more pictures from our awesome international students!

 

If you are a current International Student here you can find the guidelines below!

Sincerely,

Madeleine & The International Admissions Team

PLU Clock Tower Photo:@brekkemo

Submission Rules and Guidelines

RULES

• Applicant must be a current international student at PLU(or Fall 2014 graduate).
• Submissions must be original photographs taken by the applicant during his/her academic life at PLU from Fall 2014 through Spring 2015.
• Contestants may submit one (1) photograph per category – For a total of three (3). Each submitted photo must include the required information (see above) or it will not be considered.
• The PLU International Admissions Office reserves the right to reject photos that contain inappropriate content. Rejected photos will be discarded without penalty to the contestant's other submissions.
• Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, with the final deadline of 5:00pm on Friday, May 1st 2015.

CATEGORIES:

Campus Scenery: Qualifying photos for this category may include wildlife, plants, natural and urban

landscapes and landmarks around our campus. Must include a minimum of one student.

 

International Classroom: Qualifying photos for this category may depict student interaction with

academia. Examples may include students in the classroom, with faculty, involved in internship and

service projects, field study, culturally relevant activities or study groups, etc.

 

Lute Social: Qualifying photos for this category must include PLU students, faculty, and/or staff. Ideally, your photo should include international students interacting with domestic students, perhaps in a learning environment – even better if they are wearing Lute gear!

 

PRIZES

One winner will be selected from each of the categories and the winner will receive a $50 Gift Card to the Garfield Bookstore. As a partial prize qualified photos may become the cover of future international student brochures (subject to university approval)!

 

Contest participants will be notified of the results of the contest by Sunday,  May 10th 2015.

 

SUBMITTING PHOTOS

Please email photos to intl@plu.edu AND post them to either Instagram or Facebook (see below)

Photos will be accepted on a rolling basis with a final deadline of 5:00pm on Friday, May 1st, 2015.

Late entries will not be accepted.

 

Emailed Photos:

 Preferred format: .jpg or .tiff

 Preferable Size: minimum 1MB

PLU INTERNATIONL ADMISSIONS OFFICE | Email: intl@plu.edu

 

Submitted photos must include:

o Category Title

o Name of Photographer

o Title of Photo

o Paragraph explaining the significance of the photo

o Approximate Location and Date

 

Instagram and Facebook submission:

The location set to “Pacific Lutheran University”

Include the hashtag: #PLUintlphotocontest

All submissions become the property of PLU, which will enjoy full rights of display and circulation (with attribution to the photographer). If you submit a photograph it is understood that you have granted this right.

 

JUDGING

Judging will be conducted by a panel of PLU faculty, staff and students.

Judging criteria:

o Originality/creativity

o Photographic quality and visual impact

o Effectiveness in conveying the international student experience

 

 

Studying Away While Studying Away??

If your an international student studying away at PLU you might be asking yourself if you can still study away through a PLU course. The answer is OF COURSE! Many international students study away during their time at here and go places they might not have been able to go previously.

I just returned from a month long trip to China and South Korea studying Business Culture (BUSA 496A). I was especially excited because not only was I able to visit a part of the world I had never been to before through an in-depth course, I was able to use the course to fulfill the final credits in my business minor!

The group was small, with nine students and one faculty member. I really enjoyed the small size as it allowed us to get really get to know each individual and there was no formation of cliques.

As part of the coursework each student was assigned days on which they would write about company visits, cultural sites, observations and comparisons of business practices in that country and the USA. Here are the links to my blog posts in three different cities:

Blog Post 1: Shanghai
Blog Post 2: Guangzhou
Blog Post 3:  Seoul




I also thought it would be easier to show my family my trip, than to only tell them in person or in writing. So I took a lot of footage, both picture-wise and video wise to use as visual aids when telling them about our adventures. I made a movie from each major city we visited, and you can watch them below!

If you have any questions regarding Study Away please feel free to message me or to go to the Study Away Website!

Madeleine
 Live Well. Eat Lots. Travel Often.

 ENJOY!

Making a Difference Through PLU Courses

This semester I have been enrolled in a School of Business course called "Principles of Marketing". Under the supervision of our Professor, Mark Mulder, we were given the task of creating a campaign for a real-life non-profit organization, Living Water International. Not only were we given the opportunity to gain first hand experience of creating and implementing a marketing campaign, we were able to make a difference. We were actually raising awareness of an important cause and raising funds to secure the installment of a well near Leon, Nicaragua by PLU students in March 2015.

One of our campaign photos. 

I have had the pleasure of working with an amazing marketing team, who since the beginning of the course have been extremely engaged and excited about our project. We created a video to raise awareness with facts about the water crisis, and to promote our main campaign event, a water walk.

The water walk held on November 21st, aimed to raise awareness and simulate the struggle that women and children go through every day to gather water that may not even be clean. Our goal was to have students carry a jerry can full of water a collective distance of 4 miles, the average distance woman and children walk every day, not including the extra 3 miles during the dry seasons. We also collected loose change from participants and non participants to help them realize that every penny counts just as every drop of water counts.

PLU students carrying the Jerry can.

The turnout for the event was great. Students walking by were happy to help us carry the jerry can and were taken aback by how heavy it was and how far children have to carry water every day. We were able to raise a lot of awareness and reached our goal of 4 miles in less time than anticipated. We would like to thank everyone who stopped by, participated and donated to this cause. It makes me very proud to go to a school who is so invested in bettering the lives of others and want to make a change in the world. If you want to make a difference, PLU is a great place to make it happen.

If you are interested in learning more about our partner organization or about the PLU Well project I have listed some great links below.

Living Water International's Website:
http://www.water.cc

Read more about Lute experiences in Nicaragua:
http://www.plu.edu/resolute/spring-2014/nicaragua/

Information about the study away course:
https://www.plu.edu/busa/nicaragua/home.php

Psychology of Horror: A Psi Chi Event

This year I am the Vice President for the Psychology Honors Association PSI CHI and was able to plan and create an event that would get students ready for Halloween and also discuss the Psychology around fear and horror.

Psi Chi, Psychology Staff and Fall 2014 Inductees

Growing up I have seen a lot of horror movies. I love watching them, but always end up regretting my decision right before bedtime when I cannot sleep or have horrible dreams. However, I take full responsibility for my viewing preferences. I wondered why even though people are terrified during horror movies, haunted houses or simulations they still choose experience this again. I decided to do some research on the topic and present it to fellow students as a fun informational event.

I had expected about 10-20 students to attend my event, but with the support of my Psi Chi officers, advisers, previous professors and friends the turnout was unbelievable. We even had to change rooms the day before as we started to realize that more than 40 people were interested in coming to hear me speak. I get nervous when talking in front of large groups and hearing the excitement about my event was wonderful but also daunting. This was a great learning experience and opportunity to develop my public speaking skills.

Attendees and their "scared" face! That's me in the front!

On the night of the event students were already waiting in the room a half hour ahead of time and kept coming in until we had filled every seat and a few extra chairs. We reached the maximum capacity and fire code of the room, 80 people, before introducing our Psi Chi chapter and an overview of my presentation. My presentation consisted of some lecture coupled with various video clips that went along with theories of appeal mentioned. During the showing of video clips, the lights were off to create the most ideal atmosphere. Attendees were extremely responsive to various video clips and the presentation itself, which added to the fun of the event. They were laughing, screaming and some even fell of their seats during scary parts of the video.

I brought in an international aspect to my presentation as we discussed differences in horror across cultures, to allow the audience to see how the psychology behind the fear is similar across the globe, but also acknowledging some differences and cultural factors that come into play. Examples came from China and Norway.

Students were very interested in asking questions after the event, about the video clips that I presented and certain movies I had seen. Others also connected the presentation to other course work and had suggestions for future films or texts to read about this topic.

As students were forced to sit randomly due to the room sitting arrangement and limitation of the chairs, the circumstance provided an opportunity for students to connect with others who may not be from the same discipline or standing. All class levels and 17 majors were represented. Friendships were formed on the common ground of eagerness to understand the psychology behind horror, despite various differences present among the 80 attendees. Friendships between first-years and current senior Psi Chi member were formed as well as they discussed the nature of Psi Chi as an organization and ways to navigate the department of psychology and college as a whole in their upcoming years.

I hope to plan more such events in the future with Psi Chi on different topics that may also be of interests to the whole student population in which we can promote the science of psychology to provide better understanding of the discipline and allowed students to see how widely impacting this discipline is in every aspect of their lives. The support and encouragement I received from my PLU community to fallow through with this event really helped me understand how happy I am to have chosen a smaller university where I truly can make things happen.

Madeleine

PLU Homecoming 2014

Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It is a tradition in many universities, colleges and highschools in the United States. Here at PLU homecoming usually includes a concert, a pep-rally, a football game and a dance spread over one weekend in the Fall. There are many activities for current student and alumni that come back to visit.

PLU Lutes took on the Linfield Wildcats at Sparks Stadium with a huge crowd of former Lutes, current Lutes and future Lutes in black and gold cheering them on. The atmosphere at home games is something I encourage all international students to experience. The Alumni Office provided hot mulled cider and football cookies. The Homecoming Concert featured Seattle artist Kris Orlowski before Lutes got ready for the dance later that evening.

Four Norwegian fans! (Photo: Hilde Marie Kjorsvik)

This year I decided to participate in my first ever and last Homecoming Dance. It is an event that is set up by ASPLU, the student government at PLU. The dance was hosted at the Point Defiance Aquarium. There was a DJ playing great music, people were dancing like no one was watching and great catering. 

My roommates and I! (Photo: Stine Smeby)

My favorite part of this dance was the location. The dancefloor and food was wrapped around a huge open aquarium and I spent a lot of time looking down into the water at the many different fish. There were huge flounders, sharks and fish in all sizes and colors. For those that were 21+ there was a cash bar on the lower level under the aquarium with great views of the fish from below the surface.

Although many people do come with a date to homecoming it is very acceptable to go with your friends or roommates (like I did). We had a great girls night together, getting dressed up, dancing our heels off and singing at the top of our lungs. I would say that my first homecoming dance was a great success. It was an awesome night that I will not soon forget!
A big thank you to the Alumni Office and to ASPLU for arranging this weekend. 

Madeleine

PLU Outdoor Recreation: Experiencing Nature in the Pacific Northwest

Summer has treated the Pacific North West extremely well this year and seems to still be clinging on before slipping into fall. The first few weeks of school have been absolutely gorgeous giving us plenty of opportunities to get outdoors. That is why I jumped at the chance to sign up for some of this year's Outdoor Recreation trips. 

Photo: Madeleine Brekke

Outdoor recreation strives to serve students and the rest of the PLU community through providing weekend trips, educational opportunities, integrated course curriculum and on-campus programming. Trips are available to ALL students, staff and faculty and are designed to incorporate low-budget needs. Trips are guided by trained student volunteers and you can see them around campus after a great trip! Trips may include biking, hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, camping, fishing, river floating, bonfires and backpacking!

Unfortunately the kayaking trip to the Puget Sound was full, but I was able to sign up for a hiking trip to one of the alpine lakes in the area with one of my roommates. It was a really beautiful day and felt so good to get off campus and into nature. The landscape in Washington reminds me a lot of the landscape at home in Norway. It looked and felt as if we were teleported back to Norway at times on the trail.

The hike was around about 7 miles round trip, 3,5 being straight up the side of the mountain, to a beautiful, clear lake. Were we had OR food and soaked up some rays. It was a nice break from homework (which happened later that night) and was a great way to end the weekend! I am looking forward to many more trips with OR before I graduate. It is a great way to see the PNW and get outside! I highly encourage all international students to participate as it creates great opportunities to meet domestic students an bond with new friends!

Mason Lake

The water was so clear!

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." 
- Eleanor Roosevelt

PLU student, Rose, pondering by the lake.

To find more info about Outdoor Recreation and the trip schedule check out their website here:
https://sites.google.com/a/plu.edu/asplu-outdoor-recreation/

Check out their Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/PLU-Outdoor-Recreation/222319567822559

The hiking group! Photo: Rose

I want to specifically thank my OR guides Reza and Francis for being awesome and keeping us all safe!

Madeleine

Det er Norge i Rødt, Hvit og Blått! (Nesten!)

This year's 17. Mai celebration was very special. It marked the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian constitution. As a country Norway has changed a lot over these 200 years and we can only hope the next 200 will be even better.

Flag-raising Ceremony. (Photo: John Froschauer)

As tradition PLU held a flag-raising ceremony, presenting both the Norwegian and American flag accompanied by the respective national anthem. I was lucky enough to present a speech reflecting how the meaning of this day has changed growing up and my experiences of this day in and outside of Norway.

Tiny me behind the podium! (Photo: Stine Smeby)

A violin played the new song written specifically for this year's celebration as we fallowed President Krise down to the Scandinavian Cultural Center for a beautiful breakfast.

(Photo: John Froschauer)

(Photo: John Froschauer)

We had flatbrød, brunost, laks and lefse while listening to great speeches by both the President and our special guest Terje Leiren.    It is always fun for new students to go to this event because they have no idea how many people actually show up to our celebration and how excited our visitors are!

(Photo: John Froschauer)

After the breakfast the ANSA (Association for Norwegian Students Abroad) Washington chapter at PLU had arranged a barbecue with lawn games, music and cake. They invited ANSA students from Vancuver Canada to join us for the day.

(Photo: Stine Smeby)

The lawn games and "pølser" made it feel as if we were in Norway and I'm sure the homesickness for this day was eased by this event. I know people wished they could be in their hometowns for this special day! Here is a video made by ANSA Vancouver from the big day:

The students later went to Ballard, where there was a huge parade through the streets of Seattle! There were many norwegian-american groups and clubs participating in the parade as well! It is a very different experience then the 17. Mai celebration many of our Norwegian students are used to. But they were very excited to see so many enthusiastic people out celebrating!

(Photo: Stine Smeby)

I am so glad choose to go to a school with such a strong Scandinavian heritage. It has made me feel so much closer to home and to my fellow Norwegians! What a great way to end the year and start of summer! Until next time!

Special thanks to everyone who made this event possible:
Office of the President, Scandinavian Cultural Center, Dining and Culinary Services, ANSA Washington, ANSA Vancouver and all the volunteers.

Spring at PLU

Spring is back at Pacific Lutheran University and this means flowers blooming all over campus and lots of fun outdoor activities! Lutes are spending their days in the precious sun, slack-lining, playing frisbee and doing their homework outside.

Outdoor meets indoor!

Homework in the sun!

New flowers showed up almost overnight!

The PLU is gorgeous this time of year and walking though it on warm spring days and nights is great after winter. Everything is so green because of all the rain the rest of the year!

Students enjoying dinner in the evening sunshine!

Sunshine through the tree on upper campus!

This also means it is time for spring break! This is a great opportunity for international students to travel and visit different parts of North and South America! But even if you do not travel far from campus there are many fun opportunities as PLU is located perfectly for all kinds of adventures, with easy access to nature, city life and the Pacific Ocean.

Spring break 2013 in Bandon, OR.

Last year I drove down the coast to San Francisco, where I met some fellow lutes who had the same idea. Many international students are there this year!

This year will be spent in Santa Barbara, California. I am looking forward to getting some sun and visiting the beach! I will be doing culinary tours and cooking classes to try new foods and experience creative recipes.

You can find Lutes everywhere these days, Mexico, Canada, Las Vegas, San Fransisco, D.C. and more. I wonder if I'll meet any in Santa Barbara!

Madeleine