This summer I participated in a study abroad trip where we went to Greece and Italy to report on the refugee crisis. In Catania, Sicily, they had a celebration for World Refugee Day that happened earlier in the week. One of the most memorable and overwhelming moments was when three…
OK, we're not exactly at the midpoint yet, but this is a better time than never to start a reflection. In total I think I've interviewed (in depth) with around 10 refugees/migrants, and about 5 people who work in support of them. One topic that constantly comes up (partly because…
Today was effectively our last day in Italy. Tomorrow we're flying to Athens, and will spend the rest of our time in Greece. We went to see the Valley of the Temples, which, surprise surprise, is not actually a valley! It's on a mountain ridge, which actually makes for better…
Today closes the first week of our trip, and all I want now is a break. I don't really feel physically tired, mostly just emotionally drained. I'm also running out of Skittles. We spent most of today just working on existing source material that we had. I finished up a…
In Boy Scouts, we were always taught to Be Prepared. And I thought I had prepared for everything (first aid kit, flashlights, emergency food, etc.) before heading on this trip – that is, until I met Joshua. Joshua is a 17 year old refugee from Sierra Leone. By his own…
It's day 5, I did not expect to be this tired, so quickly. I think I'm missing the siesta time that I'm supposed to get in Italy. But, I'm also having a blast, and at least trying to take every opportunity to explore / learn things. It feels waaaay longer…
Today we went out onto the streets and started looking for people to talk to. Ideally we were looking for people to talk to us on video, but we knew that everyone would not be comfortable with that. We have two interviews planned for later this week, which should hopefully…
Today we travelled to a few mountain (relatively) towns in Sicily. Ignoring some of the tourist-y stuff, it really reminded me of Esino Lario. The streets, buildings, and elevation gain were all pretty similar. I got to do a bit of hiking (and just get out of the tourist trap!)…
Today was just a travel day - we're now in Catania, Sicily. It feels like Italy, but a lot more laid back than Rome. I think I would be pretty laid back too if I lived on an Island. Our plane was named after Mozart? Neat. Since most of our…
As part of earning my journalism degree at San Jose State, we're required to study abroad. I'm currently on a faculty-led program (FLP) to Italy and Greece to interview migrants and refugees, conduct interviews, document their situation, and gain real world reporting experience. I will try to blog daily for…
