Earth Day Photo Story

This month, we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd. Throughout April, we will try to become more aware of our environmental impact and how we can do our part to respect the Earth, appreciate its beauty, and keep it clean for generations to come. To demonstrate our commitment to the Earth, Global UGRAD students submitted photos and short stories of their forays into the lovely corners of our planet.

Kseniia Hladkikh, Ukraine, Global UGRAD 2017-18 at the University of Wyoming

Vedauwoo is an incredibly beautiful recreational area in Wyoming, just a twenty minute ride from the university. My friends and I decided to skip a football game one day since we didn’t really understand what was going on and instead we went hiking. It got pretty scary and dangerous in some spots, but we handled it. It was such a lovely day!

Meriem Bouraoui and Cecilia Sosa, Algeria and Guatemala, Global UGRAD 2016-17 and 2017-18 at Saginaw Valley State University

Photos taken in Michigan while studying at Saginaw Valley State University.

Cecilia stands next to an icy waterfall watching the snow

“First time in the snow and this is what I found!” – Cecilia Sosa

Andelka Milovanovic, Serbia, Global UGRAD 2017-18 at Florida Gulf Coast University

Alligators, snakes, birds, rabbits, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and many others animals are always good companions on our campus. Probably, you expect me to tell you something more about our famous friend alligator Bobby, but this time he didn’t want to pose for a picture. Instead, I would like to present another graceful  commonly known species which make me happy every day – squirrels. Main paths, shortcuts, trees, palm trees, bushes or even beach, they are always somewhere, enjoying the beautiful Florida weather and blue sky. During the night, they can be mysterious and sometimes intimidating, but as soon as they show up, smiles appear on our faces and warmness around our hearts. We are so happy to have them around and to see them everyday playing with something and jumping over the trees.

Huong Nguyen, Vietnam, Global UGRAD 2017-18 at West Virginia University

[California] was my best trip ever. I made friends along my way. Nature is magnificent. Today I saw desert, while tomorrow I will see mountains and mountains full of green and flowers. I went to Antelope Canyon, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles. I met many Vietnamese people there and ate Vietnamese food, too.

Chessy Kim, South Korea, Global UGRAD 2016-17 at Endicott College

Chessy stands with her UGRAD post in front of a bridge and fountain on campusI had always considered myself as a complete and utter city girl… until I found myself in Endicott College – one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation! As a proud Global UGRAD, I had the fortune to study at Endicott College for one semester. The school is surrounded by three exquisite beaches, and I could vividly feel the nature all around the campus. The smell of fresh air would softly wake me up every morning, and those beautiful flowers in various colors would boost my energy during the day. This photo was taken during my first week of the semester, and the spot soon became one of my favorites on campus. I was busy laughing all the time with wonderful people around me in this lovely community and environment. Looking back, I cannot be more grateful and thankful to the Global UGRAD Program for offering me this very special piece of my life. Hoping to be back in the near future!

Migma Surenkhorloo, Mongolia, Global UGRAD 2017-18 at Illinois State University

Migma had many adventures during her time in the United States, traveling all over the state of Illinois. Below is a glimpse into her journeys, including the Lincoln Hot Air Balloon Festival and the lake at Starved Rock.

Sibongile Hokonya, Zimbabwe, Global UGRAD 2017-18 at Carroll College

During fall break I joined the College Christian Fellowship (CCF) group on a journey to a place called Hungry Horse Bible Camp, close to Glacier Park, where we had a three-day fall retreat that was quite enlightening and encouraged me in my Christian walk. During the second week, I was in Helena and hiked Mount Helena! This was a great experience as it was my first hike ever. It took us about an hour to hike to the top but the view of the whole city from the top was stunning and worth it. Yellowstone National Park is the closest Park to Helena after Glacier. I got a chance to visit Yellowstone and was left speechless by the stunning beauty of volcanoes. The natural flow of everything there was just beautiful.

 

Yellowstone National Park