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Kristy Saldana ’18: SRS Experience

By Nali Byrd '19 on February 29, 2016

Kristy Saldana ’18

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Kristy in Istanbul!

Intended Major: History

Intended Minor:Educational Studies

Hometown: Trenton, NJ

1. What SRS program were you apart of and what was the class about?
I was a part of the Istanbul SRS group and the class was Challenges of Modernity. The class was about the formation of the modern world with a focus on Turkey. We talked about the struggles between the East and the West in setting a model for the modern world and how Istanbul, in particular, was stuck in the middle of this fight between the East and the westernization of Turkey. We also talked about the Turkish political struggles in deciding between a secularist or Islamic government.

2. What was your favorite part so far about being in SRS?
My favorite part about SRS is being able to live with the people that I have class with. It is a pretty amazing experience that I would not trade for the world; getting to know students that if it wasn’t for the program I wouldn’t have met otherwise. The trip was of course a great experience as well, but what made it better was the fact that I was able to go with people that I had gotten to know for over a semester.

3. What was your experience on the trip?
The trip overall was an extraordinary experience. Even though we were jet lagged for a few days, we were able to recover and enjoy our trip filled with many tours, lectures, visits to museums, and eating lots of delicious food. Although our last day in Istanbul was a bit scary, being that a terrorist attack occurred about 10-­15 minutes away from where we were staying, the people that were hosting us in Istanbul made sure that we were safe.

 

The New OUS House

By Nali Byrd '19 on February 25, 2016
Students serving food at a family dinner in La Casa

OUS and First Gen students at one of many family dinners in La Casa.

Across from Case Library is a beautiful red house. Just last year, it was known as La Casa Pan- Latina, a house where students could live as well as immerse themselves deeper into language and cultural study. La Casa Pan- Latina has taken up residency in the 1934 house and fortunately the OUS  and First Gen Programs were able to get their hands on this amazing house. The house name has now been shortened to “La Casa” and at any time of the day you can find students doing homework, cooking, watching a movie, or even just talking and laughing together. Nights are filled with all sorts of inclusive events like family dinners, connecting students from all class years, de-stress nights where art materials and nice snacks are provided and the occasional Zumba and dance parties! Also in this house are the offices of OUS Directors, Frank Frey and Frank Kuan, Administrative Dean, Drea Finley as well as the office of the OUS program coordinator, Salote Tenisi, which allows students to easily get in contact with any of them! La Casa also has space for an amazing library, where students are often able to locate and borrow textbooks that they need for class.  A first year described La Casa as his, “favorite place at Colgate. I don’t know where I would want to spend my time if it wasn’t for La Casa” he said. A senior also said, “the family dinners at La Casa have been some of my favorite nights of the year. It’s so great to have everyone come together in a shared space that we all know and love”. For the OUS and First Gen students, La Casa is more than just a building, it is truly a home away from home.