ZTA Goes Global- Study Abroad

During the summer 2013, PC '12 Leah Carroll, PC '11 Caroline Kirby, PC '11 Rachel Robillard and PC '11 Megan McGill studied abroad to Barcelona, Spain through IES Abroad.

These girls had a wonderful experience abroad together! 

Here are the questions the girls answered: 

1) Study abroad City & Country

2) What are you studying/what classes are you taking?

3) Favorite part of study abroad so far?

4) Any cool excursions?

5) What do you miss most about the U.S./UT/home?

Leah Carroll PC '12

1) Study Abroad City and Country- Barcelona, Spain (Catalunya)

2) I took Spanish 101 and Sports and Society in Spain

3) My favorite part of studying abroad was getting to visit so many new places throughout Europe. I also got to meet a lot of new people and make some great new friends!

4) I left Barcelona a few times on the weekends to go to Prague, Venice, The Costa Brava, Seville, Madrid, Sitges, Girona, Pubol, Figueres, Port- Illigat, Cadaques, Collioure, and Tarragona!

5) I main things I missed about America were the free water, peanut butter, and of course the ability to stream Netflix.

Rachel Robillard PC '11

1)Barcelona, Spain Summer 2013 through the IES Language and Area Studies program

2)Broadcast Journalism Major and Business Foundations Minor

Taking Spanish Advanced III and International Marketing

Maria Garcia Rodriguez and Rachel Robillard 2009

Rachel Robillard and Maria Garcia Rodriguez 2013

3)My favorite part of studying abroad was rekindling my relationship with my Spanish family. During the summer entering my junior year of high school in 2009, I studied abroad to Barcelona, Spain through the Rotary Club. While learning a different language and culture, I lived in Barcelona for three weeks with the Garcia Rodriguez family. After the three weeks, Maria Garcia Rodriguez, who is my age, came back to Texas with me for three weeks to also learn a different language and culture in America. It was a wonderful experience, which made me gain a second family in Barcelona. It had been four years since I have seen the Garcia Rodriguez family, but it felt like I was only gone for a short amount of time when I returned. I quickly adapted and couldn’t have felt more at home.

In addition, it was the best feeling when both my American family and Spanish family met for the first time in person this summer. I am truly blessed for both of my families.

4)Excursions? Of course! The best part of studying abroad was traveling. Since I did not have class on Fridays, I took advantage of traveling in and out of Spain every weekend. I had the opportunity to travel to a place that has been on my buck list all of my life: Africa. I went to Chefchaouen (known as the Blue City), Tangier, and Assilah. From riding camels along the beach, bargaining with locals while shopping, and getting my first henna tattoo, it was hands down my favorite vacation excursion. Fortunately, my Mom’s reaction was a lot better than what I was expecting when I told her I was going to Africa for the weekend. 

I paid for the excursion with my own money, so it was a happy 21^st birthday present to me!

5)In addition to missing my family, friends and dog, I truly missed my favorite food: queso. TexMex was not known in Spain, so you could assume that queso was the first thing I ate when I returned home after being abroad for 2.5 months.  

For more information on my study abroad story, check out my individual blog:

http://barcelonaconrachrobes.blogspot.com/

Megan McGill PC '11

1) Barcelona, Spain in the IES Program

2) In Barcelona, I took a Spanish class and an Art History class 

that focused on the Spanish artists Picasso, Miró, and Dalí.

3) My favorite part of study abroad was being able to become so immersed in the culture of Barcelona! I lived with a family of five for the six weeks that I was there, and they taught me so much! I got the opportunity to learn so much more about the Spanish and Catalan people than I would have ever learned in a weeklong vacation. Also, being there for six weeks gave me so much time to explore and try out all of the wonderful restaurants and food that Barcelona has to offer!

4) For an independent trip one weekend, I went to Menorca, Spain with my Barcelona roommate and another one of our friends. It was by far my favorite excursion that I took! We went to the extremely relaxing island of Menorca, off of the coast of Barcelona, near the end of our study abroad semester and had so much fun. We spent the entire weekend on beautiful beaches, and were able to test out our Spanish with the locals, who knew much less English than the people of Barcelona. I can’t wait to go back sometime!

5) During my summer abroad, I really missed Tex-Mex food, free water at restaurants and air conditioning, but especially my family and friends that were back in Texas! Thankfully, more than fifty percent of the students in the program were from UT, including three of my ZTA sisters, which made Barcelona feel much more like home!

Caroline Kirby PC '11

1)I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain through the IES Language and Area Studies program

2) The classes I took were Spanish Advanced Grammar I and International Marketing

3)I can’t really pick one part of study abroad that was my ultimate favorite. There were so many different aspects that made my experience great. On the one hand, I loved living with my host mom and learning the way that people live in Barcelona and their everyday life. I also really enjoyed traveling and seeing places in a whole new way because I had no one but myself and the friends I traveled with to figure out how to get from point A to point B. It was no longer me going along with my parent’s travel plans. It was my friends and I scrambling for the cheapest way to get back from Granada to Barcelona the day before we needed to be home for class on Monday morning. Then finally, taking a less than luxurious night train home, which arrived just two hours before class solely because we “wanted to see more of the city”. Still, I enjoyed not just the places that I got to see during my study abroad experience, but the little details and chaotic planning that went on in between each destination. Spontaneity and luck had a lot to do with it in the end.  

4) During the week, I typically tried to explore all that Barcelona had to offer, which was a lot. Then, on the weekends, I went on trips to places outside of Barcelona. In total during my program I went to Terragona (Spain), Girona (Spain), Figueres (Spain), Púbol (Spain), Cadaqués (Spain), Sitges (Spain), Madrid (Spain), Seville (Spain), Granada (Spain), Collioure (France), Venice (Italy), Prague (Czech Republic). In of these places there was many unforgettable experiences. One place particularly that I would love to go back to is Venice. When I went it was with a group of six, with only a small plan of places we would like to see and the rest just to wander. Regardless of where we tried to go in Venice, we got lost and sometimes we got really, really lost. The best part was that even though we were lost it never felt like time was wasted because sometimes that’s when I really felt I learned about how real locals live everyday.

5)I definitely missed a few things that I took for granted before I left the U.S. One thing is the free water at restaurants. With all of the hard work that comes along with being a tourist, there is a never-ending craving for water and no restaurant will just hand it over for free like we do here. Also, I missed being able to communicate easily with friends and family and in the same time zone too.

Cooking for a Cause

Bella Tommey appears on Fox News for her cooking segment!

Last Thursday morning, I was privileged enough to be given the opportunity to feature on the Fox News cooking segment. I was told that I would be baking donuts during the short time slot and that I would be able to explain my new cookbook ‘Time for Tea (Guilt-Free). The inspiration for my book derived from my younger brother Billy who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 and is unable to eat any gluten, casein, sugar or soy products. Many other people like Billy are on similar restricted diets due to the strong links between brain function, food allergies and nutrition.

I personally have a serious sweet-tooth and due to my love for baking, I would constantly make indulgent deserts that my brother could not enjoy. It used to break my heart when Billy would start crying when he realised he was the only one who could not have a slice of a chocolate cake. One day, my mum asked me if I could attempt to bake a gluten, casein and sugar free dessert for a family visiting that were on a diet similar to my brothers. My first instinct was that it would not be possible to create something remotely tasteful, particularly after having to watch my brother miss out for all these years but I decided to attempt the challenge none-the-less.

After searching for ages and failing to find any solutions, I decided that my only option was to try and adapt from various standard recipes and substitute the bad ingredients for healthy ones. I ended up creating a Raspberry and Chocolate Tart and the results were outstanding. We were all shocked as to how delicious the pudding was, despite having absolutely no sugar, dairy, soy or gluten in it whatsoever.

Consequently, I started engaging in conversations with my dad who is a clinical nutritionist and soon enough was creating healthier yet more delicious new recipes everyday to replace all the sugar packed foods I had previously been eating. I also learnt the benefits of raw produce and this is something I also considered when writing this book.

Some of Bella's modified desserts!

It didn't take long for my family to realise just how fabulous we felt since we had eliminated sugar from our diet. Surprisingly, we had far more energy than we ever had done, our skin was clear and we were looking in far better shape just after a few weeks. It was then that I started to research sugar in more detail and was amazed how much damage sugar can do if eaten excessively.

I put together an e- book of all my recipes tried and tested by friends and family over the summer. The results were amazing and I was overwhelmed by the support and opportunities that I received, such as the Fox segment. I feel so much healthier, slimmer, fitter and happier not eating sugar, gluten and casein and this certainly does not mean that I have to be deprived from sweet-tasting foods. But what makes me even happier is that my brother can now eat dessert with our family and is over the moon with the results.

I really urge you to try the recipes for yourself and I would love to hear your feedback if you decide to!

ZLAM,

Bella Tommey

PC’13

CHECK OUT the segment here: http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/23348521/healthy-donut-recipe
 

Finding Our Families

Rachel Miller (PC '12) , Kristin Oglesbee (PC '11),

ParxAnn Counts (PC '10), and Elaine Russel (PC '09)

     Being a part of a family is one of the most exciting parts of being in Zeta. Having such a tight knit family as a freshman drew me to apply for the Program Council position of Big Little Chair. This year, my co-chair, Janie Johnson, and I decided to make some changes to how the process of choosing bigs and littles went.

     We decided that we would have three weeks called “Zeta week, Tau week, and Alpha week” when each new member would be paired with a girl from pledge class ‘12. Before we began, we hosted a “speed-dating” type event at the Zeta house, where the new members had two minute conversations with PC ’12. The girls got a brief chance to get to know each other and have a conversation inspired by some sassy ice breakers. Then our Zeta, Tau and Alpha weeks began! For our Zeta week, we hosted a mixer at the house for the girls to mingle with their match. Thanks to the help of our lovely Chef Holly, we had a delicious chocolate fountain for the girls to munch on while they chatted with their match. Tau week was similar, as we hosted a Tye-Dye event at the house where both girls were able to personalize a ZETA Staple Tank. And finally our Alpha week was a Sno-Cone stand that came to the Zeta house! 

     These three weeks were meant not only for the new members to find their ideal fit for their family but also so both pledge classes would be able to meet many girls right off the bat! Families are a comforting, special thing in sororities, especially when they come about through a thoughtful process. My big, Kristen Oglesbee, grand-big, ParxAnn Counts, and great-grand-big, Elaine Russell helped me feel right at home with family dinners and outings! I can only hope that this years new bigs and littles will find this kind of love in their families!

ZLAM,

Rachel Miller

Big Little Chair

PC ‘12

New Member Retreat 2013

I woke up on a Sunday morning bright and early, at 7 am to be exact. My phone was going off frantically with notifications from my pledge class' group-me app. Girls complained of how tired they were and about how their beds were just calling their names, but then we got to the Zeta house and everything changed. Girls were so happy to see their sisters and discuss the game the day before, including all the funny things that only your sisters would understand. We all were so excited for the day to start and couldn’t wait to see what our new member retreat had in store.

We walked into the living room of Zeta, and my eyes instantly light up as I saw the 73 ZTA blocks that we were going to paint later on in the day. “ASHTON ARE WE DOING ART PROJECTS?!!,” I screamed throughout the house. Ashton, one of the New Member assistants smiled at me and I could hardly contain my excitement for the day to begin. Before we left for our journey, we were instructed to go to the chapter room for a surprise. As we sprinted into the room, we were surprised with beautifully decorated styrofoam coolers from our ‘Tau’ buddies of the week. But most importantly, they were filled with all our favorite goodies. Once again, Zeta had knocked it out of the park and made the day extra special for us babies. We boarded the bus with our coolers and off we went!

When we got to the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort, we went into a big conference room and separated into groups sat at tables. Some of the girls at my table I had not gotten to know yet, so I was really happy that new faces surrounded me. We jumped into conversation like we had known each other forever, not just weeks. Later on in the day, we started our art projects, and creativity and laughter was pulsing throughout the room. Girls were walking around viewing what everyone else was doing, trading ideas and input. The ZTA blocks reflected the chapter perfectly, showcasing the uniqueness of each person’s personality.

We then went outside to soak up the Texas sun and swim a little bit. All the girls relaxed, not thinking about the hours of homework they probably have been avoiding, like myself. We all sat around the pool and discussed the smoldering heat; our friends back home, our families, a combination of everything and anything that made us unique. To me, the most amazing part of it all was that it feels like every single one of my Zeta sisters just gets me. I'm from out of state, but never-the-less they accepted my background. The easiness of our relationships and how natural our bonds were was evident. Although I have only been a Zeta for about a month, I looked around the room and saw 72 girls that I could call not only call my good friends but know I could call any one of them up at any time and they would be there for me in a heart beat. Zeta has been the most amazing experience so far and I have never felt so apart of something in my life. I may be half way around the country from my original home, but Zeta has become my home away from home and, although corny, they say you don't chose your family, but I couldn’t have asked for a better one if I tried. 

ZLAM,

Samantha Katz, PC '13

CHICKEN. FINGER. FRIDAY.

The look on my sisters’ faces when our house manager Liz Flury announced that the first Friday of September was Chicken Finger Friday, can only be described as pure joy. Shrieks and tears of happiness followed. 

Chiara shows off her typical CFF lunch. 

Fondly referred to as CFF, Chicken Finger Friday is a lunch hosted at Zeta that features chicken fingers, coleslaw, baked beans, vanilla pudding, and (my personal favorite) macaroni and cheese. We are encouraged to bring our friends to this special occasion, and the lucky few that are invited always want to come back for more. I invited one of my best friends, Holly, to meet me at the Zeta house that Friday for what she thought was going to be a just quick lunch... but if you’re going to chicken finger Friday, you better do it right. So after multiple trips back to the food table for extra helpings of mac and cheese, our quick lunch soon turned into great conversation with the rest of my sisters. We spent about two hours talking about how fun the previous night’s date event was, the struggle of having early morning classes on a Friday, and how we were so full but did not want to stop eating the delicious chicken and macaroni! Everybody Holly talked to was so happy and welcoming, which made sharing this delicious meal with her even better. I loved being able to share two of my great loves with her that day-- food and my sisters! Chicken Finger Friday is the perfect way to treat yourself after a hard week of classes, and I know I speak for the rest of the chapter when I say that we can’t wait for the next one!

PC '12 Courtney Kercher, Ashton Groves, and
Sydney Braasch are all smiles eating their chicken fingers!

ZL,
Chiara Geremia PC '12

Bid Day 2013

The morning of Bid Day began outside of the Zeta house. I, along with my chapter, stood in the front yard anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new members. With my sunflower and name tag in hand, I felt the excitement of meeting my new sisters build up inside of me. Giddy murmurs filled the air and it was very evident that everyone was counting down the minutes until the moment our new Zeta members would arrive. Finally a voice quieted all the chatter and gave us the news we had been waiting for all morning…“Here they come!” I whipped around and sure enough, headed straight down Nueces Street were 73 smiling faces in sundresses charging our way!

What was once chatter had now turned into hollers of excitement! “Welcome Home!” was the cry we all yelled as our new members smothered us with hugs, joyful tears, and yes, more hugs. I scanned the crowd of new members and sought out a familiar face, my friend Rachel. Rachel and I cheered together in high school, so to have her as an addition to the Zeta Tau Alpha chapter was thrilling beyond words! I buddied up with my friend Rachel and immediately the whirlwind of picture taking began! Bid Day is funny, because the new members take pictures with each other like they have been best friends since birth! I love this aspect of Bid Day! It’s so easy to embrace one another because there is a mutual understanding that you will all be great friends within a matter of a few weeks!

After picture taking, Rachel and I decided to enter the Zeta house. I think it is fair to say the room inside looked like it had exploded turquoise and steel grey (the official colors of Zeta). Posters, flowers, t-shirts, decorations, and baskets covered the floor and couches, all as gifts to our new friends. Rachel was so excited and the joy on her face just made me even more anxious to show her around the rest of the house. We ended up parking next to a basket that I personally made for her. Rachel looked like a little girl on Christmas as she sifted through the various gifts in her basket. We chattered about the excitement of the day and it was at that moment that I felt a sigh of relief. Rush week was over, and the wait was done. We officially could welcome our new friends to share this place we call like to call home. I am so excited for Rachel and the rest of the new members to experience life as a Zeta. Wonderful friendships and opportunities are going to be their reality in just a matter of time. So I guess all I can say is welcome home Zetas, welcome home.

ZL Courtney Groos (PC 12)