Grinnell Women’s Soccer News

February 2012

Women’s Soccer Players Studying Abroad I am doing the Medical Practice and Policy program here. Classes are really different from American classes, with more emphasis on participation and taking responsibility for your own learning/cooperation with others. They also emphasize hands-on learning, which means field excursions for our classes. I’ll be going to western Denmark, Germany, and Poland for study tours, and later in the semester, my floor is also doing a day cruise to Oslo, so I’m excited about that, too. I’ve been to the Modern Art Museum, as well as the Danish Resistance Museum and the National Museum, and I’ve learned quite a bit about Danish History, specifically their resistance to the Nazi movement and involvement during WWII.

Nicole Sipfle: Denmark

I’m learning quite a bit about Danish culture. I’ve joined a soccer team where half the team is American students and half the team is Danish. They play outside year-round, despite the cold. It’s a great opportunity to meet Danes as well as play a sport I really enjoy. I’ve met many Danes and discovered they won’t speak to you unless spoken to...but if you ask questions, they’re typically extremely friendly. They will also stand at a crosswalk and wait for the light to turn green before they cross, even if there are no cars in sight (and you get a few nasty looks if you cross against the light). Everyone has free health care though some people pay up to 70% of their income in taxes, and universities are free. Actually the government pays for their citizens to go to college (not a bad deal)! Overall, I think the study abroad experience is a great way to immerse yourself in and learn about and understand another culture. It provides you with the opportunity to travel, meet new people, and experience a style of learning and teaching you can’t get in the United States.

Rachel Weinstein: Costa Rica

I am studying in a program called the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), which is run by Duke University. There are 2 main programs—I am in the global/public health program. The majority of the 15 people in my program are studying pre-medicine; however, others are studying nutrition, agriculture, and international relations. The program is very intense and involves a lot of hands-on learning in a short period of time. We are all taking the same 4 classes: tropical medicine and global health, ethnobiology, Spanish, and a research practicum. Apart from a 1-month period where we do a home stay in San Jose, our professors live with us at various biological field stations throughout the country. Right now, I am living at a field station called Las Cruces, which is about 1200 m above sea level along the Pacific Coastal range in southern Costa Rica—about 5 km from the Panamanian border. The site protects more than 300 hectares of Pre-Montane Wet Forest. In short, it is absolutely beautiful. Everything is lush and green, and there are more plants and animals here than I ever thought existed. Plus, there is a soccer field!

My group also visits Panama, where we have the opportunity to do a host stay with an indigenous community. We also visit remote areas in Costa Rica where health care is very limited. In the community of Los Alturus, we set up a clinic to treat patients and educate the community about the danger of dengue. I have learned a great deal about the challenges of tropical medicine and about the universal health care system (CAJA) used in Costa Rica. I have also learned to appreciate the importance of preserving culture and indigenous languages, as linguistic diversity is directly linked to plant biodiversity—diversity is the key to survival. Some of the exciting adventures I’ve had include visiting Volcan Poas, hiking through calf-deep mud to a remote health care facility in the jungle, and seeing the gorgeous beaches of Cahuita, on the Caribbean side of Coast Rica. On one of our hikes, my teacher had an asthma attack, and I sprinted down the mountain to give him my inhaler! My group loves to go on runs and hikes together, and although it is difficult to exercise sometimes, I can usually find time to go for a run or play a bit of soccer! I am excited to experience everything Costa Rica has to offer, and as they say here, “Pura vida!”

Mary Ulseth: Ecuador

It’s my one month anniversary in Quito hoy! ¡No puedo creer ya un mes pasó! I can’t believe it’s already been a month! It’s a mixture of feeling like I’ve already been here a long time and feeling like no time has gone by. I go to a small school/foundation with 22 other Americans. We are broken up into 4 tracks—social services (what I’m in), environment, public health, and education. We take classes together that cover Ecuador’s politics, economy, and history; but our smaller groups address more specific issues and themes. We’ve covered some of what we talk about here in my classes at Grinnell, but it’s interesting to get it from an Ecuadorian perspective. It’s a really different structure from Grinnell, because it’s mostly lecture—makes me appreciate Grinnell’s focus on class discussion, critical analysis, and class organization. So on that note, classes haven’t been my favorite part, but I get to do a lot of exploring and traveling.

It’s great to just walk about Quito, which is a huge city! I live in a good location near public transportation, a soccer stadium, and some huge parks. A few highlights would be my hike up Volcan Cotopaxi and another hike around the Quilotoa loop, a crater lake. Both were incredibly hard, but the views were so rewarding. It was crazy to see the change in environment from farmlands, to sandy beach-like hills, to snow-covered mountains. It also just felt great to get some good exercise in (and being my competitive self, I made sure I stayed in the front of the group the whole time). I’m living with a host family, and although it can be awkward at times, it’s a great way to understand another culture. I would recommend it for anyone studying abroad, I live with a mom, 2 sons (21 + 23), and a daughter (19). I don’t hang out with my brothers much (I think they have a little of the machismo thing going on and also have the mom do everything for them). But I love hanging out with my sister! We go out dancing all the time and she’s a great resource for asking questions and practicing my Spanish! And speaking of dancing, I am determined to come back a salsa dancer, so get ready!

GRINNELL RECRUIT TIME TABLE

SPRING JUNIOR YEAR Update player profile and submit Submit transcript and ACT/SAT scores Provide high school and/or club spring schedule Notify coach of summer tournaments and showcase events in which you will compete Send letter of recommendation from club coach Send DVD or link to YouTube video of you playing (8-10 minutes max.) Visit Grinnell’s financial aid website and use the Net Price Calculator to approximate

what a new first-year student with your financial profile can expect to pay to attend Grinnell

Schedule an unofficial campus visit (campus tour, admission informational session, meeting with coach and lunch with members of team)

Regularly check e-mails for updates from the Grinnell coaching staff

SUMMER Provide coach with any new honors or significant achievements Submit updated transcript and ACT/SAT scores Confirm summer tournaments and showcase events in which you will compete

Provide schedule and jersey number Identify possible dates for an official campus visit in the fall Regularly check e-mails for updates from the Grinnell coaching staff

FALL SENIOR YEAR Provide coach with any new honors or significant achievements Schedule an official campus visit (observe practice, watch competition, attend class,

stay overnight in dorms, meet with financial aid) Particularly good dates to consider:

Friday, September 21 – Saturday, September 22 (game vs. Illinois College) Friday, September 28 – Saturday, September 29 (game vs. Knox) Sunday, September 30 – Monday, October 1 (game vs. Augustana) Friday, October 19 – Saturday, October 20 (game vs. Lawrence)

Consider whether to apply Early Decision at Grinnell Early Decision I (Deadline: November 15) Early Decision II (Deadline: January 1) Regular Decision (Deadline: January 15)

Ask the teachers who know you the best for letters of recommendation Regularly check e-mails for updates from the Grinnell coaching staff