Study Abroad Photo Contest

Covent Garden Jubilee (London, England)

I took this photo in early June, just days before the Queen's Platinum Jubilee -- a celebration for 70 years on the throne. Like many other popular London spots, Covent Garden was decked out in Union Jacks, reflecting the city's unrivaled...

The Simple Things

The raw act of admiration and loving what is beautiful can be overlooked when traveling abroad. Finding a rusting gate along the Amalfi Coast and capturing its essence in a photo can be more powerful than trying to do the Top 10 best...

Grand Mosque of Paris

Before I studied the history of Paris, I never thought of the importance of Muslim culture in the history of France. I think it is really cool that I visited the Grand Mosque in this program, which allowed me to understand the religion as...

Alhambra Doorway (Granada, Spain)

This naturally lit doorway in the historic halls of the Alhambra displays the hand-designed Arabian style of architecture that defines southern Spain. With only a glimpse of the hills in the background, it demonstrates the elevation of the...

Le barche di Venezia (Venice, Italy)

A stormy morning in Venice.

Spiral Down

This photo was taken at the Lighthouse in Glasgow, an old warehouse that has now been turned into an architecture and design museum. Once you climb the seven stories you have a magnificent view of the city, but coming down is the hardest...

Under the Sea

I was lucky enough to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef. This is the coolest picture I took with my underwater camera, but I also saw a clown fish in an anemone and a shark!

Giant Among Giants

Male elephant strutting in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Pink Sunset at Christmas

This sight of the splendid orange-pink sunset at Christmas has been the top of my sunset list, not only because of its breath-taking brilliance, which took all my homesick feelings away, but also because of its magic, that brought me new...

The Grandeur of Brussels

I went to Belgium to visit the college my father went to, purely sentimental. I arrived late at night and took a train to where I was staying. When I finally was outside, I was met by the 360 view of beauty. The lights and gold guild of...

Alhaja Seynabou Faye

This is a photo of my host mother in her courtyard located in Dakar, Senegal. She is known in her neighborhood as “Alhaja” which means “she who has done the Hajj (to Mecca)”. People of this name have a high status in their society, because...

The Andes Mountains along Hike in the Huascarán National Park

I took this photo at the very beginning of a 10 hour hike in the Andes Mountains- which proved to be extremely difficult, especially given the high altitude. Lakes within the mountain range and along this hike were all an amazing blue as...

Perito Moreno

Clearly, the focus of this panoramic photo is the magnificent Perito Moreno glacier. That said, I believe that this view also captures the changing seasons in an interesting way. In the bottom left corner, one can see the contrast between...

Laguna Torre

I believe that each segment of this photo is beautiful. From the snowy mountains to the glacier chunks, the rippling waves to the glistening rocks, the cloudy sky to the contrasting colors, each element forms a critical part of the overall...

Tryfan Trek: All Hail

During a four-day trip with the Mountaineering Club, this was Day 3 and our second day hiking in intense weather conditions- snow, rain, extreme winds, hail, and ice. Reaching the summit, we found peaceful, undisturbed fields of new-fallen...

Free, Flow, Fly

Before I went down to Morocco a lot of people were warning me about how the country is a bit dangerous and is probably not too friendly for female visitors, they have also suggested me to get a hijab/scarf. So, this is the first shop that...

Penguins of Boulders Beach

Boulders Beach is characterized by great views of Table Mountain and is the only place in Africa where you can observe African penguins up close. These penguins—considered an endangered species—seem to be thriving on Boulders Beach thanks...

Mama playing the Ukulele

I took this photo during my homestay with Mama Koleta and her family. My homestay partner had brought his ukulele to play for our family, and it was an instant hit. Soon, everyone in the family was taking turns playing it, and I took...

Endless Summer

Muizenberg, one of the best surf spots in South Africa, photographed during the golden hour. The Muizenberg changing huts are world famous for their bright colors. I think this photo has a vintage feel, just like the documentary “Endless...

La Torre de Hércules

When my mother and youngest sister visited me in Coruña this past April, I knew that the iconic Torre de Hércules had to be the first place we visited. To me and my fellow Holy Cross friends in Coruña, the torre is a symbol of our study...

Bridging the Gap

This photo speaks volumes to the adversity that one must overcome and summon the courage to cross while studying abroad in a foreign country. Photograph of Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge in Northern Ireland.

Sheep in the Mountains

While in Connemara, we stopped to take pictures and a herd of sheep ran through in front of us, the red paint distinguishes to whom the sheep belong.

Make Love, Not War

With the terror attacks at the Bataclan in 2015 still fresh in our minds, we didn’t let that stop us from seeing a wonderful concert put on by Flume. The graphic in the background of two people kissing is all too symbolic of France’s...

Water Scarcity

When interviewing local Datoga villagers in Yaeda Valley about climate change, most of them stated that droughts are lasting longer while the rain season is becoming shorter. This underground well, about 30 feet deep, provides water for...

Serengeti Miracles

This was the second sunset we witnessed during our time in the Serengeti. I remember being so emotionally overwhelmed on this drive. I will never forget flying through the plains in the research jeeps, getting covered head-to-toe in dust...

Cosmic Love

If I’m going to be honest, Florence and the Machine’s “Cosmic Love” wouldn’t stop running through my head as I saw for the first time how wild the Milky Way is with my own eyes. With virtually little to no light pollution, a whole new...

Lipstick Jungle

An intriguing photo that combines rich culture and color, education and fun. Here we play with indigenous colors – utilizing the common lipstick plant to make ‘tattoos’ on our skin while we listen to a member of the Bri Bri community...

Uyuni

Self portrait from a weeklong adventure in Bolivia to visit my cousin whom I had never met before. Walking on these endless salt flats is the closest thing I can imagine to walking on another planet.

What is it like to live on a hill among people who aspire to move mountains?

I traveled to Barcelona with five other Holy Cross students, and it was one of my fondest memories from abroad. Being able to share this with other Holy Cross kids made it so much more incredible.

Portal Tomb

This picture shows the intricate designs of the rocks and the black and white adds to the intensity of the area.

Brighton Pier

It was immediately after I returned to the UK following Christmas vacation that I spent a day strolling through the beach town of Brighton, England, which is located on the southern coast, with a good friend. It was an unexpected...

Medici Fountain

The orange and yellow colors on the leaves perfectly represent the fall season and the change in nature.

La Corrida

Few things in my life have been as interesting from a cultural perspective as this bullfight was. I was in Nîmes for the weekend with a friend and we decided to attend it on a whim in order to see the famous Nîmes arena from the inside and...

Paris Beneath Storm Clouds

Even though the sun did not shine that day, the cream-colored buildings emitted a glow of their own.

Outskirts

I was standing on ancient ruins as I took this photo. In many parts of Peru the cities and ruins inhabit shared space.

Rainbow over Monteverde

Taken after a storm in the mountains of Monteverde.

On the Road to Hogwarts

We got on the last Jacobite train from Fort William to Mallaig in fall 2014. Crossing the bridge where Harry Potter was filmed, I couldn’t help but capture the breathtaking scenery of Scottish highland.

My Home Away From Home

This year, York, England has become my home away from home. One of the reasons why I love the city as much as I do is because it is a perfect collaboration of old and new. In this scene, you can see just that. The traditions of the city...

Unveiled Truth

After spending a week with weavers in Cusco, I learned about local, traditional techniques, patterns, and clothing, and that the clothes they wore were in fact uniforms to exhibit and preserve these traditions.

Unknown Field, Unknown Workers

The price of eating and feeding could mean waking up at 3 a.m. to find work at an unfamiliar camp with unnamed terms and lack of security and human rights.

A Road of Progress: An Urban Dala-dala Carries Boys through Town

This picture of boys riding through town on a dala-dala, the traditional Tanzanian mix between a truck and a taxi that characterizes urban Zanzibari streets and epitomizes their richly fast pace. Because Zanzibar is very rural, the...

This Is My Home: A Zanzabari Seaweed Harvester Looks Out to Sea

This photo was taken in the Paje region of the island of Zanzibar - women there are seaweed harvesters, often working from sunrise until sunset to create intricate fields of seaweed within the water. For cultural and religious reasons...

A Coastal Walk

The weekend I spent in the countryside of Ireland in Connemara, I witnessed some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I took this photo while on a hike and decided to capture the beauty of the Irish coast with a flock of sheep...

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Before coming to China, I watched Disney's Frozen with my sister. On a trip to freezing Harbin, I attended their annual Ice and Snow festival, and was reminded of a particular scene when the main character sings the song "Do you want to...

Derry Murals

I took this photo when I visited the city of Derry in Northern Ireland directly after the death of Margaret Thatcher. This photo is reflective of the continuing struggle between the Protestant and Catholic communities in the North.

Teleférico

Despite the cloudy day, the amazing array of colors of this coastal city were breathtaking. The teleférico which brings you up the hill for a better view is painted just as colorful to match the city, and shows how even on a cloudy day the...

Buffalo of Ngorongoro

The most beautiful place I have ever seen, on the most beautiful day I have ever seen, with some of the most amazing creatures on our earth.

Spanish Strings

I was walking while I took this photo, and although I was initially frustrated at the blurry quality of the shot, I later decided that it captured the frenetic pace of the city in the evening. I cannot recall the song that the musicians...

Nikolai

This is Nikolai, one of the many fishermen in Vladivostok’s bay. Visiting the city during winter break, I met Nikolai when I asked to take his picture. He cheerfully agreed, and then invited me to join him. I then spent that remarkable...

El Pulpo y la torre de Hercules de la Coruña

Along the beautiful paseo maritimo which lines the coast of the entire peninsula of la Coruña this giant tiled octopus can be found which represents the local delicacy. In the distance the Tower of Hercules, the oldest functioning Roman...

Hard Life in Thin Air

Tequille Island in Lake Titicaca does not allow any machines so residents must carry everything on their backs. Lake Titicaca is a deep blue because it is the highest navigable lake in the world.

Positano: A City Built into the Side of a Mountain

Positano was one of the quaintest and most charming places that I have visited in my year abroad. The tiny town of just under 4,000 residents is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Built literally into the side of the...

La Maleta

This was one of the first interesting things I saw during my times abroad. In Pamplona we came across a street in which every house had a differently decorated suitcase hanging outside its window. One looked like an old boom box, another...

Agatha’s Smile

I interviewed Agatha for one of our research projects as she was drying spinach in the afternoon sun. The joy she radiated as we spoke was inspiring

Valldemossa

This photo was taken in a small town near the city of Palma. Each of the towns in Mallorca has a unique and beautiful character. Valldemossa is known for its cobblestone streets, green shutters and the small plant pots suspended on the...

Tannery of Tetouan

During a three-day weekend my friend and I went to Tetouan, one of the last not-touristy-but-still-pretty-big cities in Morocco. Here we stumbled upon some of the most traditional scenes we had seen during our entire nine months in Morocco.

Elephants of the Serengeti

Taken in Serengeti National Park, this image truly captures the beauty of the natural landscape. Serengeti, meaning “endless plains”, is home to a plethora of wildlife including the African elephant. Shown in the picture is a small herd...

The most beautiful street in La Coruna!

The main harbor in this Galician city with many colorful fishing boats. Behind the boats, the row of buildings are apartments with decks enclosed by large glass windows. Due to the large amount of rainfall in La Coruna, the residents use...

Making Friends with the Locals

I love this photo because it captures one of the three times we were able to swim with sea lions, the subject of my Directed Research project and subsequently, my new favorite animal.

Stables

During a group trip to Meknes, we visited the ancient horse stables. In this photo one can observe the majestic architecture that maintained hundreds of horses hundreds of years ago, still intact.

Each year, participants in the Study Abroad program are invited to submit photos taken during their experiences around the globe. The photos are judged by faculty.

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