Global Experiences

Everyone woke up early on May 9 and got ready for their early morning flights to Prague. Everybody was excited to explore Prague, learn about the culture and work on the VR-1 test reactor. After a long day of traveling, we all finally arrived in Prague around 10 AM.

The TCE Alternative Summer Break for 2015 took place in San Ignacio, Belize, from May 11–17. Six TCE students accompanied TCE International Coordinator Judith Mallory on the trip. They are: chemical engineers Rosemary Dabbs and Maggie Lau; mechanical engineer Alex Grim; electrical engineer Andrew Turner; biomedical engineer Andre’ Norfleet; and the first nuclear engineer to…

The main idea of the project is to build a house for these girls using sustainable earth bags. What makes this project interesting is that the entire house is constructed from recycled materials, such as old car tires and empty feedbags. Since earth bags are stacked on top of each other, the entire house is…

It is fascinating to me that we (college students who got a five-minute overview of the process) could build a structure out of no new materials using primarily dirt that is probably stronger than the house my parents are building using expert contractors, cement, and complex architectural designs. This trip showed me that simple processes…

The volunteer engineering trip to Belize was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It was both a vacation and a time of relaxation as well as a time to help those who needed it and to become immersed in a culture in a way that is unlike any vacation. There were times to…

The trip to Belize was a great and rewarding experience for me, not only because of the physical labor tasks that we accomplished but also because of some of the lessons that I took home with me. Our group had the goal of getting the foundation created for the future foster child transition house and…

The engineering trip to San Ignacio, Belize, was a very rewarding and educational one. I have traveled to many places, but when I do I stay in hotels, or only stop by for a short time as part of a cruise. This experience was completely different than those in a better way.

My trip to San Ignacio, Belize, was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. When people hear that I went to Belize for a week, they think of white sandy beaches, blue ocean water, and fancy resorts. My trip was so much more than just a vacation.

The trip also contained elements of adventure, relaxation, scenic beauty, and cultural learning, in addition to the service work. We hiked to the top of a volcano and rode horses through the equivalent of a national forest. The house we stayed at was extremely, surprisingly, modern, and our guide Federico was amazing!

The engineering service trip to Costa Rica has certainly been one of the best vacations I have ever been on. Most of the time, traveling involves visiting a lot of tourist destinations and a quick look at what has been deemed the most important places. This trip however allowed us to experience the culture of…