Seven Countries in Nine Weeks

By Marselle Kovarsky

Over two months ago, I said goodbye to my parents and America when I boarded my plane for the Bahamas. I was pretty excited, and a bit nervous, for my adventures that awaited me. I was going to visit seven countries over the next nine weeks and earn nine school credits, a pretty sweet deal! I didn’t know any of the other 800 students aboard the MV Explorer, but I was ready to make new friends. Ironically enough, my roommate Ginny is a Gamma Phi Beta at Loyola New Orleans, so we instantly hit it off. It took ten days to sailacross the Atlantic Ocean, and living at sea was a pretty easy transition. The cabins are decent sized dorm rooms with private bathrooms, and maid service comes every day. The food is edible, but by day 59 I’'m sick and tired of potatoes, pasta, and bread (I can’t wait for some chips and queso from Fuego!)

Our first port stop was Barcelona, Spain. Being an Architectural History minor, I was super excited to see all thewonderful works of Gaudi. I visited the Casa Mila, La Sagrada Familia, and the Picasso Museum. Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia was overwhelming; it was by far the largest and most spectacular church I had ever seen. At night I enjoyed walking around with my new friends exploring the main street, Las Ramblas, and experiencing the fast-paced lifestyle. I even tried my first olive, tomato, and glass of wine (all Spanish must-have’s). Spain was a great first stop since it wasn’t too much of a culture shock; it eased us Americans in to the European culture.

Naples, Italy was the next port we docked at. Margarita pizza from Naples is hands down the best pizza in the world. The city was pretty crowded and dirty so I’'m glad I was only in the city for one night. For five days, I went on a “field trip” to Florence, Pisa, Assisi, and Rome. Florence was a great city with a lot of rich architecture and Roman Catholic culture. I was able to see the Duermo and Michelangelo’'s David, which is so much bigger than I expected! I spent a few hours in Pisa taking the typical touristy pictures with the leaning tower, but there isn’t much else to do in that city. Assisi was by far my favorite place in Italy; this small hill town is the epitome of the Tuscany countryside. Rome was the most crowded city I have ever been in… there are 5 million people living there plus 1 million tourists. I threw two coins into the Trevi Fountain, went inside the Pantheon, saw “aTm” carved in the walls of the Coliseum, and walked through the Roman Forum. The next day in Rome I visited the Vatican where I experienced the Sistine Chapel (which is smaller than I expected) and the marvelous St. Peter’s basilica. St. Peter’s basilica is the largest church in the world and it is one of the most memorable places I’'ve seen during my travels. The last day I learned to make pasta and tiramisu in a local Tuscan winery. Overall, Italy was a beautiful country with wonderful food; I will definitely be going back. I had little knowledge of our next port Dubrovnik, Croatia, but this port became a wonderful beach vacation filled with kayaking, swimming, and cliff diving! For the day I also drove to Montenegro, which is the most picturesque country where the mountains fall straight into the clear blue water and the orange tiled houses are nestled into the valleys.

Our next stop caused a bit of concern; Athens, Greece, has been experiencing riots and the government is going through a lot of economic problems. My only interaction with this unrest was the taxi riot that shutdown traffic for a whole entire day! The first day I visited the Acropolis and my architectural side was so happy to see the famous Parthenon! I spent the remaining days island hopping, visiting Hydra, Aegina, and Mykonos. These islands had the stereotypical blue and white houses that characterize Greece. On the islands, I enjoyed another beach vacation riding donkeys and playing on jet skies. I even tried my first mussel!

Varna, Bulgaria was a last minute addition to our itinerary once Egypt was removed due to the political unrest there. I was bummed about not being able to go to Egypt and the pyramids, but Varna turned out to be my second favorite port! Like Croatia and Greece, Bulgaria was a beech vacation; every night I laid on the beach and had a nice relaxing time with my friends. One day I even went to a local salt lake and mud bath where I covered my body in black “healing” mud!

Istanbul, Turkey was my favorite port! Minarets tooe over the dense skyline, and my first mosque experience was great. I had to cover my head with a scarf and remove my shoes before entering, and the blue tiles inside made beautiful geometric patterns on the walls. I visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and multiple palaces. I was a smart shopper in the Grand Bazaar and walked away with great souvenirs! I also experienced a Turkish bath, which is better than any spa treatment you can get in the States! I even had lunch on the Asian continent one day. Istanbul was my favorite because there was so much to do and the culture was so different from the Western world.

My last port was Casablanca, Morocco, and, yes, I went to Rick’s Café! The first day I stayed in port and visited the Hassan II mosque, which is the second largest mosque in the world with a minaret larger than the Washington monument! I spent the remainder of my days in Marrakech where I rode a camel, played with a monkey, bought Aladdin pants at the bazaar, and got plenty of henna!

Now it takes eight days to cross the Atlantic and arrive back in Boston. I think I’'m in for a culture shock when everyone around me speaks English! While at sea, we are finishing up our classes, taking finals, and writing papers. Heading home is very bitter sweet: I’m excited to get back to my friends and family, but I will also miss traveling the world! I can’t wait for when I return again to these countries though!

Paris of the Middle East

By Danielle Ghorayeb


My family took our annual trip to Lebanon at the end of July. We go every year to see all of our family and have a relaxing vacation. This year my parents went on different flights than my siblings and I, so it was up to us to navigate the Paris and Lebanon airports on our knowledge of French and Arabic. When I finally got to Lebanon I was greeted at the door by all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Throughout the trip my family and I did lots and lots of fun activities.  My uncle is building a farm near the biggest lake in Lebanon, so we spent a day there checking out his animals  and the incredible view.  

Capturing a Crescent in Lebanon!

We also went a toured the Grotto Jeita, which was a contender to become one of the new World Wonders. Apart from seeing magnificent architectures and natural wonders, the best thing to do in Lebanon is hit the beach. We went to several different beaches that had beautiful sand and clear, blue water. The best thing to do in Lebanon is eat. When someone eats at a Lebanese restaurant there is always an overflow of food. We start our meals with an appetizer that includes hummus, tabouleh, and foods with names that I can’t type out if it tried. Then we get the main course of chicken, lamb, meat, and kaftah. After we’re done stuffing our faces and can’t eat any more, we get plates and plates of fruits, the main one being watermelon. A lot of the restaurants we visit are in the mountains, so we have a magnificent view while we eat. 

This year a giant portion of my family (which comes out to be around 20 people) went up into the mountains and got to enjoy a wine tasting. We even got to tour the caves in which the wine is made. The thing I always enjoy most is getting to see my family. My immediate family are the only people that live in America, so when I go to Lebanon, family reunions and dinners are completely out of control. This year we had a new addition to the family, my mom’s cousin had a new baby boy, and when we saw him two days after he was born, I literally started crying because he was so precious. Even though all the beaches, food, tourist sites and are incredible; there is nothing more wonderful than spending time with family

The Sky is the Limit

By Jana Kubecka

Every summer is special—there is just something about the idea of two months of endless possibilities that can make any girl excited. For me, this summer has been especially unique.

In June, I had the opportunity to help a film crew from Austin video exotic animals for an upcoming IMAX film. The experience was very enlightening, and I was lucky enough to get to interact with some of the animals, such as monkey named Bailey, a lemur, and a bush baby. A few weeks after this experience, I had the chance to get to know a few Secret Service Agents when they came to my dad’s ranch to hunt. Listening to the stories of both of these groups of people was extremely interesting and entertaining, and I established relationships that may one day prove beneficial. Little did I know, my summer was just getting started.

I have been around aircraft all my life. My parents own a flying service, so agriculture and aviation are central to the way I was raised. As far back as I can remember, my dad would take me flying, whether it be to look at crops, travel, or perform predator control services for local farmers. Fixed-wing crop dusters were my parent’s main focus, although my dad also owned and operated a Robinson helicopter in a hog eradication program. A few years ago, a company approached my parents about pollinating rice test plots, simply called “pollinating”. What started out as a one or two helicopter job exploded this summer into requiring eleven helicopters to fly over the rice. Thus began a summer that has changed my life forever, and garnered memories that will last a lifetime.

Growing up, my summers were always packed with camps, travelling, and sports. There was always somewhere to be and something to do. This summer, with my first year of college behind me and a long, hot vacation ahead, I decided to come home and help my parents. After a few fishing trips and a road trip or two, the helicopter busy season began, and I found myself in the office as the first helicopters began to arrive.

Each pilot was unique and had his own story. A few were ex-military, some had “real” jobs such as paramedics or handymen, and one, a 20 year old from San Marcos, Texas had flown all over the southern US between his jobs as a bouncer in a club and a valet car parker. The energy in our little office was high, as was the noise level! Each pilot had a story to tell and an opinion to give. They would leave at 11 and come back from flying at 2, and sometimes they would hang out at the hangar until 3 in the morning! Driving home from the ranch one day, I asked my dad how hard it was to fly a helicopter. This shocked him, because I had never shown interest in flying before. Come to find out, that same day my dad called Jon, one of the pilots who had pollinated for us for a few years, to get me lined up for flying lessons. My mom’s secretary overheard the conversation and she later told me all she could think about was that she hoped I had been serious when I mentioned learning to fly! Two days later, on June 30, I flew for the first time.  I had no idea what to expect, and I was pretty nervous, but with the guidance of an exceptional instructor, I survived each new maneuver without scaring myself into quitting.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a student must fly 20 hours before soloing in an R-22 helicopter. Just recently, I hit that 20 hour mark. The night before I was to solo, I sat in bed unable to sleep. The next morning, I was sick to my stomach with nerves. My instructor and I flew to our practice space, where we did a couple of normal traffic patterns and landings. On the second landing, Jon reached over and unbuckled his seat belt and said, “I’m getting out Boss.” I was literally close to tears as he climbed out. I sat there for a few seconds, trying to calm myself and get my bearings. Then, with a deep breath, I lifted off the ground. I hovered for a moment, making sure I was in control, then began to taxi forward. I literally had to remind myself to breathe! I went around the traffic pattern once, landed and waved at Jon that I was done. He shook his head and mouthed “One more?” I was feeling good about it, so I nodded my head, lifted off the ground, and took off again. Later, Jon asked how it felt to look in the seat next to me and not see him sitting there. I replied that I simply did not look at the empty seat, I just pretended he was still there! Upon landing, Jon walked to the hangar and let me fuel up, as usual. He came back with my mom, who had her camera in hand. After talking for a moment, Jon got a devilish look on his face and whipped out a pair of scissors.  He then proceeded to cut the back of my shirt, as is tradition when a pilot solos for the first time. The tradition started a long time ago, before radio communication.  Instructors would sit behind their students in the fixed wing airplane, and whenever the student was doing something wrong the instructor would tug on the back of the student's shirt. Thus, when you solo you cut the tail of your shirt.

This summer has definitely been unique, and I have been so blessed to have had such extraordinary experiences. Each day I learn something new. How far I take my flying career is yet to be seen, but every time I go up into that wild blue yonder, I know I’m learning something not only about an incredible piece of equipment, but also about myself. Never forget to have confidence in yourself, and don’t be afraid to try new things. After all, the sky is the limit.

Our very own Gamma Phi Politician

By Erin Williams

I've spent my summer in Washington D.C. interning with an organization called NumbersUSA.  I've learned a lot about non-profits, public policy, and immigration.  I've been fortunate enough to actually work in the industry and not just shred paper and stuff envelopes.  I do a lot of research, edit the website, and I even wrote a report that got published on their website!  My bosses also have sent us to a number of Congressional hearings, and I was at one that our Senator, John Cornyn, was at!

I've tried to see as much of D.C. as I can after my long weeks of work.  I've been to a lot of the Smithsonians, went to the National Zoo, seen the memorials, gone to Roosevelt Island, been to Arlington, Baltimore, and Alexandria, will tour the White House and the Pentagon next week, shopped and ate at Georgetown, shopped and got my nails done in Dupont Circle, and been to both the memorial and 4th of July parades on the mall! Seeing the Museum of Natural History has definitely been my favorite touristy thing, and I am super excited to visit the Pentagon soon.

Outside of a Senate hearing

Gettin' Back in the Swing- Summer Workshop Style

Howdy!
As most of you know (either through our Gamma Phi Beta emails, facebook pages, or my own personal blog), my name is Chaney Barton and I will be keeping y'all up to date through this blog! I'm excited about my first post, especially since we've had stuff going on recently, but I feel like a small introduction is in order:

Like I said, my name is Chaney Barton, and I joined Gamma Phi in Fall 2010!  I'm a marketing major with a journalism minor and was probably discovered as a "blogger" through my personal blog.  Because of that, I was recently asked to take over posting about our sisterhood on this very site. I'm very excited to keep everyone updated about what's going on in our chapter, and I would love to hear about what you want to read. So if you have pictures or stories that you want to tell, just email me at this address!  Most of all, I want this blog to be interesting to people who may not be in our sorority but just stumble across this page, so my goal is to thoroughly explain what we're all about: Love, Labor, Learning, and Loyalty!

That's enough about myself-- now for our latest news:

Even though summer for most means pushing thoughts of school to the backs of our minds and soaking up as much sun as possible,  some girls keep themselves busy year-around with their school year commitments.  This definitely goes for the girls that are getting us ready for Formal Recruitment which is just right around the corner! 
During the spring we began attending workshops to prepare us for the hectic two weeks that take place in August: Spirit Week and Recruitment Week! 
This past weekend we had the Summer Recruitment Workshop back at the Gamma Phi Beta house in College Station!  For many of us, it was a weekend of reuniting with sisters-- which meant lots of excited chatter about summer vacations!  Our early morning started out with a very interesting power point from two Gamma Phi Beta alumnae: Terri Briggs and Linda Johnson.  After that, Kayla Graham, Kylie Boykin, Michaella Walton, and our president, Hannah Kight kept us busy for the afternoon by preparing the newest members (Fall 2010 and Spring 2011) for their first look on the member-side of recruitment!  I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we're anxious, nervous, and most of all, EXCITED to meet our new members!!

I hope to have some pictures to post later in the week that were taken at the workshop, so keep checking back for that!
This was my first time using blogger.com (I use wordpress for my personal blog) so I'm still trying to get the hang of it! Thank Marisa Chapa for our beautiful layout!
  I would love to hear what you think-- leave me comments, and follow our blog! I have some ideas for future posts that I think will keep everyone interested!  

Thanks for reading!
until next time,Chaney 

Gamma Phi's Around the World

Gamma Phi Beta's LOVE to travel! Whether it's for a study abroad trip, mission trip, or to simply explore the world around them, our sisters come back with life changing experiences and many stories to tell. 

Junior Marselle Kovarsky will be at sea for two months with Semester at Sea, the world's premier shipboard program for study abroad, aboard the MV Explorer. More than 45,000 students from colleges and universities around the world have studied with Semester at Sea. Notable alumni and contributors include Nobel Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and many other world leaders and global thinkers. She will be going to seven countries: Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Morocco! 
Your sisters are so proud of you Marselle! 

Seniors Morgan 'Mo' Acton, Leslie Ballinger, Erika Stubblefield and junior Ashley Jurk are currently in Italy visiting Rome, Milan, Tuscany, Venice and many other beautiful cities! From enjoying rich gelato, seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and even getting the chance to meet Snookie and Ronnie from Jersey Shore. Our sisters are definitely making memories of a lifetime!  

Capture the Crescent in Italy!

Sophomore Kathryn Blackwell is back home after studying abroad for a month in Beijing, China with Mays Business School. Visiting the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China, Kathryn blogged about her many adventures. 

You can visit her blog at http://maysblogs.tamu.edu/china/author/kblackwell/  

Kathryn at the Great Wall of China!

Our very own G Phi B president, Hannah Kight, spent time in Alaska where she enjoyed time fishing and experiencing the beauty Alaska had to offer. 

Capture the Crescent in Alaska!

Sophomore Sarah Gossett will be home soon after studying abroad in Costa Rica for a month where she got to hike to the world's third most active volcano, Volcano Arenal! Sarah also had the opportunity to go zip-lining through the canopy of a rainforest and whitewater rafting. 

Sounds like so much fun!

Two of our Gamma Phi sisters, Senior Megan Kepler and Sophomore Sarah Stebbins, had the pleasure of studying abroad in Australia this summer. They got to cuddle with cute koalas, visit the Great Barrier Reef, and explore the many other wonders of the great down under. 

After her trip to Australia, Sarah vacationed in Hawaii where 

she took a surfing class. SURF'S UP SARAH!

Senior Marisa Chapa went on a two week camping trip with her Geology class visiting The Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, and many other places. During her trip, she hiked an 800 ft volcano, explored the hoodoos of Bryce, and toured Meteor Crater in Arizona. 

Sophomore Erin Williams spent her summer time in Washington, D.C. At D.C. she visited the Museum of Natural History and 

attended the Memorial Day Parade.