Professor Polack
Professor Polack, a distinguished computer science professor at the University of Mary Washington, possesses a deep curiosity for global exploration. Driven by a desire to broaden her understanding of different cultures and technological landscapes, she aspires to study abroad in countries across the world. Professor Polack's ambition to study abroad exemplifies her commitment to enriching both his own academic perspectives and the field of computer science as a whole.
View UMW Trip 2024
Iceland, where we spent weeks exploring the stunning landscapes of this Nordic island. One of the highlights of the trip was driving around the famous ring road, a 1,332-kilometer highway that circles the entire country. Along the way, we marveled at cascading waterfalls, rugged coastlines, and towering glaciers. We had the chance to immerse yourself in Icelandic culture, sampling traditional cuisine and learning about the country's history and geology. This unforgettable journey through Iceland's dramatic beauty left a lasting impression all of us.
View UMW Trip 2023
After leading a study abroad trip to Brazil and Argentina, where the students explored the wonders of the Amazon Rainforest, embarked on a captivating river cruise along the Amazon, and marveled at the breathtaking Iguazu Falls from both sides of the border, Professor Polack decided to create a photo book. With meticulous attention to detail, he curated a collection of photographs capturing the vibrant landscapes, fascinating wildlife, and joyous moments of the trip. I aimed to provide a visual narrative that would forever remind the students of their remarkable journey.

Relaxing Sounds

For my first sound, I ended up compiling two of our experiences into one sound for a “Sounds from the trip” compilation. The first portion of the sound is from our time in Iguazu falls, an ambient sound from the sound of the water going over. The second portion is from the night safari, mentioned in the “Brazil Creepies” blog. The sounds of the falls going over and the quiet animal sounds from the night safari are both soothing, offering a relaxing sound attachment to a crazy whirlwind of a trip.

Overall, the trip wasn’t crazy and looking back and the specificities of the trip, through looking at the photos, the sounds, and the videos, it has all been really cool to dissect the trip this way. Also, looking at the trip this way has helped me to really cherish the time we got together, and looking at the absolute beauty we were surrounded by has been so special and really helped to reflect on this trip in a different way.

Although a lot of these have been surrounded by being more relaxed and potentially help to relieve stress, the trip did not offer many different periods of high stress for me. Travel is such a cool and inspiring time that really isn’t fill with much stress if you have no expectations. Going into a trip without expectations can bring you to a liberating experience that leaves you with the most fulfilled feeling because you don’t allow yourself to be disappointed.