Cultural events, interactions with host culture, or defining moments. This category may also include photos of common day-to-day places like grocery stores, libraries, hospitals, churches and/or people going about their daily lives in those places that are in contrast to similar places in one’s own country/culture.
First Place
The Wonder of a Parade by Taylor Hicks
This photo was taken at the annual Carnival parade in Montevideo, Uruguay, celebrating the unique cultural heritage of the region, including traditional Afro-Uruguayan candombe music. The young girl in the photo was enraptured with the parade of dancers and drums, and she would often reach up to touch the flags as they passed by. This was a striking cultural experience for me because I realized how much I have in common with a culture born five thousand miles away from my own. I saw myself as a little girl being in awe of the beautiful floats and costumes of the Fourth of July parade in my own hometown, and I saw the joy of that experience in a young girl with whom I do not even share a first language.
Second Place
Galway Mural by Madison Casey
This photo was taken in Galway, Ireland. While living in Ireland, it became very apparent that the presence of graffiti is more widely accepted than it typically is in the US. It was impossible for me to walk to class without passing painted walls, from amateur drawings to full blown murals. This image captures a mural that I personally felt was one of the most beautiful paintings I witnessed while in Ireland. I appreciate the casualness of the men smoking in front of the mural, which accurately depicts the natural coexistence of graffiti in the daily lives of those who live in Ireland.
Third Place
Monthly Pregnancy Check-Up in the Gambia by Melanie Ziaziaris
Aided a skilled, certified midwife/nurse to give women abdominal examinations to determine fundal height, find the heartbeat, and positioning of their baby as well as taking weight and blood pressure to screen for preeclampsia and other possible conditions.
Top Votes
Bunkers of Barcelona by Danny Clark
Built in 1937, the Bunkers del Carmel were used as a military base and place to locate incoming enemy planes during the Spanish Civil War. Later on, the base became a shanty town of sorts until the city decided to rehouse the population during the 1992 Olympic Games hosted in Barcelona. Now, the site offers spectacular, panoramic views of the city and is one of the best places to meet locals along with other tourists from all over the world.