The University of Iowa International Programs' annual “Show Us the World through Your Eyes” photo contest, held in conjunction with International Education Week Nov. 12-16, allows UI students who have studied abroad and international students studying at the UI to submit their favorite images from their international experiences.

This popular competition traditionally brings together breathtaking photos from all corners of the world. Through these images, we can almost hear the laughter of a young Quechuan girl, smell the sweet fragrance of a fruit stand in Mumbai, and feel the warm sunlight from atop Maokong Mountain.

But we can also see our own surroundings in a new light through the perceptions of international students. In the words of Cynthia Laborde, a UI graduate student from France in the Department of French and Italian, whose sunset photo of the Old Capitol received first place in the international student category: “No need to go far; look around you and you’ll see beautiful things.”

Check out the photo gallery below to see the first-, second-, and third-place winners—as well as honorable mentions—in both categories.

To view a related story, read Celebrating international education.

For more information about the photos and to view the winners of the 2012 Video Contest, also held in conjunction with the week, visit international.uiowa.edu/community-programs/international-education-week#photo.