The Wake

Envision yourself immersed in a rural African town while working at an orphanage. Or maybe learning how to speak Spanish in South America while taking in the culture. Can you see yourself interning for a human rights organization in Australia?

The world is a huge place and no doubt there are places abound to explore and experience. It’s not impossible to seek adventure all over the globe thanks to study, work and volunteer abroad programs, which many college students participate in every year.

The opportunity to study abroad while doing university study is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Imagine stepping off an airplane into a completely new city and suddenly being surrounded by a language that is unknown to you. This is the beginning of a great quest for global understanding.

There is a plethora of reasons why traveling abroad during college is a valuable decision. And everyone may have different reasons to embark on a journey. Joe Buron, a senior majoring in psychology and Spanish, studied in Venezuela for a semester to learn Spanish as well as explore a new culture and sights. Studying abroad is one of the best ways to raise cultural awareness, learn more about oneself and build skills. Buron had never traveled internationally (minus our great neighbor to the north, Canada) and said about his expectations, “I wasn’t really sure of anything. I just knew I was getting on a plane with a duffel bag and hoped for the best.”

Every semester students embark on learning abroad programs to enrich their overall college experience by gaining an international perspective, realizing full potential and building skills related to academic and career goals. The Learning Abroad Center on campus helps lots of students take up one of the hundreds of international education programs that they offer.

Everyday the center offers First Step meetings for students who are interested in a study abroad program. The meetings shed light on program options, academic and personal goals that need to be considered and information about financial aid, which can be applied toward fees involved with the study abroad programs.

Program selection advisers are available to help students choose the right program for them according to any language or academic requirements, personal goals and cost. The staff is able to assist students in finding the right study abroad experience. It is very important to plan far enough in advance as there is plenty of paperwork involved with any sort of international travel. The Learning Abroad Center is committed to helping any student stay on track and start on their way to adventure.

Make sure to allow enough time to apply for a passport if you don’t have one already. Also, students who opt to work abroad need to be issued a visa in order to stay and work in their host country, a process that can take a couple of months. Any period of time before a trip may lead you to a lot of questions like, “How will the culture be different?” or “How will the food taste?“

Remembering to maintain an open mind is the key to having a fantastic study abroad experience. Landing in a foreign city for the first time can be an overwhelming myriad of emotions ranging from confusion to joy.

This summer I participated in a study abroad program to Sydney, Australia. When I landed in Sydney, I didn’t know what was in store for me, but having confidence and the courage to ask questions served me well. Since it was my first international experience, I made an effort to savor each moment.
Adjusting to your host country might seem to take awhile but you will be ordering in Italian or riding the subway in London soooner than you expected.

While Buron had little difficulty adjusting to aspects of the culture such as food, one of his fellow program participants was not as fortunate. This translates to remembering how important it is to take care of one’s self when traveling. Buron described how daily routines such as riding the bus and greeting people was so unlike the United States, which impacted his return back.

Returning to the United States can be just as difficult if not worse than entering a new country. Many students return from their excursion to experience re-entry culture. Going to a new country will open your eyes and give you a whole new, fresh perspective that is sometimes beyond words. One of the best ways to help the reverse culture shock is to keep in contact with people that you met on the trip. Bonding is something that naturally happens to any study abroad participants. Buron finds that keeping in touch with people he met and hanging out with people who have experienced a similar trip is a great way to keep the experience fresh. He says about the people he met on the trip, “You’re all experiencing something new. It’s impossible not to bond.”

Imagine being nestled in a dorm in Europe while studying for your classes in a foreign language, or as an intern for a medical research team in Asia. The opportunities are endless and can only go as far as your imagination. Check out the resources right on campus. They can help students realize their full potential whether it’s through volunteer, study, intern or work.

International education is vital to a clearer global understanding. Anybody who has returned from a study abroad program would probably agree that it is an experience unlike any other.