Study Abroad Programs

[DemonxOisin]

I´ve heard from almost everyone I´ve spoken to who has done this that it is a wonderful experience and that everyone should go for it if they have the opportunity. However, I´ve never actually heard anyone´s stories about their own experiences! So, for anyone who has been on a Study Abroad Program, tell us all about your experiences?

What made you decide to do it? What were the good things, the bad things, as well as any cool stories you´d like to share? Oh, and what advice would you you give to someone thinking about doing it?

[lala]

My University has study abroad programs..like students who cqn go on specific other Universities wround the world or on exchange programs. And because I wanted to improove my English I decided to go to the US, but first had to apply at our university for it. Well after all my efort and interview they didn't take me,but said that I can apply for the next year.. I was sooo pissed!! So I decided to do it on my own.. my parents have friends in Canada and they offered me their place to stay. So I payed for an ESL course at an university there.the funny thing was that my SO was living in the same town too.We met eachother once on our vacation when we were teenagers but never really talked to eachother..for me he was just a guy I once met lol...

so my pros were:
- improoving my English
- see something new (travel)
- being more independant/free
- find out what I want from my life
- learning about a different culture
- have a break of my studies in Germany
- meet new people

cons:
- EXPENSIVE
- being often alone
- having no friends in the beginnig
- getting lost (new area)
- going back


so I think that are the main points.. My experience was wonderful! I could never regret this time.. especially cause I found my love and I could imagine to live there one day. It made me stronger, less dependant, more confident, more open minded, happier...

[Dziubka]

I went abroad for the first time (apart from holidays) for my gap year. I volunteered in a day care centre for kids/youth, so it wasn't technically studying but the experience is more or less the same. And then again for my 3rd semester of BA studies and I'm going again this October (2nd semester of MA).
Sooo...

What made you decide to do it?
For my gap year I was just tired of sitting over books and studying, so I decided I want to live abroad and by the sea - preferably somewhere in north Europe, though because I definitely wasn't made to surivive in hot climate. I was also curious to get to know a completely new language. German is my first language and I took English, French and Spanish in high school... so that's how I ended up in Poland.
I've always sort of known I wanted to study Linguistics, but I needed to decide for a minor, so after that year in Poland, I went for Slavistics, because even though Polish is quite an impossible language, I had grown to like it.
And when my prof offered me a scholarship to Warsaw for my 3rd semester, I went for it.
Now I'm getting my Master's degree and because my department is so small (small as in I'm the only student in the whole programme), they're sending me off to Warsaw to have actual classes with classmates

What were the good things, the bad things, as well as any cool stories you´d like to share?
I'm sort of biased, but for me there were only good things. I learnt what it was like to live somewhere, where you don't know the language at all. Which was a really interesting experience, although it did get frustrating sometimes (so I learnt the language). I got to know a new culture and during my semester abroad also a different educational system and way to organise studies.
During my gap year I lived in a flat (3 rooms) with six people, each from a different country. In the very beginning the guy from Macedonia and I went to buy a toaster...
...it turned out that while for me this machine is a toaster, he wanted to buy this crap, claiming that it's a toaster in his country. We fought, because we each refused to spend money on something as crap and useless as "the other one's toaster" and went home without having bought anything
We pissed each other off majorly and still loved our international family.

Oh, and what advice would you you give to someone thinking about doing it?
Think outside the box, don't be scared to go to 'weird' countries. Don't go to Australia, the UK or Spain because everyone's doing it and it seems the easiest. You can still always move to those countries and work there later on. Use the chance to go and discover countries, you wouldn't normally get to live in. Don't be scared, if you don't speak the language, there'll always be someone to help you.

Aaaand -I know everyone says that, but it's true- while you're there, don't stick with other international students only. It's the easiest and it's interesting and part of the experience, but try to find local friends as well.

[lucybelle]

I studied abroad because I wanted to learn Spanish. That's basically it. I really wanted to go to Chile or Uruguay, but I got rejected from those programs since I had no Spanish experience. By the time I found out it was almost too late to make any other deadlines and I frantically found a program to Costa Rica. And that's how I ended up here.

The bad things were few and far between. I think the problem with going for a year is that most students only go for 3 months or so. After the second round of students left I was exhausted of making new friends. So the last 4 months or so, I just hung out with one or two friends. It was strange because for them things were all new, and I was like "been there, done that". So it was a little hard to be excited to do things all over again. You know?

Cool stories? I have so many goddam great stories it would take me forever and a day to tell you all of them. I'll tell you my favorite since some more of my time just freed up. My very first weekend at the beach is like one of my most favorite memories ever. Me and like 5 people who I had just met, braved the public bus system and wound up at a beautiful beach. We met some Aussies and went skinny dipping. That night there was an amazing display of bioluminescence in the water and me and my friend were like "we're mermaids!" We frolicked around naked and sparkly and watched the glowing waves crash. The next day we went to a bar that had 2 for 1s so we both got a beer and a pina colada. It started raining and we walked along the beach and found rock to sit on and watch the ocean while double fisting. Then we met a tico who took us for coffee. Then we went back to the hostel and danced salsa for the rest of the night. Maybe the greatest weekend of my life!

Advice- JUST DO IT. Seriously. Best decision ever.

[CynicalQuixotic]

What made you decide to do it?
For me it was a no-brainer. I've been obsessed with everything French since I was a kid, and had been studying the language for almost ten years. I went through a bit of a dilemma because I was a very serious dance student then, and didn't want to study abroad during the second semester of my junior year and miss an important opportunity to dance a Twyla Tharp piece that would be taught to us by a former member of her company. I compromised and applied to two study abroad programs for the summer of 2011, one for Paris and one for Avignon. I was accepted into both, but I chose Paris because I had fallen in love with the city a year prior when I had visited for a week, and because I would have the opportunity to have an internship. (And also, it's Paris. I do really want to visit Avignon, though!)

What were the good things, the bad things, as well as any cool stories you´d like to share?
I'm with Dzubika in that it was pretty much exclusively an incredible experience. I had an internship at a dance studio where I spoke French to real people and pretty much had to sink or swim, and as a result my French improved dramatically. I got to walk by the Eiffel Tower every couple of days to go to my French class. I made great friends and we explored all over this beautiful and vibrant and mysterious city. I travelled by myself for the first time to a country whose language I didn't speak, and I had an incredible weekend. I also met the love of my life at a falafel stand. Though sometimes I was frustrated because I couldn't understand someone on the phone, or the time I really thought I was going to die because I had to take a bus instead of the U-Bahn in Berlin and I had no idea if I was going the right way, I had so many incredible experience that I never ever would've had otherwise. It was quite literally the happiest time of my entire life.

Oh, and what advice would you you give to someone thinking about doing it?
GO! It's cliché, but, I really do believe that it's so much better to regret something that you did than something you didn't do. There are so many hundreds of study abroad programs now that it's pretty much guaranteed you'll find one that's catered to your interests. Does your school have a study abroad fair? Go and get all of the brochures and look through them--that's how I found the two programs I applied for. Google "study abroad (insert country of choice here)" and have a look. It's a daunting thing, living and studying in a foreign country where maybe you don't speak the language well or at all, but it makes you grow so much as a person. Knowing you in even the limited way I do over this board, I know you'd make the best of it and have the time of your life.

[mllebamako]

I did 2 short-term study abroad programs in high school (China and Japan) and then 2 longer ones (France and Senegal) during university.

What made you decide to do it?
My parents had infected me with the travel bug pretty early and in highs school, I was really interested in East Asia and wanted to do something independent of my family there.
At university, I started taking French and fell in love with the language. I was also interested in Africa and development so I wanted to study abroad in Senegal (a francophone African country). My academic advisor suggested that I study abroad in France first to get a really good grasp of the language and accent before going to another francophone country. So that's why I did both.

What were the good things and bad things?
Good things?
-Pushing myself outside of my comfort zone
-Language skills
-Experiencing another culture
-Not just visiting and being a tourist but actually living with people from that country and having a normal routine there
-Making wonderful friends
-Food!
-Knowing that I can adapt to any situation...I gained a lot of self confidence in my various experiences abroad
-Gaining greater perspective

Bad things?
-There were lots of times were I struggled or became really frustrated or just wanted to be home but each of those times, I pushed myself to keep going and to keep opening myself to the experience
-In France, I had a lot of lonely times. The study abroad group I went with was full of people who were mostly already good friends. So I had a hard time fitting in with them and struggled to make friends with French people until the end so I ended up spending a lot of time alone.

What advice would you you give to someone thinking about doing it?
Do everything in your power to make this happen. I really think that living in a foreign country and learning a foreign language is one of the greatest, most humbling experiences a human being can have. I know that sounds dramatic but I really believe this. If you can figure it out financially, don't let anything else hold you back. It wasn't always easy or fun, it wasn't always rainbows, croissants, and puppy dogs....but it is a life-giving experience that I wish everyone could have.

[dukes2011]

What made you decide to do it?

I really wanted to improve my Spanish and I also didn't travel a lot when I was little because my family didn't have the money. I didn't want to wake up years after college and wish I taken every opportunity. My undergrad school had a program that went to Salamanca, Spain for 4 months, so I applied and was accepted!

What were the good things, the bad things, as well as any cool stories you´d like to share?

It was great experiencing another culture and the total immersion was exhilarating! I got homesick sometimes, but if I had to do it all over again I would in a heartbeat. My one regret was probably not enjoying the nightlife as much, but I had just turned 19 and the legal drinking age in America is 21 so I had a hard time getting used to the bar scene. I traveled a lot and went to almost all the regions in the Spain. I made so many memories and learned a lot about myself and the Spanish culture. I still write letters to my host parents three years later and I hope I can go back and visit them some day! I'd love to introduce them to my SO since they heard so much about him while I was there.

I could go on and on about stories, but I think my favorite was going to Seville. My friends and I went to three different tapas bars and stayed up all night talking to locals. We explored the city and didn't go back to the hotel until probably 4am and it was awesome! We took a bunch of crazy pictures and I crack up every time I look at them. They instantly bring me back to all the hilarious stories.

Oh, and what advice would you you give to someone thinking about doing it?

Don't be afraid to dive in head first and do it! You're thinking about it for a reason, so follow your heart and make it happen. Do your research on different programs. I thought about going to another country, so I weighed my options carefully. Think about what you want to experience and find the program that fits it the best. I thought about doing a program at St. Andrew's instead, but I chose the University of Salamanca because I realized I was more interested in improving my Spanish.

[princessmeg1328]

What made you decide to do it?
I decided to go to England during my junior of college. At the time, I was really into learning about England, and I wanted to be able to go. I had actually been there when I was little, and we lived in Germany. I was so young though that I didn't remember any of it. I wanted to be able to go and make some new memories there. I definitely did that.

What were the good things, the bad things, as well as any cool stories you´d like to share?
The best thing about going to England is that it was familiar (because everybody speaks English there), but it was still something different. I don't think I can really complain about anything about that semester. I made some good friends that I still talk to. I've even gotten back in touch with some people that I hadn't talked to in a while. I guess if I really had to find something bad about the semester, the only thing I can think of is being so far away from family and friends. There are ways to get around that though.

Oh, and what advice would you you give to someone thinking about doing it?
Absolutely do it! It's one of the best experiences of my life. I would go back tomorrow if I could. Also, it's a lot more affordable than a lot of people think. I actually paid nothing out of pocket for my semester over. My room and board, books, and tuition was all paid for with scholarship money. You just have to be willing to put in the work. If you need any help with that, just ask me. I actually worked in my uni's study abroad office for a while so I can definitely help you if you need it.

[kittyo9]

I have never met a single person who regretted travelling.

I had been really interested in languages and other cultures for a long time, but in college I started taking German and learning about the German culture and totally fell in love with it. I had a lot of trouble finding a study abroad program, though, because as a chemistry major, my classes were so tightly woven that skipping out on a semester would throw my schedule out of whack. However, there was a "May term" that took place during the summer, and it involved staying in Luxembourg and visiting the surrounding countries, so I resolved to do that.

My study abroad was really short... I spent 4 weeks in Luxembourg taking a class through my university. On the weekends, we were allowed to go wherever we wanted to, as long as we were back by Sunday at 10 pm. So I wasn't really -living- in Luxembourg. We were privileged enough to be staying at this lovely hotel owned by a few nuns. Most of our meals were covered as part of the program. And I wasn't really going to school in Luxembourg-- the classes were taught in conference rooms in the hotel by professors from my university. However, we took a lot of field trips and got to connect the things we were learning about to the real world.

I think the weekend trips were what really made it for me. I got to go out with friends and see this huge new world filled with people I had never met and languages I'd never speak and customs I'd never seen. We went clubbing in Cologne, caught the Zinneke parade in Brussels, and I visited four of my friends in the Netherlands for the first time. I got to practice my German and experience things I'd only read about before. Even during the week, when we were on class trips, or when we were allowed to go out into the quiet town we were staying in, the feel was so different and exciting. I really loved it.

The only downsides were that I didn't speak French (which was the popular language, although I did speak enough German to get around) and that the program was expensive. However, I made a deal with my parents to split the cost, so it wasn't horrific for either of us. All things considered, it was entirely worth it.

I also had the opportunity to do another, shorter study abroad program this past summer, when I went to Greece. It wasn't as in-depth and was more focused on exploring all the best things Greece had to offer, but we did learn a lot about the culture and language while there. That trip was actually free... sort of like a birthright thing. And it was amazing. And I spent less than $200 for the whole thing. We stayed in the dorms of the American College of Greece, which were huge and had air conditioning, unlike the hotel in Luxembourg. They took us to all the historical sites you'd normally expect to see in Greece, and they brought us to an island and to the beaches. We even got an insider tour of parliament. Considering that I didn't even have to pay for this trip, I would say yes, entirely worth it!

My advice would be to keep an open mind. You cannot have adventures if you stay inside and lock yourself away from everything. I think that was the big difference in my experiences in Greece and Luxembourg. While I enjoyed both, I had a much better, more open-minded and adventurous group of friends when I was in Luxembourg, and they kind of forced me to step out of my comfort zone and to have the adventures we had. In Greece, the students I was with formed cliques really quickly, and I ended up with people who weren't as open and didn't like to go out and explore as much, so I had no one to push me and I didn't enjoy it as much as I did when I was in Luxembourg. Frankly, I would really like to move back to Luxembourg or Germany for a while if I can. I want to experience living in another country.

[flugelhorn]

I went on exchange through my university in 3rd year (of a 4 year program) to London, England for 6 months!!

What made you decide to do it?
In my first year of university I lived in the 'international residence' which housed mostly Canadians but also all the exchange students. I met some very cool people from Australia, Spain, Sweden, & more! They all said it was the best experience of their life so I knew when I was in my upper year I had to apply.

Good Things
Being from a big country like Canada it was amazing to have all of Europe at my fingertips - & for so cheap! London is so full of art & as a fine arts student it was the perfect study backdrop. I met so many amazing people from all over the world; being an exchange student I had a 'ready made social life' as I met people in the same boat as myself shortly after arriving. You get to learn from a new perspective. I also got to take classes I wouldn't normally get to take at home - like photography.

Bad Things
All my bad things weren't really bad....
• The campus I studied at was a bit out of London so I chose not to live there & commute an hour one way BUT I only had to do that twice a week.
• You will get homesick - but Skype & photos are a lifesaver!
• It's very hard in the beginning to know where to buy things. For example, I was very stuck where to find office supplies & trouser hangers. Luckily I had some awesome flatmates who helped sort me out!
• My first choice for exchange was Melbourne. When I found out I got my second choice, London, I cried! I had wanted to go to Melbourne for 3 years! However, I quickly got over it & had an amazing time (I'm moving back to London in October!).
• Some may say this is a good thing but I found university in London to be waaaaay less challenging than my university at home. I did learn but my schedule was definitely not as packed as back home.

Cool Stories
I met my boyfriend on exchange, that was pretty cool.

Advice
GET SKYPE - I cannot stress this enough! Bring at least a few photos & books from home to make your room feel like yours. Save as much money as you (I actually did not spend all of mine if you can believe it.) Above all (as the person above mentioned), have an open mind. Don't expect the new place to be like home in any way. You'll have more fun if you stay open to new places, people, & opportunities.

[flugelhorn]

I thought of something else to add under Advice: buy travel insurance! You never know when you might need it. I injured my knee really badly when I was 15 & then injured it almost just as bad when I slipped on a wet dance floor in Shoreditch.... You may save money by not buying it but TravelCuts in Canada does super cheap insurance & for piece of mind, it's worth it!