Martha Boswell

How did studying abroad affect your academic and/or professional career?

I took classes on humanitarian aid and global health, involving my previous studies in public health and international development. In addition, I designed a large research paper and learned how to contact and conduct interviews with experts. I’ll always have a network of people from my program working in fields I’m interested in! Over thanksgiving, I met one of my host family’s former students who now works in health research in Boston!

How did you explore your hobbies, interests, and passions abroad?

I love to explore, travel, and learn about history. In Switzerland, I had a pass that gave me free travel for the entire country. I’m from Texas, so having access to such extensive public transportation amazed me. Any time I was free, I tried to take advantage of my pass and travel to nature, museums, and cathedrals.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

I chose my location because I wanted to practice French while studying public health. This program offered the perfect mix of all of my priorities - academic subjects, language, and ease of travel with the free Swiss Pass. Switzerland is also really well situated for travel within Europe, you can get to so many countries by train.

What should students consider when applying and preparing for their time abroad?

I feel like establishing your priorities for studying abroad is important. Do you want to improve your language skills? Do a homestay or direct enroll at a local university. Do you want to travel a lot? Choose a location where you’ll be able to easily get to other cities. I did a cohort program, which was a little different than a typical study abroad experience as we took all of our classes together, so that would also be another factor to consider. Finally, thinking about finances is integral. While I loved Switzerland, it’s one of the most expensive countries. I ate meals with my homestay and stayed in hostels when traveling to save money.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

It definitely did in some ways as Switzerland is a surprisingly conservative country. Women only got the right to vote in 1971. In addition, my cohort (which was all women) traveled to Morocco. We tried to blend in to the culture as well as possible, covering our legs, arms, and sometimes our hair, but it was still obvious we were American. It’s definitely something to consider about the locations you study abroad in or travel to.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

Every September in Switzerland, farmers celebrate the end of the summer by bringing their cows down from the mountain pastures they graze on during the summer. Some of these festivals can be super touristy, but the first festival my friends and I went to was absolutely only locals. It was in the middle of nowhere, in a tiny town where everybody spoke German. We got to see a parade of cows with beautiful flower crowns, hear traditional alp horns and yodeling, and eat spätzli and sausage. Even with a language barrier, we got to immerse ourselves in Swiss German culture.