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

Studying abroad changed my perspective on the point of academia. It is less about the knowledge you gain in the classroom and more about the experiences you have and the relationships you gain.

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

I was able to explore my hobbies through additional travel and on campus/community involvements.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

Studying abroad in a culturally diverse areas allows you to learn more about yourself and the world as a whole. Studying abroad in Southern Africa allowed me to see a new perspective on the world and build essential interpersonal and problem solving skills for my future. Additionally it is an area of the world that I would never normally have the opportunity to visit.

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

A student should understand the type of experience they want studying abroad, and how the program they pick will achieve that. This idea is really important when picking being a cohort or a host institution and the activities within the host country.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

My identity as a woman really impacted my time abroad, as Botswana and neighboring countries are all very patriarchal. It allowed me to understand how privileged we are at home to be seen as equals in educational or professional settings.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

I was able to experience the daily life of a rural Botswana family which allowed me to not only understand the daily activities of farming, cooking, and other activities. But also I got to understand and experience in depth the gender roles within Botswana Culture. This meant I helped assist in the roles of preparing agriculture, watching and educating the children, and tending to the family needs placed upon them by society. It was the first time, where I wasn’t just hearing about a different culture but experiencing and participating in it.

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

Studying abroad with SIT has introduced me to a truly global perspective of health and life itself. I have met and worked with public health professionals, academics, policymakers, and local people to understand these systems abroad. I gained insights that I would never find in a classroom, and I feel more certain that public health is the right path for me.

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

I made sure to spend time outdoors and engage with my cohort. It is such a busy and involved program that you need to prioritize these relationships with yourself and your peers. I found local yoga classes (despite the language barriers), brought crafts (lots of my friends took up crochet), and spent my free time exploring my surroundings. When you go abroad and are away from your home, friends, and family, it is easy to lose your sense of self, but having hobbies and moments of self care helps so much.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

I recommend an IHP program because it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be fully immersed in so many different cultures. My homestay family experiences were so incredible and eye-opening, and they will change how I think about my life forever. I felt like while the academic program was not too demanding, I still learned so deeply. It was well-planned, which made it easier to focus on experiencing each country.

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

Have a realistic expectation of how you want to spend your time; if you want to sightsee, travel, and have an independent experience, do not pick a very structured program. If you want cultural immersion, homestay experiences, and group activities, a structured program might be better for you. Understand your comfort levels, how you decompress, your social battery, etc… I recommend doing pro/con lists or journaling to get in touch with yourself.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

A friend of mine reminded the group early on that some people are lucky enough to study abroad, and some people are privileged enough to study abroad. It was important for me to recognize my privilege in having access to a good education and money to travel. Going abroad in the global south and other countries that are so different from the US makes you constantly aware of your American identity and privilege; it is an uncomfortable feeling, but it is necessary to grow and build cultural competence.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

My homestay family, my roommate, and I went to the Mid Autumn Festival celebration in their apartment block. There was a freeze dance party and other games for kids, performances from girls’ dance teams, and Vietnamese candies. The kids were really excited to meet us and practice their English; they gave us cute carved fruits off of the altar, and we ended up sharing mooncakes in their apartment later that night. Living with homestay families in any country is the best cultural immersion!!

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.

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

It helped me get re-inspired about my academic and professional goals in the field of sustainable development. Being in a country that prioritizes the well-being of its citizens was a refreshing change from the United States, and being around people who cared for one another so deeply was awe-inspiring.

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

I did volunteer work in local schools, joined clubs in the university, and discussed the politics of the country with local friends. It was an easy environment to explore the materials discussed in class outside of the classroom.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

Often times people shy away from programs in continents other than Europe, but this was the most incredible, life changing experience of my life. Botswana was an incredible place to live filled with wonderful people who have changed my life forever and who will always have a place in my heart. I want other people to experience the incredible 4 months that I did there.

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

They should consider what they want to get out of the experience, their goals for their time abroad, how they want it to enhance their academic goals, and how deeply they want to be immersed in a new culture.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

It was interesting being a white person in a context where that really made you stand out and made you an object of interest to many people. Furthermore, as a woman I received a lot of attention from males in the area.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

We went to a village an hour outside of the city and learned all about the traditional ways people prepared food there. We rode in the donkey carts they use, cooked phapatha on the fire outside their hut, and helped milk their cows.

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

After my study abroad experience, I chose to add a Spanish major (instead of just finishing with my minor).

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

I took only classes in Spanish, which was a big goal of mine, and I really loved that experience. I also was able to travel extensively as well as visit so many museums and try new foods.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

I loved how close I was with all the people in my program. Since we spent so much time together and it was such a small group we all got to know each other really well and I didn't know anyone going into my program. I also loved the academic experience. All my classes were super interesting, and I learned a lot from a Spanish prospective. I also think my comprehension and reading and writing skills improved greatly.

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

I think students really need to consider what kind of experience they want to have. For me I wanted to prioritize language immersion and meeting new people and that's exactly what I got from this program, but it was also really nerve wracking at the beginning and a significant adjustment, so if that is not the type of experience people are looking for i think they should choose another program. I just think really thinking about your personal goals and objectives for your abroad experience is really important.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

No, I do not feel as if my any of my identities impacted my abroad experience.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

While abroad, my program offered a cooking class where everyone in my program was able to learn how to cook paella and tortilla. Both of these are super traditional Spanish dishes and the cooking class was in Spanish. I loved this experience because I got to learn how to make new food, I got to learn new vocab and it was a great time with friends as well as our program directors.

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

Studying abroad helped me gain completely different perspectives on situations. I started to truly understand where Europeans come from and why they think in specific ways. I also learned how to be more effective with my time management. The European style of schooling is that you are physically in class for significantly less time, which means there is more work outside of the classroom. The best part of all my schooling abroad was my history and art history because I was learning about how the city came to be and all the impactful people that came out of Amsterdam while physically being in the city. I got a completely different perspective on the city and became so knowledgeable that when I had visitors they were very impressed with me. It made me realize that learning in those types of environments really works for me.

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

Being abroad showed me how much I love trying new restaurants or cafes. While I was there, I made it a rule for myself that I would only go to the same place twice unless it was a cafe where I could use a laptop because those were honestly pretty rare. When I would decide that I wanted to go to a new place, I would pull out my Google Maps and then choose one that looked the best and make my way over there. The place had to check specific boxes for it to be a place that I would recommend, it had to have a cute interior, be filled with Dutch people, and be able to make a killer cappuccino. Finding cute places was such a fun activity, but what would make the experience sweeter was when my friends and family would come and visit me and they would also enjoy the places.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

The program gave me the best of both worlds. It gave me a chance to interact with international students from all over the world because I had to take a few courses within the university, and it also gave me a chance to bond with students from around America who were in the same boat of studying abroad as me by taking courses through the program. This balance was incredible because I was able to have a big spectrum of friends. some that were European and knew Amsterdam pretty well and then others that were also just trying to explore the city. The program also did a great job of teaching us about the norms of the Dutch and helped me be more confident to really engage with the culture. Of course, I recommend the city for someone to study abroad in. It was an incredible place to come home to after my many trips because it had every aspect that a city would need. An incredible public transportation system, delicious restaurants and so many museums. I could not imagine studying abroad in any other city than Amsterdam because you can tell that the Dutch people who lived there love it and want to show their love for the city every single day that they are there.

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

They should mainly think about the purpose of studying abroad. Why do you feel this need to go and live in another city for a semester, and what do you think will happen when you get back? Students should figure out what they want to get out of study abroad, which makes the steps of deciding what city and what program you want to do a lot easier. For instance, if they want to study abroad because they want to explore a new city and get to know other cities as well, then I would recommend going somewhere in Europe because not only will they be able to get to a city really well, but also be able to see many others ones. I would also say that they should decide to study abroad at a location because they personally want to go there, not because their friends are going.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

I am Jewish, so there were a lot of times when I was more timid to say that to people. It caused me to be warier and make sure that I was reading the room to ensure that it was a safe environment for me to share this information about myself. Luckily, though, it did not hold me back in any way, and I still could be my true self. I just kept some personal details about myself to myself.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

My goal for my time abroad was to be mistaken as European. My least favorite thing to happen was when someone could tell within seconds that I was American. There was one instance where my British friends and I decided to have a borel after we were done with our group project. A Borel was something that the Dutch did after they were done with a group project. They went to a bar and got a beer with their group to celebrate them being done with their project. My friends and I decided to do it, so we went to a bar about a 10-minute walk from the school. When we walked into the bar, it was full of Dutch students and international students who were all boreling. The cherry on top of the whole experience was when the waiter came over to us and started to speak to us in Dutch, and then when we proceeded to ask him to speak in English, he said, "Wow, I would have never guessed that you were America." That was the greatest compliment that I had ever received during my time in Amsterdam, and that was when I really felt like this place was my home.

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

Going to Australia allowed me to take classes that Tulane does not offer, such as Aboriginal History and Controversies in Australian History, furthering my enrichment in courses outside of my major. I was also able to take psychology classes that taught me how to use programs like ANOVA, which is extremely relevant in the field of psychology.

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

During my time abroad I had plenty of opportunities to travel and experience nature. In the area surrounding Melbourne there are so many different landscapes to explore, and being able to go on all of these road trips has fostered my love for the outdoors. I was able to climb to the top of volcanoes in New Zealand and watch the sunrise from above the clouds in Indonesia. I am extremely interested in history, so being in Australia allowed me to learn more about the Indigenous Australians and their rich history. My travels through southeast Asia gave me the opportunity to learn so much about a region of the world that has been largely overlooked in any history class I've taken.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

I would highly recommend the University of Melbourne because they have plenty of resources for exchange students, which means plenty of opportunities to meet other study abroad students and become immersed in Australian culture. You live right in the middle of the city, granting you access to museums, libraries, public parks, and a range of activities that are right outside your front door. Not only do you get the experience of a city dweller, you have nature reserves and public parks surrounding the city, exposing you to a whole different side of Australia. Furthermore, Australia has a unique location that enables you to travel to a region of the world you would typically not go to on your own.

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

When applying for your time abroad, I think it is important to consider what you hope to gain out of your experience. If you crave finding independence and want to become comfortable with change, you might want to choose destinations that force you out of your comfort zone. If studying abroad means furthering your professional career, you might want to select universities that have respectable programs for your major. When preparing for your time abroad, it is extremely important to engage in research on the culture for which you wish to immerse yourself in. For those who feel nervous about going abroad, I found it very helpful to write letters to my future self to provide some emotional support.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

Being an American and only being fluent in English definitely impacted my time abroad. Most of the international students I was friends with knew two or even three languages, which has inspired me to work towards becoming fluent in another language. It was also fascinating to understand how people of other nationalities viewed Americans.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

In the state of Victoria, footy is one of the most popular sports. In fact, it is so popular that most people have a day off from school or work for the final match. It is a mixture of football, soccer, and rugby, and is played on a cricket field. I was able to get nearly front row seats to one of the games and learn about all of the rules from the friendly security guards. Although fans going crazy for a sport sounds very American, it felt completely different to experience it with Australians for a sport that I had never even heard of before.