I know that we're in the middle of a pandemic and that study abroad may be the last thing on everyone's mind, but the hope is that the world will open up for travel again soon, right? Travel has been on my mind a lot. So, I wanted to share thoughts from when I studied abroad and tips on selecting a program and deciding whether or not you want to even go abroad.
It has been over a year since I went on my three month long, summer study abroad trip. I went in May of 2019. However, the memories have lasted, and so vividly. I 10/10 recommend study abroad. Yes, I know money is a factor. I did not have the amount of money it took to go, but I applied for scholarships and raised money. It all worked out. I believe you should look at all your options and talk to financial aid and the scholarship office to see what opportunities exist for you financially. There were cheaper and shorter programs, but I figured that, if I may never go abroad again, I should do it big.
I did a program where I traveled Europe for five weeks, then I stayed in Oxford the last six weeks. I took four courses, two over the travel portion, and another two when I was stationed in Oxford. This was my first time ever out of the country. While I enjoyed the program, eventually, it was very long. I am a person who enjoys a four day - one week trip anywhere, and then I am ready to come home. It was a long time to be away from family and friends, although I made new friends, and to be away from the familiarity of home. Some people don't have that problem or don't mind it as much, so figure out what works best for you. I said, "eventually," earlier on, when mentioning enjoying the program, because I had a difficult time adapting and then finding a friend group. Once I did that, it was smooth sailing. And, what I came to understand is that, most people felt the same anxieties and nervousness I felt.
So, here are some of my tips for figuring out if going abroad is right for you:
Check out all your financial options by talking to the financial aid office and study abroad office (particularly those who work in the scholarship department of the study abroad office).
Look at all the programs that have options for your major, minor, or both, and see which ones look appealing to you. Remember, program prices vary by length, place, etc. So, keep all of these factors in mind when choosing a program.
Figure out how long you're comfortable with being gone. Some programs are a full semester, while others are a few weeks.
Weigh all of your options and see if it would be better for you to go abroad or stay at your university and take courses.
Talk to students who have done the program before. Your study abroad office will likely have events and/or could put you into contact with someone who went on the program.
Do your research.
If you decide that you want to go, here are some tips for preparing for your trip:
Make sure you have your passport. This can take some time, so I would recommend getting these documents as soon as possible, maybe a couple of months out.
See if you'll need to purchase your plane ticket or if the school is handling it for you. My program paid for my ticket, so I did not have to worry about this. I imagine students who do exchange or other similar programs may have to get their own, but double check with your program.
Make sure you inform your bank and phone company you will be abroad. See what options exist for you, phone wise, abroad. Different companies have different options for when you're overseas.
Get your medication and insurance in order.
Bring comfortable walking shoes and something like a fanny pack to keep your belonging close to you and safe. My fanny pack was a life saver because it was light and easy to carry around me, and close enough to me that I could always keep an eye on it. It was small, though. So, I could not carry everything with me.
Do research on the place you're going.
There are so many more tips that I could give or things that I could say about study abroad. It's such a great experience. I enjoyed mine, and it made me want to travel more. I met some amazing people and learned so much. I fell in love with art and traveled to some other places with friends on the weekends. Take lots of pictures and enjoy your time (post-pandemic, of course). I hope you find a program that works for you and that your time abroad is one to remember (for all the good reasons).
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