Tag: college

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener

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One of the most fantastic things about studying abroad is the opportunity to travel (besides the academics of course, Mom). The year that I spent in Switzerland was by far the most incredible year of my life, and a great deal of that had to do with all of the amazing places I was fortunate enough to see. It seemed like nearly every weekend, I was hopping a plane to Lisbon or Budapest or Cork. Airfare was shockingly inexpensive and the idea that it would only take me an hour to get to Amsterdam was just too good to be true. By the end of my year, I had traveled to a dozen different countries, kissed the Blarney stone, seen the Pope give Easter mass at the Vatican and set foot on the Asian continent for the first time. My head was positively spinning.

However, once I returned to the states, people started asking me about Switzerland. They wanted to know how beautiful the Alps were and whether or not I had found Heidi. They asked me about fondue and watches and chocolate. They asked me what the best things about Geneva were. And yes, after a year, I had spent some time around the city and the countryside, but it became very apparent to me that after having lived there for a year, I knew relatively little about Switzerland. I could tell you all about easyJet and what the best airports in Europe were in terms of efficiency, but I realized that I hadn’t gotten to know Switzerland as well as I should have, and that perhaps I had passed up a great opportunity.

If I could do it all again, while it’s hard for me to say that I would travel less, I would certainly make a more concerted effort to get to know my host country better. The places that I went in Switzerland were absolutely incredible (including the Valley of the 72 Waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen, pictured here) and are places that the average visitor never gets to see. That’s the really wonderful aspect of studying abroad: it’s not about being a tourist. It’s not about being the average visitor. It’s about being a resident of that country and getting to know it on a much more personal level. I had friends who went to tiny Alpine villages for the weekend while I was traveling to Athens, and on some level, I am envious of them. They know Switzerland much better than I do, even though we both studied there for the same amount of time.

Travel is absolutely an important element of studying abroad. However, it’s important to remember that this may be the only chance to actually live in a different country, and get to know it on a native level. So, by all means, adventure off to a different country when the chance arises, but don’t miss out on the chance to become immersed in the host country and city in the name of putting more stamps in your passport.

– Kat Cosgrove, DUSA Graduate Peer Advisor

Colorado Sunshine Withdrawals

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When I did my exchange program in Chengdu, China, the one thing I was not expecting was the lack of sunshine. Of the time I was there during the summer, I had three days of blue skies. For the first couple weeks there this was not a problem. I was fully immersed in my language courses and enjoying my independence outside the states. As the first month finished, however, I began to feel mellow, and less bubbly than I had felt in my initial weeks. While I knew the “honeymoon” period of my program had worn off, this feeling was not homesickness or any sort of changed relationship with the people around me.

 It took me awhile to figure out, but finally I realized what was wrong. I missed my Colorado sun.

Granted, a difference in weather was not what I had expected to encounter as a problem. The sun was a hazy red ball in the sky, and I could look at it without having to squint. The sky was always hazy, partly from pollution and partly from the region’s climate. I began to wish for Colorado skies and mountains, with dry, crisp air and weather that was sunny but still made me sweat less than I sweated here.

Luckily, I had one of my closest friends on the trip, and we were able to talk about this. It’s weird to miss the sun, and I was completely unprepared for it. After recognizing what was bothering me, I was able to address my problem and focus on my program and the time in the city. When I return to China this August, I am prepared for China’s weather and pollution. Recognizing a problem and realizing there are situations you will encounter abroad that are completely unexpected is one of the most important things a person can do when going abroad. Yes, there will be challenges, but how you respond to them determines how your experience is. For me, it helped especially to remember that I was going back to Colorado at the end of the summer, and that made me focus on my time abroad rather than dwell on the future. I also found it helpful to throw myself into a number of activities, from calligraphy lessons to jamming at karaoke bars after class.

All in all, my experience was more memorable because I was able to focus on it. Just remember, you will encounter problems while abroad. But by recognizing this, you have already taken the first step in overcoming them.

– Michelle Yeager, DUSA Student Staff