university of denver – Page 142

When I was checking out universities as a college senior, one of the main criterion that I was looking for were excellent study abroad opportunities. I had done a fair amount of travel as a child and teenager, and I knew that I wanted to branch out and explore more of the world through hands-on, cultural immersion experiences.

However, when it came time to decide where to go abroad, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the options available for me. At DU, there are over 150 partner programs to choose from in 58 countries, and an endless number of unaffiliated programs! I was suddenly facing the paradox of choice – loving the many opportunities available for me, yet also completely overwhelmed by the options. I jumped around quite a bit – looked at Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, Botswana, and South Africa. I have a feeling that the study abroad coordinators were getting a little weary of seeing my name on their calendars!

I attended numerous advising sessions, both group and individual, but it was the time that I spent by myself, pouring over program websites, university course listings, and international news sources that ultimately helped me choose my program in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It ended up being the perfect program for me.

Studying abroad is a big choice, and just because your friend has found a great program for them, that doesn’t mean it’s the right program for you. So often people will determine where to go abroad based on the experience of a friend, family member, or close acquaintance, and though it may end up being a great fit, don’t be afraid to research for yourself! Take the time to read over program fliers, websites and course descriptions. The Office of International Education also has a great list of recent returnees that can talk with you about their experience, and though it is their experience, they can give you a little taste of the student life and culture for the area that you ultimately choose.

Also, read international news sources – there’s nothing worse than showing up in a country and realizing that you don’t know anything about their current events! Americans also don’t have the greatest reputation around the world in regards to their understanding of foreign policy and world events; read up on the area that you choose to go to so that you can have intelligent conversation with locals about their country. I purposely rented a bunch of movies on South Africa (Cry Freedom, Serafina, Tsotsi) and read Nelson Mandela’s biography in order to have a better understanding of the history of the country that I was soon going to call “home” for five months.

My research paid off – not only did I have an incredible experience, but when I had hard days during my time abroad I remained confident in my choice to be there because I knew that I had put in the proper time and effort to determine the right type of program for me. I had the opportunity to live with local students, intern at a children’s home, join the university’s “mountain club,” hike all over the Midlands and Drakensburg Mountains, explore other parts of South Africa and Lesotho, and make tons of friends through a local church. My study abroad experience was so incredible that it didn’t really end – I ended up going back to Pietermaritzburg the following summer to go on a mission trip to Zimbabwe with my South African church, which also gave me the opportunity to visit my friends both in South Africa and Zimbabwe. When I hopped on a plane to Pietermaritzburg for the first time, I never imagined that my life could have been impacted and changed so drastically, and in such positive ways. I honestly could not have asked for a better study abroad experience – for me. Take the time to research and find the best type of program for you!

Christina Hunter, DU Alum, Office of Internationalization Staff

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

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