Simply cannot decide where to go abroad? Look no further, here’s your definitive guide to 14 different choices for your abroad adventures next year. I spoke to Davidson collegiettes around the world to see what’s up in a variety of exotic locales from Chile to Sydney. If this doesn’t help, you may just have to surrender to the study abroad library and bury yourself in pamphlets.
Sydney, Australia
Tired of squirrels and cold weather? Alana Keane says one of the perks of Sydney is that she “can go to the beach and swim in November where you can see a lot of marine life just off the shore of the city including whales, turtles, and a ton of fish.” And if southern accents and prepsters have you yawning, hot Australian surfers will definitely be refreshing. If you’re worried that Aussie life won’t be enough of a challenge for you, Alana says, “It is obviously an English speaking country which puts you at ease, but there are so many differences in location, time zone, culture, and customs that it is still very different from back home.” Unfortunately, Sydney’s not the cheapest city to spend a semester, but it does have amazing food (did someone say brunch?), clothing markets, and music festivals. One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that being farther away from other countries, it takes a lot of advanced planning to travel, but with The Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, and New Zealand nearby, it’s not like that is too much of a drawback.
Prague, Czech Republic
I have to say I’m partial to this gem of a city in Central Europe, because I’m spending my semester here. It’s a fairytale-looking city with the largest functioning castle complex in the world. I was worried about the language barrier, but everyone speaks English, which is a huge plus. Being a quasi-foodie I was also concerned that I’d be surviving on meat, potatoes, and beer for four months, but the international food here is great and you can find a cheap carafe of wine pretty much anywhere. Prague is a more affordable city on the whole, which will pain me a little when I return to the States. And it’s a small enough city with an excellent public transport system so I feel like I really know it, but still have so much I want to do before I leave. The art and architecture are beautiful, and the nightlife is forever bumpin’ so you really can get the best of a cultural and carefree experience here. Plus, the location makes it easy to travel all over Europe. I’m having a hard time thinking of a reason not to come here, but maybe if you don’t suffer from Resting Bitch Face like me you’ll have a tough time adjusting to the scowls that will surround you on the streets (we promise, we’re not mad, it’s just our faces). But if you do have RBF you will feel right at home with the Czechs and the many American students who study here.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
BA has you covered if you’re looking for a big, busy city with everything from Buenos Aires Fashion week to top-notch museums. With 48 “barrios” (neighborhoods) with very different feels, the city is definitely not one-note. Caroline Zee is a Spanish major who went abroad looking for a “South American, Spanish-speaking city with a European feel.” Buenos Aires was the answer for Caroline, and she explains that it’s the place to go if you want to take your Spanish to a whole different place because “the Spanish in BA is very different from Spain and even other parts of South America. There is a completely different accent (more Italian-sounding) and they have a lot of different vocabulary.” So be prepared for that adjustment. Have no fear, though, Buenos Aires boasts cheap public transportation, an excellent international food scene, and no open container laws.
Geneva, Switzerland
If you’re looking for a more peaceful, outdoorsy experience abroad, Geneva is your city. According to Abby Slattery, “if you are interested in international relations or public health, there really is no better place for study abroad. With the headquarters of the UN and the WHO here, you’ll be at the heart of global relations.” With the Alps in your backyard, skiing and hiking is the pastime of choice. However if you’re looking for a typical European party scene, you’ll have to take advantage of the city’s prime Western European location to travel a lot, because nightlife is not Geneva’s main attraction.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid is a great place to go if you’re not into the cold weather in NC, because the temperature has just started to drop below 60. Even though it’s the largest city in Spain, the public transportation and diverse neighborhoods make it manageable and comfortable. Rebecca Richardson is on the Davidson in Spain program, which is based in Madrid. She likes it because “you come to Madrid with 10-15 built-in friends to explore the city and go out with.” Speaking of going out, Madrid has great nightlife, but if you’re not a night owl it may not be the place for you because most Davidson in Madrid students I know go home around 6am every night. Rebecca says, “I am really glad that Davidson finally has a program in Madrid. That being said, the Davidson program here is still very new (only in its second semester) so they are still working out the kinks.” If you want to challenge your Spanish, Madrid is a great place because people speak less English than you’d expect.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is definitely a Davidson hotspot this semester. With 20+ students on the DIS program it seems like the trendiest abroad locale these days. Hailey Klabo is there right now and she part of the appeal is that “Copenhagen is all about Hygge (the feeling of being cozy and surrounded by warmth and candlelight), and the entire city takes on that feeling, especially as the days get shorter.” While it may be cold, it is definitely beautiful, and so are the stylish people who live there and tend to party until the wee hours of the morning. If you’re a biker (the cycling kind, not the Harley Davidson kind), you’ll find yourself in good company in this Scandinavian city that’s devoted to going carbon-neutral. Downsides? Hailey wishes there were more Chipotle-style restaurants and less of a sales tax (25%?! Gasp!).
Bocas del Toro, Panama
Lookin’ to enjoy island life and study marine biology? Sara Naghavi is living the dream in Bocas del Toro, where she kayaks and scuba dives for class, and enjoys nightlife with the many “20-something backpackers and a large expat gringo population.” She says, “the beaches, water sports, and multiple islands keep you occupied during the day, while great food, drinks, and music keep you occupied at night.” What more can you ask for? Well, if you must be connected to wifi at all times this may not be the place for you. But who couldn’t use a break from technology for a little while?
Florence, Italy
Paninis, and gelato, and chocolate ricotta cheesecake, oh my! Alex Simonian is not struggling when it comes to finding delicious food in Florence. Simply put, “The food in Florence is off the chain.” Florence is a great place for a collegiette who’s looking to ease into city life. It’s small enough to walk pretty much everywhere. Alex says, “Not only is Florence navigable but there are significant and beautiful monuments at every turn. Sometimes I feel like I am walking through a guidebook. The monuments literally never end.” Being in Italy is a huge plus as well, with beautiful cities and countryside just short train rides away. While at first it may seem difficult to chat with locals since Davidson does not provide Italian courses, most people speak at least a little bit of English.
Santiago, Chile
Santiago is also an “awesome place for outdoorsy people,” says Averie Thomas who lives “right next to the Andes and 45 min from the beach.” Not too shabby, if you ask me. Averie has been travelling all around Chile where she’s “mountain biked in a canyon, skied in the Andes, sand boarded in the desert, white-water rafted, summited a volcano (and sledded down!), surfed, camped on a beach, and much more!” If you can’t live without modern conveniences that you find at Teeter and CVS, Santiago is a big city with everything you could possibly need. And it’s an easy city to get around. Averie also recommends a homestay and studying at a Chilean university if you want to improve your Spanish. The only negative thing she can think of is that because Santiago is located in a valley, it can get smoggy, but Averie hasn’t been bothered by it even though she has asthma!
London, England
If you’re looking for a big city rich with culture and no language barrier, London might be for you. Madeline Allen borrows a quote by Samuel Johnson to illustrate the hustle and bustle of the city: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” Madeline explains, “There is always a new exhibit or play opening, and some of my favorite experiences have been things I have just stumbled upon walking around.” While the English are not known for their cuisine, London’s restaurants reflect the diversity of its population. From Japanese-Peruvian, to Indian, London has it all. One thing you have to learn when studying abroad in London, Madeline says, is “where to skimp and where to splurge.” With the pound doing a lot better than the dollar, the exchange rate is cringe worthy. But what better time to learn how to budget than in your early twenties!
Shanghai, China
Feel like being a little fish in a big pond? Head to one of the biggest cities in the world. With 24 million people from all over in Shanghai, you’re bound to meet so many different types of friends. That’s what Marin Williams is enjoying. Marin explains that because Shanghai only started developing around 20 years ago, “it’s on the cutting edge of modernization, so life here is really fast paced.” Plus, it’s super cheap. Marin says, “The street food is to die for! Anything you could ever want is sold right outside your building for less than $2.” However, Shanghai may not be the best place for those of you watching your gluten or have any other food allergies. And if you think you can just pick up Shanghainese, forget about it. So it seems like Shanghai is the place for someone with an adventurous palette and a knack for languages.
Paris, France
“Paris is always a good idea,” especially when it comes to a semester abroad. When will you ever have the chance again to spend four months in this famously chic city? Grace Hauser is taking in absolutely everything the city of love has to offer. She says, “I’ve loved getting to go to all the museums here—because that’s not really something that’s easy to do in Davidson…I think I’ve been to about 20 so far in Paris!” Grace also enjoys walking around the city—about 6 miles a day! —to get to know the different arrondissements (neighborhoods) herself. There’s so much going on in Paris that she hasn’t travelled that much, but if you want to hop around to a different city each weekend you can do that too. Charles de Gualle Airport just outside the city and it’s right in the heart of Western Europe so you can travel to your heart’s content. And while the French may have a reputation for hating Americans, you don’t have to worry too much. With a great population of students in the city you’ll find your people. Just be wary of eating too many Nutella crepes…but wait, I don’t think that’s even possible.
Can’t possibly decide between these and the many more cities out there in the world? Pick a program that doesn’t tie you down!
IHP: São Paulo, Brazil; Cape Town, South Africa; and Hanoi, Vietnam
Carlisle Dockery found the answer to her prayers in this program. She couldn’t find one place that would satisfy her abroad dreams so when she discovered this “hands-on program” that is “almost like having 3 study abroad programs in one,” her final decision was a no-brainer. Benefits of this program include immersive homestay experiences in each city, a comparative project that pushes you to really think about life in 3 very different cities, and various site visits to meet experts in contemporary urban issues throughout the world. Carlisle raves about her experience explaining, “Really what it comes down to is that there’s no other program that can provide you with so many perspectives on relevant issues, and it doesn’t hurt that you get to see the world while doing it!” However, this is not the program for someone looking for a more carefree study abroad experience. Language is a big factor if you’re not fluent in Portuguese and Vietnamese. But the program does support you with this, providing “survival” language classes every morning which Carlisle says “cushions the blow” to a certain extent. It can also be overwhelming not to really put roots down, figure out new transport systems, and travel huge distances over a short period of time. But if you’re up for the challenge, this is definitely a rewarding program.
Davidson in India
This program travels all over South Asia from Sri Lanka to Nepal. You’ll be based at a university, but only spend about five weeks there throughout the semester. Katharine Kendall is killing it in India. Fresh off of an elephant (literally, she just rode an elephant), she told me all about her time abroad with an awesome group of Davidson kids. While I’m a fan of Sangdam for Indian food near Davidson, Katharine told me that “Sangdam has nothing on totally authentic, spicy as heck Indian food.” She adds, “I’ve had the opportunity to see people who live in circumstances that I cannot even begin to fathom. Studying here has made me so appreciative of what I have and the world-class education I’ve gotten at Davidson, something most girls in India could only dream about.” Be prepared for some serious culture shock, though. Have no fear, you will find solace at Domino’s, KFC, and Subway when homesickness attacks. But if you’re someone who can’t take heat and humidity, or are a serious germa-phobe, this program may not be for you.