Meet Megan Greives, a Kent State senior who has visited nine coutries and mastered the art of traveling throughout Europe.
Major: Marketing
Age: 22
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Her Campus: Leaving the familiarity of Kent State’s campus for a semester can be a scary thought. How did you take that leap and decide to study abroad for a full semester?
Megan Greives: I have always known I wanted to see the world. I wouldn’t say it was so much a leap, but more about achieving my goals. Sure, I was so nervous to leave my home and all that is familiar, but I knew I had to in order to discover the world. I had been preparing for the trip for roughly two years prior. Traveling abroad has always been a dream of mine.
HC: What aspects of studying abroad surprised you most?
MG: I was so surprised about how easy I adjusted to living in a foreign country. I had prepared to be homesick, and to not know where I was going, so I felt like half the battle was over by the time I arrived. Yes, the language barrier is a real thing, but the Italian people are incredibly nice once you get to know them. Plus, Italian is a really easy language to pick up, which only helps.
HC: What is a favorite memory or story you have from your time spent abroad?
MG: Oh gosh, just pick one?! Ha! I absolutely loved my spring break trip. My roommate, Erin, and I planned the ten day trip ourselves. We planned to go to London, Dublin and Barcelona. Previous to our trip, our friends told us about this fantastic all day excursion across Ireland to the Cliffs of Moher. Erin and I talked about it and decided to do the trip, appropriately called a PaddyWagon Tour. On the way to the Cliffs, we made a few stops at a restaurant/pub, an Abbey (an old castle) and mini cliffs. I noticed the sky becoming more cloudy and dark as we moved west. When we got to the Cliffs, it was raining like crazy and all Erin and I had was our little jackets. We got completely drenched, but it was so worth it. At one point, Erin and I got ponchos, thinking that they would help. By the time we got to the top of the Cliffs, our ponchos were literally ripping off of us! The wind was that strong. The memories I have made the rain soaked clothes and four hour bus ride all worth it.
HC: You work for the International Programs and Study Abroad Office in the College of Arts and Sciences on campus and are returning to Florence this summer. Tell us more about your upcoming trip and what you will be doing abroad.
MG: My main focus for my trip this summer is to develop a program for Business Italian between the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business. I will also be guiding the students who are studying abroad, and acting as a peer leader. The summer program is only for one month; therefore the students need to get the most out of their time. I, along with the two other peer ambassadors, will facilitate trips to local restaurants or to a show at the cinema. Since I was there for four and a half months, I know where the best restaurants and gelato shops are. I can’t wait to show all of the students my favorite sites in Florence.
HC: Did taking a semester away from Kent, your friends and family make you learn anything about yourself that you didn’t know before?
MG: I am stronger than I ever realized. From having to deal with conflict to homesickness, I can overcome any obstacle that comes my way. I also learned how to negotiate and compromise on the different activities I wanted to do when on a weekend trip. I learned that if the group gets lost, don’t fight about directions on a map, go up and talk to the locals. They’re more than happy to help you.
HC: With students gearing up for summer and semester trips abroad, what’s the biggest piece of advice you can give them?
MG: I have a ton of advice for a student going abroad, but the most important is to not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and experience the unknown. Talk to the locals, ask them about the city and their families. Have gelato before dinner, have gelato as dinner. Go to the small, hole in the wall restaurants. Most of the time, those restaurants are the best ones!