In the year preceding my recent acceptance into my internship abroad program, I was in an almost state of constant contemplation. Before deciding on Sydney, there was a LOT to think about. If you’re looking into studying abroad in any form, you’re probably familiar with what I’m talking about. You know you want to book the flight, but where in the world should you fly to?? Here are just a handful of the things that helped steer me in the right direction.
- Food
If you say you’ll eat anything, you’re lying. Even the most adventurous of eaters have favorites (and things that might give them pause), so keep yours in mind when choosing a place to spend several months. Many foodies flock to Italy or France for their trips abroad, but there is something for everybody- just keep in mind that you’ll be there for long enough to experience variety!
- Language
A lot of college students have the goal of picking up a new language, and there is no better way to learn a new language than getting totally immersed in it! If your goal is to come back home fluent in Spanish, spend a few months in Spain. If you want to perfect the French you’ve picked up so far in school, head to France! Don’t fear the language barrier- it’s possible to be among other English-speaking students during your time abroad depending on the specific program you choose, but don’t be afraid to dive in head first and stick to the locals if you’re ready for that!
- Areas of interest
If you’re a music major, you might find yourself in your element in Austria. If your focus is in architecture, you’ll be surrounded by architectural wonders and great program opportunities in places like France or China. Into design? Head to somewhere like Barcelona! When making your decision, vary your search across the best possible programs for your path, both education-wise and career-wise (because summer internships abroad are a thing too!).
- Free time activities
It’s close to impossible to pick a location for studying abroad where you will be bored, but you WILL luckily have a lot of free time during your time abroad. How do you want to spend that time out of the classroom? If you’d like to learn to surf or check out some cool wildlife during your time abroad, check out programs in Australia. If you’re geared towards doing as much travel as possible in a short period of time, pick a location in central Europe that will make it easy to visit other places in Europe on long weekends. It’s all about what YOU want to do when given the opportunity to explore on your own.
- Crossing off a bucket list item
We all have our own travel bucket lists. I chose Sydney because Australia is easily among my top five places I’ve sworn up and down to visit someday. Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to not only travel somewhere you’ve always wanted to, but for a period of time, you get to LIVE there. Choose somewhere that you aren’t sure you’ll get to experience fully otherwise. Go get immersed in a culture you’ve always been curious about. At the end of the day, studying abroad is about learning after all.