Studying abroad is quintessintial to the college experience. Whether you go for the whole semester or just for the summer, traveling not only will introduce you to different cultures, but the experiences you have may quite possibly change your life.
I went to Paris the summer before my junior year for an internship. Adjusting to the culture was hard, but finding food I could eat proved to be even more of a challenge. With my basic French, I would attempt to inform servers of my gluten allergy, but was often met with confusion, anger for wanting to change a menu item to fit my diet, or a blank stare because of my unfortunate butchering of the French language. Although my time in Paris was filled with more challenges than I had expected, it was an incredible experience. I became more independent and grew confident in my strengths. I even mastered the metro system and picked up some French along the way. My time there has truly changed my life and fueled my passion for traveling.
I should probably have prepared more by learning some key phrases, but I am so thankul for my summer in one of the most magical cities. Before choosing a study abroad program or location, do your homework. Research programs. SMU offers many wonderful abroad programs, but here are more options:
1) IES Abroad: IES has 125+ programs to choose from during the summer and during the semester. They even offer internships! If you’ve always wanted to visit Italy, check out IES in Rome, a two month internship program in the heart of the city. Visit iesabroad.org for program details.
2) Forum Nexus: Forum Nexus has been operating since 1990 and has programs in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Austria, Holland and the Czech Republic! They also offer a unique summer program where students visit 8 cities in 1 month. Program highlights include the Greek Isles, a visit to the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, and weekly company visits.Visit forum-nexus.com for more information.
If you aren’t already looking forward to going abroad, here are ideas for your study abroad bucket list:
– Watch the sunrise an Angkor Wat in Cambodia
– Visit the Taj Mahal
– Get kissed on top of the Eiffel Tower
– snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef
– attend the Running of the Bulls in Spain
– make a wish at the Trevi Fountain in Rome
Happy planning!