Allegheny College Study Abroad Fall 2007

My most unforgettable memory during my stint in Washington was when I went to New York City to interview an anchor on the Today Show for a class profile assignment. Never in a million years would I have imagained myself in that position, and I was able to meet so many of my journliastic idols. This semester taught me that if you want something bad enough you had to go after it, otherwise the opportunity is just going to pass. When I had to call up my interviewee I was so nervous but after realizing the worst thing she could say to me was "no" I realized I had nothing to lose. I strongly suggest that students study abroad during their four years in college. They only have experiences and memories to gain, so why not? For me, it made me a lot more independent, tenacious, confident and prepared for the real world. Since I am going into journalism it was good for me to gain an inside perspective of the industry and realize what I have to do to be successful. If I could study abroad again I would in a second, I think it is a wonderful way to expand your horizens and learn more about yourself.

Posted by Elizabeth Andrews at 10:11 AM | Permalink

There isn't one stand-alone memory from my semester in D.C. and the Balkans that dominates all the others.
However, there is one type of experience that meant more to me than any other this fall. This experience happened a few times when I was in the Balkans, and it changed me to an extent I haven't fully realized yet.
I'm talking about my experience conversing one on one with college students from that region; people my age, with similar dreams and expectations, who have one major difference - they grew up in a conflict zone. As young children, they had to hide in basements as rockets and missiles were being fired into their neighborhoods. As young adults, they have to try to carve out a future for themselves in a region that is still far from reconciliation and finding a stable peace. My conversations with Milan and Yelena in Vukovar, Sergei and Aleksandar in Belgrade, and Hanna in Novi Pazar have altered my ideas of justice, reconciliation, and war. Without talking to these people, my trip would not have affected me like it has.
I think this answers the second part of the question - if I think study away programs at other institutions are beneficial in a non-academic sense. Obviously, my answer is yes. I didn't talk to those people using academic inquiry, I talked to them like I would with anyone else. Our conversations left imprints on me that no academic setting or teaching would be able to leave. They are the faces I see when I think of that conflict, they are the hope for the future of that region, and they are the reasons I am interested in peace and conflict resolution. They are people like us, only they had to live through horrors I can't even imagine. And they will remain in my memory years after I have returned home from my trip.

Posted by Rachel Jurkowski at 6:30 PM | Permalink

I dont know if I could pick one stand alone memory from this entire trip, but if I had to I would pick the last night that I really hung out with my three best friends from this trip. I couldnt get the picture to upload, but one night my friends and I stood outside of the train station in Angers, put a camera on self-timer, and took about 45 picutures of us together, jumping up and down. For me, in a nonacademic sense, this experience was worth it when I met these girls because they have changed my life, just like this experience has. I have learned so much French while in France and its still shocking that its over, but more so I have grown as a person
I think that any study abroad experiences are extremely beneficial in a non-academic sense because as much as I have grown in my french speaking skills, I have grown as a person just as much or even more. And that is an amazing thing. I will never forget this experience and all that I have learned from it, academic and non academic.

Posted by Erin Geiser at 6:26 PM | Permalink

The one stand alone memory of this trip for me was exploring London with my boyfriend and his friend. My boyfriends best friend in highschool, David, is originally from England but he has lived all over the world due to his father's job. He is living in England again just after graduating from uni and he lives just south of London. We met up with him around Thanksgiving and had the most incredible few days. Although David hasn't been to London tons of times, he still knew how to get around the easiest and quickest ways and was able to show us nearly the entire city within a few days. If we wouldn't have had him with us we wouldn't have been able to see even 1/2 of what we were able to see. For accomodation we simply made the hour trip back to David's house where we slept and his mother made us breakfast. I've been to David's house in the states and his house in England was so different. It was so interesting to see the differences in how he lived in the states and in the UK. Although his house in the US was bigger, his house in the UK ismuch more expensive. He still lives with his mother and father even though he just graduated uni. His older brothers also do. It's not like the US where as soon as possible you move out from your parents house and begin to live on your own... they take things a little more slowly and relaxed over there -- it's not rush, rush, rush.
I think the greatest learning and growing experiences come in a non-academic form from studying abroad. The most amazing thing that I have learned from my overall experience is that fundamentally, we are all the same, living on the same earth, hoping for the same general things. Yes, each region of the world has its own unique culture and way of life, but no matter where you go at the core we are all very similar. Even though people are living in different time zones all over the world, time is essentially relative and we're all living in the same time. Even though people are scattered all throughout the world and are adapted to their own environment, way of life, culture, etc., we all share a commonality as humans living on this earth in relation to it and eachother.

Posted by Ashton Kohler at 11:41 AM | Permalink

On an academic level, I had an incredible experience. I had the opportunity to study at a large university with a multitude of classes in subjects I never knew existed, and I got to experience what a foreign education system is like. However, on a social level, I wish I had known more about the university before I arrived. Perhaps then I wouldn't have been as shocked by the incredible amount of binge drinking that takes place every weekend, or the fact that there isn't much else to do in the area. Maybe I would have realized how much more expensive everything is in Australia, and I might have been able to raise enough money to leave Townsville more than once. I never appreciated Allegheny's Late Night program until I attended a school where the "late night" program was listening to drunk people fall down the stairs.
That said, I did enjoy the experience. I learned what sort of environment is not the best for me, and what it takes to overcome a situation in which I am not comfortable. The study abroad experience has definite non-academic benefits - people have the opportunity to learn who they are when they are away from those people who know them best.
My "stand-alone memory" is actually somewhat stereotypical of my study abroad environment - I will always remember walking across campus one sunny afternoon to see half a dozen wallabies enjoying the sunshine and gorgeous weather. They serve as a reminder that life is meant to be enjoyed, not stressed over and regretted.

Posted by Rachel Clark at 2:02 AM | Permalink

Going into a new experience is always scary, and no matter what, I don’t think it’s ever possible to be entirely prepared for what lies ahead. When I was sitting on the plane in Buffalo, waiting to go to New York City to meet my group to fly to Spain, I suddenly panicked because I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had only flown once before, and never by myself, and I had never left North America. Being on another continent for an entire semester was something that I never thought I would experience, and the fear of the unknown completely freaked me out. Little did I know, I had nothing to be afraid of because at the end of the semester I would come home with a completely different outlook on life and a much greater sense of independence and confidence, both in myself and in my ability to defend my beliefs. At the end, traveling was no big deal; it made me become a lot more independent.

People had told me that I wouldn’t understand how much studying abroad would change me until I had actually experienced it and returned home. I definitely agree; it’s really hard to predict how something will turn out when you go into it completely open-minded. I went into this experience with an open mind and didn’t really have any specific expectations. I wanted to learn through my experiences, and not just through my classes. I knew that I would learn some useful information in my classes, but I didn’t go to Spain for that; I went for the overall experience. So if my only expectation was to experience Spanish culture first-hand, I succeeded. I think that’s the mentality you have to have in situations like this. You have to be willing to leave your inhibitions behind and just jump into a new culture. I think studying abroad would be beneficial to anyone; it teaches you so much about yourself and you change so much in the process. Even if you decide to study abroad without technically going abroad, the experience would still be worth it because you would still be thrown into an unfamiliar situation and would be able to learn just as much. Academics are an important aspect of studying abroad, but I don’t think the classroom education is the main focus, nor should it be. It can help make the connection to the culture and give students background information about the culture in which they are living, but it shouldn’t be the only aspect that someone takes away from study abroad.

Posted by Wendy Paddock at 12:13 AM | Permalink

The most concrete memory that I have brought home with me this semster is the difference of mentalities between one country to another. I had always been told that French professors don’t consider their students to be “gifted and special” like our friendly American professors, rather they believe that no one is good enough to get a 100% let alone an 80%. As much as I already knew this, the reality of the situation never really hit me until I got a grade back in one of my classes and was horrified with my evaluation. While being in France was fantastic, it really made me appreciate the US. You never really realize what you miss until you don’t have it; kind of the grass is always greener type thing. While being away people always ask me do you miss your school in the states? And I reply: “ya, I really miss the people.” I have had some really great professors at Allegheny, and I believe it is important to have a good student-teacher relationship, and having French professors made me realize that they have a totally different mentality in regards to this situation. And that’s alright, it’s their method, and it is good to experience different teaching methods, because it’s another preparatory device for the future even if it can be a challenge to accept. Study-abroad is an opportunity that is incomparable with anything else. And not just in an academic sense. To truly understand a country and its people, one has to live there and learn the customs and habits of the citizens; find out what’s popular and what’s taboo. I had a pretty good grasp of the French culture when I first got to Angers, but after having lived there for a semester, I started to notice regional differences I had never picked up on before such as the variety of accents, people’s natures, and just little details that an average tourist might not catch on to right away. I would definitely recommend study abroad to anyone, and that they go into it with an open mind and an open heart.

Posted by Carolyn Kuzell at 7:02 PM | Permalink

It is almost impossible for me to give one stand alone memory that I took with me from Australia. Everything that I got to experience with the people I met there were the most amazing times. I still talk to my abroad friends alot. It really surprised me how close I could become to people after only a few months, but I would now consider them some of my best friends. My fondest memories are those from traveling on our weekend trips. Deciding last minute to go to mission beach and skydive without having a place to stay and spending almost all night with all of our things outside of the shell gas station, learning to drive (or at least trying to drive) stick shift in a doorless roofless moke jeep on the wrong side of the road, and standing in line in Melbourne for a half and hour even though we had no idea what we were in line for until we got to the counter and found out what dim sims were. My favorite times were all of those adventures I had that weren’t planned. The most fun was when we just would see what we could find. I am usually a very organized person that would die without my day planner, and that is why I think I learned so much from this trip. I didn’t have a day planner or any plan at all. Every minute in Australia was open for me to learn and grow. This is why I think it is so beneficial for students to study abroad. You come home a different person. While you do take classes, you learn from the experiences outside of the classroom. I can honestly say I have never been so sure of myself in my life. The time away from everyday life teaches you more about yourself then you would ever learn living your life day to day. For me, it helped so much to step outside of my life to find out what I really want in my life. Studying abroad lets you look at the world differently and opens your mind to things you never imagined were possible.

Posted by Theresa Clem at 3:24 PM | Permalink

I think that this experience has been so meaningful and different that I don’t have just one stand out memory. It was a lot of things that made a difference and that I have taken back with me. Such as recognizing the importance of family, and slowing the pace of life. I appreciated the antiquity of the cathedral and learned to not be in such a rush, and to not take the beauty around me for granted. I think during this time I grew as a person; I became more independent by traveling and living in another culture but also I became stronger in standing up for what I believe in and in differentiating myself from others.

I think study abroad programs are very important. A book I read said that Allegheny College is one of those institutions where you come in as a freshman being one person and you graduate as someone else. This experience truly does change you. I think experiential learning is more important because you are fully engaged and participating in a culture which is more than just reading about people and places in a book. And for me this is where and how I learn the best. These programs should not only be encouraged but maybe even mandatory in some way. Whether it is an EL seminar during the summer or a full semester I think these experiences make us better students and people.

Posted by Alexandra Papa at 2:52 PM | Permalink

It's hard to believe that not even two weeks ago I was still in Angers living the study abroad experience. As I reflect back on that experience, one stand alone memory comes to mind. I will never forget standing between four lanes of traffic, on a busy Paris night, taking a picture of the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. The cars for me represent how fast time seems to fly and that you get one chance at life so you should live it. I definitely believe that there is an non-academic side to study abroad that is equal if not more beneficial to one's experience. France for me, was a chance to live a life most would only dream of, if only for a short time. But, it is in that time that I believe I learned the most about myself. Putting yourself in a different environment, country, speaking a different language forces you to change and adapt and that's exactly what us "study abroaders" did. I discovered an inner strength that I didn't know I posessed and I don't think I would have discovered if I hadn't studied abroad. For example, my dad got really sick during my study abroad experience. At first, I felt so angry for not being able to be with him and being in a foreign country. But, I feel like being in France gave me the strength to be there for my family emotionally even if I wasn't physically there.France helped me to carry on and experience things for my family. I know that my daily e-mails and phone calls documenting all the things I was doing and seeing was the best medecine I could have given to my father. The things I took away from France personally will stay with me forever. Not everything in France was perfect but I learned from every experience I had and I am grateful for it.People really are correct when they say study abroad changes you forever. It sure changed me.

Posted by Kristin Isabelli at 2:38 PM | Permalink

The one memory that I will never forget about this trip to France is this view. The first day I came, when I finally got out of the airport, off the train, lugging around over 120 pounds of luggage, after being up for almost 48 hours straight, not eating for about 12 straight, stepping out of the train station and seeing this sight made me cry. The only thing I could think was, "I'm home." It was a knee-jerk response, and I knew it was right. It's for this reason that I know study abroad programs are valuable non-academically. I have learned how to properly pack for a year abroad. I have learned more French. I have learned about cultural differences. I have learned how to stand up for myself, even when dealing with language barriers. I have gained more pride in my own country. Most of all, I have learned how to be an adult. And this picture will always remind me of my first adult "home."

Posted by Susannah Bender at 4:23 PM | Permalink