Studying abroad was something that was both exciting and scary to me at first, but having the opportunity to travel to such neat places with educated and well-versed professors and individuals is truly something you’ll never be able to do again.
Why did you choose to participate in these programs?
I chose to participate in my first program by hearing friends and sorority sisters speak very highly of their experiences abroad. I then chose to engage in another program after how much I enjoyed my first!
What was your most memorable experience abroad?
This is a very hard question! Each day kept becoming the best day ever on my trips. The most memorable part of Rome was visiting the Vatican. It was just one of those moments that felt so surreal to me. It was so beautiful and sacred – I feel like my photos and retelling won’t ever do it justice. In Greece, I would say the most memorable experience of that portion of the trip was getting to visit our professor’s home and farm. I would have never had this personal or special of an opportunity outside of studying abroad. Puerto Rico was full of memorable moments as well. One that I still hold near and dear to me was visiting El Yunque Rainforest. I had never been to or seen a rainforest with my own eyes and it was just so beautiful.
Have scholarships impacted your decision to study abroad?
Having the opportunity for some of the financial stress to be lifted off my shoulders through the study abroad scholarship program made a huge impact on experience. I had also never traveled outside the country, so therefore I hadn’t gotten a passport yet, and I was able to have the expenses of that covered as well. It has also made me feel even more appreciative of my opportunities.
What advice would you give to students interested in studying abroad?
As cliche as it may sound, just do it! Studying abroad was something that was both exciting and scary to me at first, but having the opportunity to travel to such neat places with educated and well-versed professors and individuals is truly something you’ll never be able to do again. My advice is to stay in the loop with the CALS Study Abroad socials and websites, attend their events, and ask tons of questions if you have any! You can alleviate tons of stress by simply reaching out. Studying abroad has had a huge impact on my life.