In an increasingly globalized world, it is becoming more and more important to have a real understanding of cultures and communities outside of the United States and their varying lifestyles and values. For this reason, the number of students choosing to spend part of their undergraduate experience abroad has been increasing steadily over the last decade – the numbers are now more than double what they were only ten years ago.
At Hopkins alone, over 400 students study abroad each year in over 30 different countries. Some of the most popular countries chosen worldwide are the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France and China.
It would be hard to find someone who disagrees that college is the time to explore the world around you and figure out what you're interested in, and studying in a foreign country can help you focus more on what you're really passionate about. It is a frightening, exhilarating, and powerful experience – one that thousands of college students experience every year, to their benefit.
The application process is arguably what takes the longest to complete, depending on the program, beginning earlier for some than others. For many, it was a decision process that began even before their arrival at Hopkins, way back in high school.
The choice of what program to apply to is often harder than deciding what country one wants to study in – the country is often influenced by what languages are spoken there or familial ties.
Students have the option of choosing from a wide variety of programs, ranging from immersion programs where students are totally integrated into the community in which they live with little contact with other American students or English speakers, or ‘island' programs where the students are primarily in contact with only other English speakers from their own program, as well as everything in between.
Some courses are taken as part of major or minor studies, whereas other students choose to take courses for their general education or distribution requirements instead. Some choose to study for only their mid-year intersession break for a few short weeks, others end up staying abroad for an entire year.
I spent the past summer studying abroad in the Tuscan city of Siena, about an hour south of Florence, through CET Academic Programs. I did not know Italian, and had never been to Italy before. I had never travelled abroad alone – with family, friends, classmates – but never alone.
I could not shake the feeling that it was a dream, and nothing I was experiencing was real. I was abroad for a total of eight weeks, with 11 other students from American universities and living with an Italian student in an apartment. Now, looking back, it seems strange that it was only a summer, and not longer. The amount I learned is simply incalculable, and each of my experiences rewarding.
While abroad, it is important to pay attention to the local customs and habits. Simple things like going to the grocery store becomes an ordeal if you do not know the word for ‘milk' or ‘eggs,' or how to even find the grocery store. In this day and age, it is easy to take advantage of the Internet and all the information it provides, but it can also be a crutch.
Many countries still don't have internet access in every town, and so relying on having it easily accessible is simply unrealistic. However, there are ways to make use of the web while abroad; for example finding local events in your host city or cultural gatherings is a good way to immerse yourself in the culture and learn more about where you are living.
One common misconception is that studying abroad is too expensive for some students, or that it is a luxury only for non-serious students who want to essentially take a semester off. Nothing could be further from the truth.
There are numerous grants and aid packages available for students who wish to go abroad, and those who qualify for aid at their home institution can transfer the aid to study abroad as well. Furthermore, if you choose to travel to a country with a lower cost of living, it is likely that your day to day expenses will be less as well. It is in fact sometimes cheaper to study abroad than to stay at your home institution.
As for the rigor of the coursework, it is often more difficult, not only because you are not accustomed to foreign universities, but also because you are trying to get acclimated to a new culture and an entirely different way of living from what you are used to. You learn more both inside and outside of the classroom than you would at your home institution, and grow as a person because of it.
