Oh, the places you’ll go!

We spend so much time figuring out the “right” college to attend that it seems pretty silly to turn around and look for ways to get away, right? Wrong. Study abroad is one of the most valuable opportunities that college affords us and everyone should explore their study abroad options—that’s right, everyone. Even if you’re sure that it’s not for you or no program exists to fulfill your interests, you should still look into it just to be sure that you’ve covered all your bases. My own semester living and learning in Valparaíso, Chile was one of the most enriching experiences of my life, so I hope to shed a little light on the process.
Study Abroad Myth #1:
You have to already speak a world language.
False! A huge range of programs exists, ranging from those for people who want to go to Italy, for instance, but have never spoken a word of Italian beyond “ravioli.” And on the flipside, if you have already studied a language for many years, you can definitely find programs intended for students with a heightened skill level. Some programs focus largely on learning the local language, while others are even in English and focus a specific topic instead. And of course many programs forge a balance of the two—the key is to research all possibilities and options.

Study Abroad Myth #2:
There aren’t very many study abroad possibilities for science and math majors.
So not true! Depending on your college’s requirements, many avenues exist for science and math majors to study abroad. Public health-focused programs are becoming more common and I know several biology and chemistry majors who spend semesters or summers doing research in tropical regions of the world. Also, many colleges allow students to count an international program’s coursework for general education requirements. So a math major could very well fulfill those dreaded literature and art history requirements from the vantage point of the Thames River or perhaps the Louvre—not bad!

Study Abroad Truth #1:
A semester abroad, like a semester on campus, has its ups and downs.
Study abroad is definitely one of those experiences that has its early honeymoon phase (in this country, the sky is bluer! The kids are cuter! The sugar is sweeter!) followed by a sort of winding down of initial energy that can be frustrating and even disappointing. As with college, the study abroad application process is a bit draining, so by the time you finally arrive and get settled, a curious sort of “what now?” mentality may develop. The key is to not allow that first dip in energy and enthusiasm to stop you from fully experiencing all that your new environment has to offer—explore a new neighborhood, plan a day trip with someone else from the program, and just do something to reinvigorate your energy. It’s a totally normal part of the process : )

Study Abroad Truth #2:
Myriad types of programs exist and it’s hard to make a choice.
Some programs place students with host families, others set participants up in apartments or dorms at local universities. Some programs are total immersion in the language while others operate in English. Direct enrollment programs mean that you are taking university classes right alongside students from that country, while other programs teach their own classes or other coursework. Most programs are stationary, but it becoming popular to create semesters in which the students change locations within a country throughout the semester.
The diversity of choices for study abroad can be a little overwhelming, which is why it’s important to contact three types of people who can help you: your college’s international program/study abroad office, the program provider itself (if different than your own school), and students who have participate in the programs in the past. The first two sets of people can help you with the nitty-gritty details of coursework, finances, fulfilling college requirements, and so forth. The third set—the program alumni—can flesh out the picture you have of what each experience would be like and help you decide if a program would be a good fit. Unlike choosing a college, you can’t exactly tour a study abroad experience, so talking to previous participants is the next best thing. Many programs have formal Alumni Mentor roles in place, but you can always call the program provider directly and ask to be put in touch with someone from a previous semester.
And with that, good luck! Or as they say in my adopted second language, ¡buena suerte!