I’ll never forget seeing the Eiffel tower sparkle at night for the first time, surrounded by newly made friends. It truly brought tears to my eyes.
If you have even the slightest inclination to study abroad: do it. It’s something you’ll never forget.
Walking into my freshman year at Coastal, I knew I wanted to study abroad in any way I could. While the application felt daunting, waiting for the decision date is a different kind of stress. But the moment I received an acceptance email is something I will never forget.
Being accepted to a faculty-led Maymester abroad, let alone in three different countries: Germany, France and the Czech Republic, was exhilarating.
During my sophomore year I participated in another faculty-led Maymester abroad in Ireland. I was able to experience the Irish culture and delve deep into the country’s history like I never imagined.
The experience allowed me to participate in dual perspective tours where I heard stories from both sides of conflict: nationalists who wish for a united Ireland, and Unionists who wish to maintain their status with the United Kingdom.
Hearing stories that both broke my heart and restored my faith in humanity was hard but so worth it to embrace the Irish culture. Stepping inside a museum to learn about a conflict where my tour guide lost his father to brutality was so difficult, but having those firsthand stories humanizes war.
While the pubs are fun, there is something so life changing about learning someone’s story.
Studying in another country and hearing from individuals that experienced horrific events firsthand is learning like you’ll never experience in a brick-and-mortar classroom at Coastal. It truly shapes you as a person and an academic when you branch outside of conventional learning styles.
Having never flown or traveled alone before, the experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow in ways I never expected. Studying abroad taught me the importance of doing things even when they’re new or uncomfortable, a lesson that has truly opened my eyes to the world around me.
Traveling through the university takes much of the stress away from traveling, something I appreciated as a new traveler. Everything is planned down to the hour and all transportation around the country or countries is pre-paid and organized for you.
Stepping into a new country for the first time, forming lifelong friendships and building mentor relationships with faculty is what studying abroad is all about. Even being assigned a random roommate who later became a close friend was part of the adventure.
The opportunity to step out of your hometown and experience the world while you’re young and in college is something everyone should take advantage of. Seeing parts of the world I never imagined has exposed me to all the opportunities there are, no matter your interests.
Spring Break and Maymester study abroad applications are due Thursday, Oct. 16. More information can be found on CCU’s education abroad website.
