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Unpacking my Sydney Bucket List

I knew that I wanted to study abroad in Sydney, Australia before I knew where I wanted to go to college. I love to travel, am an adventure-seeker, and had heard nothing but amazing things about the city from people who had studied there in years prior. This is where I was going and nothing could change that – not where my friends were going, not where my academic advisor advised me to go, and not the fact that I would be across the world with a 16-hour time change from my home. On January 1, 2020, I got off the plane in Sydney, Australia and never looked back. After close to three months of experiencing pure happiness, I truly understood why people say to “go with your gut.”

As a Broadcast and Digital Journalism student in Newhouse, I knew that Sydney was not a place where I could take any classes required for my major. However, instead of letting this be an obstacle, I just figured out a way to make it work. I met with my advisor several times to plan out my schedule for every semester, in order to account for all the credits needed for my May 2021 graduation. I took some of my major requirements ahead of time, and planned which courses I would take as a senior, post-abroad. Newhouse also requires students to take a number of Arts and Science electives, so rather than taking these on campus, I saved them for abroad. Doing so not only allowed me to find a way to study in Sydney, but I also had the opportunity to take courses about topics that I would never have the chance to learn about elsewhere. For instance, in my “Indigenous Australia” course, I learned about the Indigenous community in Australia, their culture, and the struggles they have faced as a minority group. My class also went on a field trip led by a member of the Indigenous community, giving us the opportunity to learn in an out-of-classroom setting from someone who could share his own personal experiences. To me, this type of learning is priceless and allows me to have a broad knowledge of the world beyond what I learn in the classrooms at Syracuse.

Before I left for Sydney, I created a personal bucket list of activities I wanted to participate in outside of school. Unfortunately, the program ended early due to COVID-19, so I could not complete my entire list, but I am proud to have fit as much as I could have into the time that I had. At the top of my list was none other than skydiving. If you ask my mom, she will tell you that “kids go abroad to Australia to skydive.” She is not totally wrong. As I briefly considered other cities to study in, I didn’t feel that any other place had as many options for me to be my adventurous self. I wanted to go surfing, I wanted to see exotic animals, and I wanted to climb bridges, so Sydney was really my only option. My parents begged me not to skydive, but I couldn’t be stopped – I was living out my adventure.

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore during my time abroad. Ironically, I did so in February amidst the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak. While in Thailand I had the chance to ride an elephant, go inside a tiger cage, and see many famous temples. In Vietnam I tasted traditional street food, cruised along Ha Long Bay, and saw sights of the Vietnam War. In Singapore I explored the famous Gardens by the Bay, overlooked the entire city from the rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, and tried the chicken satay from the same food market as the characters in Crazy Rich Asians. Thanks to study abroad, I was able to travel to these amazing places and immerse myself into various different cultures alongside my friends.

Studying abroad in Sydney, Australia helped to shape me as in individual. One of the reasons I chose to attend Syracuse University is because it is only a four-hour drive away from my hometown. When I was applying to schools, I simply had no interest in being a plane ride away from my family. Yet, I chose the city with the farthest plane ride to study abroad in. With a 16-hour time difference, there were only a few hours of the day during which my parents and I would be awake at the same time. I realized that I couldn’t call to say hi or text them a question at any given moment like I did before; instead I had to find one or two times a day where we could FaceTime and catch up. Living in a new country is a challenge, let alone as a student. However, doing so allowed me to grow as a person. I became more independent, responsible, and outgoing. Study abroad was one of the best experiences of my life for many reasons and I would do it all over again tomorrow.

Amanda Albert ’21

World Partner program, UNSW

Truly Exploring Central Europe

Hi all! I’m Caroline, a senior at Colgate University where I major in Religion and minor in Economics. In the fall of 2019, I was fortunate enough to participate in Syracuse Abroad’s Exploring Central Europe semester program. The focus of this program was history, memory, and identity. We studied Central Europe through these lenses, looking at its early history through now with a special focus on the Holocaust and the Soviet regime. As a non-Syracuse student, I was initially nervous about joining a group of mostly Syracuse classmates; however, I found that before even arriving at our destination, after 18 hours and 3 airports, I felt like I had known my new friends for months.

We began our three-month-long adventure with the Signature Seminar. After landing in Budapest, we spent three to four days each in Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava, and Prague. These two weeks were an incredible learning experience: in lieu of a classroom, we used museums, monuments, memorials, tours, and true immersion to learn about each place’s history and culture. Travelling by bus, exchanging currencies, and picking up on greetings combined with our in-class conversations – which almost always carried into dinner table discussions – to create an immeasurable connection with and knowledge of each place.

We then settled into Wroclaw, Poland, our home for the next ten weeks. Now would be a good time to mention the amazing faculty who led this trip. Our professors, coordinators, and all those involved along the way were so enthusiastic about introducing us to the wonder that is Central Europe. On top of that, they showed true care for our general wellbeing and did not hesitate to make this known. Once we got to Wroclaw, we met our other professors who would be teaching our classes at the University. They, too, were eager to teach us about all of the aspects of Polish history and culture about which they were so passionate. I gained a far deeper appreciation for Wroclaw, for Poland, and for Central Europe from our professors and faculty than I ever would have without their education and guidance.

An extension of the two-week signature seminar brought us to weekends in Warsaw, Krakow, and Berlin where we continued to dig deep into each location’s history. I have a particularly long-lasting impression of our day touring Auschwitz-Birkenau during the weekend in Krakow. It was here that so much of our studies culminated into an overwhelmingly emotional realization of being in the place where such horror occurred. This is one extreme example of the hands-on experiences we had in these cities; after spending so much time delving into certain subjects like the Warsaw Uprisings or the Berlin Wall, it was even more eye-opening and educational to physically be in the places and spaces where history happened.

My semester abroad left me with countless memories, lessons, and reflections. I gained an independence I had previously thought impossible; some of my best memories are from simply strolling through Wroclaw and seeing where I’d end up. My favorite places I ended up, for that matter, were Cathedral Island (or Ostrow Tumski), Kolekwojo, and Vinyl Cafe. I was able to enjoy trips outside of Wroclaw on the signature seminar and on my own to Nice, Barcelona, Oslo, and Dresden, which I loved, but I also learned that there is nothing quite like feeling at home in a new place. I truly felt as though I belonged in Wroclaw after just a few weeks of studying in cafes, exploring the Market Square, and navigating the metro with my classmates. Wroclaw is an amazing city with plenty to offer, particularly once the Christmas Markets open up and the smell of mulled wine, waffles, and kielbasa fills the air. I will forever be thankful for the semester I spent there and the wonderful people I befriended during that time.

Caroline Simon ’20, Colgate University

Exploring Central Europe, Fall 2019

Syracuse Abroad ranked #7 in Study Abroad

Syracuse Abroad has been ranked #7 in Study Abroad, up from #11, in US News & World Report

Table“Syracuse University offers undergraduates a variety of study abroad opportunities, including through the school’s overseas centers and programs with partner institutions. Freshmen interested in the liberal arts can spend their first semester studying abroad through the Discovery Programs in Madrid; Strasbourg, France; or Florence, Italy.” -US News & World Report

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Program alumna attends virtual Global Student Leadership Summit Conference

Nicole Llewellyn ’21 attended the Global Student Leadership Summit Conference hosted by Diversity Abroad in an entirely virtual setting in August of 2020. The conference is intended for students of diverse background who studied abroad to meet, connect and reflect on their experiences. Through hands-on sessions, critical dialog and breakout sessions, students had the opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills, meet professionals in the field and embrace diversity through a global lens.

Nicole, a Syracuse Abroad Global Ambassador, attended our Florence Center Engineering program in spring of 2019. She majors in Chemical Engineering and Neuroscience and truly valued her time in Florence. She applied to attend the GSLS and was accepted to attend and represent Syracuse Abroad as our student ambassador.

Hear what she had to say about her conference experience:

Despite the Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS) being online this year, I believe I not only gained invaluable insight from a diverse group of students and presenters but connected with them through our unique experiences as well. In a matter of three days, we went from strangers to friends, united in how our personal identity shaped our study abroad experience. With in-depth conversations about personal and leadership identity and professional development sessions, I experienced growth as an individual while learning how global experiences can connect people in many ways and open further opportunities abroad.

The first day of GSLS began with a warm welcome from Joelle Tolifero, one of the members of the planning committee from Diversity Abroad, giving all twenty of us participants an overview of the day. Throughout the day, I listened to speakers Jacquis Waters, a member of the planning committee from Columbia University, Cheyenne Boyce, Director of Program Development at the Confucius Center, and Will Baggett, author of bestselling book, “The Blueprint for a Successful Career”. During Jacquis’ session, I was challenged to think critically about my personal identity and what role our identity played while abroad. I not only learned the difference between social and personal identity but how we must break this cycle of socialization of norms by examining our biases, self-educating, and challenging and disrupting. Given our current political and social climate, I considered what I learned in this session to be incredibly valuable and relevant. Cheyenne also focused on identity, but how it plays a crucial role in many conflicts. When core characteristics of your identity are threatened, conflicts may arise and damage relationships between individuals and groups. Yet I learned that determining common interests between two parties is the key to finding creative solutions. Finally, Will spoke about how we can build our professional career, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and executive image. So much of our success in the workplace stems from what we can bring using our unique perspective and how we present ourselves both in person and on social media.

On the second day of the conference, Malcolm Glenn, Director of Public Affairs at Better.com and former employee at Google and Uber Technologies, spoke about his unconventional career path and how inspiration drove him to take on the jobs he has had and has now. I was struck by how passionately he spoke to us, reiterating that we should pursue what inspires and engages us, and we need to continuously advocate for ourselves. He left us with a very important and powerful statement: “Your worth is not defined by your first role – by any role – you have.” I attended a second seminar with Lily Lopez-McGee, the Director of the Pickering Fellowship Program, who spoke with us about pursuing an international career after graduation. Many opportunities exist to help us achieve our goal to continue life abroad such as fellowships, volunteering, teaching English, internships, and graduate school. Although she spoke of the Peace Corps, Princeton in Africa/Asia/Latin America, and Fulbright, those of which I have heard of before, it was very helpful to hear her perspective and ask specific questions. Using the SMART goals method, I also learned how I can feasibly attain my goals, whatever they may be, by making them specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-oriented.

The last day of GSLS consisted primarily of networking with professionals who had experience working abroad or in government institutions including Fulbright, Peace Corps, and the Bureau of International Affairs. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to speak and ask questions one on one to these accomplished individuals. I learned that many continue to use the skills they learned abroad in their current position, and they gained more confidence by going abroad.

Overall, my experience at GSLS was extremely fulfilling and gave me the time to reflect more in depth about my time abroad. It was an opportunity that I never received before to speak with a like-minded cohort about how my study abroad helped me grow and how I can use what I learned to be a more effective leader and enact change within my community. I am incredibly appreciative of the opportunities this conference afforded me: connecting with people from around the world through open dialogue and listening to a diverse group of speakers in the academic and professional world. GSLS helped me learn more about both my identity and what I hope to achieve professionally, academically, and personally in the future.

-Nicole Llewellyn ’21

Learn more about the Global Student Leadership Summit

Becoming a Londoner

My name is Olivia Ly and I am majoring in public relations with a minor in psychology. I went aboard my second semester, junior year.  I chose Syracuse London,  as it was easy to take classes towards my major, allowed me to pursue an internship, and enroll in a  signature seminar to start my program. The staff at Syracuse London were great. The professors were invested in not only our academics but also how we adjusted to London. In almost every class the professors would give some sort of  advice on travel and places to visit in London. Syracuse London worked with me to give me a great work, academic, and life balance, I would attend classes Monday and Tuesday, intern on Wednesday and Thursday and was able to travel and explore Friday to Sunday. London is such a diverse city that it truly has something for everyone. It is very easy to travel to different countries and explore other parts of England.

Syracuse London offered a variety of courses that allowed me to fulfill requirements for my public relations major and psychology minor. Syracuse London offered several Newhouse requirements such as Communication Law, Diversity, and the Global experience. I was able to choose from a few different psychology courses that allowed me to study health in different  cultures and study forensic psychology through popular British cases such as Jack the Ripper. These courses included field trips that allowed me to gain a better perspective of British culture.

Before my time at Syracuse London, I participated in a signature seminar: Sustainability on Trial in northern Europe which was a 3 credit class that took place over 11 days. In just 11 days, I was able to visit Sweden, Finland, and Norway. This truly is one of my favorite experiences I had aboard as I was able to go dog sledding, feed reindeer, and go snow shoeing, all while also gaining class credit, meeting new people, and becoming more environmentally conscious. I would strongly recommend that anyone who loves to learn, and travel sign up for a signature seminar. The 11 days are planned for you, all you have to do show up ready to learn and explore.

During my time in London I interned at Matter Of Form, a luxury brand, design and eCommerce agency. The agency worked for clients such as, Breitling, Knight Frank and Estée Lauder. Having an internship abroad taught me about a global workplace. I was able to develop as a professional while also learning how offices in London differed from that of the U.S. The contacts and skills I gained have given me further insight into the career I wish to pursue after graduation. I would work every Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 to 5:30, which allowed me to commute like a local and really understand what it was like to work in London. My coworkers were able to give me travel recommendation and places in London to further explore. Mater Of Form, had a great office environment, and would often attend agency events during and after work.

I loved my time in London thanks to Syracuse London!

Olivia Ly ’21

Syracuse London

My journey to Sydney

I’m Ruby, class of 2021 studying Information Management & Technology and Environment & Society. Unlike many people studying abroad, my final destination was not my first choice. In fact, it wasn’t even my second choice.

In the spring of 2019, when I began thinking about studying abroad, I deliberated for a long time on where I wanted to go. I was ahead on credits and had saved my general requirements with the intention to take them while abroad. Thus, I had the luxury, and the burden, of picking between all of the location options Syracuse had to offer. After countless visits to the abroad office, making numerous pro/con lists, multiple conversations with my parents, and extensive YouTube research, I decided to go to Hong Kong. I picked my destination by first deciding what I wanted to get out of a semester abroad. I knew I wanted to experience a country with a rich history and culture, a modern cosmopolitan city center, good food, and an easy access to the natural landscape. However, I still wanted to go abroad through a Syracuse program to have the comfort of, with luck, knowing a few classmates.

A few months later, the political unrest in Hong Kong reached a level where the Syracuse staff in Hong Kong determined that it would be unwise to send students to study there. I was heartbroken. I had spent past few months reading about Hong Kong, talking to Syracuse Hong Kong alumni, and I was getting really excited to go. I also was a little stressed out, as this cancellation left me scrambling to find a new place to go. After a few more meetings in the abroad office, and even more deliberation, I decided to go to Shanghai. I felt that going to mainland China would be the closest thing to going Hong Kong, and I still held out hope that I would be able to at least visit Hong Kong. I was able to jump back into research and build up the same enthusiasm for my new destination.

Preparing to go abroad to Shanghai took a lot more preparation, as this program would be through a third-party abroad program, called CIEE. Details such as course enrollment, flights, and housing applications took more planning and paperwork, but of course the Syracuse abroad office and my contact at CIEE helped me through the process. Soon had a whole new schedule, a place to live, a roommate, acceptance at East China Normal University, and my second visa.

However, no sooner than I got my visa in the mail, I received an email with notification that my semester in Shanghai had been cancelled as well. The COVID-19 outbreak had been slowly creeping from Wuhan toward Shanghai. (I had been growing increasingly dubious that the Shanghai program would go on as planned.) This time around, I was less crushed, as I had already gone through this once before. At this point it was already January, and if I wanted to study abroad at all, I’d have to get back to work quickly. By some miracle, the Syracuse abroad office was able to pull some last-minute strings and secure me a spot at the University of Sydney for the upcoming semester. I had about two weeks to abandon all of my plans for Shanghai and prepare to go to Australia. Like CIEE, the University of Sydney program was a World Partner, so while I had the help of the Syracuse Abroad office, I was responsible for details like finding my own housing, applying for my classes and getting credit transferred, ensuring any financial aid would carry over, and getting a Visa. After a very frenzied few weeks, I was on a plane to Australia.

After all of this, I felt very fortunate to even be getting to go abroad. I had spent months going through the emotional ups and downs of anticipation, excitement, and disappointment. However, looking back, I would not change anything about this process; all of the stress and planning, made me value my time abroad that much more. While I could have done without filing for three separate Visas, I truly spent every day in Australia just happy to be there.

I can’t help but feel that, in some way, the cancellation of the Hong Kong and Shanghai programs led to a fateful chain of events that led me to experience life abroad in a country in which I would never have chosen to study. Through this, I learned that above all, when making plans — whether it’s before you go abroad, or while you’re there —you can’t get hung up on last minute adjustments. Especially when living and traveling in a new country, unexpected turns of events are unavoidable. You truly learn to quickly adapt, and keep an optimistic attitude. Most importantly, I learned that when studying abroad, you relinquish some degree of control of your plans. You are living in a new country, that has complex social, political, and economic on goings larger than your personal plans; to some extent, you are at the mercy of the climate in which you are entering. I believe that one of the most important things to understand before going abroad is that you are a guest in a real, dynamic country, not an idealized version of a place you see on travel blogs.

In the end, my time in Australia was cut short due to the spread of COVID-19. I was definitely disappointed to leave, but I also was thankful that I even got to experience two months in such a beautiful country. While I was initially indignant about leaving, I found that my difficulty in even going abroad, and the constant threat of being sent home gave me a silver lining: I learned to savor each day as if it were my last. Looking back, I can’t think of any two days where I did the exact same thing. I spent my last week in Australia so busy checking things off of my bucket list, I didn’t even have time to lament the early ending to my semester there. While I hope others don’t have to go through as many obstacles to even go abroad, I think the testament rings true that studying abroad is such a privilege, to not take advantage of every day would be a disservice to the opportunity. When you are living in a new country, your world is much bigger, and you are victim to unforeseeable circumstances like political unrest, or a virus. The only thing you are in control of is making the most of each day there.

Ruby Isley ’21

World Partner University of Sydney

iSchool/Maxwell 

A Chanson of the Secret Garden

2020, what an unusual year! And it was this year brought me a very unique experience of study abroad in France.

AustinBonjour! My name is Yangzhi Xiao, I am an international student studying music industry in Syracuse University. I participated in Strasbourg France Program in Spring 2020, and I will be a junior this coming fall semester. You may wonder as an international student, why I chose to study abroad even though I am already studying abroad in the US? My answer would be experiencing with the world beyond one’s borders is the best way of learning. By living in a foreign country to study a new learning style and experience a different way of life, I have gained so much irreplaceable life experience. During this time abroad, I have not only expanded my horizons, but also got the chance to study at one of the most famous conservatories in France, le Conservatoire de Strasbourg. As an organ student, I was so lucky to be able to study with one of the four organists of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Studying with the sophisticated French organist developed my musical competency and performance, more importantly, he showed me an original perception of the way of life as an organist. Moreover, the life at the Conservatory of Strasbourg allowed me study closely with the local French students in the choir, Le Chœur des Jeunes Chanteurs. I will never forget the time we spent together and confronted the challenge together, it helped us make the strong bond of friendship.

Study abroad is also a beautiful way to encounter the world! My first impression of France was its unforgettable historic and scenic attractions. Paris, the first city we visited in France, is a strong cultural presence echoed with a liberal ambiance, and its particular French Neo classicism architecture makes the city an immersive Rococo heaven. The more I explored the city, the more I felt like to get to know about the story behind it. There was nothing I enjoyed more than taking a stroll along the Seine River. Just by wandering around the little path under the bridges and watched the gentle wavelets rippling on the banks of the Seine, there was a sense of comforting tranquility pervading. During the time abroad, I was inspired by the atmosphere to learn more about French culture, and my local friends drew my attention to the literature of France. It is interesting to build a communicating bridge between different languages and cultures in this way. I have gained a deeper understanding of the country by receiving the ideas from the literature and discussing about them with the local people.

Furthermore, when the pandemic happened, I chose to stay in France. I still remember in the two months confinement, my host family always liked to share her perspective of current affairs and politics during the dinner time, and it actually helped me understand further about the local philosophy of the way of living. One is to stay curious about life, and another one is to always make time for oneself. By learning each other’s culture around the dinner table, we had a chance to dissolve gradually the misunderstandings and stereotypes of one another’s country. Therefore, study abroad is the perfect opportunity to reach out the world, because it provides the chance that lets all sides of ideas to be heard.

For me, I explored a new experience with language, arts, music, and food during this time study abroad in France, and I have obtained a stronger appreciation of diversity, because it is diversity that makes me have real experience with the world. The Syracuse Abroad program allowed me to realize that the stories behind each country remain significant to different cultures over time, and I am pleased to welcome you to join us to these amazing programs – let’s celebrate the diversity and life of the world together!

 

Yangzhi Xiao ’22

Syracuse Strasbourg, France

Music Industry

Studying abroad during COVID-19

Going abroad can be scary especially If you have never been outside of the country, but it was the best time I have ever had, although it was short. My name is Erick Lojano-Quispe, currently I am a rising Junior with a Major in Civil Engineering and a Minor in Italian. I went abroad for the spring semester during the 2019-2020 academic year. Syracuse makes it really easy to apply for visa, you just fill out some forms and they care of it and help you through the process.

One challenge you are going to come across is packing, what am I supposed to pack, how much am I supposed to pack? Well, you pack your essentials, medication, clothing, travel toiletry (you will be able to buy some there). How much clothing depends on how much laundry you want to do, and also keep in mind if you want to pay extra for luggage. I did not pay extra and I fit a week and a half’s worth of clothes and I still was under the weight capacity. I did laundry every week because the host families air dry clothes, so it takes a day or two to dry.

Speaking of host families, most of you applying will probably stay with a host family, I had the pleasure of staying with two different families due to the first host having a family situation. My experience with the host were each different, but each still provided a rich Italian lifestyle.

I know for many, a challenge is financially being able to afford studying abroad. I thought the same, but Syracuse provides a variety of scholarships and financial aid to alleviate the financial impact. A scholarship that helped me was the Gilman Scholarship. The Gilman Scholarship is an undergraduate program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad. What is so great about the Gilman Scholarship is that the scholarship money goes directly to you, so you can use to pay off some financial expenses or use it as spending money to travel more, to purchase local items and food abroad.

As many of you know, or can assume, the academic spring semester of 2019-2020, was when the Covid-19 situation started picking up pace, it was also at this time where it became serious situation in Europe, specifically in Italy. Syracuse responded accordingly and suspended the program and advised all the students to book a flight for home, of course many students had many questions specifically, financial questions. Syracuse reimbursed the flight leaving Florence. Originally the students were provided two options, to either return to main campus after the spring break or switch to online classes. Of course, main campus Syracuse switched online classes as well, so most if not all of the abroad students were still in our abroad classes. One issue you might think about abroad classes going online would be the time zone difference, however, many professors accommodated the students by uploading power points, uploading videos, and provide the whole day for exams and quizzes since they realized that many students lived in different time zones.

I enjoyed exploring Italy, and I have so much left to see. I definitely will visit again one day.

Erick Lojano-Quispe

Syracuse Florence Center

Why Strasbourg was the right fit for me

I’m Blake and I’m a triple major in political science, history, and citizenship and civic engagement (Class of ‘22). I studied abroad Strasbourg, France the second semester of my sophomore year of college, it was the most engaging and the most enjoyable three and half months of my college career (thanks to Miss Rona)! I’ve always wanted to travel the world since my Uncle shared his stories of traveling the world during his twenties. Syracuse Abroad’s program is world-class and provided everything you could imagine and more!

Originally, I was dead set on going to the Madrid program, I had friends in Spain, and I’d taken Spanish in high school. However, a political science professor encouraged me to look into the Strasbourg program because of its classes. After learning more about the program through abroad fairs, I was drawn to the idea of host families, its location towards the middle of Europe and learning a completely new language, culture, and history.

strThe Syracuse Strasbourg program itself features a signature seminar that takes you through several countries with your fellow abroad peers. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know everyone and led to my entire group becoming close and friendly. I still talk to my friends from the program today!! Other courses at the Strasbourg Center took students to various parts of France, the Council of Europe, or places within Strasbourg. There are weekend programs that are free (included in the initial cost) around the Alsace area that the program offers. I highly recommend these programs, you will see a fantastic castle, eat incredible cheese fondue, and have exquisite cuisine. The staff is incredibly friendly and becomes part of your abroad family, if you need ANYTHING, don’t hesitate to ask from them.

As far as actually living in Strasbourg, you are paired with a host family. The housing coordinator, Mick Hardenberg, does a wonderful job and I couldn’t have been happier with my host family. I grew incredibly close with my host mother as she introduced me to her friends and family, took me to different cities within the area, and celebrated birthdays! I also had another abroad student from a Russian program with me. His name was Igor and he practically became a member of the abroad program by the time we had to go home.

Of course, there were also plenty of opportunities to travel on your own or with a few of your friends. I got to visit my friend who lives in Paris and works at Disneyland Paris. I went to Zurich, Switzerland with a large group from the program, (and they don’t lie, Switzerland is crazy expensive)! For spring break, I traveled to Athens, Rome, and Marrakesh. Visiting all the different historical sites and even another continent, was truly an experience that is unrivaled by any other in my life.

Overall, studying abroad is an opportunity that can never be replaced, it teaches you how to be a global citizen, approach life with more empathy, at times pushes you out of your comfort zone, establishes friends all over the world (use hostels!), and makes you a more curious individual! Just approach the experience with an open mind, the rest will follow.

Blake Moyer

Syracuse Strasbourg