The Murray State News - Education Abroad 2016

Education Abroad Do you know where we go?

A special publication of The Murray State News

2

Education Abroad

The News April 7, 2016

“build your own” 214 N 15th St, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 761-4444 3160 Parisa Drive Suite D, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 534-5730

The News April 7, 2016

Education Abroad

Let’s talk about

By Emily Whitehouse

BUT I DIDN’ T WIN THE POWERBALL. I CAN’T AFFORD IT

You don’t have to win the lottery or be the heir to a family fortune to afford study abroad. The Education Abroad Office offers scholarships specifically for study abroad. The majority of study abroad applicants will indeed receive a scholarship. The Financial Aid Office will also help applicants fill out a budget sheet and apply for more aid. Plus, for some Murray State study abroad programs, current scholarships can apply!

BUT I JUST CAN’T LEAVE FOR THAT LONG

Study abroad offers a wide variety of programs, which means that you can make your study abroad experience as long (a full academic year!) or as short (Spring Break, anyone?) as you’d like!

BUT THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Homesickness will probably affect you at some point in your study abroad experience. However, we live in a world where you can keep in touch with whoever you want to, whenever you want to, wherever you want to. That’s why we have smart devices.

BUT ISN’T THAT DANGEROUS?

We always hear about only the scary and dangerous happening abroad in our local media. Don’t believe everything you hear. As a study abroad student, there will be a whole team of people and a whole set of protocols in place for your protection. Murray State also requires study abroad students to have travel insurance, which will further support if you do happen to get sick or injured.

BUT I DON’T SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Speaking a foreign language is not required in order to go abroad.

Most programs offer instructional courses in the native language: You can learn as you go! However, if you are really hesitant, there are plenty of countries you can study where English is the main language.

BUT THAT WON’T WORK WITH MY MAJOR

Many study abroad programs offer University Studies courses, which will transfer no matter what your major is. Several majors have programs specifically designed for them! You really don’t have to sacrifice graduating on time to study abroad.

BUT I NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT WILL GET ME HIRED AFTER GRADUATION Study abroad is a phenomenally marketable experience. The skills you learn abroad (how to handle a crisis, time management, budgeting, flexibility with plans, resourcefulness) will translate well in any job interview you have. Plus, going abroad also shows that you are a go-getter.

BUT ISN’T THE APPLICATION PROCESS REALLY CONFUSING? Not at Murray State, it’s not! Just check out the application website murraystate.edu/studyabroadapplication, search to find your perfect program, and start your application! It’s easy to use and relatively quick.

Plus, if you ever need help, the Education Abroad Office is in 177 Woods Hall and reachable at msu.studyabroad@murraystate.edu. We can help you every step of the way!

BUT I’M NOT SURE THAT I’M READY

No one is ever “ready.” Part of the beauty and magic of study abroad is the way you learn just how easily you can adapt to challenges. You don’t show up to a new country braced for whatever comes your way.

You learn how to bend. And you find out that you are stronger than you think.

3

The News

Education Abroad

4

April 7, 2016

It’s not all about Europe

By Rebecca Downey

When most people think of study abroad programs, they usually think of European countries. It’s most common to travel to England, France and Germany on your first international program.

American students have studied European history since birth, so it’s exciting to finally see those mysterious countries in person. We think we share common foods, customs and that European countries are more likely to speak English, soothing fears of language barriers. It’s an easy transition for anyone who wants to travel.

But there is more to

the world than Europe.

My first international excursion was nowhere near Europe. I went to Japan.

When I was sixteen, my high school Japanese class was selected by the Japanese government to participate in “The Bridge to Tomorrow” program. “The Bridge to Tomorrow” program is meant to improve relationships between Japan and America by connecting the younger generations. Seven other U.S. high schools, along with mine, were selected to visit Japan for two weeks. I was excited to start my dream of international travel, but Japan is awfully close to North Korea. And North

Korea was threatening to fire missiles at anyone they could reach during that time. But, I didn’t want to give up this opportunity just because a dictator was having a tantrum, so I got my passport and packed my bags.

It took 14 hours to reach Tokyo-Narita

Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology

• BIOLOGY • CHEMISTRY • GEOSCIENCES • INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING • MATHEMATICS • OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

airport on May 26. We stayed in a five-star hotel with the rest of the schools and every day we had a packed schedule. Every day was amazing, but there isn’t enough room to tell it all.

I knew about Japanese culture from my Japanese high

school classes, but I was still nervous about it. I didn’t need to be, though. Late one night, a friend and I went to the small convenience store next to our hotel for snacks before going to our room for the night. We got our food and went up to the check-out counter.

As the teenage worker rang up my items, I realized the music playing over the system sounded familiar.

The more I listened, the more I realized it was Avril Lavigne’s “Here’s the Never Growing Up.” My friend and I started singing along under our breaths and bobbing our heads as we paid. As we walked out the door, we sang

the chorus at the top of our lungs. It was a small moment, but it was a great moment, and it made every moment of worry worth it.

European countries are great. I would love to go back to London and stay there for more than two weeks. I want to go to Italy, Germany, Greece and many, many others, but there is so much more to the world and study abroad than Europe. Study abroad programs abound in Asian, African and South American countries. If you want to go to a European country for your first international experience, that’s great, but don’t feel limited to it. It’s not all about Europe.

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

Nursing in Germany: An eye-opener

By Caitlyn Werkmeister

A scary question many people stress about before studying abroad is “What if I get sick or hurt?” After spending four months abroad studying nursing and observing foreign nursing students, I’ll tell you a secret: you will probably get sick and accidents happen, but there are also doctors and health care abroad. I had the opportunity see firsthand the health care in Germany by shadowing other nursing students.

It was was an amazing experience for one of my nursing classes.

There are many dif-

ferences in German and American health care. In Germany, health care is paid for with taxes, so everyone can get the care needed. Many of the German nursing students were confused as to why cancer in America was a financial burden and why mental illness is often left untreated. I visited the psychiatric unit in Germany while shadowing the German nursing student.

The psychiatric care in Germany is amazing and they have many programs to fit the needs of the patients. I saw two types of units for schizophrenic patients: inpatient and outpatient. The inpatient unit was for

schizophrenic patients who are admitted because they may hurt themselves or others.

Some patients stay for a few weeks and some stay for over five years. After being discharged from the inpatient unit, they are admitted to the outpatient unit, which is similar to a halfway house.

There they have to be in the unit for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have to be back by 9 p.m.

They are allowed and are encouraged to go out and learn a regular routine of grocery shopping or going out for a meal.

This is great therapy for schizophrenic patients because they often have a difficult time being

social and they can get a routine for when they are discharged. It is very common for people in Germany to be treated for a mental disease.

In America, treatment of a mental illness is often very expensive and begun too late. People in America often leave mental illness untreated because they cannot afford the care they need.

Also, nursing is very different in the United States when compared to Germany. Nurses in Germany do not have as much schooling or freedom. They also told me that even though the nurses know how to do many tests or how machines work, they are

not allowed to use the machines or perform the tests because they are underqualified or too busy changing sheets or gathering medicines for their patients. German nurses have many duties that are included in a job of a medical assistant in America.

German nurses also cannot build on their degree. A doctor and nurse I spoke to both stated that they wished nursing in Germany was more like the nursing in the United States. I was surprised that German nurses have fewer responsibilities compared to United States nurses. I was also surprised that in nursing

5

school, they are taught how to do something, not why they are doing it.

I observed that German nurses often have a routine of their responsibilities or start treatment because the doctor told them to, not because they know how a problem is being fixed. It also surprised me that the nurses do not have the opportunity to build on their degree.

I loved learning and observing the German healthcare. The opportunity to study abroad and observe healthcare abroad has broadened my world, the ideas of healthcare and the possibilities for my future career.

Wanted: Everyone, abroad

By Emily Whitehouse

You’ve seen them on Facebook. You’ve seen them on Instagram. The White Girl Abroad. I know this, because I posted pictures like that on Instagram. Yes, I was one of them. I was a White Girl Abroad. And I was not, and am not, alone. In fact, about 85 percent of the students on my program were also White Girls Abroad.

Study abroad was, without a doubt, the best experience of my life. Unfortunately, the reality is that most college students don’t get to take this opportunity. Even worse, men and minority groups are even less likely to study abroad. But why?

To get a better idea, I decided to talk to Jade Simpson and Josh Mucci.

Jade is an sophomore. She and I both studied in Dalkeith, Scotland, last fall. Jade was the only person in our fall semester program who was not white.

Here is some of what she had to say about study abroad: Why do you think so few minorities choose to study

abroad?

JS: “As we all know, studying abroad is a big expense. Even with financial aid, it can cost a lot of money. ... It’s harder to get that money when you’re struggling to pay tuition as is.

Personally, I only live with my mother and I struggled very hard to come up with the money for the Scotland trip. ...

Aside from the money, it might be a fear issue. I can’t speak for all minorities, but I know from the media and general conversation that many of us don’t necessarily feel safe in our own country, state, city, etc., so it may be the fear of a new society and not knowing how you will be perceived.”

Did you find that you had a different experience abroad than others in your program?

JS: “For the most part I was treated the same as everyone else, but I was the only minority in the house. As for the locals, they were as friendly as could be and I absolutely fell in love with Scotland and I wish I was there still! However, I found in some classes my ethnicity was brought up by

teachers in order for me to speak on behalf of all black persons [sic], which is hardly fair because, should a question come up about Caucasian people, no student is called to speak for the race as a whole.”

What advice would you give to other students considering study abroad?

JS: “Budget your time and money wisely. Go out and do things. You won’t remember the nights you sat in your room as much as you’ll remember the nights you went and did something with friends. Trust me. …Don’t be afraid to talk to people. I met one of my absolute best friends, Kaitlyn, on my trip. ... Some of the people you meet you may never talk to, but others become forever friends and I think that’s a big bonus to studying abroad.”

Josh Mucci is a student studying abroad in Spain this semester. When asked about why so few men choose to study abroad, Josh said he had never actually realized that, although in his classes abroad, there are about six or seven guys for about twenty-five

girls.

JM: “It’s interesting because I have never viewed travel as something that is dominated by one gender or another. In terms of so few men studying abroad, I actually spent a lot of time trying to convince my (male) friends to study abroad. A lot of their excuses came along the terms of lack of money or programs not fitting into their major at school. I think it’s a good possibility that a reason so few males study abroad stems from the idea that a good amount of men simply do not view something that costs as much as study abroad as a priority.”

Did you find that you had a different experience abroad than the women in your program? Why or why not?

JM: “I definitely think that I am having a different experience than the women in my program, though not in a way that is positive or negative. I feel like I have to worry about a lot less in terms of safety when walking by myself at night or when at a club or party in Barcelona. I was recently able

to travel by myself to Berlin and then Budapest, a trip that I had a few women at my program say stuff to me along the lines of how they would be uncomfortable to make that trip themselves.”

What has been the best part of your study abroad experience?

JM: “The best part of my study abroad experience has been the people. ... Just a couple weeks ago while in Berlin I had a conversation on American politics with four other people, one of them from England, one from Ireland, Australia and South Africa. ... One last thing that I think I want to add is that Study Abroad is something you have to enter with an open mind. A couple of people I have met in my program in Barcelona seem to complain quite a bit about some of the differences between Spain and the US. This is not what Study Abroad is about. Study Abroad should be a chance for you to not complain and think about how different home is, but instead to think and adapt to your surroundings, allowing for you to grow.

6

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

International student perspective

By Abir Mars

I am an exchange student from Tunisia and a scholar with the Thomas Jefferson S c h o l a r s h i p Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, studying at Murray State for the year as a mass communications major. My major in Tunisia is English language, literature and civilization.

While at Murray State, I have an internship as a social media strategist and manager with the social media team.

Before coming to the United States, I was concerned about adjusting in a new environment, especially during my first time

in America. However, the experience turned out to be way better than I expected. Being an exchange student is

“

There was always something unique about each one of us; something that we can learn and acquire from each other.

- Abir Mars

adjust to that melting pot? To be open to others and accept them as they are is the main key to do so. I’ve been meeting friends from different races and religions. There was always something unique about each one of us; something that we can learn and acquire from each other. It’s so easy to ignore the different but to accept them takes more effort and has more benefits than one can ever imagine.

Being here taught me how to perceive the world from the perspective of the Christian, the Jew, the atheist, the American, the Asian, the South African … and I am more than grateful for this experience.

”

filling me with more knowledge than I expected. To live in the United States is challenging, but I managed to cope with it and let it bring out the best of me.

The U.S. is a melting pot; that, I always knew.

Yet will one be able to

The News April 7, 2016

Education Abroad

7

Belize

al u n n - A r e t es m e S mer m u - S g n i Nurs 2017 ter s e Sem r e m Sum ary n i l p i disc r e t n I

Europe

The News

Education Abroad

8

Program Highlights Dalkeith Palace

- Take courses that count toward your graduation requirements - Use your existing MSU scholarships and Federal Financial Aid - Costs similar to an MSU semester - Open to all majors, sophomore through seniors welcome

A Parent’s Perspective:

By Sandra Allen

When my daughter was very young, she was very much a homebody.

In fact, we joked that I might have to go to college with her or she wouldn’t go! As she grew and matured, it became evident that, not only would I not have to tag along to the university, she was more than ready to spread her wings and fly on her own, far from her father and me.

She chose to attend Murray State, which is a five hour drive from our home. That meant that unlike most of her friends from high school, she would not be home every weekend to do laundry and eat momma’s home cooking. And she was quite alright with that. I was, too.

One of the best things I

ever did was to attend a college far from home. I knew she was ready to take on the challenge.

Alyssa was accepted into the Honors Program, so we knew that studying abroad was definitely in her future. After much research, we settled on the Regensburg, Germany program. One of the major deciding factors in choosing this program was that it was a Murray State program.

She would be able to use most of her financial aid to help pay for the program. As a mom, I also liked the idea of her being with a group of students and professors from Murray State for her first trip out of the country. The summer was a whirlwind of preparation and before we knew it, we were in the airport checking bag-

gage and saying goodbye.

Alyssa may have been the one officially studying abroad, but her four months overseas taught me a few things as well.

• I learned I am thankful to live in this age of technology. Even though we were separated by an ocean, we were able to text and Skype any time we wanted. Time zones were sometimes a challenge,

April 7, 2016

Courses available Fall 2017

ART 121 BUS 296, 396 CIV 202 ECO 325 ENG 201, 330 GER 101, 102, 105, 201, 202, 301, 302, 310, 314 HIS 419, 619 HON 164, 202, 251 HUM 205, 211 NUR 200, 201, 203

Choose a full-time course load from these courses, or supplement with MSU online courses to stay on track for graduation.

What I learned from my daughter’s semester abroad

but we made it work.

• I learned to trust that I had raised my child in such a way that she was ready for this. She had been doing her own laundry since middle school. She could cook simple meals.

She was disciplined in her study habits.

She did not give in to peer pressure easily. She was open minded and eager to learn about a culture

unlike her own.

• I learned that if all you know about the world is what you watch on the evening news, you will live in fear for the rest of your life. Alyssa was in Germany during the Paris terrorist attacks. She was locked out of an airport for four hours in the middle of the night in Italy. She was traveling with other young women to cities all over Europe, through train stations filled with refugees. These were some scary times, and I’ll admit I lost sleep a time or two as I waited to hear from her.

But she will tell you that she never felt like she was truly

in danger. And after spending two weeks in Europe myself at the end of her program, I would say the same thing.

• I learned the child you send abroad will not be the same child that comes home.

She will develop her own view of the world and her place in it. She will be more confident in her own abilities. And she will be impatient for her next adventure to begin.

Would Alyssa study abroad again if given the chance? Absolutely.

Would I want her to go?

Absolutely. The world may, as they say, be coming to America, but there is nothing like having the chance to see the world for yourself.

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

9

Pros and Cons of Study Abroad

By Emily Baucom

CONS

PROS

• Life long memories • Amazing stories • New – even lifelong – friends • Learning in a new way (a fun way!)

• Adapting to new norms • Learning new cultures • Gaining independence: yes, you can take public transportation!

• Sense of freedom • Enroll in a course you cannot take on campus • Stands out on a resumé • Everyone wants to travel, but YOU get to!

• Exchange rate can sometimes be in your favor • Amazing new foods!

• All the free museums you can handle!

• Challenging situations make for GREAT stories • Lose weight from all the walking!

• Networking for future work or travels • You are more inclined to travel again, in some cases on your own • Gets you out of your comfort zone • Cheaper to travel as a student • And on, and on, and on …

Culture shock: it does go away • Homesickness: is temporary, and all your technology helps you keep in touch • Costs: there are many ways to raise money and it is not as much as you think – before you write it off as too expensive you should actually look it up • Language barriers: You can learn basics and you would be surprised how many people around the world speak English

BUT ...

The point is that any disadvantage you can think of can easily be handled if you really have a desire to see the world.

Traveling abroad is not for everyone but if it is something you are interested in, it is VITAL that you know the disadvantages can easily be overcome and are heavily outweighed by the advantages.

The World Awaits

OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY, SERVE, INTERN, RESEARCH, & DEGREE ABROAD

studiesabroad.com #bluegrassabroad

AFRICA • ASIA • EUROPE • LATIN AMERICA • MIDDLE EAST • PACIFIC

10

Education Abroad

Study agriculture in

The News April 7, 2016

ARGENTINA

May 2017

Putting the culture in agriculture

The News April 7, 2016

French

Education Abroad

11

German

Spanish

&

April 12 10 a.m. - Noon Waterfield Library

September 15 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Curris Center

12

Education Abroad

The News The News April 7, 2016 April 7, 2016

Education Abroad

#RacersAbroad

13

Education Abroad

14

TO SEE THE WORLD & ANCE! H C R U O Y S ’ E R E H ?

O EARN CREDITS DOING S WANT

Why be confined to the classroom when the world can become your classroom? Study abroad to explore the world, gain new experiences, and make memories to last a lifetime!

• Choose from 22 exciting cities including Barcelona, Paris, Shanghai, San José, London, Prague, and more!

• Internship & service learning opportunities available • CEA Scholarships are offered year-round • Study Health Sciences in San José. Take Business courses in Seville, Dublin or the French Riviera! Majoring in another subject? Let’s find out where you can go!

See more. Be more.

STUDY IN LONDON or DUBLIN THIS WINTER BREAK!

Earn 3 credit hours ► Accommodations provided ► Unlimited local transport ► Daily buffet breakfast included ► Health insurance included ► Gain invaluable experience! ►

Contact: Murray State Education Abroad 176 Woods Hall msu.studyabroad@murraystate.edu (270) 809-2277

APPLY AT WWW.CCSA.CC

The News April 7, 2016

The News April 7, 2016

Education Abroad

15

16

Education Abroad

The News April 7, 2016

STUDY ABROAD FAIR

April 12

10 a.m. to 2p.m.

Outside Waterfield Library

Sept. 15

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Curris Center

The News April 7, 2016

Education Abroad

17

You Ask, We Answer Q & A No question too silly or too small

By Jessie Hedrick

China

Belize

Ecuador Photos Courtesy of the Education Abroad office

Q: I’m so excited to study abroad!

There are so many places I want to go but some of them are a little obscure.

What if I can’t find anyone to travel with me? Is going on weekend solo trips weird?

A: Weird? No. Potentially risky? Yes. Occasionally very much needed and/ or an absolute blast? Yes. We’re all adults at Murray State, so I can’t tell you not to travel on your own. I can’t even tell you I’ve never done it. I can, however, encourage you to be safe. If you plan to travel alone, make sure you do as much research as possible before leaving. Make sure you have a working cell phone, so you can contact authorities (learn the emergency number for the country you plan to visit. Believe it or not, not everywhere uses 911) or your program director.

Finally, do your best to keep solo trips close to your program location to minimize travel difficulties.

Basically, travel in a small group if you can (there really is safety in numbers) but if you’re smart about where you go and what you do, solo trips are a perfectly viable option.

Q: Packing for my study abroad program is a nightmare. I didn’t realize how difficult it’d be to fit my entire life into one suitcase! And every time I think I’m finished, I feel like I’ve forgotten something. What’s one thing I’d never think to bring with me that I should?

A: Toothpaste. I know this sounds ridiculous, but my number one packing regret during my semester abroad was not packing enough toothpaste from home to last through my stay.

This is especially important if you use the whitening kind, because there’s a chance the country you study in may not sell it. It’s also a small, useful, easily transportable taste of the familiar.

Q: I’ve tried to do some research but can’t seem to find any concrete advice. While I’m abroad is it OK to say I’m from America or will people treat me differently for it?

A: People are going to be able to tell you’re from the U.S. If the accent doesn’t give it away, your clothes will. If those don’t, it’ll be your hair

or your sunglasses or all the selfies you take. Most of the time, people won’t mind. They’ll ask where you’re from and nod politely when you say, “Kentucky” until you also add, “You know...like the chicken?” and the conversation will go forward in any manner of bizarre but pleasant directions from there. Most of the time, people are friendly.

You probably won’t be studying abroad in a country where people are especially unfriendly toward Americans. Still, doing your best to blend with the locals in terms of dress (i.e. If you’re studying in Europe, leave those neon tennis shoes at home) is never a bad idea. At the very least, it’ll make you less of a target for pickpockets.

That said, there are some (spoiler alert) people out there who maybe don’t feel the same way about America as most of its citizens. As with most things, trust your gut. If a situation makes you uncomfortable, get out.

Q: I’ve always wanted to travel, but I’m not sure if this is a good time in my life to do so. I’m a full-time student involved in several on-campus organizations. Why is it so important to travel now when I could wait until after I graduate?

A: The short answer: You’ll never have less responsibility. I know that’s become a bit of a cliché in study abroad marketing, but the whole reason clichés happen is because they’re true. As a college student, you (probably) don’t have a full-time job and (probably) don’t have much responsibility outside making sure you show up, do your work, and feed yourself when you’re hungry. Oddly enough, you can do all that while you’re abroad!

If it’s money you’re worried about, there are plenty of resources at your disposal to help fund your program and our very own study abroad department is one of the best. Meet with an advisor to talk out your concerns. They’re there to help. At no other time in your life will you get to say, “Hey, you know, I’d really love to go halfway across the world for a few months and not be left in the dust by my responsibilities.” There really is no better time than now.

The News

Education Abroad

18

April 7, 2016

Take Your Education Further.

KIIS Study Abroad is now accepting applications for Winter 2016, Fall Semester 2016 & Spring Semester 2017!

For program information visit www.kiis.org.

179 Woods Hall 270.809.2277 msu.studyabroad@murraystate.edu

270.745.4416 kiis@wku.edu

kiisabroad @kiisabroad @kiisabroad

“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”

-J.K. Rowling Love, Mom

Alyssa, May you never lose your desire to travel the world and breathe air of new places.

Love, Mom and Dad

We are so proud of you and your adventurous spirit.

Love you tons, Dad and Mom

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

19

Campus away from Campus Learning at home versus abroad

By Rebecca Downey College is stressful. There’s always a mountain of papers and reports to write.

Your backpack is full of overpriced archaic books that you bought because the newer versions don’t have a certain paragraph in that one chapter you may not even get to. Starbooks, Throughbrewd Café and Winslow are the Fountain of Youth on campus. If you live on campus you have to deal with roommates, RA’s and housing rules.

Commuters have a perpetual struggle of getting to campus early enough to find parking.

You balance a job and

courses and try to have some sort of a social life. College is stressful.

But you could get to visit Big Ben, The

be even more stressful than the MSU campus. You’re in an unfamiliar country surrounded by

Tower of London, have authentic fish and chips or go to Warner Brother studios where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.

That experience only comes f r o m participating in an MSU study abroad program.

You might think studying abroad would

unfa-

miliar f a c e s and things to do.

There are class field trips you have to go on.

Papers that need to be written. Books that need to be read. But it’s not

a

s stressful as you

would think.

In fact, it seemed easier than MSU

campus. Everyone I talked to in my London program said that they were advised to make a list of things they wanted to do and see with their free time. We got our class schedules a couple of weeks before leaving so we had plenty of time to make rough free time schedules well ahead of time. When we reached London, we were able to hit the ground running and get to business. Because of the two week time frame, our class was constantly on the move, trying to fit everything in.

At Murray State,

schedules can change in an instant. Teachers cancel classes. Friends have to cancel study groups. What do you do with that sudden free time? I know I spend that time stressing about what needs to be done. On a winter study abroad, we were in charge of our schedule and there were no other classes to worry about except the one we were in, which not only encouraged but required that we explore and experience London.

So fish and chips while taking in the views of the Tower Bridge and reading the last chapter of my book…I’ll take it any day.

Packing follies: What to know before you go Leave room in your suitcase: Leave the appliances at home: If you forget something, don’t You will be doing some shopping while you The rest of the world has different outlets/ sweat it: are abroad. Make sure you have room to get voltages than what we have in the states. all of your new treasures home!

Pack your medicine:

Leave the hair dryers and straighteners at home. If you’re abroad for a short time living in hotels, use what they provide.

If you’re abroad for a semester you can always buy new ones in your host country.

You can always buy forgotten items once you get to your host country. Things may look a little different, but they work just the same. Don’t sweat the little things!

Know the typical weather of your host country: Pack your medicine: Make sure you pack the correct types of

Make sure you have enough of your pre- clothing and footwear to suit the climate of scriptions or over the counter medicines your new home. to last your stay. You can’t always find the same medicines overseas and dosages may be different.

Get your textbooks in advance: You can’t always find the textbooks you need in foreign countries, or they may not be available in English. Make sure you have all the books you need when you head over.

Shipping overseas costs!

Make sure you have enough of your prescriptions or over the counter medicines to last your stay. You can’t always find the same medicines overseas and dosages may be different.

20

Education Abroad

Photo by Jaime Staengel, Senior German major, in Salzburg, Austria

The News April 7, 2016

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

21

Why should you be part of it:

Intercultural Exchange Program

Activities, huh? What sort of activities?

All kinds! Meet and greets, pizza parties with ridiculous photo booths, bowling, and anything else you decide to do with your exchange partner!

Exchange Partner? What’s that?

By Jessie Hedrick

Where can I sign up?

What is the Intercultural Exchange Program (IEP), anyway?

A community of international and American students getting together for food, fun activities, and a chance to share cultural heritage.

As part of the IEP, you’ll be partnered with one American student (if you’re an international student) or one international student (if you’re an American student). That way you have someone to meet with individually in addition to attending the program’s group sessions. Individual meetings can involve all sorts of great intercultural exchange. You can play games or cook food from your home countries, attend Murray State sporting events, or take a trip to Nashville together to listen to some country music!

Cool.

So why should I sign up?

Visit murraystate. edu/studyabroad and click the “Students” tab. Then click “returned students,” and scroll down to “Intercultural Exchange Program” (You don’t have to be an actual returning student to use this tab). Join us anytime. Everyone is welcome.

Well the IEP “is a great way to have an international experience without leaving Murray.” So whether you just got back from studying abroad, are studying abroad here at Murray State, or just want to make some new friends, the IEP is a fantastic organization to join.

How many people do this thing, anyway?

This is the first year of the program, but last semester there were over 50 student participants!

Just do it anyway

By Emily Whitehouse It felt wrong to click that button. It felt almost like cheating. When the message popped up, telling me that my study abroad application had been successfully submitted, I stared at the screen in disbelief. In the weeks between hitting that button and getting the email that my application had been accepted, I went about my daily life, in denial that I had even filled out a study abroad application. Somehow, I expected the people in charge of screening to reject my application, to sense the truth about me: I wasn’t ready to study abroad.

To be a study abroad student, you had to be a go-getter. You had to be fearless. You had to know how to trave – how to navigate airports and train stations, how to read a map. You had to be confident and calm. You had to know what you were doing.

And me? I had no idea what I was doing.

“Go-getter” was not a term people used to describe

me. “Fearless?” Most of my time was devoted to aimless worry. At the time of my application, I had not been on an airplane, or even used public transportation at all. I had no idea how to read a map.

Confidence was not a quality I possessed.

I wasn’t study abroad material, but I submitted an application anyway. I wasn’t expecting to get in, but was accepted anyway. I had never left the country before, but I boarded the plane to Scotland anyway. I had never used a bus or a train before, or read a map, or planned any sort of travel on my own, or tried food without knowing what it was, or had been to a place without any of my friends or family, but I did it all anyway.

I wasn’t study abroad material. But I went anyway.

And at first, I felt like a fraud waiting to be found out. As I struggled to read timetables and find terminals, as I got lost in unfamiliar towns, as I wondered how to talk to locals, as I made mistakes, I expected someone to say, “Hey, you. You don’t

belong here.”

But no one ever did that. And then, so slowly I almost didn’t even notice, something began to change. I was looking at train schedules and understanding them. I was planning weekends away in other countries without stress. I was missing trams that I needed, but still able to find a way home. I was making small talk with kind old ladies on the bus. I was lost but finding my way by using maps and by asking for directions. I was eating haggis and liking it. I was going rock-climbing for the first time on nothing more than a whim. I was swimming in Loch Ness, shivering but smiling as I looked up at the cloudy Scottish sky.

It’s true. I wasn’t “study abroad material.” That’s because there is no such thing. Education abroad isn’t about being ready; it’s about learning as you go.

It’s about adapting. It’s doing things in spite of fear.

It’s surprise at how strong, how capable, you really are. You won’t feel ready to study abroad, but do it anyway. Hit that button anyway. Apply anyway.

22

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

No regrets

By Hannah Sparkman

You go through life being told not to regret anything you do and to live life like it’s your last day alive. When you go on a study abroad program to a foreign country, there are so many things to do and see. Just being in a foreign country is a feeling unlike anything. If you go to London you’re going to be stopping at Big Ben, the London Tower, Buckingham Palace. If you’re in Paris you’ll be taking a trip to the beautiful Eiffel Tower and eating the best macarons you’ve ever had in your life.

In China you’ll have your ah-ha moment when standing on the Great Wall of China. But what about the other million things you could be doing while you’re in these places that you’d only imagined being before?

Studying abroad is all about growing and expanding into a person who can look at the world from many different points of view.

When you’re back in America you want to gush over your entire pro-

gram, reliving each moment down to every little detail but sometimes there’s this tiny bit of regret in the back of your mind. It doesn’t happen when you tell about the time you watched the guards change at the Prague castle or when you laugh over the time you took the wrong train but it happens when someone asks you, “Oh, did you go to [insert a million places you didn’t visit here].” There are so many places in the world to visit and with a study abroad, you only have a limited time and a limited amount of money to see as many things as possible.

Living in Regensburg, Germany, for four months gave me the opportunity to spend as much time as I wanted to explore this medieval town. As well as learning about the history and culture of Germany, I still had to attend many classes just as I would have at Murray State. Being like every other student there were days after class where I just wanted to go back to my room and watch Netflix. Doing this while studying

study

abroad for a semester almost felt like I was cheating myself out of the experience. How could I have lived in such a different place and not want to go explore and find new places everyday? One of my biggest “regrets” of my study abroad was not going hiking in the Alps when I had the opportunity to go. Instead, I decided I needed to take a day and just catch up on some sleep. I can sleep when I’m dead, right?

Nobody truly regrets his or her study abroad experience. The places that you see and the things you experience out way any of the regrets that you may feel when coming back to the United States.

When I think about my time in Regensburg, Germany, I wouldn’t change it for anything because it was one of the best times of my life. The regret that I feel about not seeing everything just gives me the hope that one day I’ll be able to go back abroad and visit more places and see different landmarks.

Just remember though, don’t regret your study abroad.

abroad Department of History 6th floor Faculty Hall murraystate.edu/history

The News

Education Abroad

April 7, 2016

23

Benefits of short-term study abroad

By Rebecca Downey ✓ “Trial” period: o Get the experience without being away from home for long o Helps you decide if you want to go on a longer program later ✓ No disruption to your semester: o If your major is structured so that specific courses have to be taken in specific semesters, short programs mean no shuffling of classes between semesters to make room for a semester abroad o No danger of delaying graduation due to poor planning ✓ Experiential learning: o Short programs are hands-on all the time. o Major homework or projects are completed before departure or after your return. o Your class abroad is all about connecting what you saw with what you studied while you’re experiencing it! ✓ Gain time management/prioritization skills: o Shorter time on the ground means you have to plan well to get to your must-see list o Learn how to pack: Do you really need to take your entire collection of snapbacks or shoes for two weeks away from home?

✓ Learn how to hit the ground running: o No taking your time to make friends or become familiar with the location, you have to jump in with both feet and make decisions quickly o With such a short time, you have to take advantage of every minute you have to maximize your time abroad ✓ Job? I have to get a job? o A short program can be just as much of a resume builder as a long one, as long as you can articulate what you gained o Having a passport in hand is important for some of those jobs you may want when you graduate o The ability to navigate an international airport is a skill most Americans don’t have. ✓ Costs o Summer study abroad participants don’t pay MSU tuition on top of their program fee o Fewer meals to buy o Less chances to buy stuff to fill up your suitcase ✓ Easier to pack o Less luggage to move around the airport. o One checked bag plus one carry one is free with the airline.

To find a summer, winter, or spring break program that’s right for you, go to murraystate.edu/educationabroad and search programs for length and field of study. You may be surprised at what you find.

Special education in India

By Ashley Dumas On January 3, 2016, I had the wonderful opportunity to embark on a Study Abroad program to Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, India, through the Murray State Study Abroad Program.

While in India for eleven days, five other students and I studied Special Education and explored a few historical sites. Since this was a short-term academic and cultural experience, there are long-term benefits that go unnoticed.

While in India I gained so much knowledge and compassion from visionaries and servant leaders. These leaders were founders, principals, and teachers in private schools and NGOs that truly had the empathy, optimism and passion to increase special need students’ cog-

nitive, social and physical growth.

Witnessing and hearing their start up stories of humanitarianism of an educational movement, inspired me as a Nonprofit Leadership Studies major to uphold these leadership qualities in my personal life and life after Murray State. Culturally, my classmates and I were embraced and respected by a culture that is different from ours.

The 11 day experience of Indian customs really captured my attention and encouraged me step out of my comfort zone. Stepping out of my traditions and customs for a couple days allowed me to create and keep connections abroad, contain the passion to go back to India, and inform everyone about this experience so one day they will Study Abroad, even if it is short-term.

24

Education Abroad

The News April 7, 2016

FACULTY SHOUTOUT Alyssa Allen Thank you, Matias, for opening my eyes to the beautiful world that surrounds me. Thank you for teaching me about art, architecture, and the lives and practices of the artists who created the masterpieces you showed me. I can now walk down the street and fully appreciate the different styles of architecture and how they came to be along with the beautiful art that adorns their walls. You didn’t just teach us, you helped us live the art you taught us about. Thank you for all of the adventures and insight.

Regensburg wouldn’t have been the same without you.

Hannah Sparkman The guidance and support I received from John Griffin and Fred Miller while living abroad in Regensburg, Germany will be something that I will forever be thankful for. From the help with communicating with native German speakers, fun adventures to various cities, and all of the back and forth sarcastic conversations helped make my study abroad experience something I will never forget.

Everyday I miss the bike rides, Freidrich-Ebert Heim, and the Uni. Thank you so much for being there during the greatest time of my life!

Caitlyn Werkmeister Thank you Dr. Farrell for being such an inspirational and funny professor. I really enjoyed your classes while in Germany. I really appreciate the donut treats and all the hard work you put into allowing me to be able to experience and observe health care abroad. Thank you!

Rebecca Downey Thank you Andy for keeping a bunch of book nerds alive in London.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

-St. Augustine Emily Baucom I would like to thank Professor Callahan for bringing the Experience Scotland Program to Murray State University. The program is through the University of Wisconsin and she was able to bring the program all the way down here! If it weren’t for her I would have never been able to study abroad in Scotland for almost four months and had the life changing experience that I had. It was a dream come true and I learned a whole lot about my own heritage! All of this would not have been possible without Professor Callahan, so thank you very much!

Emily Whitehouse Studying abroad was, without a doubt, the best decision I have made as an undergraduate student.

The people on my program quickly became family. I especially want to thank Elaine Cullen, whose kindhearted nature inspired me to be a better person, and whose teaching helped me become a much stronger writer and student. Elaine, thank you for always listening, and thank you for making Scotland even more special.

Jessie Hendrick Thank you to Murray State University and Regensburg, Germany’s most dynamic duo: John Griffin and Dr. Beahan. From the top of Palatine Hill to the bottom of my heart, I don’t know how to say it enough: Thanks. Your wisecracks and advice made my study abroad experience some of the best months of my life. Enjoy “retirement”! After dealing with me for a semester, you’ve earned it!

Emily Giegling I would like to give a big shout out to John Griffin and Fred Miller. If it weren’t for you guys there is no way I would have had the experience I did while studying abroad. You took care of all the little things that none of us even thought about and made sure we all made it through the semester in one piece (for the most part). Thank you both so much. Everything that you both have done to make the Regensburg program what it is today has surely not gone unnoticed. It is definitely and experience that I will remember for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without your help.