LETTERS FROM STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD

Though the Moody we know and love stands at the corner of our campus, connected by the iconic bridge overlooking Dean Keeton, Moody students aren’t confined to this charming area. In fact, you can spot your fellow classmates thriving thousands of miles away, scattered across the globe from London to Singapore. Here’s an exclusive glimpse into what some of these adventurous Moody students have to share about their experiences abroad.

Gefei “Fay” Ye

Major: Radio-Television-Film

Program: London Study Abroad

Dear Moody Mag,

I am currently studying abroad in the UK and absolutely adore traveling around to explore this captivating country. One of my favorite activities is strolling through the streets in the rain. It provides a unique and enchanting experience every time I venture out to explore a new city. This experience has been incredibly rewarding. It has broadened my cultural understanding, given me a unique perspective on cities when walking in the rain and allowed me to form lasting friendships with both locals and fellow international students. It's been a remarkable journey of personal growth and a deep appreciation for the world's beauty, even in its rainy moments.This experience enriches my education by expanding my cultural understanding, fostering adaptability, and improving my interpersonal skills, which are all valuable assets for my academic pursuits. My study abroad experience was truly unique and fascinating. Living in a different country and exploring the UK provided me with a wealth of new experiences and personal growth. Engaging with diverse cultures broadened my horizons, and walking in the rain added a special dimension to my adventures, making them even more memorable.

Hook ‘em,

Gefei “Fay” Ye

Andres Cooke

Major: Radio-Television-Film

Program: Nanyang Technological University in Singapore

Dear Moody Mag,

Living in a place that’s completely new to you, and then slowly coming to understand things about culture, history and why people eat and speak the way they do, it builds confidence. But more importantly, once you meet a person, and are able to put the name of a country and culture to a face, it changes the way you think about that place and injects empathy and understanding into your world view. Doing things like a student exchange makes the world a little smaller, which is a cool thing to be a part of. Experience manifests itself in art in different ways. As someone who is considering going into documentary filmmaking, having a bigger, more intimate understanding of places outside of where you grew up helps you tell better stories. Now, I have some frame of reference about southeast Asia, so when I’m depicting people from this area or with cultural ties to this area in my work, I can give a more complete and nuanced picture of them. One of the best things about going to a school like UT Austin is that there are so many opportunities to do cool stuff that you would almost never stumble into without being a part of an institution like this. I had pretty much decided as soon as I got accepted into UT Austin that I wanted to study abroad during my junior year. I chose Singapore because I had never been to Asia, knew almost nothing about this side of the world, and wanted to learn through experience. I am super grateful to UT Austin, Texas Global, and Moody for giving me the chance to do this.

Hook ‘em,

Andres Cooke