Study abroad can prepare students for their careers

Would you like to spend a semester studying abroad? 

Kelly, senior, elementary education major, from Leland, N.C., traveled to Chile for two weeks through the Maymester program. While there, Kelly visited artist Pablo Neruda's house,  poet Gabriela Mistral's burial site, and the president's house. 

Kelly said her favorite dish was the ham and cheese empanada, a stuffed pastry.  Kelly stayed in a five-star hotel, but a highlight of her trip was when she attended an interactive dinner show and was pulled on stage to dance with the actors. 

Kelly said her experience abroad will assist her in the classroom when she interacts with Latino students. 

"I'm more comfortable with my Spanish, and I can use my experiences from Chile to relate to my students."

Sturdivant, junior, exercise science major from Burlington, N.C. studied in Wollongong, Australia.

She visited the State Capitol, the War memorial, historical museums, and an opera house. 

Sturdivant's group also went on excursions to Sydney and New Zealand and lived in several hostels.

"It wasn't like the hostels from the horror movie "Hostel." For the most part, they were all nice places," she said.

 Sturdivant said she had to adapt to  the cultural differences. 

"Hardly anyone used the term ‘excuse me.' It was common for people to bump into you and just keep walking."  

While in Australia, Sturdivant acquired a taste for kangaroo burgers, which she says tastes like steak. She also ate a lot at Outback Steakhouse. 

Sturdivant said her experience will help her when she becomes a physical therapist.

Paige, senior, biology pre-med major, from Florence, S.C., spent a semester at sea. She visited nine countries: Canada, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco. 

Paige said she visited the Titantic museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Statue of David, the Parthenon and Greek Islands, Florence, Cairo, mosques and pyramids and went on an Egyptian safari.

"The most interesting thing I did while I was abroad was when I rode a camel in Egypt." Paige tried a variety of cuisine including shark and bull cheek. 

 Paige lived on the ship for the majority of the trip. During her excursions in the cities, she went parasailing and jet skiing.  

Paige said when she becomes a physician she will have a variety of patients.

 "This experience will help me have a better connection with them and to be culturally aware," she said. 

"Overall, I'm a better person because I was able to let go of stereotypes. We are not that different from people around the world."

According to the Office of International Programs, some of the most popular places to study abroad include Africa (South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria), Europe (France, Spain), and Asia (China, Korea, Japan). Approximately 20-25 WSSU students travel abroad during the fall, spring, and summer.