To Study Abroad: That is the Question

I am sure that everyone who ever studied abroad returned home to the same questions: Did you have fun? Would you go again? What was the food like? What were the people like? Should I go? My answer to these questions is- everyone is an individual and would have different reactions to studying abroad.

For me, it was an once-in-a-lifetime experience. I had a tumultuous senior year at Texas Wesleyan University; I had a full load for the spring semester, took a Maymester (an abbreviated literature course that was held in just three weeks,) and then took two summer courses in England. The immersion in another culture is an experience not to be missed. When you graduate college, there is no telling when you will be able to get to another country. Many people spend their lives wishing for just that chance. The cost of our trip was about the same as a two week vacation. The tuition costs were the same for the courses if they had been taken on campus.

The course load was intense, but we had lots of time for sight-seeing and sampling the local cuisine and pub life.

The first thing I noticed about England was the beauty. Everything was either green or covered with blooming flowers. The smallest apartment had, at the least, several pots of brilliantly colored flowers. Part of this, I am sure was that I was in a new place and everything seemed absolutely beautiful.

I then noticed that the people are driving on the wrong side of the road. I didn't know which way to look (the traffic was coming at you from the other direction).

The average Englishman is honest. It takes a few days (weeks) to get used to the money. They have eight different coins ranging from 2 pounds to 1 pence as well as several bills. When I first got a pocket full of the coins, I remarked that I didn't know if they were worth a dollar or twenty dollars. I just held the handful of coins out, and the honest English would take what they needed, counting the coins as they took them. Then, of course there is the expenses of daily living. Samuel Johnson said that everything cost double in London. He was right then and is right today. Couple that with the exchange rate, $2.00 US for £ 1 Sterling (approx.), and it makes for a very uncomfortable way to spend your money. This, of course, was an experience that was limited to England. Many European countries, that are not a part of the European Union, have a much more favorable exchange rate.

In as much as European cities are old by American Standards, you will notice that many of the sidewalks and roadways are made from stones, making them a bit hard to navigate. Also, everything seems to be uphill, downhill, or upstairs. This is especially true in Scotland. The old saying that "It's uphill both ways," was invented in Scotland.

Public transportation in Europe was very accessible. In London, the subway was very reasonable, and you could buy a daily pass for about £ 4.50 or about $9.00 US. The pass also worked on the buses. Our mini-bus, however, was a different story. The seats were so narrow that my shoulders went from the window to the middle of the next seat. They were made for people the size of malnourished monkeys. The bus seemed to have no springs; we bounced around like BB's in a boxcar. I am assuming that there would be other kinds of buses, but students' budgets being what they are, assume you will get the same type of bus.

I was so excited, and I felt very prepared. I had my Fodor's London Guide which included a map of London. The thing was that the map was grossly inaccurate. If it showed that a street was 2 blocks away, it was more like 20. This made for a long day of walking. I was glad to be there nonetheless.

When you study abroad, depending on how your courses are structured, you may get the chance to stay on campuses and you will get to interact with students from those colleges. We stayed at Cliff College, Sterling University, and University of London.

One really neat part of studying abroad was the chance to see the places that you were studying about. In my case, I took "Creative Writing" and "The Heritage of British Writers." "The Celtic Contribution to Civilization and Religion" was also offered. We spent time visiting historical sites related to these courses. Consequently, we visited places like Thomas Carlyle's house, Sir Walter Scott's "Abbotsford," Samuel Johnson's house, and Stonehenge. Along the way, we saw museums, abbeys, churches, graveyards, historical sights, and so much more that it is impossible to name them all.

This also gives you an opportunity to get to know your professors and fellow students in a much deeper and personal way.

So, the answer to the question: Should I study abroad? Is HECK YES! Do it soon and do it as often as you get a chance. Don't wait until it is too late and look back with regrets!