As the end of the semester nears, many people are concerned about final exams, term papers, and of course, that end-of-the-semester grade. What will the professor give you? Compounded with these anxieties, many of us prepare to see some of our very close friends walk out of our lives for a semester. And for us seniors, the next few weeks will be the last time we will see these study abroaders for what in all likelihood will be a long, long time. Studying abroad causes a complex mix of emotions for all parties involved. People leave, develop and grow while their friends and families do the same. The re-entrance into the Washington University community can be a difficult transition as 6 months is a relatively long time in your college education.
At about this time last fall, I was returning from a semester abroad in Madrid. Without a doubt, I emerged from the experience a changed person with new perspectives on my life, America’s place in the world, and how people in other parts of the world experience life. Cross-cultural experiences allow you to learn about yourself and look through someone else’s lens at the larger American community. My trip to Spain was perhaps the single most enlightening experience of my life. As a chemical engineering student at the university, the idea of studying abroad was far removed from my mind since engineering disciplines can be quite concentrated and rigidly structured. However, studying in a foreign country had always been a goal of mine. I chose to make it a priority and took an official leave of absence (which by the way you have to pay a fee to maintain your place at the university) from the university since I wasn’t eligible for any of the WU Spanish programs.
Having returned from a semester abroad, I was refreshed and had a renewed sense of focus and direction. Experiences abroad force you to think about the world beyond your home, your city, beyond the US. Furthermore it challenges your beliefs, your purpose and your ambitions. It allows you, if only for a brief time, to immerse yourself in someone else’s culture and perhaps get a glimpse of what others think about and feel towards Americans. Given the incidents of Sept. 11, the need for global understanding (particularly as it relates to regions where study abroad programs tend to be under-represented) and exchange is obvious.
A couple of weeks ago, my counterpart Yoni discussed the “wholeness” of a study abroad experience particularly as it related to out-of-class learning. I cannot underscore enough the validity of this sentiment. What amazed me, however, were the amount of American students I saw abroad that treated studying abroad as an extended vacation. Rather than use the study abroad experience as an opportunity to learn about another culture, to become familiar with (if not fluent in) another language and to critically look at their own lives and their place in the world, students mingled with other Americans, spoke English, and made little effort to become integrated into the local community.
A study abroad experience is a once (maybe twice) in a lifetime opportunity and students should maximize learning both inside and outside of the classroom. As the world becomes increasingly globalized and technologically advanced, our lives are becoming more interconnected. Cultural sensitivity and awareness are paramount to our functioning as a truly global community. After all, now, more than ever, they are truly our neighbors.
And to all my friends going abroad, be sure to live it up.