Tyler is a senior majoring in Industrial Engineering. He spent a summer at the U of A Rome Center, getting core classes done, and then a semester at our exchange partner, University of Newcastle, taking engineering and cultural studies courses. We asked him a few questions about his study abroad and here's
what he had to say:
Why did you decide to study abroad?
· I studied abroad because when I got to college,
Arkansas was the only part of the world I had ever really seen. I’ve always
been curious about the rest of the world and what else might be out there, and
going abroad gave me a chance to see other cultures, meet other people, and see
firsthand how different life could be from what I’d come to know in my small
hometown.
What did you really learn by going abroad? How was it
impacted the rest of your college experience/your personal life/your job
search?
· The main thing I learned is how to be a
navigator. I couldn’t speak everyone’s language (Italy), I got lost plenty of
times, and I had to make decisions from the perspective of a culture that
wasn’t my own, but in doing so I learned that regardless of where I find myself
(in life, in school, or around the world), I can navigate through it. Studying
abroad was challenging and it threw plenty of obstacles at me, but those
challenges showed me I can rise to the occasion and make my way through any
situation I find myself in.
What was the biggest hurdle in getting abroad and how did
you overcome it?
· The biggest hurdle in getting abroad was finding
the time to do it. It’s not necessarily convenient to give up a summer or a semester
to go abroad, but if you’re serious about it you have to make it a priority.
The first time I went abroad, I went after my freshman year when there were
fewer internship opportunities available in the summer. My junior year, I went
for a semester so I could still complete an internship during the summer.
What is one piece of advice would you give to other students
thinking about studying abroad?
· If there’s any doubt in your mind about whether
or not it’s right for you, go ahead and do it. I learned, saw, and did things I
never expected when I went abroad, and I’m definitely better for it. Nobody
I’ve ever known has regretted studying abroad, and I don’t think that’s a
coincidence. Don’t hesitate and don’t doubt yourself, just go!
What did you learn about yourself/your culture by going abroad?
· I learned that I take a lot of things for
granted here in the US. When I was abroad I found myself without air
conditioning, a vehicle, and even ice (just to name a few things). These things
might not seem significant, but I realized just how much I missed them once I
didn’t have them anymore. Now, I’m much more conscious of the luxuries I enjoy
at home, because people in most other countries don’t have it as good as we
have it here in the US.
Where did you live while abroad?
· When I studied abroad in Australia, I lived in a
share house near campus with another American exchange student, a native
Australian, and two Malaysian international students. The diversity we each
brought to the house really enabled me to dive into the culture and build
friendships that I still carry today.
Was studying abroad expensive? How did you pay for your experience?
· Studying abroad was definitely expensive, but no
more expensive than I expected. The budgets provided by the study abroad office
were very accurate and let me know exactly what to expect. I was fortunate to
have scholarships available to cover my expenses; there were plenty of
scholarship opportunities available with the study abroad office and within my
department.
--
To learn more about the U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/romecampus
To find out more about the Exchange program with University
of Newcastle, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/newcastle
If you need help getting started with study abroad, take a
look at the first steps: http://studyabroad.uark.edu/getting-started/first-steps.php.
--
