Danielle graduated last December with a Nursing degree after spending her last fall semester at our exchange partner, University of Jönköping, School of Health Sciences. We asked her a few questions about her study abroad and here's what she had to say:
Why did you decide to study abroad?
Spending a semester abroad was always something that
appealed to me back when I was first applying for college. I love to travel,
but when you get the opportunity to spend an extended period of time somewhere
your travel destination becomes your home. You get to be a part of another
culture and very quickly stop feeling like a tourist and begin to feel like a
local. I knew that studying abroad would not just be an incredible educational
experience, but also an invaluable life experience. I knew my worldview and
perspective would be broadened and hoped that studying abroad would be an
incredible opportunity to meet and connect with people from all across the
world. When my nursing advisor briefly mentioned the possibility of spending a
semester in Sweden, I was in her office the next day sorting through details.
What did you really learn by going abroad? How was it
impacted the rest of your college experience/your personal life/your job
search?
Educationally, one of the most beneficial experiences from
my trip abroad was getting to participate in clinical placements at a hospital
in Sweden. As a nursing student, I was able to practice delivering quality care
to patients while working across both a cultural and language barrier. I gained
a new respect for cultural minorities living in the United States and know that
my experiences at the hospital in Sweden will forever impact how I care for my
patients who identify with another culture. It can be uncomfortable at first to
be in a place where you don’t necessarily feel completely understood. However,
while abroad you quickly become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Being
abroad you become more independent, confident, adaptable, and gain valuable new
insights into both the culture of the United States and the world as a whole.
What was the biggest hurdle in getting abroad and how did
you overcome it?
Getting ready to go abroad was a relatively
easy and painless process. The Study Abroad Office at both the University of
Arkansas and at my host university in Sweden were very helpful and always
willing to offer assistance. I would say the biggest hurdle was obtaining a
student visa from the U.S. Embassy. It wasn’t overly complicated, but it was a
process that took a little bit of time because you have to gather a variety of
paperwork in order to apply for the visa.
What is one piece of advice would you give to other
students thinking about studying abroad?
Do it! And don’t wait. It can be easy to let semesters and
years pass by in college and you think “Oh I’ll look into going next semester
or next year.” If studying abroad is something you want to do, start looking
into programs soon to find one that best fits you! Don’t let time get away from
you.
What did you learn about yourself/your culture by going abroad?
While abroad I gained a new respect for the cultural
minorities living in the United States. In Sweden, the majority of the people
can speak English, you can find English menus at restaurants, and even street
signs might have the English translation underneath the Swedish word. It made
me think about how difficult it must be for both tourists visiting the U.S. or
individuals who are permanently relocating to this country. As far as what I
learned about myself, I learned that I actually really like navigating the
complicated streets and transportation systems of foreign cities!
Where did you live while abroad?
I lived in an international student accommodation. I would
have preferred to live with a host family, but unfortunately that was not an
option at my university. My accommodation was a dorm-style house and there were
twenty students on my floor from 15 other countries. It was an incredible
experience living with people from so many different cultures. A few of my
favorite memories from my time in Sweden were the international dinners we
would have. We would take turns cooking traditional meals from our countries
and gather around the table to share a meal together.
Was studying abroad expensive? How did you pay for your experience?
I participated in an exchange program, which is a rather
affordable way to get what I would consider to be a fulfilling study abroad
experience. With an exchange program you spend a semester abroad, but you pay
the same amount as a semester at the University of Arkansas! The only
additional costs include transportation to your country and then any living
expenses (accommodation, food, travel, etc.). At the University of Arkansas
there are several opportunities for scholarships and I was able to get an
Airfare Grant through the Honors College to pay for my flight ticket to and
from Sweden! It is definitely important to budget while you are abroad, but
that is an important thing to do in college anyway!
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To find out more about the Exchange program with University
of
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.
Jönköping School of Health Sciences, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/jhs
