Oh, The Places I've Been... #HogsAbroad

Emma Ridings
Study Abroad Alumnus and Class of 2016

As I finish up my last finals of undergrad and look forward to graduation in just a few short days, it seems like it’s been a lifetime since I applied for college. There are many things I think about when I look back over these last four years, but I can say without a doubt that it is my experiences abroad that I cherish the most. I know it seems like a cliché to say that study abroad changed my life, but I’m saying it anyways so just hear me out.

Because I decided to go to the University of Arkansas, which is right down the road from my hometown, I made a deal with my mother: since I wasn’t branching out with my university choice, I had to branch out while I was in college by studying abroad (she’s a pretty great mom, I know). I obviously did not have a hard time accepting this deal. In fact, I went on to take full advantage of it by studying abroad three different times, and each trip abroad made a positive impact on almost every aspect of my life.

My freshman year, I saw a flyer advertising an Anthropology study abroad trip to Tanzania (Anthropology is one of my majors). I immediately called my mom to tell her I had found my first program, and the following summer I was on my way to Tanzania.

This marked my first experience in Africa and my first experience traveling without my family. Less than three weeks later, I came back to the United States feeling like a completely different person: my worldview had broadened, my interest in Anthropology had grown, and I had met my very best friend in college who went on to be my roommate for the next three years. This is also when I fully developed the restlessness that I experience on a daily basis because I am constantly thinking about the next place I want to go. 

Sophomore year, I decided I wanted to go on a longer summer trip. I knew I wanted to go to Europe this time around, but I didn’t really want to go to Western Europe since I figured I would be able to travel there later in my life. I eventually decided on an external program in Prague, Czech Republic where I would be taking a course on the Holocaust. This program was wonderful because it allowed me to travel to multiple European countries and experience a lot of new places in a relatively short period of time. It also opened my eyes to a part of the world that I had never been to, and I got to explore these new places with incredible friends that I still keep in touch with today. 

After that summer I decided I was finally ready to study abroad for a full semester, and I wanted to go back to Africa. I stumbled upon an external program in Rwanda that focused on post-Genocide restoration and peacebuilding and needless to say, I was immediately enthralled. However, I was also extremely nervous. Yes, I am restless and suffer from chronic wanderlust, but four months away from my friends and family was something that pushed me way out of my comfort zone. As you can probably guess, by the time my semester came to an end, I was not at all ready to come back home.

It has been a year since I returned from this trip and not a day goes by when I don’t think about Rwanda and the experiences I had there. Aside from making lifelong friends (and I really do mean it when I say lifelong), it was in Rwanda that I found the career path I wanted to go down. Before my semester abroad, I did not have any clear ideas about postgraduate studies or what I wanted to do with my life in general. But once I spent four months learning about post-conflict restoration, I realized that I had never been more passionate about anything else I had studied up to that point. 

This fall, I will be starting the next chapter of my life in Washington, DC where I will be a graduate student at Georgetown University, working toward my Masters’ in Conflict Resolution. If you had asked me four years ago where I would be after graduation, I wouldn’t know what to tell you (I know this is true because I was actually asked that many times). 

Without study abroad, I would not have found my best friend, I would not have had the opportunity to experience different parts of the world, and I would not have found what it is that I am truly passionate about. So hopefully you believe me now when I say that study abroad changed my life, and hopefully you can find a way for it to change yours, too. 

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Find out how to join the U of A Tanzania-Ecology, Evolution, and Peoples of East Africa program at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/tanzania
For more about the Rwanda: Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding program with SIT, check out http://studyabroad.sit.edu/sn/programs/semester/fall-2016/rwr/
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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.   

Top 3 Myths about Africa #HogsAbroad

There are many misconceptions when it comes to Africa, and unfortunately most of these negative stereotypes dissuade people from traveling there and seeing all of the wonderful things this vast continent has to offer. Although I have personally only visited three of its fifty-four countries, I can firmly deny the most common misconceptions that come to mind when one thinks of Africa. 

Myth # 1 Africa is one large country.

This is one of the most common misconceptions and it's far from the truth. Africa is the world’s second largest continent after Asia and is comprised of fifty-four incredibly unique countries. There is not one homogeneous culture that spans across these countries, as many seem to think when they conjure up images of Africans wearing face paint and animal-printed clothing. Each country has its own rich cultures, languages, food, etc. and it is more common than not for there to be several different ethnic groups and languages within a country’s borders. Landscapes are also extremely diverse, and depending on where you go you can witness beautiful settings ranging from desert to rainforest to grasslands. Africa has it all!

Myth #2 All Africans live in poverty.

A lot of people think all Africans are destitute and live in tiny huts. As in every place across the globe, there are people living at different economic levels, and it is likely you will come in contact with people on both sides of the spectrum, depending on where you go. Africa is also home to many cities and urban areas as well. In my experience living in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, I was blown away by the beauty and cleanliness of the city, in addition to the abundance of resources for tourists. It is common to believe that you will be completely cut off from the rest of the world once you get to Africa, but that is simply not true! I was able to keep in touch with my family and friends throughout the whole semester by using an internet modem, Wi-Fi, and the cell phone that I bought upon arrival.

Myth #3 Africa is too foreign to visit.

Many people are deterred from visiting African countries because it seems as though the people and places within the continent are too “foreign” for perhaps what you are comfortable with. No matter where go in the world, you are sure to encounter cultural differences. However, one of the beautiful things about traveling to new places is not only embracing these differences, but also having the opportunity to discover similarities that you may not have expected to find. Every cultural exchange is first a human exchange, and you are bound to meet people who have personal traits and preferences that align with your own. During each of my experiences abroad I was able to connect with people on many different levels and even forge friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

These are just a few of the common misconceptions people have about a continent that is much too large and diverse to generalize. The best thing to do is to go and see for yourself how magnificent these places are, you will definitely not regret it!

My study abroad group celebrating our friend Feston’s birthday with his friends and family in Kigali, Rwanda

My roommate and I taking over the drums at the goat races in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Taking a boat excursion down the Nile River. We got to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and waterfalls!

Our picnic spot in the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania

Standing in front of our house (not a mud hut) in Kigali, Rwanda

Emma is a senior at the University of Arkansas, double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and International Relations and double minoring in French and African/African American Studies. She started her travel by spending a summer taking anthropology classes with U of A faculty in Tanzania, followed by another summer learning more about the Holocaust in Prague and capped it off with a spring semester in Rwanda, focusing on peace-building.

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Use our search to look for programs in Tanzania, Rwanda and over 40 other countries: http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

 

Studying Abroad with Emma Ridings #HogsAbroad

Emma is a senior at the University of Arkansas, double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and International Relations and double minoring in French and African/African American Studies. She started her travel by spending a summer taking anthropology classes with U of A faculty in Tanzania, followed by another summer learning more about the Holocaust in Prague and capped it off with a spring semester in Rwanda, focusing on peace-building. 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?

I decided to study abroad because I knew that it would give me the opportunity to go to unique places and have once-in-a-lifetime experiences and lessons. I chose Rwanda because the program captivated me and fit with my interests and field of study. 

What did you really learn by going abroad? How was it impacted the rest of your college experience/your personal life/your job search?

Studying abroad definitely fostered growth on a personal level. I learned how to be more independent, open-minded, and resourceful. Traveling to places that I had previously known nothing about put a lot of things in perspective for me and sparked my desire to continue meeting new people and hearing their stories. Study abroad gives you very practical life skills that can be translated into skills for any and every job, along with unique experiences to bolster your resumé. Personally, studying abroad in Rwanda helped me to decide the career path I want to go down.

What was the biggest hurdle in getting abroad and how did you overcome it?

The biggest hurdle for me was pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Although the idea of traveling far away is always appealing, I get nervous to leave the people and place that I am so comfortable with. I have found that the best way to overcome this is to not overthink it. Just know that no matter where you're going or who you're going with, you will have the opportunity to stretch yourself and experience wonderful things! 

What is one piece of advice would you give to other students thinking about studying abroad?

I would say: Just go for it! You will not regret this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you will get even more out of it then you expect. The chance to travel around the world and experience new people and cultures is not something to pass up!

What did you learn about yourself/your culture by going abroad?

I personally learned to put everything in perspective and not take myself too seriously. Studying abroad taught me how to be flexible and resourceful when things do not go as planned, and to keep a positive attitude no matter what!

Where did you live while abroad?

In Rwanda I spent the first 10 weeks living with a local homestay family assigned by my program. The last 5 weeks I lived with 3 other girls in my program in a house that we had found with the help of a local real estate agent (the program directors aided us as well). Both experiences were amazing! Being a homestay student was a wonderful opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and learn from my homestay parents and siblings about Rwanda. On the other hand, living with my friends was a lot of fun and gave us the opportunity to become independent and experience the city and country on our own.

Was studying abroad expensive? How did you pay for your experience?

Though studying abroad seems expensive, there are plenty of opportunities to get scholarships, both from your school and your community. In my case, I was able to use my academic scholarships as well as one received from the program.

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Use our search to look for more programs in Tanzania, Rwanda and the Czech Republic, as well as over 40 other countries: http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

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.   

Meet One of Our New #HogsAbroad Peer Advisors!

My name is Emma Ridings and I am a senior at the University of Arkansas, double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and International Relations and double minoring in French and African/African American Studies.

Lake Kivu, Rwanda

I have had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad three times! The summer after my freshman year I participated in a faculty-led Anthropology trip to Tanzania. The summer after my sophomore year I went to Prague, Czech Republic and took a course on the Holocaust. Finally, I spent the spring of my junior year in Rwanda studying post-genocide restoration and peacebuilding. 

Each of these experiences helped shaped who I am as a person and I am eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in these amazing programs. I am excited to be working in the Office of Study Abroad and I hope to share my enthusiasm for traveling with fellow University students!

On the equator in Uganda"

Horseback riding on Mount Kigali in Rwanda