by Mary Beth Spitler
After many long hours
of filling out forms, researching universities and cultures, I am only a
semester away from studying abroad in the great city of Edinburgh at
Napier University. Hooray! My studying experience will take me over-seas
for about six months. While I am there, I can't wait to meet and make
lots of new friends. While I know that skype and modern social media
websites makes it simple and fast to communicate with people all over
the world, I am a little hesitant about being away from my web of family
and friends for such a long time.
Personally, I have already made a few goals for myself for when I am
living in Scotland. I want to use the University of Edinburgh as a
stepping stone between studying abroad and completing my bachelor's
degree. The classes that Napier offers all comply with my major-which is
fantastic as I will have a year left at Maryville College when I return
home.
Right now, since I have a few more months between when I will depart
for my journey, I feel very excited-but stressed at the same time. I
realize that I still have a lot of research and learning to do still on
topics that range from how to catch a train (I've never ridden one
before!) to where to eat and shop to what the in-the-classroom standards
are for students who are attending the university.
Three goals that I have set for myself that I want to accomplish before I go are:
1) Try every type of food available.
I usually am not one to jump into new dishes when I go out to eat, especially when blood pudding is involved!
2) Meet lots of new people. Everyone says that you really haven't experienced a place until you get to know the locals.
3) Have a great time!
I know that I will have many opportunities that are not offered to me
in the US while I am studying abroad. I want to make the best of my
time there by making spontaneous, fun, and safe decisions.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
TAYLOR: GOAL-SETTING & MAXIMIZING MY EXPERIENCE IN COSTA RICA
by Taylor King
One personal goal of mine when I study abroad is to become more fluent in the Spanish language. I want to be fully immersed in the Hispanic, Latin American culture, with natives as well as other international students. Hopefully if I travel to study in Costa Rica, I wish to volunteer near the University and reach out socially through a volunteer program to meet new people. I am super excited about this experience; however, I am a bit nervous about my placement due to the fact that it is not one hundred percent that I am going to Costa Rica to study. This month of September will be the most difficult for me just because of the wait to find out my placement for a new university. Three things I will be wanting to do to maximize my experience will be to travel to surrounding countries near my placement, learn the native slang phrases and words, as well as bond with my host family to become close and make a forever lasting relationship.
Being a Spanish major I am required to study abroad; however I have wanted to travel and have known I was going to in the future since I was a freshman in high school. I have only been to one country since then, but I plan to make a pilgrimage to as many different places as I can on my study abroad experience with there. Before I go, I would like to learn the money exchange system and more about the most used travel system in the country that I visit whether it is foot traffic, bus, train, or car. After I get back I would like to learn from my professor and peers how much more Spanish I have learned and if or if not I have picked up any dialect or accent in my Spanish speech.
One personal goal of mine when I study abroad is to become more fluent in the Spanish language. I want to be fully immersed in the Hispanic, Latin American culture, with natives as well as other international students. Hopefully if I travel to study in Costa Rica, I wish to volunteer near the University and reach out socially through a volunteer program to meet new people. I am super excited about this experience; however, I am a bit nervous about my placement due to the fact that it is not one hundred percent that I am going to Costa Rica to study. This month of September will be the most difficult for me just because of the wait to find out my placement for a new university. Three things I will be wanting to do to maximize my experience will be to travel to surrounding countries near my placement, learn the native slang phrases and words, as well as bond with my host family to become close and make a forever lasting relationship.
Being a Spanish major I am required to study abroad; however I have wanted to travel and have known I was going to in the future since I was a freshman in high school. I have only been to one country since then, but I plan to make a pilgrimage to as many different places as I can on my study abroad experience with there. Before I go, I would like to learn the money exchange system and more about the most used travel system in the country that I visit whether it is foot traffic, bus, train, or car. After I get back I would like to learn from my professor and peers how much more Spanish I have learned and if or if not I have picked up any dialect or accent in my Spanish speech.
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