Bears Abroad

By Jaziah Masters

Recently, I have begun exploring some opportunities that I’m sure you all have heard about. Studying abroad can be one of the most impactful and defining moments of any college experience. Keeping this in mind: I’ve begun looking into some of the programs and it turns out there are a lot!

I should issue a disclaimer: I am by no means an expert when it comes to studying abroad. In fact, this is the first time that I’ve seriously looked into it as an option. That being said, here are some of my initial reactions.

  1. Studying abroad programs are as diverse as the places you’ll go!

There are many ways for Bears to get abroad for any amount of time. Programs accommodate your schedule. Meaning, if you have a summer internship (like I do) you may consider pursuing one of the May programs. These start just weeks after finals in May and end just about the first week of June. One that definitely appeals to me is a trip going to Turkey and Greece. I was able to speak to the faculty advisor today and he stressed the fact that learning is great in the classroom, but is potentially life-changing in the actual field. I love the idea of learning while visiting the actual place where learning about.

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  1. Studying abroad is not something just done in the summer.

Almost the same as No. 1 is the fact studying abroad is not just done in the summer. I have found many programs where you actually study abroad during the fall or spring semester. Again, there are international options for this, but one of the best programs I found is actually not that far away. Baylor has a Washington Semester program where students can actually take classes on a university campus in DC. In addition, the program allows students to obtain an internship where you can put into practice what you have learned. I think it goes without saying that DC is home to countless opportunities, so the opportunity to participate for a full semester in the area can also be very impactful.

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  1. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

When I talked to the faculty leader of the Turkey and Greece trip, one thing he stressed to me is the fact that there are many options for students to offset cost of these trips. The reality is studying abroad is expensive. However, I have found that Baylor does a great job of helping with the cost. The Center for International Education on campus is dedicated to this very task. Also, many academic departments have scholarships to help defray costs.

Overall I see that studying abroad is not as impartible as it may seem. The benefits are huge, and who doesn’t want to go see some of the world?

Ten Things They Won’t Tell You in a Study Abroad Brochure

By Maria Dillman

After all of the customary orientations and information sessions about studying abroad in the Netherlands, I knew I was getting the opportunity of a lifetime to study in Europe for a whole summer.

Travel across Europe, check.

Take classes at an international university, check.

Get a ton of likes on Instagram pics, check.

Yes, these are the normal benefits, but I didn’t realize how many more I would get to experience. I summed up everything I saw, heard, felt, ate and experienced into a list of things one can’t fully understand until they experience study abroad themselves.

But reading about it is the next best thing. . .

1. It’s fun to get lost in a big city – I loved exploring unknown streets that were made completely of cobblestone and flooded with bikers, but the feeling of finding a familiar landmark or navigating to the desired location is even better. The accomplishment and independence of living in a new place and calling it home is exhilarating.

2. Bikes= Life. They are such a time saver, and everyone uses them. It’s the thing over there. Also, it is quite normal to walk six miles in a day.

3. Meeting the locals offers a new perspective about the cultural gap – They tell you all the insights and secrets about their country that you can’t find in a tourism brochure, whether it be mannerisms, habits, behaviors or attitudes.

4. The language barrier is a humbling experience. It is really frustrating when you can’t read signs that say thing like, “Do not board this train,” or when you can’t order a ham sandwich. You learn to be quiet most of the time. For starters, it doesn’t give away that you’re an American as much. Secondly, it seems like you can soak more in. I wonder what language they’ll speak in heaven…hopefully, I’ll understand them all.

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Waiting for a Bus in Austria (Taken on a Disposable Camera)

5. Traveling is so fun. But tiring. And amazing. Public transportation is great to say the least. It was definitely frustrating at first, and I thought I would never be able to figure it out. But then I got the groove of things, and before I knew it, strangers were asking me which train they should board. However, traveling can also be quite awful, like the night train we took to Salzburg. After spending twelve hours on the train, we were sleep deprived, our necks were stiff and the creepy man next to us was starting to smell. But then when we stepped off into the fresh air in this new exciting place, and we knew it was totally worth it. All the troubles were forgotten.

6. Delirium is a thing. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed more. It might have been because I was with great company or that I was so out of my comfort zone and sleep deprived that I laughed uncontrollably at the most trivial things. At any rate, it’s not a bad side effect.

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Backpacking in the Black Forest (40 km later…Some of Us Were Still Happy)

7. Places are cool, but people are better. For all the beautiful sights I saw, I learned one very important thing: the people who are with you make the trip worthwhile. I think the best experiences and memories that will stay with me forever are the ones that involved a funny moment or good conversation. Yes, the beautiful places are amazing to see and experience, but if I were alone, I don’t think I could appreciate them as much.

8. How to avoid paying for bathrooms.  There’s definitely ways; you just have to find them.

9. Schnitzel and Spatzle and Stroodle and Croissants will be missed in America. The food is just plain different. Also, bread is served at every meal.  Just like Buddy the Elf has four main food groups (candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup), Europeans have bread, bread, bread and bread.

10. Life is cool wherever you are…you just have to make the most of it. We need to appreciate what we get, not the things we don’t.

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Hiking in Switzerland

My Study Abroad Experience – Baylor in Great Britain

By Susannah Mohrmann

When I first began thinking about my college experience, I knew I wanted to study abroad. I knew that my college years would probably be the only time I would have the opportunity to go to another country for several weeks or even months. Baylor really stood out to me because of the opportunities it gave to study abroad in almost any country. Once I came to Baylor I met older students who had studied abroad, and I eagerly asked them every question I could think of. Many of the opportunities available are for entire semesters; but when I discovered how much I loved Baylor, I could not imagine missing a full semester. I knew I would have to study abroad in the summer.

I soon found out about the program Baylor in Great Britain from several people and professors. Here is the gist of the program:

  • Baylor professors travel to London to teach you at Imperial College.
  • You get six hours of Baylor credit.
  • Class is only 8 -10 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
  • The rest of your day and the weekends are yours to travel and adventure through the United Kingdom.

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This past summer in the UK was one of the most incredible experience I have had at Baylor. I met new friends, traveled with old friends and developed relationships with my professors. From day one of the trip, I had a three-page list of places I wanted to see. I checked every place off by the end. I also traveled to Scotland, Wales, all over England and even Barcelona, Spain. By the end of the five-week trip, I felt like a local. I knew how the Tube worked, and I was able to give directions to other tourists.

I am so grateful I was able to have this opportunity to study and learn in another country rich with history. It was seriously the best experience I have had since I have been in college. I made deep friendships, learned a new culture and learned how to be more independent. Baylor does an incredible job with their offerings in study abroad programs. Take advantage of the time you have when you get to college. Do things out of your comfort zone and experience something new!

Why I Love My Italian Class

By: Courtney Roberts

When I switched into the College of Arts & Sciences, I expected nothing good to come from the four-semester language credit requirement. I was wrong. I’ve spent the last four semesters learning Italian. During my Baylor career, there are a handful of classes that stand out as my favorites, but I absolutely love my Italian class.

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Me looking Italian. ☺

My interest in Italian sparked when I studied abroad on the Baylor in Florence program in Italy a few summers ago. Since the trip is geared primarily toward journalism majors, we took courses in photography and magazine writing. (Sounds hard, right?)

I didn’t have any exposure to the Italian language before I went. I hoped to pick up some words, but I spent most of my time sightseeing, going on adventures with my friends and trying out every gelato shop in town. It was an entirely new cultural experience for me, and I loved every minute of it. So of course, I chose the bellissimo Italian language to fill my credit requirement.

Members of my Italian 1401 (1st semester) class at Verdi’s Aida in Dallas

Members of my Italian 1401 (1st semester) class at Verdi’s Aida in Dallas

The reason I have loved this class is because of the things we’ve done outside of class. We’ve gone to see the opera in Italian, watched movies, sung as part of the foreign language groups at Christmas on Fifth and made some good friends along the way. Many of the people in my class now were in my class last fall in our first semester of Italian. It feels close-knit and like a fun little family.

As part of my class this semester, all of the students have to contribute to a class blog where we write about topics that interest us. Some of the best ones have been picking the perfect outfit and describing our favorite songs by an Italian artist. (My favorite is “Ti Porto Via Con Me” by Jovanotti!)

In all seriousness, taking a foreign language is so valuable. It’s challenging but so rewarding! When every other class you’re taking can be overwhelming or sometimes dreary, the foreign language classes are a nice escape to somewhere fun and beautiful-like Europe. It reminds me that there is more out there than Waco, Texas!

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Baylor in Florence Girls with our Journalism Professors in 2012

 

A Baylor Experience Abroad

By Jared Fuller

One of the most intriguing aspects of college life is the opportunity to study abroad. Whether it’s for an entire semester or during the summer, Baylor has a multitude of opportunities to learn outside of Waco. Study abroad is accommodating for most majors and takes students to all corners of the globe.

This past summer, I participated in the Baylor i5 program, which is a cooperative program between the engineering department and the business school. The trip took place from July 3 – August 10, and our group of 30 went to Hong Kong and China. The i5 trip was very unique because it was essentially an internship abroad. The trip had a focus on entrepreneurship and developing new technology. We were all split into small groups of about 3 or 4, and each group was partnered with a small startup company, most of which were trying to figure out how to take their business to Asian markets. Our groups did consulting work to figure out ways to improve the products and then bring them to market. At the end of the trip, we all had to write a business plan for the CEO of our company and then give a presentation in front of potential investors and other entrepreneurs. It was a great experience, and everyone in the group felt like they learned a lot of valuable skills to use later on in life.

In between working and learning about entrepreneurship, our group got to travel to many different places throughout China. Our trip began in Chengdu, where we had a chance to experience Chinese culture for the first time. Then, we departed on a three day cruise on the Yangtze River. This was a nice relaxing trip before we started getting down to business. After the cruise, we traveled to Hong Kong, where we stayed for about 10 days. Hong Kong is a very interesting city with a lot of things to do. Our next destination was a small city called Ningbo, which is where we got a lot of our work done over the course of the next two weeks. Our final presentation were in Beijing, and after our presentations, we had a chance to explore a lot of the things that Beijing has to offer, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, this was a great experience, and even though it was only for 5 weeks, I still felt like I got to have a lot of unique cultural experiences. There are plenty of things to experience outside of Waco, Texas, and studying abroad allows you to do so.

JSA Cultural Banquet (by Grant Siluangkhot)

Last week I had the pleasure of joining a few members of Baylor’s Japanese Student Association (JSA), students taking Japanese class, and Japanese exchange students at a banquet. The banquet was designed to celebrate common intellectual interest in Japanese culture and to learn about potential careers in Japan.

It was an interesting night and a great learning experience. The speaker was JSA’s former president who uses Japanese for his work. He spoke about life and business in Japan and encouraged us to go and experience the country for ourselves. His talk made me even more excited for this summer and my studying abroad with the Baylor in Japan program. (Baylor has many study abroad opportunities to many places for the summer and the regular school year.)

At the banquet I met a number of interesting people who enjoy learning Japanese like I do. It was a fun way to practice the language in conversation and learn a few new words along the way.

Before the end of the night, we had a competition among the separate dining tables. It was a quick game of true or false regarding difficult facts about Japan. We all had a laugh after seeing how little the Japanese professors knew about things like recent pop culture!

I’m glad that I was able to spend my Friday evening with culture, fun, and friends. I can’t wait until next year’s event.