Go Global with Kate Yapp: Getting Started
Studying abroad is something I always knew I wanted to do during college. I originally thought of just traveling during a January term but had heard—over the course of several study abroad breakout sessions on several college tours—that when you finally get comfortable and settled in wherever you are visiting, you won’t want it to end. You will want to stay longer once you peel back the layers of tourist traps and long photo lines, so I revised my plan to open up to more experiences. I decided to do a semester one year and then a J-term another year.
There’s Always a Silver Lining
I was not counting on Covid happening just as I was settling into my college journey. Preparing to study abroad helped me get through eleven months of my new young adult life at home, away from my friends, and worrying about the health of myself and my loved ones. While I couldn’t go to concerts, the movies or even to visit my grandparents, I could start practicing a new language and working on a study abroad program application. So I did. It’s easy for deadlines to sneak up on you and especially with traveling abroad for an extended period of time, so much documentation needs to get done and verified. It is a lot of “hurry up and wait.”
In conversations around travel, vaccines have become a game-changer. I was not able to go to the Czech Republic this spring as I had hoped and J-term trips could not happen this winter but my roommate, Charlotte Kadifa, made it to Nantes, France this semester with International Education of Students (IES) and is having a great time. I am glad Katies have stayed safe and gotten vaccinated because that made it easier for her to not worry about contracting Covid-19 before actually going to France. I myself am going abroad in the fall and will be using the extra time to practice my Czech and save up more money working on campus.
Keep your eyes out for more events through Global Studies! The Study Abroad fair, on Feb 14th, was full of great information.
Four Easy Steps to Get Started
If you are discouraged by the pandemic and have to delay your study abroad experience, I would encourage you to take this time to get the following in order:
Make sure your passport is up to date–because those are good for several years, whether you’re able to travel soon or not–and they take a while to get.
Download Duolingo because learning a new language can keep your mind in shape.
Look into getting a credit card (preferably one that will help you earn flight miles) and building up savings to use when you do travel abroad, since most of the time a student visa doesn’t permit you to work in the country you are visiting.
Additionally, if you are a senior this year and you were not able to study abroad during your time as an undergraduate, I am sorry. That sucks and it is okay to mourn that experience. The Global Studies Office is also able to help students look into fellowships for graduate school, even after you have graduated! There are always programs like the Peace Corps or Teach for America. If anything, take yourself on a congratulatory celebration trip for graduating. You deserve it!
