Study Abroad: The Perspective Before and After

With the study abroad applications for next semester just around the corner, here is some information for right before you go abroad from Morgan Mantilla, a sophomore studying in Italy for the Spring Semester, and after you go abroad from Maxie Nelson, a recent Cal Lutheran graduate!

Before: 

Her Campus: What are some things you are most looking forward to about study abroad?

Morgan Mantilla: I’m looking forward to living on my own, (I’m a commuter) or with people outside of my family. I’m looking forward to seeing all the different aspects of art; museums, alley paintings. I love all that stuff. I’m also planning to head over to Milan for fashion week with my sister, which I’m dying to go see. I’m excited to meet new people and get a more realistic idea of what Italian culture is like. I want to grasp the epitome of all of it. 

HC: What are you nervous about? 

MM: I’m nervous about getting homesick, feeling faraway from my family all the time will be a little hard. Maybe getting lost in Italy? Haha I don’t know how to read Italian. I’ve heard rumors about pick-pocketing areas too, so that’ s concerning. I’m actually legitimately scared of buying too many things and having it cost me more than I can afford to ship home! But overall I’m just looking forward to the entire experience, scary thoughts and all. 

HC: What are some things you have learned recently about the study abroad process as you are applying? 

MM: Make sure you are in contact with your academic advisor, and have them with you every step of the way to guide you in a direction for class credits as well as needing them to sign off on many things. Also, once you apply, get an Admissions officer that will tell you little details that you will miss if you don’t pay clear attention. Dig deep into the programs information, you’ll want to know everything it says and not be caught off guard that you have to register for classes on an Italian website under a certain deadline! 

After: 

HC: What are some of the experiences you had that weren’t necessarily part of the study abroad package?

Maxine Nelson: I was able to travel A LOT! I lived in Paris and made quick friends allowing me to explore other French regions and countries. Also, I was lucky enough to befriend the family who owned the restaurant below my host family’s apartment and spent many meals eating there. 

HC: What was the most memorable aspect?

MN: Everything! From the food to the buildings to the coursework to the sights to the trains to the language to the money….!

HC: What did you wish you knew before going abroad?

MN: Apart from some confusion over getting my visa, I felt incredibly prepared. Maybe I wish I’d downloaded the offline map of Paris from TripAdvisor before I left so I would be less lost.

HC: What was it like being a commuter and then jumping to being completely independent in a new country?

MN: In a way, I felt it was easier for me since I randomly didn’t have a roommate in my home-stay. I had to figure out everything (navigation, using the metro, ordering, socializing, etc) completely alone. In fact, my first few hours in town, I spent wandering aimlessly – totally lost – searching for the metro station in a random blizzard. If I had been accustomed to living on campus with roommates and the convenience and constant comfort of friends nearby, it may have been a bigger shock for me. Being a commuter and actively seeking out opportunities to be involved on campus gave me tools to seek out different relationships when I was abroad.

HC: What advice would you give to people considering to study abroad?

MN: The best piece of advice I heard was that everyone has their own experience and to let yourself have yours. Take that to heart because there is often this pressure to have a certain type of life-changing experience due to the food/friends/freedom/whatever. In reality, two people studying in the same location will have completely different experiences. It’s easy to get caught up in the narrative of what you think you should enjoy and learn. For me studying in Paris, I learned some horrifying pieces of French history regarding colonialism and immigration that I’d never been concerned with. It definitely impacted my romantic view of this gorgeous, sophisticated country, and I had to come to terms with a changing notion of my beloved France. Also, stay connected to family and friends back home, but be careful to get out and make friends!

HC: Any additional information you want to add?

MN: Apps I’d suggest: MagicJack (lets you call any landline or cell phone in the US for free, although you can’t receive calls and it uses a random number), Trip Boss (allows you to record expenses by category/date and keep track of your budget), Textfree (assigns you a new number so you can text for free those people who don’t have iMessage or smart phones), TripAdvisor (like yelp, has maps, total lifesaver!)

                 (Maxine and friends while studying in France!)

Thanks for reading and enjoy your study abroad experience! 

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