| This article is only lightly edited. <Editor's Note> |
Hundreds of University of Wisconsin students studied abroad in five different continents last spring. And if they had it their way, everyone should have a chance to experience what they were able to last semester.
Of those that studied in another country last spring, there is one overbearing consensus: life-changing.
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| "I have a completely different view on life since my semester abroad," said UW senior Kelly Diamond, who studied in Florence, Italy last spring. "I just feel more worldly, more cultured, more informed. When I got back to the States, I just felt like I knew more about things that my friends who stayed in Madison never will understand."
For others, it was a wakeup call about the American way of life.
"No matter how much we tried to assimilate, you can always spot Americans wherever you go," Tyler Fishbune, who studied in Prague, Czech Republic, said.
"We're just louder than Europeans and all the American girls wore North Face. It was kind of funny. We stuck out like sore thumbs."
"One thing really stuck out to me, and it's about drinking" Jordan Russum, who studied in Sevilla, Spain, said.
"Our drinking age is 21, and yet, we're the ones with the binge drinking problems and problems with drunk driving. Europeans have been drinking moderately since their teens, whereas drinking is so taboo in the States. You go to a club in Europe, and the Europeans drink in moderation, and all the American students are shitfaced."
Bridget Roby's study abroad experience in Nairobi, Kenya made her really appreciate just how good we have it in the United States.
"You see pictures of how poor these African families are, but you really can't understand it until you see it first-hand," Roby said.
"We get mad when we have to reboot our laptops. Being abroad made me realize that there are more important things to worry about. It was honestly an amazing experience."
For some students, their abroad experiences opened future doors that they never even considered nine months ago.
"I'm going to work in China for at least a year after college," said Ali Mack, who studied in Beijing during the spring and summer of 2009. "I never could have imagined that before I lived there for six months."
"Working in a cubicle nine to five sounds like the worst thing in the world," echoed Russum. "I definitely want to work in another country after I graduate. Why not? I have the rest of my life to work here; I might as well try something else new."
Every student agreed that his or her study abroad semester was the experience of a lifetime. But they also agreed that certain things made them embarrassed to be an American, at times.
"Sometimes we're just obnoxious," Fishbune said. "The metro will be quiet, except for the screaming Americans. It's understandable why the world thinks we're spoiled snobs."
"You realize how ignorant about world issues we are," Russum said. "Europeans know all about not only European politics, but American politics, too. They know our cabinet members, and we can't name one European leader. Many of them know more about U.S. politics than we do. But we all know who Paris Hilton is. It's kind of sad."
Nonetheless, each student gives the UW study abroad program, for no matter what country, his or her highest recommendation.
"You're a fool if you have a chance to go abroad and you choose not to," said Mike Clair, who studied in Cape Town, South Africa and got to see the city's preparation for the 2010 World Cup.
"Everyone I know who went abroad had an unbelievable time. I mean, I went to four African countries. I couldn't have imagined having a better time and a cooler experience. I'm a different person today because of it."
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