May 31
In two months, I will be in Cape Town… I never thought I would ever get a chance to travel to Africa – a destination that seems so distant, mysterious and unattainable for a girl who grew up in a small town in South Carolina and now at small college in Maine. Yet, through the wonderful opportunity of ‘study abroad,’ I will be in Africa in July. Read more
It is officially 109 days until I leave my home & country to live in Ireland for about 3/4 months. Wow. Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland yet my reasoning- unexplainable. I’m not Irish in ethnicity but I definitely am at heart and I’ve always felt that some part of me was over there, thus my dream to visit. Now, through Interstudy, I will not only be fulfilling my dream but expanding upon it by living there and attending school. Wow. How many people can say they made one of their biggest dreams come true at the age of 19?! Can you tell I’m excited?- ha just a “wee” little bit. But that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous too. For the first time, I will truly be alone which is really hard to grasp, considering how close I am with my dad, especially now since I only go to college 25 minutes away. It’s all the little things I’ll have to do alone that make me nervous- navigating through the airport, consulting with university staff, moving in, grocery shopping, and getting around town. But I know that going to Ireland will bring about that independence I need. And I cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!
Studying abroad with interstudy offers the opportunity to experience new cultures, travel to new places, meet new people, and of course study at an international institution along host country students. On top of all of this, you can also gain new skills and advance your upcoming career. One returned interstudy Alumni, Veronica Marcelo, was able to take advantage of all of these opportunities by participating in an internship with CBS World News in London while studying at the University of Westminster during the Fall of 2009. Read more
This is an oldy, but a goody!
For the students who are about to take off soon, here are 5 things to know before you go. For more advice also check out our YouTube page too!
1) Electricity – remember that many countries run on a different voltage than the US. If you’re bringing small appliances like hairdryers, etc, you may need to consider getting a voltage converter so that you don’t short out your appliance, or short-out a fuse in your accommodations. Alternatively, you could invest in a hair dryer once you arrive.
2) Jet lag – there are many theories for getting over the first few days of sluggishness upon arrival. A tried and true method is quite simple – change you watch/cell phone/computer clocks to local time as soon as you arrive so you’re not always thinking about what time you think it should be. During the day, stay awake, and get outside. The sun will actually help you get over jet lag. Drink plenty of water and avoid too much caffeine.
3) Foods – of course there will be new foods that you’ve never had at home, but what about those foods that you may miss? At interstudy, we all agreed that we missed peanut butter while abroad. If you’re an addict (like us!), think about throwing a jar in your suitcase, or adding it too a “care package” list from friends or family.
4) Same things, new names – Looking for a Diet Coke? Try looking for Coca-Cola Light instead. It’s the same thing, just a different name. What other products do you find with different names?
5) School supplies – for the most part, it may be hard to find your typical college-ruled, spiral bound notebook while abroad. Many countries just having notebooks with graphing paper instead.
Past students, what would you add to this list? Reply in the comments!
Interstudy Study Abroad 