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Exercising Trust While Abroad
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Moving away from your family, friends, home country, and familiarity for a semester abroad is an inherently nerve-wracking experience. When I left my life in the United States and embarked on a semester abroad at the University of Otago in New Zealand, I experienced a wide range of emotions. I was simultaneously incredibly excited for…
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Importance of Friendship When Studying Abroad
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I was terrified. Terrified of leaving my family and friends. Terrified of being alone. Moving to another country where you know no one and leaving your loved ones behind is no easy task and a frightening thought, but I hope by reading about my time and experience abroad I can ease some of those fears.…
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Finding Heritage in the Highlands
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I felt a deep connection to Scotland before arriving here. My grandfather was extremely proud of our Scottish heritage and made a point to talk about his love for this country and culture as frequently as possible. I was raised in the Presbyterian Church, the roots of which trace back to Scotland. There was even…
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What does it mean to be an Intercambio student?
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My first day in Santiago I was instantly met with the term “Intercambio”. While in the airport with other arriving students, we were met with quizzical looks from other travelers who were confused by the large group of English-speaking college students. Upon receiving one particularly strong look from a passerby, our program director explained, “Somos…
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Providing First Aid in Rural Argentina as Part of an IFSA Internship with the Red Cross
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Sarah Hoffer interned with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Argentina as part of her IFSA program in Buenos Aires. This past weekend I went to the pilgrimage of Lujan and set up an aid station along the route with the Red Cross. This was definitely one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever…
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Rugby Offers Opportunity to Improve Spanish Skills
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Ella Gianino discusses how practicing with the local White Wolves ruby team helped her overcome language barriers and experience an additional facet of the Heredia community. How did you get involved in rugby in Costa Rica?My host family and I usually go to the neighborhood park to play soccer in the evenings. It was at…
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Reflecting on Time Abroad in Mérida, Mexico
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In the midst of the end of your typical end of semester chaos (last minute edits to your essays, studying for final exams, etc.) my friend and I recently discussed some of our personal reflections and things that we could have done differently if we could go back in time. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed…
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6 Discoveries I’ve Made About Myself From Studying Abroad in Prague
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I won’t lie; I knew absolutely nothing about Prague before I chose to study here this semester. It has always been a dream of mine to study abroad, and my experience in Prague has exceeded my expectations. The city itself is gorgeous and the relationships I’ve formed have shaped me as well. Reflecting on my…
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What No One Tells You About Study Abroad
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You will want to go home. And that’s okay. In my experience, before studying abroad everyone I talked to only referred to it in positive terms, raving about how it was the best time of their life. Now that I’m at the end of my study abroad term, I understand why. There are so many…
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Sophia’s Study Abroad Experience
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Studying abroad with IFSA’s Griffith University Gold Coast Internship Program has been life changing. We’re housed in a beautiful apartment on the beach. We have a gym and a pool and can walk right out the front door and be on the beach. We’re also walking distance from everything to do in Surfer’s Paradise: including…