Search results for: “summer”
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“Abroad Changed Me” – Mental Illness and Embodying a Cliche
I left the United States for the first time in the summer of 2019 right before my freshman year of college. I had very little travel experience. I could count the number of flights I had taken on one hand. Entering college, I did not think that I would study abroad. As someone who has…
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Catalonia Beauty: Exploring the City of Girona
During our time abroad, my classmates and I learned extensively about the complex history of Barcelona as well as the entire region of Catalonia. Not only have the citizens dealt with political upheaval, civil war and economic struggles since becoming a Spanish territory, the majority remain so passionate about achieving independence from the Spanish government…
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Being the Change: The IFSA Diversity & Inclusion Update
October 15, 2021 What did we do this summer? Lots of work on diversity and inclusion! It matters to us, just like we know it matters to you and your students. That’s why we’d like to share the significant progress we’ve made with our You Belong Here Initiative, an organization-wide effort that reflects the depth…
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Great IFSA Programs for College Gap Year and Grad Students
March 26, 2021 The ideal timing for studying abroad is different for every student depending on their academic plan and overall goals. If you are taking a break from your studies during college or before graduate school, or if you want to fit studying abroad into your graduate school plans, these IFSA programs are packed…
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Mañanas Con Gumer
Living in Lima, Peru for the fall of 2019, I stayed with a host family – la familia Saco-Vertiz – in the district of Miraflores. Living in the apartment were Maritza (my madre anfitriona), her brother Miguel, her adult son Alejandro, and Gumer, their cocinera, who felt much more like another member of the family. Huevos Revueltos In the…
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Taking a Leap of Faith
Downtown Sydney Opera House at Night Ariel WurstaWhile deciding where I wanted to study abroad, I always had a feeling I would want to go to Australia. I go to Muhlenberg College, a small school of 2,200 undergraduate students located 15 minutes from my house. I personally had never left home for longer than 2…
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The IFSA You Belong Here Initiative Update
December 16, 2020 In June, I shared our plan to accelerate our integration of inclusive practices throughout IFSA, which we call the You Belong Here Initiative. We have steadily advanced our organizational commitment to Inclusive Excellence since 2016, yet we see that progress must occur more quickly. The state of our society, where police continue…
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How Interning Abroad Gave Me Clarity on My Career Path
My biggest qualm about studying abroad was leaving in the middle of the summer, cutting short any potential resume-building activities. The school year in Australia starts in early August, meaning I had to leave home in July. As I predicted, I wasn’t able to get any meaningful work during my truncated summer. However, the University…
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Grad School Prep Abroad: 5 months at one of the best research institutions in the world
Going into my year abroad, I felt very split on my post-grad plans. I had been half-considering applying to medical school due to the encouragement of many adults in my life who had taken my interest in science to equate a career in medicine; but had also just come off of a summer of doing…
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Yes! Extroverts Get Culture Shock Too
I had been anxiously awaiting my semester abroad so much that I didn’t sleep the night before my 7 a.m. flight to London. I’ll admit I was too tired to do my normal fidgeting on the plane but once I touched down in the U.K. I felt a wash of relief and assurance that the…
