Before I attended college, I had no idea that colleges and
universities had so much to offer outside of the classroom. No matter what your interests, hobbies, and
passions are, students should be able to find something to keep them busy when
not attending classes. Whether it is
clubs and organizations, sports, concerts, politicians, entertainment….so many
different options. Each college is
different as far as what might be available, so it is up to the student to be
aware of and seek out what interests them.
For example, when I attended the University of Northern
Iowa, I found out that the university offered some study abroad programs. The way I found this out was by seeing posters
on campus advertising the Study Abroad Office.
I previously did not
have an interest in studying abroad; however, I was curious to see if they
might offer a program in the country that my grandfather emigrated from. My grandfather was born in 1891 and came to
the United States from Denmark in the early 1900’s. I was very close to my grandfather up until
the time he died when I was in my early 20’s.
I knew I still had relatives living in Denmark and thought it would be
interesting to explore the country of my heritage.
It turns out that UNI did have a program in Denmark, an
exchange agreement with the University of Aalborg located in Aalborg, Denmark. I couldn’t believe it; this was the same area
my grandfather came from! It was a
program for business majors where you would participate in their International Business
Program with students from different countries.
The classes would be taught in English and you would receive 12 elective
credits through UNI. Since I was not a
business major (I was getting a minor in business) I had to get approval from
the Business Department Head to be able to participate. I had to do a little leg work, getting a
student visa, arranging air fare and housing, etc., but it was well worth it. The Study Abroad Office was very helpful in
making the arrangements.
Obviously, the cost to study abroad varies from college to
college and also depends on the country you would be going to. At the time I participated (a long time
ago….) the agreement between the schools said that I could receive financial
aid to help cover the costs and my tuition was at a reduced cost.
I was able to spend my last semester as a college
undergraduate in Denmark. I met students
from all around the world, some of which I am still friends with today (25
years later). I learned a lot from the
business courses I took, however, I think I learned even more by living in and
learning about a totally different culture.
Even going to the grocery store was an experience when you do not know the
language (I bought a lot of fresh foods and canned foods with pictures on
them)! I shipped my bicycle over and I
also used a lot of public transportation (buses and trains). I was able to visit castles, see an opera at
the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, and even visit the U.S. Embassy.
I was also able to meet my 4th cousin and his
family, see the farm house my grandfather was born in 100 years earlier, and
even saw my great-grandfather’s grave.
During breaks, and for a month after the semester ended, I traveled to
Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Italy, Germany, Holland, France, and Austria.
Had I not been willing to explore my options and do a little
risk taking, I would never have had this opportunity again in my life, to not
only travel to other countries but to actually live there and be a part of the
culture for 6 months, get college credit, and get financial assistance to help
cover costs.
My suggestion to you is that if you are even remotely
interested in outside activities, like study abroad, do some research both
before and after you set foot on campus to see what is offered. My guess is that you won’t regret it!
John Holland
ICAN Waterloo Center
ICAN Waterloo Center
