I am one of those people who just goes with the flow. After graduating from high school, I followed that flow to college, ending up at Drexel. I had to choose a major, and since I liked physics, electronics, and building things, I decided on electrical engineering. I had never really had anything I was passionate about until I started getting interested in Japanese culture my freshman year. I started taking Japanese classes, joined the aikido club, and then began to look into study abroad. Soon I was obsessed with the idea of studying in Japan.

I spent my pre-junior year looking into my options, talking to the study abroad office, talking to the coop office, talking to more advisers than I can remember, filling out applications, researching and applying for scholarships, applying for a passport and visa, buying airline tickets. In the end, I will be (technically) graduating from a four year program in five years with two coops and 13 quarters, rather than 12.

This was definitely not going with the flow.

But I was able to study abroad in Sendai, Japan for 11 months. I left September of my junior year, and entered a world of brilliantly clean streets with absolutely no trash cans, food that I can�t recognize, but probably comes from fish, girls walking everywhere, everyday in high heels, public transportation that is incredibly good, ATMs that close at 3 in the afternoon, and being one of the only blondes for miles. I didn�t just learn about Japan. Though classes were taught in English, the students were from China, Korea, Germany, Sweden, France, the Phillipines, and Finland, as well as the U.S. Not only was I able to travel to all over Japan, I was able to do research and stay on course with required engineering courses. Everyday was something new. I got to try all kinds of Japanese food and drinks, and attempt to make them myself. There were parties on the riverbank making various potato-based soups, parties staying overnight at a riverside cabin, trips to onsens (think Jacuzzis, except gender separated and no bathing suits), trips to various temples and shrines, and trips to festivals.

It was a Thanksgiving of grilled fish in place of turkey, and a Valentines Day where girls give guys chocolate, instead of the other way around. It was not only a year of classes and research, but a year of temples in the mountains and skyscrapers with their own mascots, overnight ferries with onsens, asparagus sandwiches and squid flavored ice cream, convenience stores where you can pay your bills, people dressed as cigarettes to campaign against smoking, arcade games where you have to walk a dog and crane games where you try to catch a lobster for dinner, sumo and Buddha statues and torii gates. It was towers, castles, fish markets, getting my picture taken with a guy in a Pikachu outfit, capsule hotels, green tea and taiko drums. It was everything I expected, and everything I didn�t.

It was worth it to go against the flow.

Roora in Japan

Dragons Abroad

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I am an interior design student at Drexel University and I participated in a study abroad program to London the summer after my sophomore year.

Studying over seas had been something I dreamed of doing since I was young. Lucky for me inserted in my interior design curriculum was an opportunity to do so.

I not only was able to view all of the art/architecture/furniture that I had been studying for the previous years but also was able to get a taste of a completely different culture. I also had the opportunity to travel to various cities around England, making the most of my time over seas.

The classes that we took were circulated around our major but also incorporated some business as well as cultural aspects. The best part about these classes was that we actually got to go see everything that we were studying. All of the paintings, sculpture, furniture, or exhibitions that we had to write papers on were at our disposal. Along with that the cultural aspects that we were studying were there in the flesh for us to experience.

Aside from the amazing studies that took place there was the traveling. It was amazing to be able to book and plan our very own trips to different cities and sites that I have always wanted to see or experience. I took a trip to Wales, Amsterdam, Scotland and Paris. In each city I underwent a completely different experience and went to each of them for different reasons.

Besides traveling there was amazing food and an amazing nightlife. Since I was not 21 years old yet I had not yet experienced bars and clubs int he US. By going over seas I was able to do all of that and meet tons of interesting people.

All in all I would say that my study abroad experience was one of the best three months of my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Which is why I am graduating early in March and getting back to Europe for a month to go back packing :)!

Drexel Study Abroad : London

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Hmm where do I begin. During the summer of my sophomore year at Drexel University I got the chance to do an Independant study abroad in Florence, Italy. The experience only lasted a month and a half, but I saw/did more in that time then I ever had.

Drexel offers study abroad programs for Interior Design in London, but coming from an Italian family, Italy was the only country I was interested in doing a study abroad in. So after much research my roomate and I found a month and a half program through American Intercontinental University. The program was Interior Design based and covered Art and Architecture in Florence, and Villas and Gardens in Tuscany. Before leaving I was also required, through Drexel, to take three (grueling) semesters of Italian. Although the independant search was a lot more work and a much larger process then going to London, it was definitely worth the time and effort.

Before we even got into our Study Abroad we took a whirlwind tour of Europe. Starting in Florence we took the train on a big loop to Amsterdam, London, Paris and Nice and back to Florence. Each town was a different experience including lots of sightseeing, food, and drinking great wine!!!

When we finally got to Florence, we were not excited to go to school. But "school" really wasn't an in classroom experience. The first half of the month we spent in the city experiencing all of Florence's magnificent art and architecture, while the second half we explored Villas and Gardens in Tuscany. "Class" consisted of learning about each of these historic landmarks and sketching them while on sight. It was the best form of class I have ever encountered.

Weekends consisted of trips organized by AIU to Venice, Sienna, Cinque Terra, and a wine tour of Tuscany. On our free weekend I planned a trip to visit my extended family in the South of Italy. I had never met this part of my family before and they only spoke Italian so i was a little nervous going down there. But out of all of my experiences in Italy, this one had to be the best. They welcomed me with open arms like I had been a part of them forever. I was fed way too well, and encouraged to go to the beach every day because I was too pale, but I think the best part was learning about my family and where my grandparents grew up.

Some of my other favorite things included gelato, sunsets at San Michelangelo, and 3 euro bottles of wine. I made some amazing friends and had some unforgetable experiences. My advice to anyone who is considering study abroad, Don't hold back you never know when you'll get the chance again. Ciao!

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Studying on the Gold Coast of Australia at Bond University ("Bond Uni") has been the time of my life. It is rated the #1 University in Australia located in Queensland, on the East Coast about an hour South of Brisbane and 8 hours North of Sydney. It is close to the beach and the city of Surfers Paradise. Being the only private University in all of Australia, it is very prestigious and reputable with the highest quality professors who really care about all of their students, both locals and study abroad. As students come to Bond Uni from all over the world, it was a very diversifying experience and it was awesome to have the opportunity to meet so many different, amazing people. Everyone is so laid back, caring and friendly in this land down under of "no worries" and I would not have changed a thing- unless I could change the fact that I had to come back to the States.

The campus is beautiful; stone buildings, lakes and fountains everywhere. Unlike many city schools, Bond has a defined campus. As Bond Uni allows students to plan their own class schedule I was able to travel almost every weekend for 3 to 4 days. Bond sets up many student trips and if I was not on a coach bus traveling the country to Byron Bay, Great Keppel Island and Sydney, I was jet setting to scuba dive and sail the Whitsunday Islands (Great Barrier Reef), camp in the deserted Outback, sky dive in New Zealand, or relax and spend the weekend before finals in Fiji studying. The weather and ocean temperature was perfect the entire time we were there from August to December (their Spring going into Summer). We spent our free time surfing or attending events that the school set up for us; formal events, dances, dinners, pub crawls, beach events, etc. It is a little sad being back in America but I have kept in touch with everyone I met and definitely plan on going back in a few years for a longer period of time. All in all, I definitely recommend anyone to take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad and Australia is hands down the sweetest place on earth. Cheers mates!!

Australia

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From the first day that I knew I was going to Paris for a full year study abroad, I was certain that I would enjoy it since I love traveling and meeting new people, especially from different cultures. But you might ask yourself “Why Paris?”. Well to start, I was born and raised in the heart of Paris until I moved to the Washington D.C. and immersed myself into the American culture. Fortunately, my mother being a French mother insisted that keep speaking French. My parents sent me to France as often as they could so that I could stay close to my family and maintain my French culture. Even though, this was not enough for me. I needed to go back. Back to the native soil and live like frogs, for an extended period of time. And so this is why I chose Paris and what a great choice it was.

Before going to Paris I had no clue that this experience was going to bring me or that it would change my life. Ernest Hemingway once said,

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast.”

At the time I read this I thought that I understood what it meant, given that I already knew Paris quite well. It was only until 8th month that I truly realized what Hemingway was portraying.

What I liked most about being a student abroad was meeting new people. While I was France I made several close friends from all around the world, who I will certainly stay in touch with. Some of which I have already met with again and have gone on vacations with them to Ibiza in August 2007 or Amsterdam New Years 2008. During my stay in Paris, I gradually adapted to the Parisian life style. Cafés, cigarettes, style, wine…you get the picture. Thanks to the Pole Leonard De Vinci I learned a lot about the French culture/history but also improved my grammar thanks to my teachers.

My experience taught me how to be more independent and fueled me with more confidence of my own capabilities. I think now I will not hesitate moving to a new country for my career because of this journey.

My host university, Le Pole Leonard de Vinci, is an exceptional school and well recognized in France. There was a great atmosphere in general at the university. The teachers were very helpful with the exchange students in certain areas where we needed help. In addition it was interesting to experience the different methods of the French professors compared to the ones back home at Drexel University.

Thanks to this exchange program has given me more opportunities working in the world. Not many people can say that they have lived and worked abroad and where able to adapt the culture. Having gone through this experience I am more social than before with a flexible attitude. Choosing to go abroad on my own demonstrates qualities of independence and motivation that will surely help me with future employers.

The school had organized many outings for us exchange students and the rest of the school. This was a great way to met other people and to let loose from the busy week. By letting loose I mean partying until sunrise waiting for the metro to open again at 5:30 am. This allowed us to discover many great clubs all around Paris with free entrances. The school had an organization for the students ran by the students who where in charge of all the parties and events during the year. When the weather was nice between our friends we would go into Paris and have rendezvous at “le Pont des Arts” which was a beautiful wooden, pedestrian bridge in the heart of the city. We would sit out and enjoy excellent wine and watch the sun set over the Seine (the river through Paris).

My good English friend, Tim, is quite a character and who loves techno (minimal-electro to be exact). He is a very active fellow and insisted we go out often, not that he had to twist my arm or anything; I am always active as well and up for a good time. So we went on out on regular basis to check out bars and night clubs that Paris had to offer. By doing this I met and made many friends. This allowed me not to be so dependent on the exchange students and see things from a different perspective that I may not have other wise.

Every week my Tim and I played football (soccer) with a group of French student from our school, who were also passionate of the sport. We had a great time playing with them because they had a different style of playing that I wasn’t used too. The Americans and English are far more aggressive players, which the frenchies where not used too.

Paris is like any other bustling city, beside the excellent food, the divine wine, the beautiful architecture, the outstanding fashion of the city, the river and its banks, the exquisite women, and the fine rich culture, and that big tower. In the end I have no regrets from my year abroad, except maybe the fact that I left Paris and saying good bye is always sad, but even the low times I had where good in retrospect.

Vive La France ?

Drexel: Paris Study Abroad Experience

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