Idahoans Abroad: Analyzing University of Idaho Students Life Changes and Benefits Experienced from Studying Abroad

Hailey Hirst University of Idaho

Abstract: This article builds on previous studies that analyze the effects of studying abroad and educational travel for post-secondary students. It presents the findings of a study which surveys 28 University of Idaho students who have completed terms abroad during college. The author specifically explores the changes in lifestyle and outlook, the benefit of language immersion for second language mastery, the influence on future desire to travel or live abroad, and whether or not students felt they would have experienced the same growth by staying at their home university instead of choosing to spend a year, semester, or summer term abroad. This study involving the students of a mid-size public university is applicable to other university studies of a similar scope, and any research involving the effects of study abroad on undergraduate students lives. Keywords: Study Abroad, Post-Secondary Educational Travel, Study Abroad Benefits, University of Idaho Student Life, Undergraduate Study Abroad

Introduction: According to a poll in 2002 by the American Council on Education, 79% of Americans agree that students should study abroad at some point during college [1]. With this contemporary consensus of the necessity that American students study abroad, the benefits of study abroad and educational travel have long been advocated, and its practice has been part of college education for centuries. In prefacing a 2003 study on the impact of international study experiences, M. Younes references the history of educational travel in the 19th century. For young aristocratic males, a Grand Tour of Europe lasting several months or years was the culminating experience in their education, for it allowed them an extended period of time to see first hand what they had been studying in books for years. Although study abroad programs today are open to women and have become accessible to students from a wider range of socio-economic statuses, the motives to study abroad have remained somewhat constant over the centuries. The intent to see more of the world and expose students to different cultures has remained a motivation for educational travel. It fulfills the cross-cultural educational need that everyone must know in what way they are involved, how they are affected, and how they affect people in other countries [2]. Because of this need for international understanding, scholars have long been studying the effects of study abroad on college students in order to ensure that programs are reaching their goals of student growth and cross-cultural understanding. The discourse regarding the benefits afforded by studying abroad has been happening for decades. A 1966 article from J.E. Gullahorn et. al analyzes the results of a study which seeks to understand the outcomes and effects on American students from a term spent in France. This study was performed via distribution of surveys and interview questionnaires after students completed their foreign study, and analyzed the differences in professional versus personal growth among students. In the 1960s the main objectives of educational exchange included the promotion of international understanding, the educational development of outstanding individuals, professional growth, and personal satisfaction [3]. The analysis in this study is heavily focused on the organizational gains of sending students abroad. Similarly, a 1961 article The American Goes Abroad is attentive to the benefits of foreign relations and the future use of traveled students as teachers or researchers, but pays almost no attention to the personal benefits that students can experience with educational travel [4]. The goals of study abroad programs today include a greater focus on the individual growth that students experience rather than the organizational or institutional gains. Programs today are also very mindful of globalization. Gullahorn acknowledges the growing need for educational travel experiences as a result of globalization and national economies, even going as far as saying that people who only surround themselves with others who share their value systems hinder the participation in the human community [3]. In agreement with this claim, C. Forbes stresses the importance of preparing students for citizenship in a global society in her 2005 case study of American students in Peru. In her analysis that follows under the umbrella of globalization, Forbes focuses on the value of cross-cultural understanding as a key to students study abroad experience [5]. While the last two decades have brought the world closer in terms of technological communications and subsequently as a global economy, studying abroad offers exposure to and a greater understanding of the globalizing economy, in addition to a slew of other professional and personal affordances [6]. Researchers have found that study abroad 2

participants gained the development of sophisticated cognitive skills, complex intercultural awareness, improved communication skills, a stronger and more mature personal identity, increased self-confidence, advanced second-language skills, and a general motivation towards success and achievement [7]. As the last two decades have also seen steady growth in study abroad interest for undergraduate students, the number tripling between 1997 and 2007 from 99,448 to 241,791, more analysis has been published concerning the wide ranging benefits offered by terms spent abroad. Articles have consistently been published from case studies of certain groups abroad, like a 2009 study on second-language acquisition in Spanish cultures [1], the group taken to Peru for three weeks in Forbes study [5], and a study of American students in Germany [8]. This study published in 2004 by L. King et al examines the involvement of Oregon State University students in their universitys study abroad programs, touting that studying abroad effectively accomplishes goals of internationalization and education for international competence, but would be improved and more highly effective if student awareness and participation in study abroad programs increases [8]. Rather than focusing on the efficacy of the University of Idaho Study abroad programs, my study seeks to answer the question: In what ways has studying abroad changed the outlook and life plans of University of Idaho students? By analyzing the wide array of benefits experienced during study abroad terms, my goal is to understand the ways in which studying abroad has widened the worldview of Idaho students and how it has influenced students future plans for living or traveling abroad. Because travel and study abroad entails a level of vulnerability when a student must navigate the world outside the comforts of their own country, usually with more independence than theyve had before, study abroad experiences are additionally some of the most formative ones for young adults. This study aims to comprehend the significance of studying abroad for undergraduate students. By comparing my survey results with other studies, this paper will put University of Idaho students in focus as a rural mid-size public land-grant university with a developed study abroad program, and analyze how the lives of its students differ after studying abroad many of whom are venturing from North America for the first time. In what follows I will describe the methodology of my survey performed with the University of Idahos recent study abroad alumnae. I will present the findings of the study, analyze the survey responses in context with previous studies, and discuss the impacts and significance of the studys results.

Methods: In order to collect data from University of Idaho students, I wrote a questionnaire to distribute to study abroad alumnae. The questions reflect the survey questions and stated benefits found among those aforementioned articles that articulate the results of previous studies. The questions I used are also somewhat reflective of the hypotheses I guessed might be true of student growth experienced abroad. The open format allows for the students to write their level of agreement or disagreement with the potential benefits in question, and is open for student comment. By formatting the survey in this way, the questionnaire takes on 3

the mode of an interview with questions that are tailored to necessitate qualitative answers with some depth of thought and honesty. Because the study was to be performed by email rather than face-to-face for the sake of time, I kept the survey short enough so students wouldnt mind putting time into it, but not so short that it wouldnt yield quality answers. The questionnaire includes fifteen questions, some with multiple parts, on the effects experienced from studying abroad. The questions begin with basic information including location of study abroad, previous travel, and initial intent to include study abroad in undergraduate study. The questions then deviate to query the personal changes experienced by students including personal growth and lifestyle changes, cultural understanding, second language acquisition, future intentions to travel abroad, likelihood of living or working abroad, and if students believed they would have experienced growth of a similar capacity if theyd chosen to stay at the University of Idaho rather than to spend a term abroad. The full questionnaire can be found in Appendix A. When the survey was ready, I contacted the student intern at the University of Idaho Study Abroad Office. She forwarded the survey to her boss, who then distributed it to all the study abroad alumnae from the past few terms. In total, the survey was emailed to about 560 students. Over the course of one week, 28 students responded via email to return their answers to the questionnaire. Out of these 28 responses, only 3 participants are male and the remaining 25 are female. Females dominated the response at 89% and males at 11%. The response rate to the large distribution is only 5% but due to the quality of response, 26 surveys is a substantial amount of feedback to analyze. See Appendix B for these returned surveys for full disclosure of student responses. Results: The study abroad locations of the UI students surveyed span four continents. The response group surveyed students from 21 different study locations all of which have languages besides English as their dominant official language. The locations are as follows: - Buenos Aires, Argentina (2 students) - Graz, Austria - Florianopolis, Brazil - Chengdu, China (2 students) - Prague, Czech Republic - Loja, Ecuador - Quito, Ecuador - Montpellier, France - Pau, France - Ingolstadt & Eichstaett, Germany (1 student over 2 terms) - Luneburg, Germany (2 students) - Accra, Ghana - Florence, Italy - Viterbo, Italy - Barcelona, Spain (4 students) - Bilbao, Spain 4

Granada, Spain Madrid, Spain San Sebastian, Spain (3 students) Seville Spain (2 students) Brunni, Switzerland

Students travel abroad prior to departing on their term abroad varied widely in my sample. Figure 1 compares students previous travel by splitting their declared previous foreign travel locations into three groups.

Nowhere outside U.S. - 12%

Canada/Mexico/Caribbean only - 40% Elsewhere - 48%

Fig. 1 Travel Prior to Studying Abroad Only 12% of the students had not been outside the US prior to studying abroad. A large portion (40% of respondents) had not ventured outside North America and had only traveled as far as Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. Many of the studies referenced in the formation of this survey noted the importance of personal growth as one of the main benefits of studying abroad in college. Figure 2 shows students level of agreement with the hypothesis that studying abroad fosters the personal changes of increased maturity and independence.

Independence Maturity

Fig. 2 Students Level of Agreement in Personal Changes Out of the 27 students, 15 students agreed that studying abroad made them more mature, and 25 agreed that they are now more independent. Statistically, thats 56% percent agreement in maturity, and 89% agreement in independence. Students also contributed comments to discuss other personal changes they experienced. Multiple students brought up each point of growth expressed in the following list. Students said that they experienced general personal growth due to the stress of a new 5

10

15

20

25

30

environment which they had to adapt to, along with the necessity of learning how to deal with things on their own. They experienced improved problem solving skills and found that with the perspective they gained, little things bother them less now. Many students also mentioned a greater level of cultural understanding, particularly in an increased awareness about how American affects the world. This point will be further touched upon in Figure 5. As a factor in personal growth and development, and also an aspect of cross-cultural understanding, knowing how students lifestyles changed during and after their study abroad programs is important in understanding the pervasiveness of study abroad benefits. The following group of responses is from a question concerning lifestyle changes experienced. Since it asked for general feedback rather than agreement, the answers vary more widely than those shown in previous figures, and would be impossible to quantifiably graph. The most prevailing response agreed upon by students was that they are now more outgoing, empathetic, and open in social situations than they were before studying abroad. Many also answered with information regarding changes in diet: some indulging more while abroad, and others eating healthier with fresh food. Diet was a point that often meant total change in eating habits including time of day and dishes, and was a part of their cultural immersion. Since studying abroad is an experience that undoubtedly widens the worldview for most students, it could have an effect on plans for future travel. Figure 3 shows the influence of study abroad in response to a question asking if their experiences abroad encouraged students to travel more. While all students agree that they do intend to travel in the future, this figures focus is on whether or not studying abroad changed those plans.

Yes - 89% No - 11%

Fig. 3 Study Abroad Encouraged Future Travel In this figure, those students who answered no indicated that they had already planned to travel in the future and studying abroad didnt significantly effect or change those intentions. The students who answered yes enthusiastically agreed that studying abroad opened their lives to future travel possibilities, and one student said that studying abroad made her realize how feasible traveling really is. Many students used the term bitten by the travel bug to describe the immense desire to see more of the world triggered by their positive experience abroad. A few students expressed the urge to travel more, but coupled that with concern over the expense of doing so. Similar to measuring the effect that studying abroad had on plans for future travel, the changed likelihood of living or working abroad after the experience is a notable factor to analyze. Figure 4 shows student agreement that they are now more likely to live/work abroad than before studying abroad.

Yes - 75% No - 25%

Fig. 4 Increased Likelihood of Living/Working Abroad It is important to note that this figure combines a range of responses. While 21 students answered yes to the question and some went as far as to include information that they are already seeking employment or further education abroad, the range of negative answers is more complex. Of the 7 students who answered no, 1 said she wouldnt be willing to live or work abroad, but they is now more willing to travel for jobs. The other students who answered in the negative expressed that they already had a desire to live or work abroad, and that studying abroad did not effect that situation. A few of these students who answered negatively were those individuals who had done a greater amount of travel before studying abroad. Broadening students cultural understanding is one of the study abroad benefits that has been published repeatedly since the 1960s. Important for fostering international relations, and well-rounded and worldly individuals, this measure is one of the most important ones in analyzing the range of benefits afforded by study abroad programs. Figure 5 shows students level of agreement that studying abroad altered or improved cultural understanding.

Yes - 93% No - 7%

Fig. 5 Studying Abroad Improved Cultural Understanding As shown in the figure by percentage, 26 students answered yes and 2 students said no. The students who answered negatively were those individuals who had spent a considerable amount of time abroad in their lives before college, and they felt they already had a grasp on cross-cultural understanding. The rest agreed that studying abroad was an eye-opening experience for better understanding both cultures outside their own, and their own. 10 students brought up their improved understanding of their own country in accompaniment with their widened global-view. In addition to understanding other cultures better, students agreed that they now see the U.S. more critically and understand how significant America is to other countries. Students also brought up that their improved cultural understanding built on what they had

learned in school in the U.S. but was unparalleled in genuinely knowing and feeling what other places and cultures are like. Since language immersion is important for the improved fluency of a second language, Figure 6 shows the relationship between terms abroad and language acquisition. This data was collected in response to questioning whether or not studying abroad helped students learn a second language. In all cases, this question was relevant. There were no survey participants who studied abroad in English-speaking countries.

Yes - 93% No - 7%

Fig. 6 Study Abroad Improved Foreign Language Skills The 2 students who answered no, studying abroad did not help them learn or improve a second language, were students who relied on the prevalence of English speakers in their locations of study. One student had studied in Ghana and the other was in China. The costs associated with studying abroad can be a large, and are therefore an important aspect of the experience and sometimes prevents students who wish to study abroad from going. A question on the survey dealt with this, but did not ask students how burdensome the cost was. It asked if studying abroad was a big financial concern for the student and his or her parents, and if the experience was worth the expense. The question did not facilitate a quantitative response, but has generated qualitative answers that touch on many areas of the financial aspect of making study abroad part of college. The overwhelming majority agreed that studying abroad was worth the money for the benefits they gained. However, many students had concerns about the lack of financial planning and knowledge of scholarships to help with expenses. Some students did have scholarships to go abroad, and others took out loans to go. On the opposite side of that, some students chose programs that were cheaper than the University of Idaho tuition they had been paying. Four others guessed that their programs cost roughly the same as Idaho. There were a couple notes in addition to this that since the students had chosen to study at the University of Idaho and were able to pay in-state tuition, their savings on tuition costs over the duration of their degree allowed them to go abroad. Studying abroad is an opportunity for students to meet people and make connections outside their own community. This may mean connecting with other American students who are studying in their overseas program, bonding with a host family, or locals in their new community abroad. Figure 7 shows student opinion on whether or not studying abroad has broadened their connectedness in the world. The question in this case asked students whether or not they have more friends living outside their own community after living abroad for their school term.

Yes - 89% No - 11%

Fig. 7 Students Are More Connected Outside Home Community With this question, many students commented that they are more connected with people both within the U.S. and people in other countries. Many study abroad students are placed in living arrangements with other American students, and those bonds are forged along with those with host families, language partners, and others. Social media and technology make it easy to stay in touch. After navigating the world far from home, and usually more isolated from the support system of their own communities, students gain a new level of independence as demonstrated in Figure 2. In correlation with this benefit, one question on the survey asked students how they feel about independent travel in the future. Figure 8 compares the opinions of students on the prospect of traveling alone now after navigating the world of their study abroad experience.
Yes, that sounds invigorating It's scary, but exciting I still wouldn't do it I feel more capable now

Fig. 8 Student Opinions on Solo Travel Only one student answered that she still would not travel alone, under any circumstance. The others varied in the range of still being nervous but feeling more capable now than they did before studying abroad, or fully embracing the prospect of independently navigating other countries. One of the most abstract benefits to measure is the importance that studying abroad has as a formative experience in the lives of young people. In one of the final survey questions, students were asked simply if they thought that they would be the person they are today without studying abroad, and gave room for commentary on the question. Figure 9 shows students level of agreement that they would not be who they are today without studying abroad, and demonstrates the high level of importance the experience played in their individual growth.

Somewhat agree Disagree 0 5 10 15 20 25

Agree

Fig. 9 Students Level of Agreement I wouldnt be who I am today without studying abroad In commenting on this question, students detailed some of the changes in their lives fostered by studying abroad beyond those personal changes previously discussed with Figure 2. Students mentioned the importance that studying abroad had in forming who they are now, including that it changed how they view their lives, that it helped them grow and evolve much faster than when in Moscow at U of I, and one student claimed that her experience abroad was one of the top three most formative experiences of her life. The one student who disagreed with this claim had experienced a significant amount of travel and had spent extended durations of time abroad before college, and therefore the formative aspects of studying abroad were not as significant in contrast to other travel and life experiences in general. Following the question about the formative aspects of studying abroad, the next survey inquiry seeks to understand the role that studying abroad played in offering personal and academic growth compared to staying at the University of Idaho alone. This data does not need a table or figure to compare results because student opinion was unanimous on this subject. In answering if students believed they would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at University of Idaho instead of choosing to spend a term abroad, all 28 students answered no none of the students would have experienced the same growth if they had stayed in Moscow. Commentary on this topic included discussion on the benefits of language immersion in learning in along with the fact that the levels of language classes offered at foreign universities have no equivalent in Moscow. Students also noted their improved global perspective, and that the stressful situations they encountered while abroad allowed them to grow in ways that staying in their community simply does not allow. After the list of set questions, the questionnaire also offered a space where students could add in information that they thought important beyond what was included with in the limits of the previous questions. Many students were encouraging about their experience and recommended studying abroad to all students, and were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences while wishing other students take advantage of study abroad opportunities while in college. Some also wanted to make sure they mentioned the downsides to studying abroad since the questionnaire had focused on the positive aspects. Although students would recommend other students study abroad because of those benefits gained, many wanted it to be clear that the benefits arose from challenges and stress.

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Analysis: The data gathered covers many aspects of studying abroad in effort to understand the wide range of benefits that students are able to experience. Studying abroad presents opportunities that are different than those involved with leisure travel or vacation, which is why educational travel is differentiated and put in focus for this study. In his study, Younes claims that international study transforms the student from the role of an uninvolved tourist to that of a traveler [2]. Even though 48% of students in my sample had been outside of North America before studying abroad as shown in Fig. 1, their participation in study abroad programs still afforded growth and benefits that were unable to be obtained simply by traveling alone. We see by the unanimous agreement that all students would not have experienced the same growth had they stayed in Idaho for the duration of their degree, regardless of previous travel, how greatly studying abroad affects student life in a range of ways that is special to the experience of studying abroad. In a 2009 study on second language awareness and development during study abroad, G. Lord prefaces her case study with details that study abroad programs have been shown to greatly improve students oral fluency of second language, but have lesser effects on written fluency. In analyzing her students journal entries, Lord found marginal growth in written fluency, but the student was not tested for oral fluency at all, leaving this study onesided in testing linguistic development over a study abroad term [1]. Since my study does not differentiate between the two types of fluency, but does ask if students felt their experience helped their knowledge of second language, the results rate the students perception of their language growth while abroad. Many students in my sample wrote that they experienced improved conversation ability that was fostered by interacting with host families and other native speakers. Because 93% of Idaho students agreed that studying abroad improved their second language skills, I can draw the conclusion that immersion improved their oral fluency and that they were able to build upon written fluency they had been learning before their term abroad. The only two students in the study who did not experience language growth were students who studied in Ghana and China, and had not previously studied the native languages of their study abroad destinations. Though they picked up a few phrases while abroad, they were not able to build on previous knowledge and return with improved second-language skills like the remainder of the students did. In focusing on the personal growth that students experienced from studying abroad, Younes and Salisburys studies both list some of the potential areas of growth. These include the development of sophisticated cognitive skills, a stronger and more mature personal identity, increased self-confidence, an awakened interest in other cultures, and other exciting elements of personal discovery [2, 7]. The students in my study responded positively with higher self-confidence. Along with agreement in areas listed above, they are more outgoing and open in social situations, and have more empathy for other people from their own and other cultures. They also claimed having gained perspective on their lives in the scheme of things, and tend to stress about small things less. Younes speaks to this by saying that personal revelations come about for students via coping with stress and adapting to a new environment. From this, growth occurs and a new sense of self transpires [2].

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Younes also reports that along with the personal growth, students in their study became more confident in their ability to travel in the future [2]. All the students in the sample of my study do plan to travel in the future, and 89% of them agreed that studying abroad encouraged them to do so more. Studying abroad showed them how accessible other countries are, and broke down mental barriers about the prospect of leaving home. In addition to this affect, Fig. 8 shows that almost all the students feel capable of traveling independently now. On this same trend of encouragement to travel more and navigate the world on their own, Fig. 4 shows the affect that studying abroad has had on students desires and plans to work or live abroad at some point after college. This figure shows the influence of studying abroad in increasing their interest to live or work abroad, the majority agreeing that they are more likely to do so now than they were before. Their new independence and experience of adapting to a different environment proved that they could do it again in the future. M. Younes study reports that along with the wide range of personal developments and self-discovery, studying abroad plays a role in forming and changing career goals of students. The personal benefits described above cross into influencing professional characteristics as well [2]. On the subject of students future employability, S. Opper wrote that studying abroad signals a candidates initiative, self-reliance, persistence, ability to adapt in differing cultures, and to cope with ambiguity [6]. In Fig. 2 of my study, 89% of students agreed that they are more independent and 56% agreed that they are more mature as a result of studying abroad. Along with this, the students understand the impacts that studying abroad has had on their problem-solving skills and improved resilience when faced with challenges. Opper also reported that study abroad graduates sense the impact of their stay on lifetime goals, which affects their priorities for a career via the larger scheme of things, including an overwhelming desire to live abroad [6]. Some respondents in my study reported that they are already looking into jobs abroad now that theyve returned home, and others would be willing to relocate abroad if given the chance. As seen in Fig. 4, 75% of students are more likely to live or work abroad than they were before. In correlation with this number, a study by M. Parey et. al investigates the effects of study abroad on international labor market mobility later in life for university graduates. The researchers found that studying abroad increases an individuals probability of working in a foreign country by about fifteen percent [9]. Although my study did not measure the likelihood of students actually working abroad, it measured their desire and willingness to do so, and confirmed that studying abroad had an impact on their future career plans. One student noted that although she is not interested in living abroad, she is more willing to travel for work now. Since cross-cultural understanding and global awareness were focuses in several of the articles that this study was built upon [3, 5, 6, 9], the analysis of Idaho students whove experienced improved cultural understanding is key in understanding the benefits experienced from studying abroad. Due to the rural nature of the University of Idaho, and that many students are from Idaho or the surrounding northwestern states, the broadened worldview and increased global awareness experienced is one of the most essential benefits offered by study abroad programs. As shown in Fig. 5, 93% of Idaho students agreed that they have an increased level of cultural understanding. A significant amount of those students included details that they 12

not only better understand the cultures which they had been immersed in for terms abroad, but also better understand the idiosyncrasies of American culture and its impact on the rest of the world. The only two students who felt that studying abroad had not changed their cultural understanding were those who had spent a large amount of time abroad beforehand, and already felt that they had a developed cross-cultural understanding. While Opper stated that the desire to gain another perspective on the home country is one of the common motives to study abroad [6], it seemed more like an unexpected aspect of cross-cultural understanding that was gained in my sample of students. Although students expected to, and did gain a better understanding of cultures outside their own, they were more surprised to be impacted by their newfound understanding of the United States. Some said they appreciate their own culture more now, and others are more critical of it, after living in a different country for an extended period of time. Studying abroad widens the worldview of students, and helps them be better prepared to work and live as part of a global economy. As part of this wider network of individuals, studying abroad offers students the chance to become better connected outside his or her own community. Younes describes studying abroad as an arena where a unique form of kinship emerges that is unique to study abroad [2]. Because of the high levels of stress and task of adjusting to a new different environment, the students involved in programs form bonds of friendship in the face of adversity at the same time reaching new levels of self-reliance. The relationships formed while studying abroad provide a network during and after the program has ended. In Fig. 7 we can see the broadened connectedness that students feel as a result of studying abroad, in the form of the unique kinship bonds. 89% of respondents feel they have more friends and acquaintances outside their own community now. They detailed that their new connections are both American and international individuals.

Discussion: All of this research builds on the theory that studying abroad offers a broad range of benefits to university students. In seeking to find what ways studying abroad has changed the outlook and life plans of University of Idaho students, this study has found positive results. By condensing qualitative responses and the data shown in figures within the Results section, we know that the majority of Idaho study abroad alumni have become more independent and mature, and have better developed problem-solving skills as a result of studying abroad. They are more outgoing, empathetic, and open in social situations. They are now more likely to live abroad as a result of their experience, and are encouraged to travel more in the future. They are more connected outside their home communities, and have improved foreign language skills. They have improved cross-cultural understanding and are better prepared to be citizens in a globalized society. The majority of them agreed enthusiastically that they would not be who they are today without studying abroad. And all of the students surveyed agree that they would not have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying in Idaho for the duration of their degree. All of these positive aspects brought together and cemented by the last comprehensive benefit show the importance of studying abroad in University of Idaho students academic and personal development. These students have taken advantage of the 13

benefits of traveling while young and otherwise unengaged before entering the workforce. They experienced an unparalleled opportunity to spend an extended duration in a foreign place, gaining exposure to different types of academic and cultural atmospheres. All from which, their perspectives changed to be more open and positive. Some of the studies that have been used to preface this research have used small study samples. Lord studied the experience of just one student in her analysis [1]. My sample of 28 students is large enough that it is more reliable for generalizing results, and can be applicable to a broader range of similar universities. The heavily female skewed sample may be seen as problematic (25 females to 3 males), but it aligns with the trend of female domination of most study abroad programs. M. Salisbury seeks to understand the gender gap in study abroad in her article. Salisburys is one in a growing number of studies on the subject, but the trend is still not well understood [7]. One of the drawbacks of the list of survey questions used was that some allowed for students to respond simply with yes or no answers. Where many of the participants elaborated upon their yes or no answer, some didnt. Although all the feedback was used in quantifying responses that ended up in many of the figures, the qualitative data gained from those individuals who wrote more was vital in understanding the range and depth of affects experienced from studying abroad. If this study were to be performed again in the future, the feedback could be improved if each question necessitated a qualitative response with some level of elaboration. Another limitation to this study is the campus homogeneity. According to the University of Idahos student demographic report, the student ethnicity is 80% white with the next prevalent ethnicity being Hispanic/Latino at 7%. All other ethnicities are represented with 4% or less [10]. This study did not ask students to declare their ethnicity, but this could be significant to other studies. This study also did not ask for information regarding the socio-economic status of themselves or their families. Although it did ask about the financial aspects of studying abroad, the scope of understanding this aspect is somewhat limited. However, this study did gain enough qualitative response to understand that due to the affordability of certain programs, scholarships offered, or because students at the University of Idaho are generally not spending a large amount of money on tuition, many students have the means to take advantage of study abroad opportunities. Some of the closing comments in students surveys said that because the experience they had and the benefits they gained were well worth the cost (that varied by student destination and program), they thought studying abroad should not just be an option, but a requirement, in undergraduate study it was that important for their education and personal lives. Studying abroad is not just a luxury relegated to wealthy aristocratic males anymore. Its accessible to students in many disciplines and can be accessible, with the help of scholarships and financial planning, to a huge range of students if they have the will to make this experience part of their university education. Studying abroad is incredibly beneficial in forming the kind of autonomous and capable adults that will lead this country further into the global age. In light of this research, I may go so far as saying that students who choose 14

not to go abroad are not only doing themselves a disservice by denying themselves the wide benefits possible, but also doing their country a disservice by choosing not to study abroad. Although this study does not attempt to comprehend the reasons for which students choose to study abroad or stay at home, its demonstration of the benefits acquired and weight of the experience prove that studying abroad facilitates kinds of growth that are difficult to gain in the same culmination and density at a home university.

References: 1. Lord, G. (2009). Second-language awareness and development during study abroad: A case study. Hispania, 92(1), 127-141. Retrieved from JSTOR. 2. Younes, M. (2003). The world as a classroom: The impact of international study experiences on college students. College Teaching, 51(4), 141-147. Retrieved from JSTOR. 3. Gullahorn, J.E., & Gullahorn, J.T. (1966). American students abroad: Professional versus personal development. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 368, 43-59. Retrieved from JSTOR. 4. Shank, D. (1961). The American goes abroad. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 335, 99-111. Retrieved from JSTOR. 5. Forbes, C. (2005). Taking a critical pedagogical look at travel-study abroad: A classroom with a view in Cusco, Peru. Teaching Sociology, 33(2), 181-194. Retrieved from JSTOR. 6. Opper, S. Study Abroad: a competitive edge for women? Oxford Review of Education, 17(1), 45-64. Retrieved from JSTOR. 7. Salisbury, M. (2010). To see the world or stay at home: Applying an integrated student choice model to explore the gender gap in the intent to study abroad. Research in Higher Education, 51(7), 615-640. Retrieved from JSTOR. 8. King, L., & Young, J. (1004). Study abroad: Education for the 21st century. Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, 27(1), 77-87. Retrieved from JSTOR. 9. Parey, M., & Waldinger, F. (2011). Studying abroad and the effect on international labor market mobility: Evidence from the introduction of Erasmus. The Economic Journal, 121(551), 194-222. Retrieved from JSTOR. 10. Student Demographics Report. University of Idaho. Retrieved from http://www.uidaho.edu/about/fast-facts. 15

Appendices: Appendix A Study Abroad Questionnaire 1. Where did you study abroad? 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make studying abroad part of your college experience? 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you plan to travel in the next five years? 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? 9. Did it help you learn another language? 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? But ultimately worth it? 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected now after studying abroad? 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? 15. Is there any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Appendix B Student Responses Student 1 (female) Sarah Johnson: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Barcelona, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Kind of (Canada?) 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes because I knew that I wanted to be an IS major and it is a requirement. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself?

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5.

6.

7.

8.

a. Well I have always thought I was independent, and I was to a point, but I realized after studying abroad that up until that point in my life I was extremely dependent on my friends and family. When I went abroad I knew no one I went with and you have to learn to depend solely on yourself. In that way I did become more independent and it has given me confidence to know that after college I can move wherever I want (even in the US) without knowing anyone and be completely fine. This has given me both more confidence and more freedom because I have no limits placed upon myself after graduation and I know that I will be fine and make friends wherever I end up. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. This experience has encouraged me to travel more. I have only been back in the states around three months and I am always wishing I could still be there seeing new things, places, and people. I would like to travel more than I will be able to because financially I will probably not be able to take to many trips! As soon as I do get enough money saved up I would love to travel back to Europe and visit all the friends I have made that live over there. Realistically it will take 4-5 years before that will happen. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I would love to live/work abroad but I always wanted to do that. However, after studying abroad I realized how hard it is to actually live and work abroad and all the paperwork and applications needed in order to make living abroad a reality. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Yes, I walked much more daily as driving was not an option. Even when I would take the metro (subway) it was still about a 15 minute walk from my house. In America (at least in Idaho) people are really friendly and will talk to other people/smile at them for no reason. When I was in Spain their culture was different and it was uncommon for interactions between strangers. In the States I rarely eat meat but in Spain it was given to me by my host family with every meal and that was hard to adjust to. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes, I believe my experience was extremely eye-opening. Not just in Spain, but in the rest of the world. Living abroad forces you to look at the bigger picture which is much more than what happens in the US. Hearing other people's perspective on American culture, while difficult to hear, was beneficial and eye-opening as well and forced myself to look at my own life more critically. Spain has such an interesting and different culture than Americans and was interesting to see how another culture lived.

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9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes to some extent it helped with my Spanish. However, the school we went to was strictly for foreign kids so the friends I made were from all over the world and English was our common language. This meant that we would speak almost all the time in English and my Spanish did not get practiced nearly as much as I would have liked. Also, the region in Spain that I lived in has two official languages (Catalan and Spanish). Often, people would be speaking Catalan and I would not get to practice my Spanish by listening. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Studying abroad cost me 12,750 dollars just for tuition/room and board. This did not include the money spent on airplane tickets, visa applications, travel money once I was there, etc. However even though I worried about the cost it was an experience I would not trade for anything and I have made memories and friendships that I will remember forever. I have my whole life after college to work so they six months I spent traveling and seeing part of the world is invaluable to me. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Studying abroad/traveling in Europe has connected me to many people that I still stay in contact with. I have friends in Germany, Australia, Morocco, France, Denmark, Sweden, and England that I would have never made if I didn't study abroad. Before studying abroad I was not friends with anyone outside of the United States. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I traveled with a friend five weeks before my program started and for the last two I traveled completely by myself. Although navigating alone can be a little intimidating, everything is written in English and people will help if you get lost or need help. The time I spent by myself was one of the most beneficial parts of my study abroad experience. I went to Denmark, Sweden, and Finland alone and was forced out of my comfort zone, which allowed me to open up and make friends (all of whom I still talk to today). Traveling with someone is fun and enjoyable, but I will say that the time I traveled alone was a freeing experience and was one of the best parts of my trip. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. I think I would be the same person to an extent. I have always been aware of other cultures and the faults of our own due to my interests and my major, but it has given me a different perspective on myself. I can now adapt to change more easily and realize what I truly enjoy in life. Things that mattered

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before I left to study abroad don't seem as important now that I am back and that has been a very positive thing. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No, studying abroad was immensely beneficial. I live in a sorority and meet new people all the time, but it is a different experience when I was forced out of my comfort zone (Idaho) and I was able to truly grow and change that way. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. Don't be afraid to go experience the world even if you go by yourself. It is an experience that is beneficial on many different levels and, although costly, worth it. Student 2 (female) Emilie Jeneson: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Seville, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. I had visited Canada and Mexico but not for extended amounts of time. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes! 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Both. I noticed a great change of being independent and enjoying time alone more when I was abroad than I did when I was in the United States. I was able to figure out and plan more on my own and without the help of family and friends. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Absolutely, I have had the travelers itch since the day that I came back from being abroad. Realistically I hope to travel my whole life. I hope that I come into a profession that allows me to travel around the world until I am ready to settle down somewhere. If I do not find that perfect occupation right away I hope to travel abroad at least 2-3 times in the next 5 years. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Yes, I managed to get a minor in international business when I returned in hopes that I will be able to work abroad after I graduation. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. It changed a lot of my daily habits considering I was in a foreign place and living with a host family very accustomed to a different way of life. We ate very little for breakfast, very large lunches and small meals for dinner around 19

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13. 14.

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10pm. These eating habits were very different from mine and were hard to get used to. I enjoyed that there was more fresh fruit and less preservatives in the food in Europe. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. I not only understand my own culture better now but how significant America is to other countries. I understand European cultures much more now than I did before going abroad too. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, living with a host family and meeting other Spanish people my age helped me immensely with learning the language. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. No. The cost of studying abroad for me was roughly the same amount it is for me to attend a semester at U of i. Although there are other expenses that are included in studying abroad I knew that even if I had to take out a loan it would be extremely worth the experience. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I had friends in other states and countries before studying abroad but I now have many more than I did before! I definitely try to stay in touch with them and would say I value my connections with people outside of my community more after being abroad. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I feel very capable of navigating the world but not completely by myself. It seems a little scary especially when thinking about traveling in third-world countries where I am unfamiliar with the culture and language. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No, most definitely not. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No. After going abroad, I decided I was unhappy with my major and wanted to pursue something completely different. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I would say that getting the ultimate experience of studying abroad involves staying with a host family and meeting as many local people as possible.

Student 3 (female) Carly Siegwarth: 1. Where did you study abroad? 20

a. Chengdu China 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Does Mexico count? 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Honestly, no. I didnt know until the end of my sophomore year of college that I wanted to study abroad. After hearing a lot of my sorority sisters talk about their experience studying abroad I thought it sounded like a lot of fun! 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I would say that it made me both more mature and more independent. I think compared to a lot of students I had a more unique experience while studying abroad in China. I think it was hard being on my own at times and I learned a lot about myself and how I handle certain situations. For example, if I was in a difficult situation I couldnt just call my parents up and have them help me fix the situation, I learned how to deal with things one my own. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Heck, I would love to travel more! But I need the moola! But yes, studying abroad I guess you would say opened my horizon to traveling more. Realistically, I would like to travel but Im also preoccupied trying to figure out the real world but would love to make time in the future. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Actually I have told my work that I am mobile and would love to travel for work! 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I would say that I am not picky at all when it comes to food. I will eat anything! Honestly. I feel like Im a trash can and everyone can give me their leftovers and Ill eat it. When I was in China I NEVER asked what I was eating because if I did I probably wouldnt eat it. And I dont think it changed me socially, I have always been a very social person. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. I would say that it was very eye-opening just seeing how other cultures are. I feel like we get stuck in our own ways here in the USA and have no idea how other people truly live. It made me REALLY appreciate where I live and come from. We are very fortunate. And I feel like I have a better understanding of how people live in different parts of the world. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Hell no. I walked out of my language classes crying every day because I had no idea what my teachers were saying. I pretty much got down the basics. Beer, Cheers, and Food! 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Thats why I picked China, it was cheap!

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11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes I have friends that live in other states but not in other countries. Thank gosh for Facebook or no I probably wouldnt keep in touch with a lot of them to be honest. And sadly no, I dont think I am really connected outside of my communitysorry. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Shit, I would probably get lost! But I would do it! I would bring a professional navigator with me as my side kick 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. I dont think I would be as adventurous, and probably wouldnt try to speak Chinese every time I get drunk! Gosh it gets embarrassing and my boyfriend hates it! 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No, Idaho is so small. I think people should study abroad it should be a required class or something. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I cant think of anything else I would add. This questionnaire brought me back to old memories thank you!! Student 4 (female) Madeline Kroll: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Montpellier, France 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, I had previously traveled to Canada several times and Mexico once before. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. I had some early ideas about study abroad but I was unsure of if it would fit into my academic plan and my goal to graduate in four years. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Study abroad definitely made me a more mature, independent person. Studying abroad forces you into situations where you feel insecure and uncomfortable. You are forced to rely on yourself as you explore these situations and learn how to navigate your new day to day life. I noticed that after studying abroad, little things bothered me less. The little problems became less problematic and more easily solved. I was able to show more resilience in the face of adversity. My problem solving skills became much more effective without conscious effort.

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5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Getting out of the United States and experiencing even just a small taste of everything that is out there opens your eyes to all the possibilities that world has to offer. I felt like my perspective in-terms of possibilities for my future and my life expanded immensely. Seeing France, Italy, and Belgium made my list of places I wanted to go and experience expand rapidly. Each new place I went I loved more than the last. In the next five years, I plan to focus a great amount of time, energy, and financial resources on my career here in the United States. That being said, I would like to travel to Mexico and Canada at least two times in the next 5 years and would like to go back to Europe at least one time in the next 5 years. Spain has been on my bucket list for quite some time, so if I return to Europe I will probably hit Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I would love to work abroad. If any kind of opportunity arose I would accept in a heartbeat. I definitely would have considered these types of opportunities before going abroad as well but the study abroad experience made opportunities to live and work abroad seem more accessible. Before study abroad, I would have never thought many Americans actually were successful going abroad and building lives but after seeing the large numbers of foreigners living in European countries, my perspective on the possibility of doing that definitely changed. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I ate a lot more bread and drank a lot more red wine while living in France. While my diet was minimally affected, my social interactions were much different than what I experienced here in America. Americans often open their social groups to anyone and everyone. We are constantly making new friends and adding to our collection of social acquaintances. In France I found, many natives valued quality or quantity, making it hard to break into social groups that had been in existence since the members were children. People really worked to maintain the same relationships throughout the course of their lives and would add a friend here or there, but for the most part invested in lifelong relationships. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. My experience was very culturally eye-opening. It wasnt an obvious education but a slow and quiet gathering of knowledge that occurred as I lived my life in France. There wasnt any one moment when I was like Oh, I now understand French culture but more of a gradual understanding of many differences and changes in my perspective. I do feel like after studying abroad I am more aware of the existence of different cultures. 23

9. Did it help you learn another language? a. While my French language skills improved vastly, they didnt improve as much as I would have liked. Study abroad programs often place you with other study abroad students for the sake of comfort and security when entering into an unfamiliar situation but in my experience it took away from the language integration component. I talked in English frequently with my friends and that definitely took away from my ability to fully immerse myself in the study of French language. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Study abroad was expensive compared to going to school in Moscow. My parents helped me a lot when it came to paying for things. At the end of the day, the cost was totally worth the experiences I had and the knowledge I gained. I do wish that there were more financial planning tools presented to students who are planning to study abroad. Having a plan and some options would have made the financial component of study abroad less stressful. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I have a lot of friends who I met studying abroad, who live in other states and countries. I talk to most of them between 1-3 times per month and have visited one of them twice already. Study abroad definitely helped me build a global community helping me to feel connected to many who live outside my everyday community. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Living independently will always present challenges but I feel lucky and grateful to have studied abroad in preparation for independent living. It gives you so many tools to adjust to change and unpredictable circumstances. I wouldnt say that it makes things feel less intimidating or scary but I have more confidence in myself and the tools I can apply to deal with new situations. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Yes and no. We are all who we are based on a variety circumstances and experiences. While some things are inherently you other parts of you are changed and evolve based on the life that you are living, the choices you are making, and the experiences you have. I do think that I would be a person with many similar qualities and characteristics if I had not studied abroad, I wouldnt be developed in the same way. I feel like studying abroad helped me grow up and evolve a lot faster than I would have had I just stayed in my little bubble of security in Moscow, Idaho. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? 24

a. No, studying abroad helped me get out of the day to day monotony that often weighs us down and stunts growth and experience. This growth wouldnt have occurred in the same way had I staying in Moscow. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I loved studying abroad and would whole heartedly recommend it to anyone considering embarking on that incredible journey!

Student 5 (female) Ashley Nail: 1. Where did you study abroad? b. I studied abroad in Florianopolis, Brazil. 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Before studying abroad I had been to a few countries in Europe and a few in the Caribbean. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. I knew that I wanted to study abroad as an incoming freshman but I had no idea when or where. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Studying abroad helped me to mature and gain independence. It also made me financially savvy. Studying abroad can be challenging so it helped me learn how to overcome and deal with obstacles. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I plan to travel as much as I can in the future. While abroad, I met so many people from all over the world. These friendships ignited a curiosity for me to visit destinations I would have never thought to go. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I would love to live and work abroad. Studying abroad made me realize that I could live abroad easily and enjoy it. It made the idea of working abroad realistic and obtainable. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Studying abroad in Brazil really helped me to focus on relationships with friends and family. My diet changed while I was abroad to eat like the locals do. I cant say that I missed much of the food from the US 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Studying abroad is eye-opening! I learned so much about other cultures as well as about the US. It really helps you to understand the US by seeing it from another perspective. Studying abroad also has created even more of an interest to learn about other cultures. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. I went to a country where I didnt know the language whatsoever. It was challenging but it really helped me to push myself to learn important words

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10.

11.

12. 13. 14.

15.

and phrases fast! By immersing yourself in a language it really forces you to learn it. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Parts of studying abroad were very expensive but there are so many options for students to reduce the cost. There are many scholarships available for students. I also would recommend researching the program and living options. I saved a lot of money switching from an apartment to a home-stay. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Studying abroad with a program provider allowed me to meet a lot of Americans from all over the US. It is great having a network of people to visit in the US as well as from all over the world. The bond of living in a new and exciting country is pretty hard to compete with. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I feel a lot less scared about traveling by myself after studying abroad. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Studying abroad has really helped me to grow as a person and I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Leaving the U of I to study abroad was the best decision for me. I experienced so many amazing things but I still came back and appreciated what we have at U of I. I think it is refreshing to study abroad and come back to the U of I. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. Safety is often a major concern for students. I studied abroad in Brazil which is considered to be a pretty dangerous country. I often felt safer there than I do here. I think it is important for students to make wise decisions wherever they are.

Student 6 (female) Jenny Johnson: Where did you study abroad? a. Accra, Ghana 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, Mexico. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. I knew that I wanted to travel at some point in my life (always Africa) and when I heard about studying abroad here I decided to go for it. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Definitely more independent. I had always been able to do most things on my own, but being so far from home with strangers and performing tasks I 26 1.

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6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

never had to worry about became an issue I had to get over fast. I think I am a little bit more aware of the place I live. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I definitely want to travel more. I was only able to go to a few countries and now I want to go to all. The 4 months were almost a tease. I hope to be able to go back to Africa with a NGO. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. More likely. I had always wanted to go to Africa, but I was worried that I wouldn't like being so far away without certain things. I learned while abroad that none of those things matter and that I can do it. This was a good test run. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Definitely. I actually had to explore food for options by giving everything a try. Food wasn't everywhere or easily perpared there. This has actually made me like a lot of foods I had thought I would hate. To study abroad alone you have to let down any barriers of shyness if friends are hoped for. Having only four months moved relationships along fast. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Watching so many people in a city like Accra was very interesting; the extreme poverty to the unnecessary wealth. We travelled the whole country and it allowed us to take in how different the people there live and the way we do. It gave me an appreciation for what I have here. I think I was able to understand Ghana's culture to an extent. Some of their stereotypes of American women made it a little harder to befriend just any Ghanian. Did it help you learn another language? a. No, sadly I was unable to speak their native language (Twi), but I did manage to learn a few words. But hearing many different languages around me made me interested especially traveling to Togo where they speak French. I was completely lost. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. No, it was definitely more than Idaho, but since I save so much by staying in state it wasn't very difficult. Very much worth it. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I made a whole bunch of friends all over the US, other countries and of course Ghana. I was fortunate enough to have made friends that I hope to visit in the future. This was a good way to make connections especially for out of country since this is where I hope to go. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I think it would be more boring than scary. I had to travel to Ghana alone after missing my flight and although it was scary at the time, I learned so much and think I could easily do it again. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? 27

a. I think I am the same person, but a little more directed and knowledge of the world. I know now how much I love to travel and see the world up close, which will help in my decision for a career. Also I have a better understanding of other countries. Their perception of the US and how different and similar there problems are. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Academics were never a concern for studying abroad but definitely not the same experience. Nothing can compare to living in a different country for 4 months. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 7 (male) Harry Birak: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Ingolstadt and Eichstaett, Germany. Two cities, two semesters. 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, after High School I studied in Germany in 2010. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Absolutely, as well I knew that my major (international studies) required a study abroad 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I believe that maturity is something that one is blind to, you need to have ask or have other peoples perspective to know whether you are a more mature person than when you first left. Independence, however, I can say that I have absolutely become more independent. Travelling and living alone in a foreign country will test you like no other experience to date as a 21-year-old man. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? b. I would like to travel multiple times a year. Distance is not a worry for me, however I cannot afford to travel as much and as far as I would like. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Without a doubt, YES! I love living in Germany, I hope to after my Masters live here in Germany and work here. Possibly one day call myself a German citizen. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. My diet has not changed that much I still cook all my meals just as I did at Sigma Chi, however I would say that I have become better at socializing. As well I feel more comfortable talking with people I dont know or have met only once or twice before. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now?

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a. I think you are bound to understand your own culture better when you study abroad. When you experience culture shock and homesickness, you identify what you miss and liked about your culture. After I have gotten over my culture shock (which is minimal when coming to a European country) and my homesickness, I began to take well to a German lifestyle. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. As my German teacher in High school always said The best and most thorough way to learn German is to live in Germany 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. It is, especially when I first moved to Germany the euro was gaining strength against the USD. The experience gained here is worth any cost in my opinion. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I do not have that many friends who are abroad at this time, many will go in their Senior year or they wont ever go abroad due to lack of interest. I would say I am less connected but that is my fault not because I am studying abroad. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I feel very confident travelling alone; to be honest I prefer it. I am able to find my way in the cities as well navigating the train systems and airports is very easy. It was scary at first but then I realized how much fun I can have travelling alone. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Yes I would however lack a sort of worldliness. I have been very fortunate in my life to travel abroad as much as I have but living abroad has done even more wonders for me. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Well for one my academic growth would have been stunted since I wouldnt have been able to graduate. I dont think I would be as satisfied with my life if I would have stayed in Idaho. My personal growth has sky rocketed, I can now say I have lived abroad and done well in school abroad. Additionally now I have friends literally from all corners of the world now, nothing can beat that. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? I have gained more patience since being abroad. I mean by patience is that I was very impatient with my German, I would get so frustrated when I made a mistake. I feel as though with how long I have spent learning German that I should understand and speak better German. Yet I understand now mistakes are good, they teach you lessons you wont forget because of how embarrassing the mistakes can be at times. Student 8 (female) Myriah Shaw: 1. Where did you study abroad? 29

a. Florence, Italy. 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, Although only Canada and Mexico. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. No, not at all. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I really think it has changed everything for me. I became much more independent and much less worried about what people back home thought of me-something I had always struggled with. Letting go of that made it easier to get to know myself and to love myself. Since being home I feel more capable, like any problem I have is something I know that I can manage. I take more opportunities and dont let the small stuff get to me because I now realize that there is a whole world out there with much bigger problems than mine. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. It has totally changed my future plans. I did not know where I wanted to go when I graduated college, but most people from my town dont end up moving too far away. I have already been applying for jobs in Europe, and would take any opportunity to live in a big city in the US as well. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Certainly. As I mentioned above, I really hope that is the case! 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. It may have changed my diet to the extent that I think I eat more carefully now, living in a place where food is like a ceremonial event everyday helped me to be more grateful while eating. My personal bubble was virtually popped while I was abroad. Italians kiss not just one, but both of your cheeks upon meeting you and random people will strike up conversations with you if you are walking in the same direction long enough. I miss living in a place where if you see a person in the market that you had only met once before, they will come running over to you and ask you about your day and your plans and invite you in. My hairdresser, my teachers, my neighbors all invited me over to have a meal with their families. I try to carry that out since being back, despite the confused reactions I usually receive. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. It was extremely eye opening. I got to see a lot of Europe so I got a good feel of how different each place can be, but more than anything I think I understood the US more clearly. There were things about this place that embarrassed me, as well as things that I missed dearly. But I think the most important thing I learned about cultures is just that you can never put a solid label on a place and think you know it ie-the French are snobs, Germans are strict, Americans are fat because every single place is full of all different people, and each of them have different ideas about their governments, their families, and their cultures. 9. Did it help you learn another language? 30

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

It did! I had no Italian under my belt before arriving. By the time I left I could struggle to carry on a conversation- but I could! Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Yes. My mom helped with extra living expenses and travel and I paid for the schooling expenses. Totally manageable. Worth. Every. Penny. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. My mom and I moved around a lot while I was young so Ive always had connections around the states. But now I Skype friends in Australia, Italy, Greece, France, Ireland, Spain, and the friends that I made from all over the US on a weekly basis! Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Its always a little bit scary, honestly. Traveling alone as a girl was sometimes scary for obvious reasons. But by in large, I think I could take on any place and enjoy it. I feel MUCH more capable after being abroad for whatever thats worth Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Not even close. I dont think I really knew myself before going abroad. Im still learning, but separating myself from every comfort and label that home has ever given me was just what I needed. The friends that I made there were the biggest blessing, they encouraged me to be myself and forgave me while I figured it out, and I did the same for them. Wandering through a city among strangers and knowing you are totally lost, broke, cant speak the language is so humbling. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No way! I changed my major (or now, lack thereof) to general studies so that I could study cooking, wine, art, relationships, language, religions, cultures... and all of that was such an important part of submersing myself into their culture. I grew a thousand times over as a person by taking those classes and all of my teachers were like good friends. We would go to coffee one on one and just talk about the things we were learning in class- you can cant get that here. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. No

a.

Student 9 (female) Sara Randolph: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Quito, Ecuador 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad?

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3.

4.

5.

6. 7.

8.

9.

10.

a. The summer before I went on a Mediterranean Cruise with my family. We went to Spain, Italy and Croatia. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. No, I have always been interested in traveling, but the actual thought of doing it seemed like such a foreign concept as a freshman because I had no clue how it worked. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I think that after studying abroad I have become much more independent. Being abroad forced me out of the safety zone of my friends that I have had since I was a freshman. I had to make new friends and learn to do things on my own. I would say that it also made me more mature because it is much easier for me to put things into perspective in my own life now that I have seen how other people live. I like to think that I dont worry about small things as much as I did before I studied abroad. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I definitely have caught the travel bag now that I have studied abroad. It was such a unique experience to see a different culture and now I want to see everywhere and experience everything that I can. I am very serious about traveling in the next 5 years. IT WILL HAPPEN. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. My current plans are to find a job working abroad and I attribute this to my experience that I spent abroad. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I defiantly have a craving for random Ecuadorian foods that I never had tried before I studied abroad. I also think that it has made me more social and accepting of people. Studying abroad has taught me that everyone has a story and now I am more excited to meet new people and hear their stories. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. It was very eye-opening culturally. I now have a pretty solid understanding that not everyone is going to think the same as I am, and that it is okay. Did it help you learn another language? a. It helped me learn Spanish a lot. I had taken 8 years of Spanish before I went to Ecuador and I was terrible. It really helped me being 100% immersed in a Spanish culture and that is what it took for me to learn Spanish. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Financial concerns werent as big of a concern as they should have been. I had a lot of money saved up and studying in Ecuador was very comparable to the tuition at U of I. Since it is a direct program with the U of I, I didnt have to pay a third party like USAC or ISA. Also the cost of living in Ecuador is very cheap.

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11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I made a lot of friends from different countries studying abroad. One of my very best friends is from Norway and I text her almost every day. I also have a lot of friends still in Ecuador that I talk to a lot and I made a lot of friends with people from around the USA. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Traveling the world by myself is a scary thought, but it is also exciting and maybe preferable. Studying abroad has taught me that I am able to be by myself and make things work. Before studying abroad I would never have even considered traveling by myself, but it is an option now. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. I have a very different person today then the person I was before I studied abroad. I learned a lot about myself also the experiences I have had changed how I view my life. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. I believe that no matter where you are in the world you have an opportunity to change and grow the person you are. However, being abroad is one way to accelerate that growth because you are in a culture you are uncomfortable in for an extended amount of time. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. My time in Ecuador was a very bittersweet experience. I had amazing days and terrible days. It was very hard for me to be away from my friends and family but I learned a lot about myself. I would recommend studying abroad to anyone that asks me, but I would also warn them that it isnt going to be as easy as they think it might be.

Student 10 (female) Sharon Strom: Where did you study abroad? a. Granada, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Canada 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. No 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Im more laid back and I dont stress out as much. I wouldnt say the experience necessarily made me more mature, but I definitely became more independent in that I did things to make myself happy rather than worry about fitting in.
1.

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6. 7. 8. 9.

10.

11.

12.

13. 14. 15.

Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I plan to travel a lot. This summer Ill be going to Bolivia with the EWB-UI group to help build some wells and teach hand washing to the people of Chiwirapi. Id like to go back to Europe and Id also like to go to Costa Rica. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I wouldnt say more likely. It just reinforced my desire to work in different areas of the world. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. While I was there, but once I returned I became Americanized once again. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. I definitely think I understand the European mindset/Spanish culture a lot better now. Did it help you learn another language? a. Definitely. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. I dont care what anyone says. Study Abroad is ridiculously expensive. There are always hidden costs that no one tells you about (including the advisors here) or things that you run into that you need to pay for. It was worth it, but it was suuuuuuper expensive. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I have a friend that lives in Australia. I also am still friends with a lot of people from my study abroad program that are spread throughout the US. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I would NEVER want to travel alone outside of the US (or even within quite a few parts of it). Thats just inviting trouble. You should always travel with someone for safety. Am I more confident in making travel plans-yes, but Id never go alone. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Probably not. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. No.

Student 11 (female) Ruth Reeber: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Graz, Austria. (Technische Universitt Graz & Karl-Franzens Universitt)

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2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes. I was born in Ghana and lived there until I was almost five. I traveled to Nicaragua for a short trip in 7th grade. I also went on a trip to the UK after graduating high school. Oh, and I had been to Canada several times. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes, and I began planning for it then. I worked with my academic advisor to figure out what term would be the best, and I took a bunch of classes early to make room. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I think it did help me to grow as a person. I was pretty independent going into it, but having the experience under my belt has made me a lot more confident about other hurdles. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I have wanted to live/work/travel abroad since early childhood, so Im not sure whether my study abroad experience encouraged that or just confirmed it. I am hoping to return to Ghana this summer, and as the job Im going into has paid vacation days, I hope to use those to travel internationally, as well. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. As I said before, I dont know if my term abroad really affected that interest, since it was already very strong. It definitely confirmed to me that I am an internationally-oriented person. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I got to try a lot of new recipes while I was in Austria, and some of those have carried over. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Um, this is difficult for me to answer. Im a Third Culture Kid. I dont think my term abroad had a significant impact on my ability to interact with other cultures; I brought 20 years of multicultural experience to the table and I knew more or less what to expect. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes! German. Nothing like an immersion experience to teach you fun words like Halswirbelsulenverletzungen (injuries to the cervical vertebrae, i.e., whiplashcourtesy of a biomechanics course taken in Austria). 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. I chose a program based partly on the cost; ISEP Exchange had a flat fee that was covered by my scholarship. In addition, I had saved some money up for the last few years with the goal of not having to worry while abroad. I was glad I didI got to do some pretty crazy things on a whim because I had some cash reserve, and I didnt regret getting back to the US with practically nothing in my bank account.

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11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. My parents work with international students, so I had some friends abroad before I left for Austria. I have a lot more now, though. Facebook is good for that. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. The former, yes, although I reckon that when you think hard about it, going through life is always a bit scary, regardless of age or experience. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No. I have no idea who I would be. I would have had a different set of experiences and I probably would have grown in other ways. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No. I would have grown in different ways, as I said. I probably would have gotten to take Lean Manufacturing (a mechanical engineering summer course) and had a better set of internships, so I would probably be graduating with a different and possibly better set of career prospects. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. Cant think of anything vital!

Student 12 (female) Laura Monroe: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Sevilla, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. I had traveled throughout Mexico, but never overseas. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Coming into my freshman year, I barely knew what studying abroad consisted of. It was Thanksgiving break that my best friend had opened a program catalog and was showing me the destinations she wanted to go to. After that moment I enlightened my parents that I wanted to make this fit in my four years. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Studying abroad as a sophomore definitely forced me to mature tremendously. I had never traveled on my own, not to mention understand a language where I was at the elementary level of understanding. Personally, Ive always been an independent person, however, studying abroad was a way for me to practice and grow as an individual because of the amount of time I had to explore the city on my own. b. Personal changes I noticed towards the end of my semester abroad altered my way of how I can live without being materialistic. Living in a 4x4 room, and an extremely small flat allowed me to realize that I do not need things 36

5.

6.

7.

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but rather I need experiences and adventures to be happy. My outlook on becoming a physical therapist to reach a significant salary had completely changed, and I have thus changed career paths because of the realization that I was in it for the wrong reasons. In addition to steering away from the American need for having more, I realized that the entire time I was practicing being adaptable to any situation that came my way. Whether it was taking the 30 minute metro to school, grabbing a taxi to the airport, or trying to buy groceries at the mercadora, I never knew what adventures I would get myself into and sights I would stumble upon. Adapting to a completely different way of living with my host family whom I knew nothing about in itself was a way for me to absorb their lifestyle and analyze what components I would want to apply once I was back in the U.S. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Absolutely. After studying abroad, the travel bug bit me hard. Its true that studying abroad will trigger the desire to see places youve never been to and people youve never metwanderlust. After my realization that I do not need money or things to be truly happy in life, my ultimate dream is to make enough money as an Occupational Therapist to finance my need to travel. Who knows what the next 5 years have in store, however, I plan to budget properly for a 3-week adventure somewhere around the world. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Definitely. I might be American, but my love for Europe is unhealthy. Everything about their social, family, and work life I love and would do an Occupational Therapist contract abroad in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Spains piece of toast at 8am, big lunch at 2pm, and small dinner at 10:30pm was extremely difficult at first. My entire life I have always been a cereal eater at 8am, sandwich at noon, and big steak dinner at 5pm. I came to realize that that was their secretif you have a large meal at lunch you have the rest of the day to burn it off (especially with the emphasis on walking and biking is the norm) while in America, we gorge ourselves at dinner and go right into a sleepy food coma. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. What I loved the most about being with such a tight-knit study abroad group was that when we traveled, they informed us beforehand what to kind of expect in the beginning and immersed us into various demonstrations to grasp all areas of Spanish and Portuguese culture. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least and the majority of my photos could not even capture a lot of the emotions, and situations I saw while traveling throughout Portugal, Spain, and Italy. Did it help you learn another language? a. My initial assumption of all Spaniards know English was completely wrong, however, this allowed me to grow the most out of anyone in my study abroad group. I was at the elementary level for Spanish but I had the opportunity with my school to tutor an incredible 6-year old Spanish girl 37

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11.

12.

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English. This was where I grew the most because her English level was where my Spanish level was and we worked together to get through the language barriers and learn from each other. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. I was extremely blessed as both my parents had said they would do whatever we could financially to make it work because they both regretted not studying abroad when they were in college. My scholarships transferred and whether money was an object or not, no matter what the price tag, I cannot put a price on the lessons and experiences I gained from that semester. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I was blessed to have the most incredible group of people in my study abroad group. This last summer there was 12 of us who all traveled to Chicago as it was the most central spot for all of us to meet up because each one of us was from a different state. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I couldnt go a year without seeing these amazing people. I have my host family, and the family I taught English to in Spain who I miss every single day. b. After studying abroad I wanted to motivate and influence students at the University of Idaho to experience what I had. I have been a Global Ambassador for International Studies Abroad and truly am passionate about promoting just going abroad and getting out learning and growing as a person. If all else fails after college, theres no doubt in my mind I would go straight to ISA and work for them from a corporate standpoint because they love I have for their philosophy as a program, and the directors that work there. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Theres no doubt in my mind I would travel independently, however, after studying abroad I did a lot of exploring on my own and made the realization that I want to share the experience with someone the next time I go overseas. When I stood at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar facing Africa the only thing I could think of was, damn, I wish I was standing here with someone I love. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Absolutely not. Theres no way I would be as confident in myself and know what I was born to do without studying abroad and finding a new depth to my outlook on life. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Not at all. Dont get me wrong, Moscow is an incredible place and offers so much for a college student with the incredible one on one relationship with professors and advisors. However, studying abroad youre able to utilize those core values and run with them from a networking perspective. The academic growth I gained from comparing the University of Idaho to

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Universidad de Pablo Olavide allowed me to appreciate my education back in the US. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I believe I have touched on all the key components other thango abroad and just get lost!

Student 13 (female) Ada Fryer: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. San Sebastian, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. I wanted to, but I didnt plan it at all. I decided a week before the deadline. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Yes, I think that I have grown so much. I am more aware of who I am and understand others and the world in general. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes. This summer I received the Critical Language Scholarship and am going to be studying Bangla in Bangladesh. I would like to travel as much as possible. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Absolutely 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I am more outgoing and like to talk to people who come from different cultures. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Absolutely San Sebastian is in the Basque country so I was not only immersed in the Spanish culture, but also the Basque. I feel a special connection to this culture and I know I will for the rest of my life. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes. Spanish. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. It was a concern and I had to take out loans, but it was 100% worth is. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary?

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a. I think I feel nervous depending on the country. For example I am traveling to Bangladesh which is the most densely populated country in the world so I am a little nervous, but mostly EXCITED!. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 14 (female) Lydia Leitch: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Madrid, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. yes 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. no 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Yes. I learned how easy it was to move to a new city, meet local friends and take the time to really get to know the city I was living in and appreciate it for the unique things that make it special. I also realized how easy it is to pick a city, research it, book travel tickets and just go. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes traveling is super addictive. I want to go to South America and bounce around there for as long as possible. I am applying for teaching positions down there and would ideally like to live there for at least a year. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Definitely 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Yes I try to find more natural and less processed foods. I also realized that I like fish. I try harder now to reach out to foreign people visiting or living in the U.S. and I also try harder to educate people who havent ever travelled about the importance of thinking globally. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes, I found that it was much easier to appreciate and understand other cultures than it was to realize and accept some of the U.S.s cultural/societal issues. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. yes 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) 40

11.

12. 13. 14.

a. Yes it was expensive, but it was beyond worth it and I would encourage anyone to take out a loan to make it work for them. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. yes Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Yes, it is far easier and more affordable to travel outside of the U.S. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Probably not Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No way, Moscow and the university are pretty limited in experiences that they have to offer

Student 15 (female) Sierra Buckley: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. San Sebastian, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, places in Latin America and North America, but never Europe. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I dont party as much now in comparison to when I was a freshman in college and when I studied abroad. But maybe thats just school. I dont know- I really think I got it all out of my system in Spain. Also, I know more now about renting an apartment and the responsibilities that come with it. I am more confident in trying new things and doing things on my own. I understand what goes into planning a trip. I care more about my personal appearance- no sweats allowed in Spain! 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes, but I think that is also a part of my personality. Ive always had a desire to travel. In the next year, I dont have any big travel plans that go out of the country. However, in the fall of 2014, I am trying to plan an internship abroad. Hopefully that will work out for me! From there, I have no idea. Depends on money! 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? Probably the same. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I think the biggest change, is that I enjoy meals more. Especially when going out to a restaurant, I like to sit and enjoy and try not to be in a rush.

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8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes. I have a broader understanding of European culture, though my understanding is fairly limited. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Yes and yes. I took out my first loan, which covered half of my expenses and my parents covered the other half. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes. I now have friends Ive met who live abroad and in other states. I also have many friends outside of my study abroad experience who live abroad and in other states. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Well, it may seem a little scary, but I dont think that thought would hold me back. I feel capable. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No, I learned a lot about myself while I was abroad. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No way! So happy I went abroad- an experience that changed me for the good, and Id never have it any other way. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 16 (female) Saleeha Mansour 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Bilbao, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I have become more confident in myself and my judgment. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I do want to travel much more, but that is not nesissarily linked to studying abroad. I do plan on travelling more, however, do to school I cannot predict how often. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. No. 42

7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. No. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. No. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. It helped improve my Spanish. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Yes. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, I am very connected with people outside my state and outside the country. I dont think it has changed that much after studying abroad. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I do feel capable of doing so. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Yes, I had had many experiences abroad prior to studying abroad. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 17 (female) Alessandra Minette: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Lneburg, Germany 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. No 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Most certainly. I have always been a fairly independent person, but living abroad in a country I did not speak the language fluently really forced me to be more extroverted and ask lots of questions whenever I was confused. I struggled a lot at first and my language learning curve was very steep. Luckily the locals were very patient with all the American students and this really helped to make talking to strangers far less intimidating. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes! I have always loved traveling with my family and I traveled almost every weekend while I was abroad. I love traveling so much that my grandparents 43

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7.

8.

9. 10.

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are taking me to Ireland for my graduation present at the end of May. I plan to explore many more European countries and would love to visit Japan, Russia, China, and all sorts of different places someday. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I am far more likely now to either select a career that involves at least some traveling, but probably not live abroad. I would certainly volunteer to go on trips abroad for my company if the opportunity arose. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. In Germany, and I believe in many European countries, they shop for meals daily, not for the whole week at once. I personally chose not to cook so that I could take advantage of the local cuisine and restaurants. Going to dinner with a group of friends was an amazing, close to three hour long experience each night. Servers were not always hanging around trying to rush you. They took your order and brought you your food and if you need anything else or the check you had to flag them down. It was wonderful. That time was a really nice bonding time for all of the students and we were able to enjoy the amazing food and practice our speaking skills. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. The German culture was not outrageously different from American culture. Most of the differences were small more subtle details. One example is that Germans dont usually say thank you for every little thing and tend to think that Americans are over polite. Even so, this experience led me to become more observant. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, I went to Germany to help fulfill requirements for my German minor and to really learn the language. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Not really, I received a small grant from the university and my grandma paid for part of it and then my parents paid the rest. I was able to make it worth without too much trouble. Regardless, the experience was definitely worth it! Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, Yes, and definitely! I made several very good friends with other Americans from my program and we made lots of new German friends. I also started volunteering with the international programs office and the international students after getting back and made new friends with many of the international students from places like France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, England and other places. I am still in touch with almost all of them and the friends I made during my study abroad experience. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I feel pretty independent, I was able to navigate through several foreign countries, most of which I was not fluent in the native tongue, and did just fine. Even smaller scale trips like going to large US cities and Vancouver, Canada were not really worrisome at all. I learned what to do and what not to 44

do when traveling in a city you are not super familiar with and I feel confident now in all my travels. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Probably not, I have always loved traveling, meeting new people, and learning about new cultures, but this experience really forced me to go outside of my comfort zone. The first week or so was really hard just trying to figure out how to buy even a bottle of water. Luckily I was able to adapt and learn very quickly and soon became quite comfortable in my little town. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No. I think its really important for students to have multiple school experiences with different educational systems, etc. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I would absolutely recommend studying abroad to pretty much anyone, and would tell people who are worried about finances that they can make it work. It was the most amazing experience of my life. I especially recommend studying abroad for students who are taking a foreign language and actually want to learn the language. The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it. Even studying abroad for only a summer, like me, is totally worth it. Student 18 (female) Rachel Hanley: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Barcelona, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. No 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Yes! Im a lot more independent & have a better understanding of different cultures as well as people. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. YES! Im currently looking into doing Peace Corp. after graduation or mission work abroad. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? Yes. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I have an appreciation for a wider array of foods; however, my social practices did not change. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes. 45

10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Yes, but with the help of financial aid and my parents, it was made possible. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I only have family in other states within the U.S., but now I have friends overseas all over Europe. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Yes, although I traveled with another person most of the time now I feel I can do it alone. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No, absolutely not. The experiences I had paired with the things I saw are priceless. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Definitely not! 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I studied abroad with a friend, who had studied abroad in high school. This gave my experience an extra advantage because she knew the language and had friends around Europe who I got to meet/ stay with. Perhaps, with her not with me I wouldve had a more independent experience; however, I would not have been able to experience the things I did. Student 19 (female) Brandilyn Brown: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. San Sebastian, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, I had been to Canada, Mexico, and several countries in the Caribbean. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes, wanted to since highschool. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. It made me more independent, but not particularly more mature. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes it encouraged me to travel more. I plan to travel the world several times in the next 5 years. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Yes, I am more likely to work abroad than before. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Yes. It made me recycle more and view social relationships differently. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? 46

9. 10. 11.

12. 13. 14.

15.

a. Yes, I feel more accepting of other countries and view our country differently in a more realistic fashion. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, along with obtaining a university degree in Spanish, I am fluent in Spanish. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Yes, it was financially difficult, but ultimately worth the cost. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, I know have friendships in several states and several countries who I continue to keep in contact with. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. It still feels a little scary but I feel a little more independent. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Yes, just in a different way, I would have spent more time doing something else in a positive way. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No, my university abroad had exceptional professors that I learned a lot from and meeting students from all around the United States and from another country allowed me to meet people with different backgrounds. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 20 (female) Lydia Niesen: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Luneburg (Niedersachsen) Germany 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes. Id been to Germany before along with The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and Mexico. While studying abroad I also went to Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, and the Ukraine. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Ive known I wanted to go abroad again since I was a freshman in high school. I even looked at universities internationally; unfortunately school is expensive. Up until about the end of my sophomore year I hadnt thought seriously about planning to studying abroad. That summer I got serious and did a lot of research on different programs and locations. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Studying abroad definitely made me more independent. I was independent before but going to another country where you dont know anyone, dont speak the language, or know the culture is the most awesomely scary 47

5.

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experience Ive ever had. Its hard to rely on people on whom you normally look to who are an ocean and 9 time zones away. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I have so many places I still want to go to. My travel bucket list is definitely still full even after 18 countries. As for traveling in the future; Im going to Ghana in May. And after graduation Im planning to do some sort of international volunteer work whether its Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, or some other organization. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I would love to work and live abroad. Even if its just a temporary volunteer opportunity it would be another awesome experience. My goal is to look for opportunities on other continents so I can see as much of the world as I possibly can. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Grocery stores in Germany have a different set up than American stores. The fridges in homes are also smaller so grocery runs are more frequent. Their food has fewer preservatives and is fresher than American food. Its also cheaper. My diet changed simply because the food I was used to wasnt available. There was an Irish Sports Bar in Luneburg that had Americanized burgers and would turn on the American football for us on the big screens on Sunday evenings. My roommates and I would go there probably once a month for a little taste of home. As for my social practices they definitely changed. Germans are less exuberant than Americans. There were some days when I seemed to really fit in to the point that people would often stop me on the street and ask for directions. Other days I apparently came across very American to the point where people would stare. b. When I got back my re-entry shock was almost worse than my initial culture shock. It was weird to hear and read English everywhere. All of a sudden I could understand what was going on around me. Ive kept the habit of grocery runs every couple of days and I still tend to relate things here to Europe and how they are better or worse here or there. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. My experience was a huge eye opener culturally. Until I actually lived in another country I had never really appreciated and/or disliked aspects of American culture. There are aspects from both places that I missed when they werent readily available. I definitely better understand other cultures but I can also relate to foreigners here. Ive been there when no one understands you even when you are attempting to speak the language. Ive also been lost in a country where no one spoke English and their alphabet wasnt even Phoenician so I couldnt even use context. Its scary and for people to be patient and understanding towards you are the best things that can happen in that situation. b. There is also a new understanding about language. Language is both a freer and an inhibitor. It can get you very far through life but also fail you when you need it most. One friend I met in Europe spoke 7 languages; 5 fluently. As an American that was phenomenal. Most Americans barely speak their 48

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own language or maybe 2 but to understand 7! To hear him switch from one to the other was eye opening and a little awe inspiring. Did it help you learn another language? a. I took Spanish in high school and German in college. Knowing another language, even basic conversational skills helped out with getting around the country. It also helped understand the culture that I was trying to integrate into. People appreciate when you at least try to speak their language. While my basic Spanish and German isnt anything special compared to some people it helps with other languages. Context is big when learning another language and while in another country where I didnt speak the language I could use context to at least understand street signs etc. Not having that knowledge on how to learn and understand another language would have had detrimental effects on my experience. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. My parents helped me pay for my semester abroad as did student loans through the school. It was totally worth it and not going because of money was never even an option. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Both my roommates in Germany were Americans, one from Wisconsin and one from California. I met other Americans from Nevada, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, and other states. I also made friends with others from Spain, Italy, and Germany. While staying in hostels I talked to people from Poland, Ireland, New Zealand, Bulgaria, and numerous other countries. Many of them are now friends on Facebook which is an amazing way to stay connected when there are international phone numbers and time zones to take into consideration. The biggest thing about knowing Americans from around the country is I have a place to crash should I ever need it. Some people have even gone as far as put out invitations to come visit because its easy to get really close to people when youre the only ones of your kind in an environment such as a foreign country. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Being on your own in a foreign country is a lot scary but essentially growing a pair and going for it is the only way to go. There is so much to learn just by being in a different country. There was only one place that I went where I was completely by myself and it was within Germany so I was still within my new comfort zone. Most of my travel outside of Germany was done with the American friend of mine who speaks 7 languages, which came in handy when trying to communicate. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. I dont think I would be the same person if I hadnt studied abroad. My experiences in other countries have made me a better person. I wish everyone had the opportunity to go abroad because I think it is a life changing and once in a life time trip.

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14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. I dont think I would have experienced the same personal or academic growth if I had stayed. Seeing the world has always been a dream of mine and Ive always felt that I learn better when Im out seeing it not listening to a lecture about it in a classroom. Some of the more interesting facts I learned were from a bus tour around some of the major cities in Europe (Amsterdam, Prague). As the guide talked about the history and facts on the area you were actually there seeing it. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. Everyone should go abroad! And there should be more scholarship opportunities for those who have the balls to get up and go because there are very few work choices while abroad if any and traveling is expensive. This was a fun survey to fill out. Let me know if I need to elaborate on any of my answers.

Student 21 (male) Patrick Shearer: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Pau, France, a city of 180,000 close to the natural mountain boarder of France and Spain. 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes I had been to; Mexico, Canada, England, Norway, the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, France and Botswana before studying abroad. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes from the beginning I had always felt it was a necessity to take this once in a lifetime opportunity to study in another country. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Studying abroad definitely made me more mature and independent and in a way that was never truly feasible at the University of Idaho. I have developed and changed greatly how I view myself, the importance of life and each day, as well as the importance of my friends and family. More than ever before I now see each day as an opportunity to improve myself in any way possible. I personally spend too much time drinking, watching Netflix, or wasting time on facebook while in Moscow, and studying abroad I adopted the idea that every day we should do something that makes us a better person for tomorrow. This has been done by reading more, adventuring more, or breaking out of habits and comfort zones to always try and embrace anything new! 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Although I had traveled before, I feel now like it was all just vacationing, and studying abroad not only encourages me to travel more, but encourages me 50

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to travel for extended period. I plan on traveling more, but in a similar sense of moving to a different place and actually living there like the inhabitants do au lieu of simply vacationing or visiting a place. I now have a great desire to work and live in almost any other foreign country. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Most definitely, studying abroad have given me a new found sense of independence and drive to believe that anything is possible, especially traveling and working around the world. Before I was considering becoming a lawyer, perhaps in Idaho, where now I feel it is almost a necessity to find a career that will constantly send me to new places to experience new adventures. I am now highly interested in trying to work for the State Department and finding a career that will place my in another countries working with international relations and development. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. My diet was completely changed and entirely for the better. Although I was not eating incredibly unhealthy in Moscow, there were still certain habits like snacking during the day, eating late at night, or eating food that is quick and easy (but not nutritional), all of these habits completely disappeared here in France. I am eating on a very regular schedule, three times a day, without any snacking in between. I also greatly changed my meat to vegetable ratio, and hardly ever go out to a restaurant to eat. I am eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables and cooking some delicious, yet entirely nutritious meals. These diet habits along with walking everywhere I go have resulted in me losing 60 pounds (255 to 195 lb) and I now feel incredibly more healthy and energetic every day. b. As far as social practices, studying abroad is definitely a very interesting experience because you are with people that may have similar interests and experience but everyone still starts out as strangers in the beginning. This makes choosing and making friends a very interesting development for there is definitely a long period where my group of friends was not close or comfortable enough to share anything close or personal, but by the end some of these people know me better than any of my friends back home. It also has made me more socially outgoing, even though I was already incredibly social, I am now socially engaged with people from all around the world, and especially with people who may not even speak English. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes I would definitely say so because books and television can barely teach you anything about another country that you can learn in just minutes from talking with someone who comes from there. I have made friends with people from France, Spain, Ireland, England, Russia, Japan, Romania, Germany, Colombia, China, S. Korea and many other countries that quite frankly I had only read about in books. I have learned so much about the world simply by talking to great people from all around the globe, and talking about different ways of life, differences, in etiquette and social norms. Did it help you learn another language? a. Immensely so, I cannot stress how much I have progressed in my study of French. Quite frankly I think each semester I advanced the equivalent of 2 51

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years spend at the University of Idaho. There is nothing comparable to full immersion, and having to have your brain in another language almost ninety percent of the time. One of the changes I have noticed is now I can change my head between languages, and fully hear, speak, and think in French without translating to English at all. This is a feat that was not possible before I left, and has enabled me to engage, talk, and hear more naturally and without any delay. I was also able to take an exam for a French Diploma that has higher merit than my 4 year degree from UI, which I am fully certain I would not have been able to pass if I had not studied abroad. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. No, studying abroad was very financially manageable. There are an abundance of scholarships for students who wish to study abroad, and if you do it right, will cost you less than a regular semester at your own university. Although the strength of the Euro did impact my spending habits, I believe that overall I was more responsible with my finances and still had plenty to visit other cities in France, Spain, and spend a week in Ireland. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes I have other friends who live in other countries and states, but for the most part I focused on my friends that I spent each day with, and the friends that meant the most to me back home, other than that I did not maintain a very strong level of communication with most. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I feel completely capable and independent, and have no fear of navigating or living in another country by myself, but traveling is always a thing best done with friends. Hopefully the next time I travel, I can go with someone close to me, if not, I will always be inclined to make new friends from any walk of life. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Not at all, studying abroad has greatly changed how I view myself, and how I view life. I do not think that this change would have happened if I did not study abroad. All of the changes I underwent are truly for the betterment of self, and even if I was aware of the need for these changes in Moscow, it can be a bit difficult with the habitual and almost unchanging lifestyle that is normal when surrounded by the same people and same environment for too long. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Not at all, and I am still glad and thankful I chose to study abroad, especially for a year. My French has improved in ways that are simply not feasible at UI, and myself development and growth was radically catalyzed by studying abroad. In summation I would highly recommend it to anyone, and believe the experience will have radical positive changes on anyone who chooses to do so. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? 52

a. If possible I would recommend studying abroad in a city that does not have an over prevalence of English speakers, especially if you want to see your foreign language skills and fluency rapidly develop. b. Also I would highly recommend living with a host family for one is able to practice their language skills more, but also is able to see the daily habits and lifestyle of a family from another culture which can be very educational and highly enjoyable.

Student 22 (female) Danielle Merriman: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Summer 2010- a summer research internship in Brunni, Switzerland b. Fall 2010- a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina! c. Summer 2011- a summer research internship in Loja, Ecuador 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? c. Yes, the summer before Buenos Aires I received a research position through the U of I in Switzerland. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes, absolutely. That was always a part of the plan; I am torn between knowing if I wanted to study abroad because it was a part of my international studies curriculum or if I wanted to pursue international studies because it meant that I go to study abroad. The Study Abroad opportunities with the University of Idaho were a major reason why I chose the school in the first place. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Most definitely. When you are abroad, you lose a certain safety net that you have in your home country, which forces you to grow maturity quickly. I have noticed that I trust myself more in unfamiliar situations. I feel braver, both with traveling and interacting with new people. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I definitely think so. Prior to college, I had never left the country. In the last two years of college I traveled to ten different countries on four continents. I hope to continue this in the future, either through work or volunteer opportunities although I realize that no situation will be quite like studying abroad as a college student. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I think the likelihood is about the same. In high school I chose to pursue a degree in international studies in hope that someday I would be able to work abroad. So once again, it was always a part of the plan. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I gained the most weight when I was in foreign countries- the gastronomy there is so delicious I couldnt get enough! Studying abroad did help me develop better personal finance skills.

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8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. I think it was definitely eye-opening. I would say the experience was more than eye-opening, it was eye-altering. Studying abroad is like putting on tinted glasses, you know what you are seeing, but from a different perspective. Those glasses didnt come off when I came back to the states. I feel like I have a global perception now and look at even the most familiar of situations with new eyes. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Oh yes. My german was non-existent before the internship in Switzerland. The Spanish of Buenos Aires was extremely difficult to understand (they have a very strange accent and different conjugation types) but I learned lot from being immersed. Ecuador was even more of an immersion and, once again, I was able to learn new dialects and accents. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Partially. The Switzerland and Ecuador trips were paid for by the school and I received a paycheck. Argentina, however, was more expensive than going to school in Moscow. I was on more of a budget than students from other US schools where studying abroad was cheaper than their domestic education. I received support from family and was able to have a great experience while staying within my means. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, I have friends in different states and countries. We try to stay connect as best as possible. After studying abroad, I find that I am more comfortable contacting friends after long periods of time. Although we may not talk for weeks or months, we arent afraid to reach out to one another. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I do feel independent! Like stated earlier, I feel much braver to be by myself and survive. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Definitely not. I dont think I would be as brave or as ambitious. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No, I dont think so. I grew so much at the U of I, but studying abroad to diverse places was a huge part of that. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. The U of I has so many opportunities to experience global learning. I was also able to work as an intern in the study abroad office when I returned and learned even more about international life by hearing the experiences of others. Student 23 (female) Erin Heuring:

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1. Where did you study abroad? a. Chengdu, China 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Yes both. I gained confidence and security in who I am. I was able to pursue goals when I returned to the states which I never could have imagined going after before I went abroad. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes, living abroad just gave me to desire to see more of the world. Id love to see as much of the world as possible, mainly Asia and Europe. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Yes 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Im more outgoing and try to spend as much time with other people as I can. Id consider myself more extroverted after my abroad experience. 8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes, I understand Chinese culture and Asian culture better than others who havent lived there. Im also more understanding to cultural differences and accepting of them. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, I knew no Chinese before studying abroad in China. Now Im in my 6th semester. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. No, I chose to study abroad somewhere inexpensive and flew stand-by. The only high costs I had were traveling expenses while I was there. Of course it was worth it. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. I have some friends who live in other states but not many friends abroad. My social circle is pretty much immediate. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. As a woman, I am always aware of the safety concerns which come from traveling on my own, even in the US so I probably wouldnt travel alone. But I do feel I am capable of doing so if I desired. I dont doubt myself, just dont trust other people enough to consider travelling alone. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No, every experience molds and shapes us as people but study abroad has a more significant impact than other experiences. I consider my semester in 55

China to be one of the top three most formative experiences Ive had in my life. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. Theres no way to experience anything like living in China while living in Moscow Id, so no. Academically I took intensive language courses in China which have no equivalent in Moscow. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 24 (female) Amy Congleton: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Sevilla, Spain in high school and Barcelona, Spain during the spring of 2012 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Mexico 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes I did. After doing it for a full year in high school I knew I wanted to do it again. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I noticed that I have become much more independent. Since I went with 200 strangers in high school it really showed me how easy it is to meet new people. Before leaving I was very timid and judgmental and after spending a year in Sevilla I had made a whole new set of friends, many who only spoke Spanish. It gave me confidence and I proved to myself that I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Yes. I have been bit with the travel bug. When I studied abroad last year I backpacked to 10 countries throughout Europe and I could have kept going forever. I love getting lost in a new city and I love interacting with people from other cultures. 6. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Absolutely. Now that I am confident that I can find my way in a completely foreign place I would gladly work abroad. 7. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Prior to my exchange in high school I was completely against the consumption of alcohol and Europe taught me that alcohol is a great form of socializing and I now often go out with friends to enjoy company aver a drink or two. I also adjusted to the touchiness of the Europeans. Prior to my first trip abroad I was too shy to even shake hands with someone that I didnt know. In Spain they give two kisses when meeting new people or best friends. They treat everyone with affection and that definitely took a while to get used to but I will never be shy to show affection again.

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8. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes I do. Getting to know the locals really showed me how other cultures work to live whereas we live to work. 9. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, I am now close to fluent in the spoken language of Spanish. 10. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Yes, it was very expensive but thankfully my parents helped me pay for the costs. Every penny was well worth it. 11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. One of my very best friends is from Finland and still lives there. We met at the beginning of my study abroad during my junior year of high school and we talk often now. When I went to Barcelona to study abroad the second time I flew up to see her. I also am still connected with my friends from high school in sevilla. This is a great opportunity to connect you to people around the world. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I would love to navigate more countries by myself. I feel much more independent and I feel like I have learned the skills of traveling. 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. In no way would I be as outgoing or as open-minded as I am today. Before going the first time I was very shy and sheltered, but not knowing anyone in my study abroad program forced me to become the independent, outgoing person that I am today. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No I dont, the academic experience was something that could not be taught in the United States. The life experiences learned by living in a foreign culture are something that cannot be taught from a book. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? Student 25 (male) Ben DeLawer 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Prague, Czech Republic 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. No 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. No 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself?

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5.

6. 7. 8.

9. 10.

11.

12. 13. 14. 15.

a. Yes, as a result of my study abroad experience I am much more independent and confident in myself on a higher level. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Absolutely! I am SO much more confident in traveling abroad than before I studied in Prague. I am hoping to travel to Brazil for the World Cup in 2014. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Although I am not likely to do so in the near future, the thought is much more frequent and seems much more plausible than before studying abroad. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. For the most part, my daily habits did not change. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes! Living in the Czech Republic opened to my eyes to a culture very different than the American culture. On a weekly basis at least I learned something new about their different culture and lifestyle. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, while studying abroad I learned to speak basic Czech. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. For my parents and I, the cost of studying abroad for a semester was about equivalent to a full semesters worth of expenses at U of I. And it was absolutely worth it. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes! While in Prague I lived in an apartment complex with 40 other American students, and as a result I have friends in states all across America that I keep in touch with on a regular basis. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. It does not seem scary whatsoever! Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. By no means. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No. My personal growth was exponential compared to a semester at Idaho. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I cant wait to go back to Prague!

Student 26 (female) Karlie Jeneson 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Barcelona, Spain 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? a. Yes, Spain, Peru, and Canada 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? 58

4.

5.

6. 7.

8.

9. 10.

a. Yes Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Yes, greatly. In some ways I believe that it forces people to grow up a little more. I have had to figure things out in situations without the guidance or greater opinion of anyone. I have noticed in myself to take care of somewhat disastrous situations more calmly, and I have been enabled to make smarter, more educated decisions, on a daily basis. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. My experience has GREATLY encouraged me to travel more, in the next 5 years I hope to travel at least yearly. I am even also considering taking time off completely from school to travel to a less affluent country to do service and volunteer work, and to be more immersed in a cultural vastly different from mine. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Absolutely. I am far more interested in global affairs as well as interested in serving for more volunteer services, or helping teach people English. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. Because of having more opportunity to be involved in the nightlife of a big city, it has increased opportunity for drinking and going out, however I don't think that it has been a drastic change in my lifestyle, and is not something that I take advantage of excessively. With changes in daily habits and diet, because of how my week days abroad are constantly filled, and weekends are spent traveling, it leaves less time and energy for the amount of daily exercise that I would spend in the states, which has caused me to be more aware of what I eat and how I balance the consumption of starches, especially in a country where rice, potatoes, and bread are part of daily diets. I am not able to run as much as I would like to but I have alternative outlets for exercise and have become extremely interested in yoga and meditation, and has increased my inner-peace and equilibrium abroad. It has brought me more happiness and tranquility when I have felt overwhelmed by lifestyle changes. Exercising has helped me to maintain more of a routine that has made me feel at home. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. My experience has been extremely eye-opening. I feel I understand other cultures better, however it has also enabled me to appreciate life and all the opportunities of the United States, more. Did it help you learn another language? a. More than anything! I lived in a host family, and I am constantly trying to improve my Spanish. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Not so much a concern, but much higher cost than school in the states. However, this experience is ultimately priceless, and I wouldn't trade it for all the debt in the world.

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11. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, I keep in touch with these people as often as possible, some more than others. 12. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. Yes I feel fully capable, and I think it would be thrilling to do so! 13. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. This experience has changed for the better. 14. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No, I feel my judgment and opinions of the world would be much more clouded. I am now inspired to stay on top of global current events. 15. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. I think everyone should take this opportunity if they have it! Student 27 (female) Sara Randolph: 1. Where did you study abroad? a. Buenos Aires, Argentina b. School year2011 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? Where? a. Yes, I traveled through Europe the summer after high school and I had been to Mexico a few times. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience? a. Yes, but only because of my experience in Europe. That is where I acquired the real travel bug. 4. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. I most definitely became more mature, but it wasnt always an easy experience. Id always been an independent person with super close friends/family when I needed them. In Buenos Aires, I was forced to befriend people who werent similar to me at all; in fact, the only thing we had in common was place. This made me grow as a person. b. I realized that although I love the city (I always wanted to be a Carrie Bradshawobsessed with the big Apple), I also appreciate wide open spaces and love the northwest of the states. 5. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. Definitely. During summer break in South America, I spent 6 weeks traveling in Central America and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, etc. I have a definite travel bug. Studying abroad helps students realize its not as scary or infeasible as some initially think.

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11.

12. 13.

14. 15.

b. Im moving to London permanently (well, until they kick me out) in September! I hope to travel around there and through Africa and Asia for the next three or four years. I plan to go abroad to graduate school as well. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. Yes. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. My diet was terrible. I ate only carbohydrates and drank nothing but wine. It was wonderful. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. Yes. Did it help you learn another language? a. Yes, I became mostly fluent in Spanish, but it wasnt as easy as people make it seem. The language barrier was a definite learning experience/challenge. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. It was a minor concern, but it ended up being doable. I found work for extra money (waitressing) and the cost in total was comparable to the University of Idaho. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, completely. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. The thought of traveling alone is invigorating! Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. No; it taught me more than I could have ever imagined. Buenos Aires and that time (the good and the lonely and the exciting and devastating) changed who I am as a person and I appreciate how much I grew. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience?

Student 28 (female) Danielle Merriman 1. Where did you study abroad? d. Summer 2010- a summer research internship in Brunni, Switzerland e. Fall 2010- a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina! f. Summer 2011- a summer research internship in Loja, Ecuador 2. Had you been to a foreign country before studying abroad? d. Yes, the summer before Buenos Aires I received a research position through the U of I in Switzerland. 3. Did you know as an incoming freshman that you wanted to make study abroad part of your college experience?

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4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

a. Yes, absolutely. That was always a part of the plan; I am torn between knowing if I wanted to study abroad because it was a part of my international studies curriculum or if I wanted to pursue international studies because it meant that I go to study abroad. The Study Abroad opportunities with the University of Idaho were a major reason why I chose the school in the first place. Did studying abroad make you more mature or more independent? What personal changes have you noticed in yourself? a. Most definitely. When you are abroad, you lose a certain safety net that you have in your home country, which forces you to grow maturity quickly. I have noticed that I trust myself more in unfamiliar situations. I feel braver, both with traveling and interacting with new people. Has your experience encouraged you to travel more in the future? How frequently and how far away do you realistically plan to travel in the next 5 years? a. I definitely think so. Prior to college, I had never left the country. In the last two years of college I traveled to ten different countries on four continents. I hope to continue this in the future, either through work or volunteer opportunities although I realize that no situation will be quite like studying abroad as a college student. Are you more likely to live or work abroad than before your term abroad? a. I think the likelihood is about the same. In high school I chose to pursue a degree in international studies in hope that someday I would be able to work abroad. So once again, it was always a part of the plan. Did it change daily habits like diet or social practices? a. I gained the most weight when I was in foreign countries- the gastronomy there is so delicious I couldnt get enough! Studying abroad did help me develop better personal finance skills. Was your experience eye-opening culturally? Do you feel you better understand cultures outside your own now? a. I think it was definitely eye-opening. I would say the experience was more than eye-opening, it was eye-altering. Studying abroad is like putting on tinted glasses, you know what you are seeing, but from a different perspective. Those glasses didnt come off when I came back to the states. I feel like I have a global perception now and look at even the most familiar of situations with new eyes. Did it help you learn another language? a. Oh yes. My german was non-existent before the internship in Switzerland. The Spanish of Buenos Aires was extremely difficult to understand (they have a very strange accent and different conjugation types) but I learned lot from being immersed. Ecuador was even more of an immersion and, once again, I was able to learn new dialects and accents. Was studying abroad a big financial concern for yourself/your parents? (But ultimately worth it?) a. Partially. The Switzerland and Ecuador trips were paid for by the school and I received a paycheck. Argentina, however, was more expensive than going to school in Moscow. I was on more of a budget than students from other US schools where studying abroad was cheaper than their domestic

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11.

12.

13. 14.

15.

education. I received support from family and was able to have a great experience while staying within my means. Do you have friends who live in other states or other countries? Besides family members, are you connected outside your community? Are you more connected after studying abroad? a. Yes, I have friends in different states and countries. We try to stay connect as best as possible. After studying abroad, I find that I am more comfortable contacting friends after long periods of time. Although we may not talk for weeks or months, we arent afraid to reach out to one another. Do you feel independent and capable of navigating the world totally by yourself, or does that seem a little scary? a. I do feel independent! Like stated earlier, I feel much braver to be by myself and survive. Do you think you would be the person you are today if you had not studied abroad? a. Definitely not. I dont think I would be as brave or as ambitious. Do you think you would have experienced the same personal and academic growth by staying at the University of Idaho instead of going abroad? a. No, I dont think so. I grew so much at the U of I, but studying abroad to diverse places was a huge part of that. Any extra info that you think is important about your experience? a. The U of I has so many opportunities to experience global learning. I was also able to work as an intern in the study abroad office when I returned and learned even more about international life by hearing the experiences of others.

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