Hannah Goelzer, a third year Biochemistry and Biophysics major, spent five weeks of her summer exploring Paris, France. Upon returning to Oregon State, she decided to add on an International Degree in hopes of working abroad in the future. Here, she tells us about her study abroad experience with  Academic Programs International.

Paris Skyline l API Paris

Adrenaline rushed through me as I boarded my flight for Paris, France. I was so excited to cross the Atlantic Ocean for the first time that I sat at the edge of my seat for the first few hours of the flight. However, as you may know, the daunting and lengthy flight to Europe from the west coast of the United States cannot be simplified as “a flight over the big blue ocean.” After many hours of layovers and airplane food, I was just ready to lie down on any flat horizontal surface and take a nap. When the airline attendant let us know that we were preparing for descent into the Charles de Gaulle Airport, I was over-joyed with excitement until it truly hit me: I was about to live in a country whose language I had never even heard spoken before.

Many people choose to go abroad to immerse themselves into a language or culture that they have studied throughout theirHannah with Friends in Paris l Hannah Goelzer educational career; however, I took on the challenge of going to France completely blind. I met the other American students who would be in the program with me, they had all studied French for 3-7 years, and they commended my adventurous nature in taking on this challenge. The first thing we all did after landing in Paris and meeting our program leaders was have a huge Parisian dinner, which typically consists of up to seven courses and lasts a couple of hours. My peers thought it would help give me practice if I tried to order in French. I started to think they just wanted a good laugh, considering we had been traveling for the last 20 hours. The waiter found humor in my terrible accent, and soon just told me what I was trying to say. At this point, I could not wait to start my French intensive language course.

In my beginner French class there were many students from all over the world. This meant that the instructor could not speak any Hannah-in-Paris-colorEnglish because it was not assumed that we all have English as a common language. Learning how to speak French in a class where the instructor only speaks French may sound very difficult and, to be honest, it was intimidating on the first day. However, after the first week of class, my learning took off and improved exponentially. By never translating any word into English, I was able to learn the French words not by translation but by context. I had a different understanding of every word I learned that, in a way, my peers did not have. After the intensive language course was over, I had better listening skills than the other American students because I never had the crutch of an instructor with an American accent. It changed my perspective on both language and culture. There are many words that do not have an English translation, and that is what makes it so beautiful.

Speaking French is like singing a song. It is poetic in its nature, and the French love to remind everyone of its beauty. Sometimes in the language there will appear to be a random letter in between two words, and that is because there is. The French have worked very intentionally to create a language that flows with a beautiful rhythm. I will never lose the passion I have gained for the language. Still, to this day, I like to sit with an espresso, croissant, and orange juice for breakfast and email all of my French friends as if I were back in Paris.

Jordan Shields is an English major at Oregon State. In Fall 2012, Jordan studied abroad in Florence, Italy at the Lorenzo De’Medici School through API.

Wanderlust: a very strong and irresistible impulse or desire to travel the world. Nothing could be more true for me. I’ve wanted to travel ever since I knew there were roads that could take me to another place. Specifically, it has always been Italy. I talked and talked about it, until I made it happen. I don’t think anyone really believed that I would ever make it and at only 21 years old! I chose to study abroad because while I do have that strong craving to travel, I also knew there were things I needed to overcome. I’m a naturally shy person and I have a very hard time communicating with people or asking for help, and I knew without a doubt going somewhere a foreign language was spoken would force me to come out of my shell and ask for that help. I was rewarded with wonderful new friends and my favorite memories thus far in my life.

One of the best parts, if not the best part, of traveling the world was that I was able to do it with one of my best friends. I somehow convinced her to go to Italy with me; my reasoning being that she most likely will not get another chance to see the world for a long time. I know now that if she hadn’t gone with me, my experience would have been entirely different, more challenging, and probably not as fun. She brings out the best in me and I will be forever grateful to her.

I was expecting Italy to be full of romance, art, great food, and even better wine. All turned out to be true and the city where I studied, Florence, turned out to be the perfect choice. It’s a small enough city that you can walk it in a day (granted, you are dead tired by the end of it). It is home to the best red wine in all of Italy, and the architecture is out of this world. Passing the Duomo every day to get to my classes seemed like a dream and I find now that I miss the old church, it was a comfort when coming back from a long weekend; it was a symbol of home. Florence also happens to be home to Michelangelo’s David, along with countless other masterpieces, but David stands on its own and it is truly a masterpiece to behold. I know where my favorite places to eat in Florence are and I’ll forever be craving Gusta pizza and fresh gelato. I miss seeing Stefano and Anna in their little espresso shop. Italians are the friendliest people in the world if you talk to and get to know them. The people you meet are what make a place feel like home, which makes Florence feel like home to me. And it always will.

There was never a doubt in my mind that I would make it to Italy, I just didn’t know that the opportunity would arise through studying abroad, which I have to say was the best decision of my life.  I have left my heart in so many places and I don’t regret that for a second.

Erik Dove is a junior at Oregon State University, pursuing a degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and Spanish. He is an International Ambassadors for the office of International Degree and Education Abroad. Erik studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, through API.

I have many fond memories of the summer I spent studying in Spain: relaxing on the beaches of San Sebastian; enjoying tapas in La Plaza Mayor in Salamanca; hiking in the Pyrenees Mountains in the north of the country; my time in Spain was entirely unforgettable. However, I came back to the states with more than pictures, souvenirs, and memories; my experiences abroad contributed to an overall change in my academic and personal goals and gave me the opportunity to experience a culture much different than my own.

I chose to study abroad because I wanted to increase my Spanish language proficiency.  Living with a host family not only gave me this opportunity, but also exposed me to various aspects of Spanish culture. I experienced the value placed on socializing through observing my host family’s nightly outings to enjoy food and drinks with their friends. I was exposed to differences like the size of meals (small breakfast, large lunch, late-night medium sized dinner) and enjoyed the food-induced lethargy of the afternoon siesta. These experiences accustomed me to the cultural differences between the United States and Spain, and I came to appreciate the distinct aspects of Spanish life.

Throughout my experiences in Spain, I couldn’t help but think about how culture-specific aspects of life function in cross-cultural communication. Since my goal is to become a physician, I was intrigued as to how aspects of different cultures come into play in doctor-patient interactions.  My experiences abroad inspired me to incorporate elements of culture, language and communication to my existing goal of becoming a physician.  When I returned to Oregon State, I applied to the International Degree program to add an international dimension to my studies of Biology and pre-medicine.

As a whole, studying abroad was an invaluable and life-changing experience that enhanced my academic goals and inspired me to pursue international education as a secondary academic focus. I developed an appreciation for differences in cultures and an interest in how these differences affect interactions between people of different backgrounds.  My study abroad experience in Spain has become a foundation for my academic and career goals, and has given me the drive to develop cultural knowledge and language proficiency to internationalize my education.