|
|
 |
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM - STUDENT EXPERIENCES
Ryan Gaffney How did you select your Study Abroad location? I wanted to study in Ireland based on family heritage/ancestry and general knowledge of the country. I applied for a nd received a full-tuition scholarship to study for one or two semesters in Northern Ireland at one of the three participating universities through the Irish-American Scholars Program. Why did you want to study abroad? Initially, the opportunity to study abroad had never occurred to me. In fact, one of the reasons I chose King's for my undergraduate education was because of its close location to the Greater Hazleton Area. During the fall semester of my sophomore year, however, I received an email from my freshmen Honors Writing professor about the Irish-American Scholars Program and the generous scholarship it offered for either a semester or full year of study in one of three universities in Northern Ireland . After discussing the scholarship over with my family, I decided that this study abroad opportunity could be the chance of a lifetime. Not only would I be meeting people from Ireland and all throughout Europe , but I would have the chance to truly be on my own and adjust to a new environment. I would grow to know more about myself and my world than I could ever had possibly known if I didn't accept the challenge. And for a person who had never been on an airplane before, it would surely broaden my horizons. What was the highlight of the experience? I knew that studying abroad would pose a series of personal and social challenges, but in the end, I have become a much richer and deeper person for having done it. Perhaps the greatest highlight or most beneficial asset I gathered from studying in Northern Ireland was learning how to deal with people who have different assumptions, different values, and different cultures. I was simply a guest in another country for five months, and at times the conditions I took for granted here in America were put on trial when they were at odds with those beliefs that other people from around the world were accustomed to. Living in a five person flat with students from Ireland , England , and France was probably the best experience for me. As a group, we shared our lifestyles, examined our values, and compromised on our own beliefs and habits. Personally, I met some wonderful people in Ireland , a few of whom I keep in contact with today. Being alone forced me to see me for who I am, putting my strengths to the test and thus helping me to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and thus push me further in the process of continued growth and maturation. That is definitely the Holy Cross rooted education for both the mind and the heart that King's College promised me during my first week at college. What surprised you the most? I was surprised mostly by the opinions of the people I met while I was in Ireland . It was a whole new experience living in a country where the filter on information (i.e. news, entertainment, political opinions, etc.) was not totally American, like I am used to. The lifestyle was a change for me as well, particularly because the people were much more laid back and easy going than I had ever been used to. I was amazed at how much the Irish students knew about America , in addition to the knowledge of their own country and history. In fact, I found myself lacking in a variety of American topics when conversing with these students. How has this experience affected your major and future career? The study abroad experience has enabled me to learn more about myself specifically because it forced me to be on my own and adapt to a new situation in completely different environment. During all of my medical school interviews, the Northern Ireland study abroad experience was a huge conversation piece. The interviewers wanted to know all the details about my five month stay, particularly how it impacted my life and changed my appreciation and acceptance of diversity in the world. As a future physician, this experience opened my eyes to new people and ways of life. It helped me to mature into a more cultured individual, one who can relate better to others who share similar or different opinions on aspects of life. And even more beneficial, the opportunity showed me that change is generally a beneficial thing, especially when it involves exposing yourself to a new environment that is not right in your own backyard. After spending a few months studying abroad, I felt it almost imperative to apply to medical schools that were not just in Pennsylvania or closer to home. In fact, I will now be attending a school over one thousand miles away from PA in Des Moines, Iowa . What would you tell students considering studying abroad? While the education at King's College is perhaps one of the best an undergraduate student can get, the opportunity to study in a foreign country truly adds to the learning experience and enables one to mature in a whole new way. If you have just a notion of interest in a foreign country or potentially spending some time in that culture, investigate a study abroad program that works for you. While the experience itself is by no means an easy task, the challenge that you set for yourself will help you grow in ways that will establish your own identity. The experience can add a great deal of meaning to your life and give you memories that will surely last a lifetime. No matter what your major or future career goals are, take some time to look into studying abroad before you finish your four years at King's. |
|
