Study Abroad
Rice offers a variety of study abroad and international programs that are open to all students. A little research on options reveals a world of life-changing experiences that can be found in foreign countries.
Students have the opportunity to see the beauty of distant lands and are given the chance to experience a different lifestyle at the same time.
"It [going abroad] is an amazing experience as far as getting out of your own culture and seeing that there are other possible ways to live," said Baker College junior Holly Feldman, who studied a year in Butler, Scotland.
But having these amazing experiences also means being thrust into unknown territory to be confronted with the unfamiliar customs of a new environment.
"Having to learn the culture yourself can be both interesting and frustrating. It can be a difficult transition trying to break into a different social life," said Megan Kielt, who attended Queen's College in Belfast, Ireland, during the '94-'95 school year.
According to the students, adjustment takes time and patience, but the level of personal growth that results makes the bumpy acculturation worth the wait.
"You have seen the world, met other people and gained knowledge. The fact that you've been there by yourself gives you that confidence," Feldman said.
The best approach to studying abroad is to have an open mind. Baker junior James Choi, who studied for a summer in Norway, suggests that students should just go and see what is waiting for them.
"You should not have any preconceived notions of what you are going to experience. Pre-made assumptions can only take away from your experience," Choi said.
As an added benefit, students can study abroad for degree credit, usually through government-sponsored programs here in the United States. These programs issue the transfer credit or work through a consortium of internationally affiliated universities that offer more programs than one university alone.
Transferring credits may pose a few problems, but students can easily overcome these setbacks by pre-approving their course hours with university professors in the designated department.
Lovett College senior Julie Dalton, who spent the last school year in Butler, Scotland, found the system of education there to be more appealing. The Scottish practice a different approach to teaching that incorporates a more holistic overview of the subject material. She found this method to be less difficult, yet more informative.
Alumna Ariel Strichartz, who studied a semester in Madrid, Spain, agreed that the course load was not as demanding as Rice's, but she said that this factor only adds more to the student's international experience.
"IES [Institute of European Studies] is not academically challenging ... but this is probably an advantage while you are abroad because you have more time to travel, work and explore your city," she said. In fact, according to Strichartz, some refer to the IES as "Incredibly Easy Studies."
Without a doubt, those students who studied abroad concur that it is an unforgettable experience that should not be missed.
"Do it and expand your limits!" said alumnus Saleem Assaf.
Interested?
For further information, contact Patricia Martin, associate dean of student affairs and director of international education at 527-4997, or visit the Office of Academic Advising and International Programs, located on the first floor of the Student Center.
This item appeared in the Features section of the March 15, 1996 issue.
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