See stories from GVSU Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients before, during & after their adventures abroad.
During the time I discovered I might be interested in studying abroad, I was really looking for something that would force me out of my comfort zone to help me grow personally and professionally. I really wanted to expand my cultural mindset with a personal challenge, and I know that studying abroad would exponentially help me grow.
Being the first in my family to study abroad, my parents were concerned about my safety, but I assured them I would be safe. For me, the scariest part of going abroad was the countdown to my departure to Rome. The uncertainty of what I would see and experience once I arrived was unsettling and caused some anxiety. Once I landed and headed toward my campus, I felt calm, safe and excited for the journey ahead. Studying abroad for a semester taught me that when I truly put my mind to something, I can honestly do anything. It increased my confidence to go after opportunities that may seem "out of my league."
I believe the importance of the study abroad experience is the experience itself. You grow tremendously by submersing yourself in a new culture and new environment. You realize that the world is much bigger and so different than the United States. You must change and challenge your American ways of thinking to become open to different cultural practices. My takeaway from my study abroad experience is that, yes, we have more similarities than differences. That is a beautiful realization.
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