My Study Abroad Story!

Hi everyone, and welcome to my first blog post! Today I’ll be explaining how I decided to study abroad and how I came to choose IES Abroad Freiburg: Environmental Studies & Sustainability. 

This story starts way back in seventh grade, when I took my first German language class. I didn’t have any particular connection to German other than the fact that my friends were also taking the class… and I had heard that French was harder. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

I realized that I enjoyed learning another language and German ended up being one of my favorite classes throughout middle and high school. Then, in my junior year of high school, I had the opportunity to participate in the GAPP exchange program. I was paired with a high school student from Tuttlingen, Germany with similar interests as me. She stayed at my house for three weeks and I introduced her to my hometown. I wouldn’t say my life is exciting by any means, but I gained a new appreciation for my hometown by showing my partner what I loved - my favorite parks and shops downtown, my school, my extracurricular activities. A few months later, I stayed with my exchange partner at her home in Tuttlingen. I went to school with her (bright and early at 7 A.M.), we explored different cities together, and I spent time with her family. For three weeks, I embraced what it’s like to be a teenager in Germany.

It was incredible, and I knew that three short weeks in Germany was not nearly enough. And I still hadn’t visited the rest of Europe, which seemed so tangible now that I was already across the Atlantic!

That moment was when I knew I wanted to study abroad in college. I also knew I wanted to go back to Germany to continue practicing my language skills and become more fluent. 

I stored the thought of studying abroad in the back of my mind my entire freshman year at Penn State. If I was ever bored, I would visit the Penn State Education Abroad website to search for programs in Germany. One program sounded perfect: IES Abroad Freiburg: Environmental Studies & Sustainability. It aligned with my academic interests of sustainability and ecology, and was located in a gorgeous, environmentally-conscious city near the Black Forest. This is how I first came across IES Abroad. 

Although I would end up committing to that same program that drew me in initially, my dreams of studying abroad in Freiburg were not concrete during freshman year. I was nervous that leaving the country for an entire semester would set me behind in my studies. I really wanted to choose a program that helped me progress in my degree so I could graduate on time. I was worried that the program was too expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to find financial aid. Not to mention the fact that I would be across an entire ocean for several months, and I wouldn’t have my family or friends by my side. I wanted to know that my mental and physical health would be prioritized wherever I studied abroad. With so many factors impacting my decision, I realized that I needed to talk to an unbiased source. 

So, I met with my academic advisor, who gave me some of the most empowering advice I have ever received. “This is your education, and you are in control. If you want to study abroad there is always a way to make it happen.” My advisor gave me options for fitting studying abroad into my academic plan, and directed me to a Sustainability Leadership minor, which I will be getting credit for during my time abroad. He gave me the names of financial aid advisors, who showed me scholarships that I might be eligible for. I met with another college advisor who walked me through the entire process of filling out paperwork for the study abroad application. 

In the end, I knew I wanted to study abroad and see more of the world, I just needed a push from someone else who believed in me. Even if you don’t think you have a good connection with an advisor at your university, start somewhere. Ask a friend, a professor, or a coworker who can help you weigh decisions and find the support you need.

I hope that any student who is in the process of deciding to study abroad takes these words to heart. You are in control of your own education, and if studying abroad is important to you, there are people in your community who can help make that dream come true!