Allison studied abroad at St. Mary's University in England for the Spring 2014 semester (January 14 through May 28, 2014). Allison is 20 years old and is currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She is studying Early Childhood-Elementary Education and hopes to someday gain even more experience overseas.
What is one piece of advice you'd give future students traveling with your program?
Embrace the experience. That sounds like it would be a given, but there are so many instances where I saw fellow travelers complaining about cultural differences or absorbed up in life back home when they could have been truly jumping into the challenge.
Don't get me wrong - I missed my family and friends, but now that I'm home I see that importance of appreciating every single moment that you’re away.
Everyone back home will still be there to welcome you with open arms when you return, but never again will you have this experience with the same people, in the same place, and with the same opportunities.
Some days may be hard, but take it by the reigns and dive in head first. When all is said and done, you will want to be able to say without hesitation that you lived your experience to the fullest extent.
What was the best place you visited outside of your home-base city?
Over spring break, my friends and I traveled to Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. I was hesitant to travel to countries where I was so unfamiliar with the language and customs and equipped with only a loose set of plans.
However, my stay in Munich, Germany ended up being an unexpected favorite travel spot. We took opportunities for cheap travel options such as getting there from Switzerland by bus, staying in a hostel, and going on free walking tours.
This allowed us to budget money to travel outside of the city and visit the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles and war memorials such as Dachau Concentration Camp. By spending five days really becoming familiar with the city, it easily became our favorite destination.
Describe your program socially and academically.
Whenever I talk to someone about St. Mary's they are amazed by the sort of experiences I had because of the school itself. The university and students take pride in their events and constantly encourage others to get involved and join in on the fun.
Every Tuesday night the school has Pub Quiz night at their campus pub, every Wednesday features the popular Bus 2 Club where a wristband gets you transportation and admittance into a nearby club, and Fridays have campus parties in the union.The school also has a Summer Ball, Varsity Day, and many other school-wide activities.
With this many events, it almost takes effort to avoid getting involved socially. Academics are much more independently motivated. Going to class and completing work is left to the student's will because attendance grades and weekly assignments are rare. Students who find success at St. Mary's know how to healthily balance the partying and the studying.
Do you feel you got a chance to see the city from a local's perspective?
In my opinion, one of the greatest aspects of the St. Mary's program is the immersion you receive into local life. While students who opt for the on-campus housing versus home stay experience this a bit more, all study abroad students have the chance to jump right in with the locals.
Living side by side and attending class with English students plays a huge role in this, but it is really the enthusiasm of the local students to meet new international visitors that makes forming these connections so seamless. From my experience, local students are eager to take you under their wing and show you the town and central London in a way where you don't feel like a tourist but a resident yourself.
Do you think your program changed you as a person?
If you truly embrace the experience abroad and take the countless opportunities St. Mary's has to offer, I think it’s nearly impossible to return unchanged. I personally gained confidence and a deeper understanding of myself and what I want for myself in the future. I have undoubtedly caught the "travel bug" and can't imagine my life without many more adventures around the globe.
Yet, no matter where I end up in the world, I know that this program has allowed me to become more accepting and open to different cultures and experiences. Before making the trip, I only knew the cookie-cutter lifestyle of my small suburban town in Wisconsin. Now, I have lived and studied with people from all walks of life and am better equipped to appreciate the differences I will encounter in my personal and professional life.
