Why did you decide to study abroad with AustraLearn at USP in Fiji?
Sarah: There was a statistic floating about when I was considering study abroad programs that stated that 90% of American students who studied abroad went to Europe. I’m not particularly fond of doing things that everyone else does, so I started looking into less traditional destinations. When choosing my program, I also had to find a school that would enable me to take courses directly required for my major; I was to be in my last year of school and had certain requirements remaining in order to graduate on time. Thus, when I found the University of the South Pacific, it seemed ideal—a foreign paradise with a lifestyle starkly different from mine, the ability to complete graduation requirements, and a program through AustraLearn that seemed to have all of the logistics arranged.
What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Sarah: It goes without saying that placement of the USP itself makes this study abroad experience unique and special—I still have people reacting with awe when I tell them that I lived for four and a half months in Fiji. Beyond that, I feel that this experience was special because of the nature of the university itself. USP is the primary higher education facility for twelve member nations, including Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, and Tuvalu among others. I was able to meet students from all of these nations and learn the nuances of the culture of the different pacific island countries.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Sarah: Living in Fiji was my first real exposure to life in a developing nation and the longest that I had been away from home. This showed me two things: that I was capable of being apart from my family and friends for long periods of time and that I was able to handle life without all of the comforts and amenities to which I am accustomed. In learning those two things, I have since explored the world much further.
I am currently a volunteer teacher in Guyana and probably would not have embarked on such an endeavor if I hadn’t first experienced living in a developing country through the safety of an educational institution. Furthermore, I met other students through my study abroad program from all across the United States. We have since stayed in contact and now I have a network of friends no matter which region of the states I am in.