When I was in 10th grade, my English teacher at my German High School handed out flyers for a semester abroad. I took one home, my parents thought it sounded like a great idea and a few months later I was packing my bags to spend a semester at an American High School. As cliche as it may sound, I am convinced that my life would not have led to WT if I hadn’t been bit by the study abroad bug when I was 16.
While spending an entire semester or year abroad may sound appealing to some, it can seem daunting to others. Luckily, WT regularly offers shorter study abroad options. For example, a few weeks ago, Dr. Robert King and I led a 10-day program to Germany, Switzerland and Austria, where students studied differences in business and economic systems between the US and these countries.
So, why should you consider study abroad as a part of your educational journey at WT?
1. Earn course credits while exploring the world
An obvious reason why I think study abroad is a great option for students is that you’ll be able to earn credits towards your degree while traveling. In our study abroad course, we started off in Frankfurt, which is the financial center of Germany. We visited the European Central Bank, where the students attended a lecture on the ECB system and monetary policy.
We also visited the money museum of the German Central Bank, where the students learned about the functions of money, different forms of money, inflation and the Euro, among other things.
2. Get out of your comfort zone
With a quick Google search, I could probably pull up dozens and dozens of quotes about how one needs to step outside of one’s comfort zone to grow as a person. I am certainly no inspirational speaker, but I think it is certainly true that stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is a valuable experience. While studying abroad, you’ll be experiencing a different culture. You’ll discover that people in other countries do things differently – some of them you will enjoy, others maybe not so much. For example, it’s fun to try new foods during your trip, but after a little while, you may really miss some typical American foods. For example, most students this year did not share my excitement about rolls and jam for breakfast and were daydreaming of eggs and bacon.
3. Connect with other Buffs
Especially for students in our online programs, this is a great opportunity to meet some fellow WT students. This year’s group was a mix of undergraduate students in traditional on-campus programs and graduate students from all over the country. While pursuing a degree online can sometimes feel like a solitary endeavor, study abroad provides an opportunity to feel more connected to fellow students, professors and the university community.
4. Experience other countries in a unique way
During a WT study abroad trip, you’ll of course see some sights like any tourist would. However, you’ll also have opportunities to talk to locals and learn from their perspective in a different way. For example, on this year’s trip, we visited a small brewery in Frankfurt and the owner made time to meet us (on German Father’s Day) and tell us about what it costs to produce a bottle of beer. Afterwards, we happened to have a beer at that brew pub with employees of the German Bundesbank and European Central Bank who were happy to chat about anything economics with our group. In Salzburg, we visited a small social media marketing company and were invited to sit in on a Zoom call where they discussed current trends in marketing.
5. Have fun!
Lastly, I think this year’s and past participants will agree that study abroad trips are a lot of fun. If you would like to learn more about our Study Abroad programs at WT, please let me know!
