The Study Abroad Blog

Why I Loved NOT Studying Abroad In London

Looking past London to the beauty of Brighton

Amanda Guarino Study Abroad Brighton England

Amanda standing on the Brighton Pier with the city in the background

I can’t tell you how many times, upon learning that I studied abroad in England, people assume I was in London. Of course, since it is the nation’s capital, it is obviously the most recognizable place and is home to many universities that Americans attend. However, my experience was a bit different, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. (more…)

Living the study abroad life with a host family in Spain

Study Abroad Student Spanish Host Family

Kerianne and her host family

Studying abroad anywhere in the world involves a degree of change and adaptation – not limited to language, culture, the metric system, living arrangements and even using public transportation to get to class. I knew what I was getting into when I willingly chose to live my life almost entirely in Spanish. From the beginning, I checked off “Only speaks Spanish” on my housing assignment form. Yup – I would be living with a Spanish-speaking host family for an entire year. Drastic language adaptation was required, for one thing, and I anticipated being a witness to Spanish family culture. (more…)

Defining the most important part of studying abroad – cultural immersion

Cultural immersion – what every study abroad advisor will tell you is the most essential part of going abroad, and what many students say justifies the cost and time spent studying in another country. I’ve realized that to most students, myself included, phrases like “cultural immersion” and “global education” seem pretty vague. I’ve decided to expand on the whole concept in this post, as it’s much easier for students to take part in the most important aspect of their study abroad experience once they actually know what it is. (more…)

The Study Abroad Blog’s Top 10 Reasons To Study Abroad

In all honesty, you’ve probably read these reasons in various posts throughout The Study Abroad Blog (or on other sites I’ve guest posted on) before. That’s because after writing for 3 years, the blog has become its own list/encyclopedia/directory/bible of reasons why you should study abroad. Whether you’re looking for the benefits of an international education, you want to justify the cost of spending the year in another country, you need to convince yourself to take the leap across either pond, or you just want one of the best reads of your life, keep your eyes moving down the page for the top 10 reasons to study abroad. (more…)

Everything you should consider when choosing a study abroad program

Chinese Wisemen Choosing A Study Abroad Program

The Three Wise Men…

One of the hardest parts of studying abroad can be choosing where and through which program you actually want to go. The good news is that while the options are endless, they can more or less be classified into 3 categories: your home university, and independent study abroad organization, or direct enrollment into a foreign university. One is no better than the other, but it still doesn’t make the decision any easier. Luckily I’ve gone through all 3, and based on my experiences here are factors you should consider when choosing a study abroad program. (more…)