So, I kept busier upon return than I had anticipated. Between visiting old friends, relatives, handling paperwork, looking into job, and more I completely forgot about writing this blog. Just as a warning, this post is going to be somewhat longer than the others but I plan on filling it with different kinds of useful information. I will start by discussing some of the differences between studying abroad and an international exchange program. Then I will move onto a few simple bits of advice that should make any experience that you have more enjoyable.
For anyone that has been reading my blog, either during my stay or any time after, I went on an International Exchange Program. This is a kind of agreement between two schools that allows free exchange of students. I went to sister school of the University of Wyoming which had some very interesting benefits. I was still enrolled as a UW student and paid UW tuition. From my understanding, this hold true no matter which of the sister schools you go to in any of the countries. I do not know if all exchanges are only with sister schools or if the tuition arrangement is true for all sister schools, but that was how my travels worked.
For anyone that has an interest in traveling abroad, there are some things that you should be aware of. The first is that you have options. At the University of Wyoming, you have three main options. You can go on an exchange as I did, you can participate in a Study Abroad Program, or you can go on a Faculty Led program. If you are a UW student, you can see the different kind of programs here. There are several determining factors that should be considered when trying to choose which experience you want to persue. Before you can really consider that, you need to know where you want to go and which options are available at the desired locations. You can also approach it the opposite way, first choosing the type of experience you want and then selecting a location from there. As I don't know what you want, i will begin by informing you about the differences in the experiences.
Part of the reason that I originally chose an exchange program is because I wanted to be put outside my comfort zone, to stand on my own, and to be forced to adapt and grow. Well, I certainly chose the right course of action for that. On an exchange program, you are very much on your own. Sure, you can always contact people at home for guidance and assistance, but all of the paperwork, planning, and follow through are on you. There will be people to help you where ever you go but you are the one in charge. You are responsible for finding housing (the university will likely have dorms or apartments available), selecting and applying for classes, filing for a residence permit, managing the transportation systems, acquiring health insurance and liability insurance, and filing for your transcript of records are all your responsibility. There are people to help you and places to go, but none of this will be taken care of or planned for you.
A Study Abroad Program is something very different. These programs are hosted and planned by some kind of 3rd party. This party may be independent of the University or it may be a program that is provided by a University, it really makes little difference. In both cases, the party running the program will handle the vast majority of the planning and execution. Housing is provided, the have people to help you and walk you through all of the steps once you arrive. In addition to this, you will also be part of a larger group and instantly be able to make more connections more quickly than would otherwise be possible. These programs also tend to be more expensive and are always paid directly to the part running the program, but for a more organized and less stressful experience, the cost balances out.
The third major option available for most students is a Faculty Led Program. These are very similar to the Study Abroad Prgroam but they are with people from your home university and are much shorter in duration. All of the Programs available at the University of Wyoming are during breaks in or between semesters. There are programs during summer and winter break as well as trips during spring break. These are very similar to the Study Abroad Programs in the fact that there is much less effort required on your part. Your major responsibilities are to get all applications turned in on time, be prepared for your trip, and to have your passport ready to go.
Which of these options you choose should be heavily influenced by the kind of person you are and the kind of experience that you want. As I said, I wanted to be greatly challenged, really develop my language skills, and be thrown into a situation as much as I could handle. I wanted to take responsibility and be able to stand on my own and have the pride that I accomplished something that few others even attempt. It was rough, it could be brutal, you know, it was life, just with an added spin to it. I was greatly challenged mentally and emotionally during my time abroad and even now I am still dealing with difficulties in logistics on both ends. If you thrive on challenges or this sounds interesting, an exchange program may be worth considering.
I have no personal experience with the other options but from the people that I have talked to I think I have a good idea of the result. If my experience sounds like it was a bit to intense for you then you might want to consider a Study Abroad Program. You will be away for a good length of time but you will have much less stress and logistics to manage. With everything already organized and with someone there to support you, you can focus on learning, growing, and having fun. There are very few people that I have talked to that did not enjoy their study abroad experience. I think the few that did either did not research where they were going and were completely surprised, or they were just not the kind of person suited for international travels. These things happen, and in order to get the best experience you can, you need to be honest with yourself and gather the facts.
The final option is very similar to the Study Abroad but much more low key. The main difference in the Faculty Led Programs is the duration. These trips tend to last anywhere from 2-8 weeks. As with the Study Abroad Program, almost everything is lined up for you. All that is really left is to research your options, be prepared, be smart, and have fun. I have not talked to anyone that regretted going on a Faculty Led Program. This may be a good place to start to see if you are interested in a longer experience. If you are, then it is easy enough to move on to one of the other two options.
Here is my biggest recommendation to improve your time abroad. Do not go alone. Now, I am not saying this for safety reasons (though depending on where you go, that may be a factor to consider), it is a connection home and makes things much easier. I am fairly independent person by nature, and I thought I would be fine alone. By the end of the trip I was wishing that I wasn't. I am not saying that people there were not polite and friendly, but it is a form of support that often goes undervalued. This is automatically taken care of if you participate in a Faculty Led Program or a Study Abroad Program. In a Faculty program you will be surrounded by students from your university and in a Study Abroad Program they people might be much more varied, but they will still be people you are connected with.
To be perfectly honest, I would not recommend an exchange program to most people. For many, I feel that one of the other two options would be a better choice. I needed to be challenged, I needed to stand on my own, and I needed to be pushed. Even with it being exactly what I wanted, I would have had a much harder time without the support from my family. This is very important if you plan to go on an exchange. Make sure that you have a support structure back home and that you have a way to access it. I was using skype frequently in order to communicate back home and gain support when it was needed. Without this, you will have a much harder time.
Throughout my trip I have run into logistical problems with my home university again and again. I do not know if this is due to a lack of research on my part, if I have not been clear in my intentions, if I made assumptions I was not aware of, or what the source of the problems has been. I do have a recommendation to help with anything that happens. Keep your emails. All of them. Every email that involved anything with your time abroad, save it. That may sound obvious, but there will be things you thought unimportant that may become very important at a later time. If fact, don't just keep them, back them up somewhere else as well. I have had several emails that have been corrupted, accidentally deleted, or otherwise misplaced. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my journey and that I have, in at least some way, helped you prepare for yours.
