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Study Abroad Programs
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I went abroad to Cairo last spring as a direct enrollment student at the American University in Cairo. It was definitely an experience—at times stressful, frustrating, fun—but never boring, that's for sure. I never once felt threatened or unsafe while there, and no, burkas didn't scare me. (Most women wear regular American-style clothes in Cairo, at least.)My experience differed from a lot of other AUC study abroad students' because I lived in an apartment instead of the dorms. I kind of wish I lived in the dorms, if only because the stress of dealing with landlords, crazy roommates, strange billing, and cockroach infestations took its toll.
However, that said, I'd never go back and change my mind about studying abroad in Egypt!
I really wish I would have been able to do a study abroad program. My school didn't have one for my major so I would have had to change my major to be able to participate. But I'll make it across the pond one of these days! :)Jess, you're so lucky you go to study in Egypt! What was your favorite thing about it?
I wish I had been able to do it too, especially since it's so much easier within European Union, but I never had the money for it. One of my friends did a whole year in Paris, and I went to visit her in January!
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I decided to put off graduating and took a year to study in China. It was the most incredible growth experience ever and helped me land my first job. I also got the chance to study in Seoul, South Korea with a bunch of people from my school including one of my best friends. In the end, I was so happy I decided to take my future into my own hands and do it. Jess - I loved my life in the apartments in China... it really made me feel like part of the city as apposed to just an american in China. Though I could have done without the cockroaches as well...
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I'm in the process of doing the paperwork for Switzerland in the fall. There is SO MUCH paperwork, it's crazy! They need to know every detail about your life before you can leave the country.
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Jen, my favorite thing about living in Egypt was the flexibility to walk outside my door and immediately find something interesting to see or do. I also loved the call to prayer and visiting mosques (considering one of my majors was Religion, that probably makes sense!).Jamie, it wasn't too difficult to adjust. If I knew zero Arabic, I think that would have been the biggest difficulty, especially with landlords, bowabs (they're kind of like indentured servants combined with a butler), and day-to-day living. Though most signs are in English and in Arabic, it can be tough sometimes if you're taking taxis and you can't explain where it is you're going!
Like I said, I didn't find the typical Middle East/Arab/Muslim gender issues to be insanely oppressive. That being said, wearing pants above the ankles (like knee-length) would get you some attention from the menfolk, as would v-neck shirts of any depth. But I only wore a hijab when entering mosques (out of respect).
Outside of school, I taught English as a second language to refugees (that was definitely an experience—everyone was at different levels!). I met a lot of interesting people through that, since some refugees came from camps in Somalia, while others were displaced because of the Iraq War, but were actually moving to the United States because they worked for oil conglomerates in Iraq prior to the invasion! So that was neat.
I also got a chance to climb Mt. Sinai, visit St. Catherine's Monastery (and the Burning Bush), ride sand dunes vertically in an old Jeep, sleep in a European-style rustic hotel, visit the Red Sea and stay at a four-star resort (with the chance to snorkel—though I'm terrified of swimming without those floating noodles), climb minarets, ride camels, and get into arguments with cab drivers, random men on the street, and street vendors. All in all, it was an interesting experience!
Woo, good luck with all the paperwork, Kathleen! That sounds so exciting!
I have lived abroad twice since I started college. The summer after freshman year I studied in Athens, Greece and last fall I did an internship in Beijing, China. I am so glad I have chose to live in both of these parts of the world. I learned so much more during those two semesters than during any class I took in school. I miss being in China a lot. Everyday in Beijing was interesting and unique. I biked to work every morning while the streets came alive, passing ancient temples and crazy skyscrapers.
My favorite part of living in Beijing was meeting people from every corner of the globe. I lived the entire four months in a hostel in the heart of the embassy district, so I got to make friends with a lot of people I wouldn't have met in the good ole' (quite homogenized) Mid West.
Jess, your study abroad sounds excellent. When I was living in Greece, I visited some friends studying abroad in Cairo. They lived right near the American University and Tahrir Square. Where did you live in the city? I want to spend more time in Egypt. Cairo is such a crazy/wonderful place. Do you plan to go back? and do you want to live abroad again?
I'm going to be studying abroad in Australia next year. I'm a political science major and I find Australia's politics really interesting and am very excited to learn more about it. While this wasn't a study abroad thing, I spent six months in India last year volunteering and I can really relate to what Jess and Ali said about every day being unique. I've been missing India a lot lately, it was truly a new adventure everyday there even when I was just working.
Ali, your experience in Beijing sounds really cool! I don't know how much I would love going to East Asia—mostly because I don't speak the language, and I identify more as American and Italian than I do Korean—but everyone I've talked to has loved their experiences there.I also lived in a hostel for a few weeks before moving into my first apartment (our landlord sold the apartment to the Japanese embassy in Cairo and then told us to move out...that was fantastic!), and then again at the end (when our lease was up). It was a lot of fun!
I lived on an island in the middle of the Nile called Zamalek. You can walk from one end of it to the other in about 30 minutes max, so it's not very big. Unfortunately, AUC moved from downtown Cairo (near Tahrir) to New Cairo, which is a "suburb" of Cairo—so basically it's this fortress out in the middle of the desert. It takes anywhere from 45-75 minutes to get there, depending on traffic, weather, and time of day.
I do hope to get back to Cairo, and I'll make it a priority once I'm out of grad school (so, in another two years!). Really, the biggest expense is just airfare, which isn't even so bad. But it's also timing, and my summers will be very busy during grad school, so I think I'll end up waiting. I don't intend to live abroad again. I encountered a lot of frustration that I didn't appreciate. I wouldn't have minded if Egyptians assumed I was American, but often times they were confused as to why I was hanging out with Americans, where I learned to speak English so well (though it's my native language), etc. I also had a bad harassment experience when I was in Spain, so I don't know. We shall see. I enjoy traveling but I definitely appreciate living in the U.S., and I feel way more motivated to seek out travel and living experiences in America now. Before studying abroad or traveling abroad, I scoffed at America's ridiculous political system, its young culture, and its general lack of history. Now I've grown to appreciate it.
Jessie, India must have been really interesting! Did you stay in an apartment or did you do a home-stay? What part of India were you in?
Have a good time in Australia! The English-speaking countries haven't interested me much (in terms of immediate traveling/living), but I hear Australia is fantastic and the political system intriguing.
Wow--I am so jealous of you all! I was going to do a semester abroad but I chickened out. I thought I wouldn't be able to handle being so far away and alone from everyone I knew. Was that adjustment hard for you all?
Jess, India was very interesting. I was in southeast India, a bit inland from the Bay of Bengal. In the city that the other volunteers and I trained in we had a house that we would go back to on weekends occassionally. And in the village that I did my work in I lived in an apartment. The apartment was very interesting, as it did not have running water except for one hour per day. And yeah, I never thought I would have picked an English speaking country for studying abroad, I always thought I would do a Spanish speaking country. But it was actually while I was in India, that I met a lot of Australians, which led me to be really interested in the country and its politics.
Wow Jess! I cannot believe you were in Egypt! I have always wanted to go. I had a mummy/pyramid fascination since I was a kid. And Jessie I hope you have fun in Australia!
Last year I went on an exchange program to England. I lived there for 6 months, and I was able to travel to Paris and Barcelona.
The town I lived was very secluded. Our main attraction was ASDA (the supermarket). Thankfully London was a 15 minute trainride away or else I would have gone mad. Also the town I lived, Hatfield, is the town where "Bloody Mary" supposedly went bonkers. I kind of understood why. I was really lonely, there was culture shock (although I was coming from Canada), and I had a hard time making friends. It made me really appreciate my home, and what I had left behind. And even though I was lonely, seeing all the beautiful scenery and architecture made me forget.
Ironically enough, I miss London now that I am back.
Jamie wrote: "Julia--That sounds awesome! I'm so jealous! Did you do much traveling while you were there? "Yeah. I was there a whole year so I had the chance to visit a lot of places. I studied in Chengdu which had just had that horrible earthquake right before I got there, so I saw a little bit of the devastation... not as much as one of my roommates who actually went out to the remote mountain areas to help rebuild.
I traveled mostly around the area going to a western-china region populated mostly by Tibetans. One think I remembered while there was when my friends and I were trying to find the entrance to the mountain (three hours of stairs!) and we asked a passerby for directions (the best we could in our limited mandarin) and we realized when trying to communicate that his first language was not mandarin either, but Tibetan!
Sidenote about Tibetan men. They are Asian cowboys and I saw many a sexy man walking down Tibetan streets.
But I also went to Beijing, Shanghai, hiked around TIger Leaping Gorge, the Great Wall, Xi'an and the Terra Cotta warriors, etc.
I loved every bit of it! Especially just living among the culture. I taught English to earn some money while I was there as well, and having 7 little 5 year olds say "Julie! Pink dress!" while pointing to their doll's pink dress was so rewarding!
PSA:
Even if you have already graduated, if you have the inkling to travel and have the chance, take it! Even if its just to a part of America you have never seen! It's totally worth it!!
Jamie it's not too late to do some studying abroad :) Right now I'm reading Work Your Way Around the World, 12thand Delaying The Real World, great motivators to go travel the world!
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College Students!
Books mentioned in this topic
Delaying the Real World (other topics)Work Your Way Around the World (other topics)
For those who have/are, what has your experience been like?
I wish that I would have done a semester abroad in hindsight. I don't know why I didn't. I always love reading blogs from friends doing study abroad programs. I'm always pretty envious!