I have learned from studying abroad (four times now) that the education you receive while abroad is unlike any education you will receive sitting in a classroom. It is a real world, hands-on experience. Above all else, my voyage taught me to slow down and experience life, instead of rushing through it. So when I had the opportunity to study abroad again, even though it meant graduating late, I took it. Here I am today, currently studying abroad in Alicante, Spain.
I knew prior to sailing on Semester at Sea that it would be a unique experience. It offers a global comparative education (as opposed to one where you immerse yourself in just one culture), and it is one of the only programs that allows you to interact in multiple countries while simultaneously studying them in your classes. As an International Affairs major, I felt it was essential to get a better idea of multiple countries and world regions in order to understand how countries interact with one another. I sought to improve my overall worldview and to witness the interconnection (economic, social, and political) between different parts of the world. The cross-cultural quality of Semester at Sea made this possible.
Here is the key: once you go on Semester at Sea, don’t stop–keep on traveling and experiencing the world. Each journey you take after Semester at Sea will be enhanced by the experiential and global perspective you gained while at sea. You may choose to go where you can hone a language and gain an in depth experience in one place. I chose to come to Spain to learn Spanish and become further immersed in a specific culture. What will you choose?
