Study Abroad: Australia

Almost every peer advising session, usually between doing homework and counting the Lonely Planet books, one or more students come in wanting to know more about studying abroad in Australia. I cringe. It's nothing against Australia. I'd love to go there someday and it looks/sounds like an amazing country to visit. But the fact is, that studying abroad in Australia is usually done as a vacation, not a once in a lifetime experience. I want redirect there attention to somewhere less conventional. I want to tell them that although Australia sounds fun, they will gain more out of a less interchangeable culture. I want to tell them I've never been to Africa so you have to go for me. But then I'm left with the question: What if Australia is that ultimate new and life-altering place for them? Everybody is different, maybe Australia is where they will learn and grow the most.

I've found that peer advising the "Australia situation" is like walking a fine line. I answer their questions and help them with whatever it is I can relating to Australia, but I also ask why they want to go. Usually that can open the conversation up to other locations offered abroad. It is the best I can do to withhold my bias. I don't want to steer them away, because that is not what peer advisers are here for, but I do make sure they know there are other options.

If all goes well they leave with information on Australia as well as stacks of paper about many other, less conventional places; and I move on to playing with the Glimpse magazines.

Posted by Ian, Salvador, Brazil, Summer 2007

Movie Review: "Au Revoir les Enfants"

The other night while I was doing some homework, I was flipping through the channels on TV and came across one of my favorite movies, “Au Revoir Les Enfants,” or in English, “Goodbye Children.” It is a semi-autobiographical film, written and directed by Louis Malle. It takes place during World War II at a Catholic boarding school in France; the priests at the school are hiding a Jewish boy named Jean Bonnet from the Nazis. A great portion of the film focuses on the friendship between Jean Bonnet and another student at the school, Julien Quentin. For anyone who is interested in French culture, or even historical films, I would totally recommend this movie. I originally had seen it for one of my classes, but I have been a huge fan ever since. Louis Malle does a great job of portraying the struggles that accompanied World War II during the 1940s… Definitely check it out!

Posted by Jen, Brussels, Belgium, Spring 2007

Study Abroad with Friends?

Recently, I encountered students interested in studying abroad together in the same program, even if they both have different interests and are seeking to gain differing experiences during their time abroad. I handled the situation by asking them about their majors and if they wanted to continue taking classes abroad related to their majors. I also asked them preferences about where they would want to travel during their time abroad and tried to highlight certain programs based on their interest of travel. They seemed very set on studying together, and it was hard to accommodate both of their needs into one specific program. I let them know that studying abroad really brings people together and bonds the members of the program, so even if they did study by themselves, they would meet new people easily and make new friends in the program. I was able to recommend certain programs to them, some of the programs being different from each other and others being the same. I wanted them to definitely consider the option of studying on their own and learning to be independent and meet new people, but I also kept in mind that they were interested in studying with each other. In the end, I think I opened their eyes to the possibility of them seeking different programs, because based on their majors, traveling preferences, and other interests, they did desire diverse experiences. However, we did find several programs within Europe that did fit many of both of their interests. Hopefully based on their preferences for their study abroad experience, they will find programs that will help them gain the most out of their time abroad.
The reason why I was interested in this issue was because when I decided to study abroad in Rome, it was my first time being completely on my own without any other familiar friends or family with me. It was at first an overwhelming experience, because I knew that I didn't have anyone to fall back on right away, but after a few weeks of transitioning into the culture and meeting new people, I felt very comfortable with being by myself and knowing that I could rely on the new friends I was making. I became a lot more independent from my time abroad, which was an eye-opening experience for me.

Posted by Jill, Rome, Italy, Spring 2007