Audra DeRidder Major: Special Education and Elementary Education: Learning Disabilities and Emotional Impairments K-12 Program: Cultural Connections in Senegal Senegal, West Africa was a truly amazing and eye opening experience. Traveling across the world and living in another culture gave me the opportunity to build new connections and gain a better understanding of our world….
Category: Lessons Learned
Conquering Fears One Adventure at A Time
Dana Waddell Major: Behavioral Science Major Program: Spanish in Quito, Ecuador Over my last two weekends abroad I was able to travel to two very different areas of Ecuador. During my fifth week of the program I traveled to San Cristóbal Island in the Galapagos with five of the girls on my program, and my…
A Reflection: Being Grateful For My Experiences Abroad
Dana Waddell Major: Behavioral Science Major Program: Spanish in Quito,Ecuador My time in Ecuador has impacted my life in numerous ways. I was completely immersed in the Ecuadorian culture the minute I was welcomed by my host family at the airport. They welcomed me with open arms and I spent a great amount of time…
A Pinnacle Time to Study Abroad
Sarah Trumbull Major: Graphic Design Program: The Book of Arts in Italy “When you live in a country that’s only been formally established for a little over two hundred years, it comes to you as a starking contrast when you visit somewhere like Europe. Europe is western culture similar to our own, but different just…
Communication, Technology and Hospital Visits: Surviving Complications While Studying Abroad
Pamela Gudobba Majors: Japanese and Global and International Studies Program: Ritsumeikan University, Japan Upon arriving in Japan, I very quickly realized that I was unable to communicate some basic things. Ordering things at restaurants, asking for help at the grocery store, a lot of things that are considered normal communications back home made me really…
Brainstorming Intaglio Prints
Nicole Wetzel Major: Graphic Design Program: The Book of Arts in Italy We spent our last week abroad in Venice, where we worked with the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica. After settling into our apartments and spending some time checking out the city, we met at the studio to begin our project. Our first day was…
Grading in My Favor
Pamela Gudobba Majors: Japanese and Global International Studies Program: Ritsumeikan University, Japan Exams in Japan were definitely not what I expected them to be. Leading into exam season, I assumed I would have a lot of late-night study sessions where I tried to memorize the intimidating amount of the vocabulary and kanji I had been…
Learning to Navigate Public Transit: The Struggles of a Small Town Girl
Eden Vansicklen Major: Food and Consumer Package Goods Marketing Program: Business & Culture in Germany After about two weeks of being in Germany, I have had to use public transportation quite a bit. My program is faculty led, so public transportation is essentially written in the itinerary every day. I come from small town in…
A Changing Mind-Set
Max Wicklund Major: Film, Video, and Media Studies Program: Business and Culture in Thailand While heading to Thailand, I began to grow concern about the communication barriers I would face. We were told there would be many times that we would be left to fend for ourselves, but leading up to the trip we were…
Nos Vemos
Kelsey Dovico Fulbright U.S. Student Program: Teaching Assistant Madrid, Spain, 2018-2019 Thank you to WMU Study Abroad for allowing me to share my Fulbright experience on this blog, and thank you, dear reader! ————————- On my way out Next week is my last day at FSG and the conclusion of my Fulbright grant. This English…
Togetherness is the key to everything!
Austin Tilley Major: Nursing Program: Pura Vida: Health & Healthcare in Costa Rica During my time with my host family, I was able to overcome many of my communication barriers. My host family said I became easier to understand and have a nice fluent accent. When I arrived, I was still having to use google…
Novice Mistakes Young Travelers Make
Annika Ehrig Majors: Spanish & Sales and Business Marketing Program: Department of Spanish Program in Heredia,Costa Rica I haven’t been around as long as many of my favorite travel-influencers have been but, after traveling to my 10th country I’ve learned a lot and want to share it with anyone who wants to start traveling internationally…
Bronco Bloggers Abroad 