The Study Abroad department at WT has helped students wishing to study outside of the country to accomplish their goals. The Prairie caught up with students who participated in the Study Abroad program recently and asked them to share their experiences.
Senior Michelle Jones, an Agribusiness major, said she traveled to Argentina because it gave her the opportunity to finish her Spanish minor. International Studies Abroad, a third party program provider partnered with WT, helped Jones in her four-and-a-half month trip to Argentina.
“Two of my classes were taught in English, and the rest were in Spanish,” Jones said. “I am now much more confident in my skills. I’m not fluent, but I’m better.”
Senior Mariela Mendoza, a Math major, also traveled through the ISA program to Granada, Spain, for one month.
“Studying abroad was one of the best experiences I have done in my life,” she said. “The only thing I would have changed about it is being able to stay longer than just a month.”
Senior Electronic Media major J.R. Alvarado traveled to Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan, for two weeks with the Communication Department on a faculty led trip.
“The trip was awesome. Period,” Alvarado said. “The most memorable part of the trip was dancing “Gangnam Style” with the locals in Seoul, South Korea. I’m a die-hard fan of PSY.”
Jones said her trip changed her perspective on WT.
“I am definitely grateful to be back here around people that have similar backgrounds as me,” she said. “It made me appreciate home more, but I’m glad I got to experience something different while I was in Argentina.”
Alvarado gained a new outlook on education from his trip to Asia.
“The trip changed me in several different ways,” he said. “I saw education as more than a pleasure, but a privilege. Education is everything in Asia.”
WT students should be more aware of the opportunities they have to study abroad, Mendoza said.
Both Jones and Mendoza each traveled alone to different countries, where they then had classes with students from other universities. Jones said that it was a little tougher for her since it was a full semester trip and her first time outside of the country.
“I would recommend studying abroad, but if it’s your first time leaving the country like it was mine, then I’d recommend going on a faculty led trip or summer session,” she said.
Mendoza said she would like to go on another study abroad trip.
“I now want to travel all over the world and experience different cultures,” she said.
Alvarado said that it was hard to find the means to travel on a study abroad trip but he is interested in traveling to Peru on another faculty led trip coming up.
“These trips are expensive and rare,” he said. “Taking advantage of them in college is the smartest thing to do. I’ll admit, getting the money together can be a major struggle. The bigger the opportunity, the bigger the sacrifices will be, but I say again, it is worth it.”
