Spring 2018

Aly Niehans – IFSA Butler Buenos Aires, Argentina 

Vitals: International Studies and Journalism majors

Goals: For my time in Argentina, one of my academic and personal goals is to become conversational fluent in Spanish, and feel comfortable speaking the language both in social and academic settings. My largest personal goal is to push myself out of my comfort zone by traveling to a country in a region I’ve never been to before and immersing myself in a culture
that is much more different than any other I have experienced thus far.

Motivation: I chose to travel to Argentina for study abroad because it is somewhere that is going to allow me to push myself out of my comfort zone both academically, through taking university level classes in Spanish, and personally by introducing me to a culture and country I have never experienced. Latin America as a region, and Argentina specifically, are very different from other places I have traveled or lived, and I’m looking forward to growing as an individual because of it.

Previous overseas travel: Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, The Czech Republic, Italy, Monaco, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Turkey

 

Kate Craemer – IES Arts & Business Barcelona, Spain

Vitals: Gender and Women’s Studies Major, Global Health Minor, Leadership Minor

Goals:

  • Try new foods that make me uncomfortable (and take a picture, too!).
  • Remember to take pictures. I am down right awful at initiating photos.
  • Not stick out as an American tourist. I know I will never fit in perfectly, but hopefully through my host family, local university class and personal motivations I can blend in.
  • Learn how to barter. I know I’ll be pegged as a foreigner and hate negotiations, but I am darn well on a budget!

Motivation: Ever since I started taking Spanish in this little before-school club during elementary school I have wanted to visit a Spanish speaking county. After years of language courses, I am excited to utilize my abilities to ease the language barriers in future environments. I also want to go abroad because I love immersing myself in different cultures. Spain is special because of the history of the groups of people who have lived there and the remnants of each culture.

Previous overseas travel:

  • For a grand total of 2 hours I have traveled to Canada and it was raining the whole time. My family adventured to see the impressive Kakabeka Falls.
  • My senior year of high school I went on a cruise where we stopped in the Grand Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Mexico.

 

Chloe Kirk – Osaka Gas Bio & Chemicals Research Intern Osaka, Japan

Vitals: Junior, Molecular Biology and Legal Studies Major, Criminal Justice Certificate

Goals: While I am abroad I hope to immerse myself in a culture I have never experienced before and learn new experimental laboratory techniques. I definitely feel like this will be out of my comfort zone, especially all the food, but I’ll try anything once!

Motivation: I decided to go abroad because I wanted the opportunity to live in a different country as well as work in an industry laboratory setting. I wanted to find a Study Abroad that allowed me to contribute to my science major, and becoming an intern for a large biotechnology industry allows me to do exactly that.

Previous overseas travel: England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Greece, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ghana.

 

Quinn Beaupre –  University of Bonn, Germany

Vitals: German and Art Major

Goals: Really looking forward to immersing myself in a foreign culture and improving my German language skills. With Germany sitting in a relatively central part of Europe, it should provide a ton of opportunities to travel to different countries while abroad.

Motivation: After visiting Germany for a couple weeks in high school I have been longing to go back, and after declaring as a German major, it only seemed fitting to spend a semester there. In addition to the obvious academic benefits, studying abroad will hopefully help me to fuel my passion of photography and videography. I am extremely excited to document my travels through Germany and the rest of Europe through photos and video!

Previous overseas travel: Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Canada.

 

Emilie Burditt – Massey University Exchange Wellington, New Zealand 

Vitals: I’m majoring in anthropology and journalism, with a certificate in German.
Goals: When abroad I want to engage with locals and understand what it means to be a New Zealander. I’m hoping to summit new heights (literally and theoretically) and gain a broader definition of “diversity.” I am a huge foodie with a love for nature, so exploration is definitely on my agenda

Motivation: Wellington, New Zealand, offers me the academic opportunities that will help prosper in my UW experience. I have previously traveled to Europe and am excited to experience a new adventure I have not previously been immersed in.

Previous overseas travel: I have traveled to Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria.

 

Olivia Smith – National University of Singapore, Singapore

Vitals: major: International Studies Minor: Global Health

Goals: My main goal abroad is to improve my Chinese speaking abilities. I am so exciting to be completely immersed in the language and culture which will strengthen my skills. I am also excited to travel and explore the neighboring countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. There are a host of historical sites and scenic places that I would love to visit and explore. While abroad, I hope to gain a better sense of what it means to be a global citizen and learn ways in which I can utilize my voice to advocate for issues that are important to me. I’m looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing the challenges that lie ahead.

Motivation: From a young age, I’ve been amazed and intrigued about other parts of the world. I used to pin places that I wanted to visit on a map and have endless conversations with my cousins about places we wanted to visit one day such as Shanghai, Rome, and Melbourne. I always told myself I would visit those places one day. My desire to travel has been instilled in me to say the least. Having the opportunity to study abroad will allow me to see and experience those places in real time and allow me to gain new perspectives about the world around me. I never imaged that my first long term experience abroad would be in Singapore! Singapore is often viewed as the melting pot of South East Asia. The center of many cultures, languages, and beliefs so well blended together. Being able to study abroad in such a centered place is exciting and I am looking forward to relishing in every moment and making the most of time in Singapore.

Previous overseas travel: Nicaragua

 

Madeline Salata – UW in Florence, Italy

Vitals: Strategic Communications major, Digital Studies minor

Goals: I’m really excited to travel to so many different countries while I’m abroad. I want to explore cities I’ve never been to before and may never have a chance to visit again. I’m eager to explore different parts of Europe.

Motivation: I fell in love with Italy a few years ago on a family trip and instantly knew I wanted to study abroad there. The culture, the people, the food… It’s really unlike anywhere else I’ve been! And although I haven’t been to Florence in particular, I’m excited to immerse myself in a new city and explore Florence’s deeply rooted history and culture.

Previous overseas travel: Italy, France, Spain, England, Croatia, Switzerland, Poland

 

Arika Feils – DIS Copenhagen, Denmark

Vitals: Junior Biology Major on a Pre-Med Track, Global Health Certificate, Leadership Certificate

Goals: My ultimate goal is to immerse myself within the Danish culture to maximize my experience in Denmark to its full potential as well as to build connections with others across the globe.

Motivation: Since my freshman year, I always knew I wanted to study abroad because I love traveling and exploring new places. As a pre-medicine student, I decided to study at the Danish Institute of Study Abroad because they have an amazing core course, Medical Practice and Policy. I hope that this program will provide me with ample opportunities to compare and contrast the health care systems in Denmark, the U.S., and other countries as well as to gain medical experience and insight into the life of physicians.

Previous overseas travel: England, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria

 

Erik Helm – Aix-en-Provence, France

Vitals: Journalism and Mass Communications Major, French Major

Goals: My main goal for myself while abroad is to become fluent in the language. I’ve been taking French classes since sixth grade and I’m hoping a couple months of immersion will get me over the hump of being able to say I consider myself fluent.

Motivation: Ever since I really committed myself to French, my freshman year of college, I knew that I one day wanted to study abroad in France. After talking it over with my high school French teacher, I decided Aix-en-Provence was the right fit for me because it would force me to truly learn the language rather than being able to escape to English in most parts of Paris. Once I heard that Aix was the college town of Europe, it was really no longer much of a choice.

Previous Overseas Travel: One week in France during junior year of high school

 

Lorelei Caylor – ESC English Language Teacher Seville, Spain

Vitals: English – Linguistics major, TESOL certificate, Educational Policy certificate

Goals: Since the program I applied to is an internship to teach English, I hope to see improvement in my students’ confidence using the language. Professionally, I hope the experience will help me improve my Spanish and teaching skills. Personally, I want to make the most of my time in Europe by using any free time to travel as much as possible.

Motivation: I have wanted to study abroad since high school, but expected it to be a more traditional study abroad experience. However, the chance to gain experience with a possible career path was too practical to not apply for. Not to mention, teaching will allow me to meet a much wider variety of people (as opposed to only other college students), so I will learn about many different aspects of life in Spain that I might not have otherwise.

Previous overseas travel: England, France, Spain

 

Leah Kersten – Cardiff University, Wales

Vitals: Senior, English Literature Major

Goals: I am excited study English Literature at one of its birthplaces, and to travel the UK and Europe. I am most excited to learn about the history all of the UK and Europe have to offer, especially Wales. I love architecture and nature, so the many castles, manors, countrysides, mountains, cities, buildings, and skyscrapers the UK and Europe have will be amazing to explore! I hope to learn at least a few words in Welsh! Overall I want to immerse myself into the culture of Wales, and become more than just a tourist.

Motivation: I am particularly interested in the Welsh language and heritage, so that is why I chose to study in Cardiff, Wales. I always take the opportunity to travel, so I want to make the most of my study abroad experience by exploring the rest of the UK and Europe. I therefore decided Wales was a good home-base to achieve my goals of studying my major at one of its birthplaces, and to accommodate my passion for traveling. I also want to learn a new language, so Welsh will be an amazing and challenging language to learn!

Previous overseas travel: Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Dominican Republic