Illustration by Mariana Hernandez
As do nearly half of all Emory students, I studied abroad. My best friends did, too. Truth be told, I work in the Center for International Programs Abroad (CIPA), so I probably hear more stories about study abroad experiences than 95 percent of Emory students. Guess what: I’m still not sick of them.
Some people are, though. Goizueta Business School junior Jenna Kingsley, in her Sept. 5 op-ed “Stop Preaching About Your Study Abroad Experience,” bemoaned the repetitive stories told by students who have gone abroad and returned to Emory with a newfound appreciation and understanding of other cultures. For those of you who would rather drop dead than hear another such story, I urge you to listen even more carefully instead because you seem to be missing the point of well-told study abroad stories. To dismiss these stories and the people who share them as inconsiderate of those who stay in Atlanta throughout their college career is not only misinformed, but also dangerous, as it silences stories that some people need to hear.
What is the point of these stories? First of all, it is not to shame you for choosing not to study abroad. In fact, most of the stories people tell you about their experiences abroad are stories about themselves, not you. They’re telling you about how they overcame obstacles and about what they gained from immersion in another society. They aren’t preaching to you, telling you that if you don’t study abroad, you’re damned. They’re telling you that a study abroad experience is an option, and a valuable one at that.
Essentially, the point of study abroad stories is to share narratives that enrich our collective academic experience right here at Emory. Understanding global points of view, even through the occasional, vapid story of a night out in a new city, enhances the quality of our education and allows students to frame their lives and lessons here in terms of what’s going on outside of the “Emory bubble.” Can you do that if you haven’t been abroad? Certainly! Emory is a cultural hub in metropolitan Atlanta, where you can meet and collaborate with people from a variety of backgrounds. However, even though it is very possible to develop an open-minded, global worldview at the Dobbs University Center or on one of your hundreds of visits to Chipotle, it’s undeniable that you acquire a more nuanced understanding of how to do so if you have been abroad.
It’s true that studying abroad is not for everyone. But it is an option available and accessible to more students than Kingsley’s op-ed suggested. If you’re worried about going abroad because you’re heavily involved in campus activities, are on financial aid or are pre-med or a double major, chances are there is a program at Emory that can accommodate your specific needs. If you are interested in learning abroad but have any of these real and common concerns, reach out to someone in a situation like your own who studied abroad anyway.
Take College senior Neha Ray, one of my closest friends. She’s pre-med, a double major, on a merit scholarship, conducted research here at Emory and holds an executive position in more than one on-campus organization. She studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, had the time of her life and reintegrated into her life in Atlanta with newfound knowledge and experience from four challenging but great months.
“Whether or not you want to study abroad is ultimately up to you,” Ray admits, “but in my experience, I found that almost all logistical concerns can be handled if you’re willing to plan ahead and are genuinely excited about your study abroad experience. Emory supports study abroad and using their resources really helps in the process.”
Ask her how she handled those concerns. If you’re worried about money, ask someone who had the same concerns you did before they went abroad. Please don’t dismiss my abroad story because you think I know nothing about your story and the reason why you didn’t go abroad. You may think that abroad alumni know “little to nothing about [scholarships]” because study abroad is expensive – but you know little to nothing about the choices that I made before I went abroad. Family finances are at the forefront of all the decisions I make, but I found a way, using Emory’s wealth of resources, to make my program work for me. Instead of dismissing that struggle, give me your patience and listen to how I solved financial issues; maybe these accomplishments are part of the reason why I am so excited to have studied abroad in the first place.
Studying abroad is a tough decision, and anyone who considers it knows about all of the questions, meetings and documents that fall on top of classes, lab, practices and group projects. So, if you have heard the truth – that studying abroad is more accessible than this month’s Wheel op-ed suggests – and still have decided that it’s not for you, then that is a decision everyone should respect.
But no matter what you decide, if you’ve educated yourself open-mindedly, researched your options, talked to others and reflected, you will not stand there and roll your eyes as a friend tells you – even for the 15th time – that mistaking a rando for John Mayer underneath the Eiffel Tower was an experience that stuck with her. Instead, you will understand at that point that your friend isn’t telling you what to do with your life – she’s telling you what changed hers.
– By Elise Riley
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
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