International Exchange Programs
American Students Studying Abroad
Many Americans think "exchange student" and envision a student from another country attending classes in the United States. The International Exchange Program also benefits American students by giving them the chance to study abroad.
Why Travel Abroad in College?
Dr. Kim Gillette, Assistant Director of International Programs at Minnesota State University Moorhead, said that many American students wish to travel abroad for a number of reasons. “Some students [enter the International Program] to gain cultural experience; others see it fitting into their future career plans. Some say they’ve ‘just always wanted to do it.’”
Gillette said that exchange programs vary depending on the country to which the student wishes to travel. Fees, academic requirements, and the length of the visit often depend on which school the student wishes to attend and the qualities of the corresponding program.
Preparation for International Exchange
Eurospring is a program at MSUM which allows students to study in Oxford, England for five weeks and tour Europe for three weeks during the spring semester.
MSUM graduate, Sarah Simon, experienced the Eurospring program in 2002. “I remember having to fill out lots of forms,” said Simon. “We had to meet with someone who had gone through the program and talk to them about what to expect. Then we had to take ‘pre-Eurospring’ courses, which was four days of classes about culture-shock, the geography of Europe and some other things we would have to deal with while we were overseas.”
Abray Dombeck, who graduated from North Dakota State University, also participated in Eurospring in 2002. “I loved the experience and decided to travel to Australia through the exchange program as well,” said Dombeck, who spent a semester studying at the University of the Sunshine Coast near Malulaba, Australia.
“Australia seemed more like America than most of the places I traveled to in Europe did. It wasn’t hard to get used to. People in Australia seemed nicer than Americans,” she said. “There were little things to get used to—there are no squirrels there, but I saw kangaroos all the time. And some people put beets on their burgers there. You don’t see that here.”
Culture-Shock
Simon also mentioned a number of cultural differences she noticed in her time overseas. “I was the most comfortable in England because it was the most like America. Sometimes I even felt embarrassed to be American. Usually we really stood out. People could tell we were from the US even before we opened our mouths. People I got to know well would tell me about their stereotypes of [Americans]. Some of them seemed accurate. Everyone in America has a car. American’s seem spoiled. I learned that you really can’t know what it means to be American from the inside—the rest of the world looks at us differently. ”
Differences in food, language and the other people’s attitudes are other aspects of traveling abroad Simon said were interesting. She said many of her cultural stereotypes were disconfirmed by traveling to nations such as France, Italy and the Czech Republic. “People didn’t always speak English. I’d always thought most people just learned it in school. And, in Italy especially, people seemed more open and liberal.”
Getting Involved in Exchange Programs
Information on how to get involved in the International Exchange Program, requirements for a number of specific Exchange Program options and a variety of other useful links for college students interested in international exchange can be found at MSUM’s International Programs website. This information, and that provided by other colleges and universities, can help students make informed choices and better know what to expect when considering studying abroad.
Source
Interviews with Dombeck, Gillette and Simon, Spring 2006.
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