A Trip Around the World – or The Commons
One of my biggest regrets of my undergrad years is that I never took advantage of the opportunities that Arcadia offers for students to visit a different country. At Arcadia, we are able to go abroad in our first year (this also applies to transfer students who are new to Arcadia) with Preview, as an upperclassman or even a grad student with a Global Field Study (GFS), or as students of any year except first semester freshmen with Arcadia Abroad. If you’re interested in exploring your options, you can schedule a meeting with a Study Abroad Advisor through the Division of Civic and Global Engagement.
With Preview and GFS, during the spring semester, students take a semester-long course where they learn about a given region in preparation for a week-long visit. It’s an opportunity to explore culture, art, and geography both in the classroom and in real life. With Arcadia Abroad, students get to do a semester of classes in their country of choice, as long as they get accepted to the school that is there. Though you do not necessarily need to know the primary language of the country you are going to, Arcadia does have a polyglot club for you to learn a few things beforehand. At the end of the spring semester, students from these classes share what they learned and experienced at an event called the Global Expo.
At this year’s Global Expo on April 14, students presented displays about their experiences abroad. They also brought food and drinks for attendees to try from the countries they visited. Since I wasn’t able to go abroad myself, I decided to live vicariously through my peers who have by asking them about their experiences and recommendations for students considering going abroad.
Granada, Spain – Study Abroad
Briana said she liked learning about the culture, architecture, and the Arabic influence in Southern Spain. She also liked being able to have breaks in the middle of the day with friends before going back to doing work.
Aberdeen, Scotland
NJ loved the people in Scotland, especially because of the connection to their major, cultural anthropology. This also meant they like to learn about new experiences and lifestyles, helping them enjoy their time abroad even more. They think people should visit the islands there because of their rich culture.
London, England – Preview
Cody, Aaron, and Russ said their favorite part of London was Six, a musical about the six wives of Henry VIII, along with the Tower of London, of course. Another Preview-goer, Karissa, agreed and also talked up The Tube, the underground train system that runs through London and is a necessity if you want to get around.
Sicily, Italy – Preview
Briana, Yulia, and Amanda loved trying all of the food, going to church, and the boat rides of the island, where they were also able to see a lot of caves. They said it was insanely beautiful with really nice, scenic water.
Germany – GFS
In class, Danielle learned about the geography and architecture of Germany and fairytales from regions all over the world. She is most looking forward to exploring Germany and seeing as much as she can.
Ireland – GFS
According to the professor, Maryann Worrell, students learned about Irish history and generating creativity through assignments, with the occasional hike. She is excited about bringing students to places in Ireland that she has visited many times before. Heidi is looking forward to seeing the natural landscapes and native birds since she is a Scientific Illustration major, while Iliana wants to be able to get lost and find her way back while there.
