It’s a typical rainy
Tuesday and I’m sitting in an Italian dorm room surrounded by smiling familiar faces,
unknown to me just a month prior:
“Remember when we all first
met?”
“It was so awkward! I was
really nervous.”
“Remember the plane ride?”
“I thought Michael hated me!”
“Ugh, and the first night
eating in the Mensa? We didn’t even talk to each other!”
Studying abroad in a
group is rather uncommon at Iowa State, especially for a whole semester. Some
people, myself included were skeptical for a few reasons. Initially, I was
worried the experience would be limiting, cause me to be dependent on others,
and keep me from meeting new people. I was glad to be proven wrong.
However, it is an odd
experience being thrown into a foreign country with fifteen strangers.
Sometimes studying
abroad can be overwhelming. It’s a weird limbo between school and vacation and
sometimes can be frustrating. Some cultural nuances may be confusing and it’s helpful
to have a bunch of other people going through the exact same thing you can
process things with, even as simple as, “Wow Italian toilets flush weird.”
“Yeah, Hannah, they do.” Sometimes you just need someone with a similar
cultural background to commiserate with.
Built in Study Buddies
“Studying abroad in a
group has benefitted me the same way a learning community would. Having the
same classes with the same people essentially creates one big study group of
people with similar interests,” says junior Paige Vanderleest. Outside of a
learning community, it’s highly unlikely on campus that you’d ever have the
same group of fifteen people in every one of your classes. This unique opportunity
allows for a new type of collaboration and networking that students can’t
experience anywhere else. Class with other Americans also provides other students
to commiserate with; sophomore Rachel Pollastrini notes, “It is comforting to
have other American students on the struggle bus when studying for our
intensive Italian language class.”
New Friends
As the sole freshman
studying abroad in this group, I didn’t know anyone prior to boarding my flight
to Urbino. Two months later, I’m now equipped with fifteen new upperclassmen
friends who share with me similar interests and career goals. “I’ve met friends
I never would have otherwise, and I know I will keep in touch with them- we get
to go to school together back in Ames next year,” says junior Ali Leuty.
More New Friends
Initially sophomore
Jeni Zernick was worried that traveling with a group might prevent her from
making Italian friends, however she has found, “I still have made lots of
Italian friends, and many of them have been introduced to me by group members.”
Sharing is Caring
Being a broke college
student is intensified when studying abroad, partly because of European
fashion, and spending every other cent on train tickets. When travelling in a
group, it’s reassuring to know you can text the group chat and say “Anyone got
extra cough drops?” and within minutes three people have knocked on your door
to bring you all sorts of medication. (they owe you because since we are in
group so often we all get each other sick). In Urbino particularly, it’s a haul
to drag your lazy self into town to do your shopping, and it’s cheaper to buy
things as a group and share (I can vouch for cookies and tampons).
Paperwork, Visas, and Credit Transfers: Oh My!
Another practical
reason to study abroad in a group, visa worries and dorm registration and other
scary things like that are taken care of. I didn’t realize how much paperwork
had to be filled out, and it is really comforting to have someone talk you through
the process. Pollastrini was comforted by this saying, “When I arrived in a
foreign country and realized I had no idea what I was doing here, it was very
comforting to have a support group in the same boat as me.” Studying abroad
through a group program also guarantees you are taking relevant classes that
will easily transfer back to Iowa State.
 |
| After a pick up game of American vs. Italian soccer (we lost). |
Accountability
When you have class
with such a tight knit group of people, it is quite obvious when someone is absent.
Sophomore Lindsay Greifzu noticed this saying, “being in a group helps hold me
accountable for going to all of my classes, because if you’re not [in class]
everyone will notice and call you out.” Leuty agrees noting group members, “have
pushed me to go to class and be more engaged.”
Studying abroad alone
can be equally fulfilling and I do not want to discourage you from branching
out. Only making friends within the group can be very limiting. But it’s nice
after a day lost in a foreign country to be able to come back and play cards in
English with a bunch of new friends.
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