Environmental Studies and Sustainability Major, Media and Communications Minor

Prior to my participation in the Environmental Psychology in Australia shortTREC, I had never traveled abroad. Visiting Australia opened up a whole new world of different perspectives, ideas, and environments I had never been exposed to before. I loved the variety of activities available to us students, from exploring the city streets of Sydney, to hiking right outside the Great Barrier Reef, to experiencing the world’s oldest rainforest up close and personal, the Daintree Rainforest. The close proximity of nature to developed cityscapes, paired with incredible public transportation connectivity, made for an enjoyable city experience unlike anything I’ve seen before. The memories I made on this adventure will be cherished for a lifetime. I hope to return to Australia one day, and it is thanks to my participation in this shortTREC that I have discovered a newfound love for the country.

Economics Major

My time studying abroad in London was one of the most amazing experiences. I was able to immerse myself in a completely new and different culture by visiting museums, art galleries, farmers markets, and local pubs, learning a lot about both myself and the city in the process. I enjoyed discovering all that London has to offer, but I especially loved exploring the art scene. Prior to this TREC, I had relatively limited knowledge in the arts but given the opportunity to take a class about art and architecture in London and the opportunity to visit numerous art galleries I developed a newfound interest in the arts. Overall, by being able to immerse myself in a completely different culture I learned so much about myself, had I not studied abroad I might’ve not developed this interest in the arts along with many other things I learned!

English Major: Creative Writing, BMAT Program

One of my favorite parts of the London Semester was the opportunity to do an internship abroad. I got to work as a teacher’s assistant in a primary school and it was such an awesome experience. I worked with a Year 3 class and, on top of having such a fun time working with the kids and the teachers at the school, I felt really grateful to get experience in a field I intend to go into post-graduation. I also loved just getting to explore the city. London is such a big city with so much history and so much to see, I felt really lucky to make some great new friends through the program and explore London with them.

Political Science Major; Spanish, Dance, and Law, Justice and Society Minors

Spanish Language & Culture in Barcelona

The biggest takeaway was seeing the different versions of myself that erupted throughout my trip. Immersing oneself in another culture and lifestyle, helps you unveil layers of yourself you would not be able to peel in other environments. The biggest highlight of the trip was the research that I was able to do, focusing on the South Asian population and their immigration journey to Barcelona, Spain. I performed ethnographic interviews with several South Asian immigrants and residents learning more about their daily life, maintaining their culture, and why they chose to live in Barcelona, Spain versus other countries. Through this, I was able to learn more about race and identity and the differences in maintaining your identity based on location and other external factors. When you study abroad, it’s what you make of it. Remember, growth sometimes happens in the most uncomfortable places.

Semester on the United Nations

Younger me would not believe that I would be at the United Nations in New York. Taking the Semester on the United Nations helped shift my future ambitions. Going to New York and visiting the United Nations helped me gain a better insight into the field of international human rights. Throughout the semester, we engaged with guest speakers ranging from those working at the UN Secretariat to Drew Alumni who were working on diplomatic missions. It was a very interactive and experiential class. The biggest takeaway from this program was seeing myself directly in the field of international human rights law. I learned more about balance. Specifically, how critical fostering relationships with other diplomats and NGOs is in order to handle issues around gender violence, terrorism, and crimes against humanity. This program pushed me and I am forever grateful!

Marketing Major

I always knew I wanted to study abroad and when I found out about the marketing of food and wine semester in Italy, I knew this was the right program for me! I was able to immerse myself in Italian culture and live like a local. I loved getting lost in the streets of Siena and exploring new places every day. The program-related field trips to wineries, cheese and pasta factories, coffee farms, and neighboring medieval towns, were a great way to learn outside the classroom. Discovering how Italian businesses market their products is helping me excel in my classes at Drew this semester. They say you will have epic experiences when studying at Drew and studying abroad was certainly one for me!