Study Abroad Expo- 9/4, 5-6 p.m.
On Tuesday the 9th of September, I went to the Study Abroad Expo in the Union from 5-6 p.m. Here, I learned a great deal about how I can travel abroad and still earn credit for OSU. I didn’t know Ohio State offered so many study abroad opportunities to so many different countries. The program that interested me the most was the excursion held by the Foundation for International Education (FIE). They offer a five week program in which you can travel to Dublin and Amman, earning a total of six credit hours. What I liked most about this experience is not only how many credit hours you earn, but also the fact that you get to see western Europe and the Middle East. As an International Affairs student, I could only see how this would benefit me. Because it is difficult to get a worthwhile internship as a freshman, I thought this opportunity looked like a good option for me during the month of June.
Not only did this event help me understand the plethora of options Ohio State offers, it also showed me that there are more places to study abroad besides western and central Europe. I would like to eventually work in the Middle East, or somewhere with ties to this region.
If I were to design my ideal education abroad experience, it would be about a month long. I have personally been to much of western and central Europe, so I would like to travel to more places in the middle east. I believe places like Morocco and Egypt have tons of history and culture to offer. Countries like Turkey and Jordan are also safe places to travel, and much of their history is overlooked by places like Italy and Greece. Even though these countries are often talked about in terms of foreign policy and are often seen on the news, few history classes in high schools touch on their historical significance.
Even though I am majoring in International Affairs, I’m not 100% sure what my specialization will be. As students explore more of the Middle East, there would also be classes offered and relating to (for example) Security and Intelligence or Relations and Diplomacy. This can help guide students in the right direction in terms of their major. It would also help students learn what they want to do after college, in terms of jobs or further education. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to travel across the world with my family. Travel wise, I don’t think I would have too much trouble with transportation. But, I do believe I would get home sick if I was gone for more than six weeks, especially if the opportunity was during summer.
Overall, I believe travel is extremely important, and if given the resources and opportunity, students should travel abroad or try to leave the country at some point in their lives. Travel has broadened my perspective on world politics and social culture, and helped me realize how big the world really has. I also believe it has helped me become more empathetic: I have seen the struggles that people face and overcome from all ends of the earth. I feel relieved and at ease now that I know what OSU has to offer!