On September 4th I attended the Study Abroad Expo at the Ohio Union to fulfill my academic requirement. As a prospective German minor, I was interested in the German language study abroad programs, especially the Dresden Summer Language Program. The Dresden Program would allow me to complete my minor and enhance my knowledge of the German language, and I would gain a cultural immersion that is unattainable here in the U.S. I also hope to move to Germany after I graduate college and work abroad, and this experience would be a perfect introduction into the German lifestyle. Ideally I would love to spend an entire summer abroad, but the Dresden Program lasts eight weeks. However, eight weeks is still a substantial amount of time to learn about contemporary daily life in Germany and hone my language skills.
Although I was initially drawn to the German language study abroad programs, I ended up at the Peace Corps booth. I have always enjoyed volunteering and helping others, and volunteering abroad has always interested me. The woman I spoke with had worked as an English teacher through the Peace Corps, and she told me that most volunteers work as teachers or help with projects in the community. As a linguistics major, working as a language teacher piqued my interest, as I would no doubt gain invaluable knowledge about language within the context of a culture. This opportunity would not only improve my academic abilities, but it would improve my entire character. I would learn to be more selfless, hardworking, and accepting than I am now, which would enrich not only my own life but also those surrounding me. The minimum commitment for the Peace Corps is two years, and while that is certainly a daunting amount of time, I can only imagine the amount of projects and goals I can accomplish while becoming a part of a community. Learning about the Peace Corps opened my eyes to all the ways I can serve the world, and perhaps sparked a new interest in me for my life past college.
Overall, I discovered new paths and directions for my future. I know that none of these opportunities would be possible without my education here at Ohio State. The International Affairs Scholars course has helped me to identify the multiple identities, crises, and cultures around the world, and the insight I gain in class could be applied to any of these programs. My goal is to understand the beliefs and cultures of those around me, and I hope these programs serve as a stepping stone into exploring and enriching the lives of others.