Oh, the places you’ll go!

Hello again!

It seems like everyday that a new photo album of someone’s adventures abroad pops up on my Facebook newsfeed. Today, I had the chance to pretty much take an online tour of Morocco, Germany, and Italy (courtesy of a few of my closest friends). This is the great thing about an education at William and Mary-it doesn’t have to happen in Williamsburg. Every semester, hundreds of students say goodbye to the Sunken Gardens and Swem library and hop aboard international flights. Where are they going? Everywhere! Right now, I know of students in England, France, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, India, China, and Morocco. And I promise you that the list goes on.

At the College, the Reves Center coordinates all study abroad trips-and they do a great job at it. William and Mary currently has 15 tuition-exchange programs. This means that students can travel to pretty much any country in the world, and they pay the same tuition that they would if they were on campus. Students can go abroad for a semester or an entire year; it really just depends on how adventurous you are. If you feel like you may not have time to study abroad during the school year (course requirements, extra-curricular activities, sports, etc.) then you can take part in one of the 12 faculty-led, summer study abroad programs that exist at William and Mary.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a 5-week, faculty-led, summer program in Prague, Czech Republic. It was hands-down one of the best experiences of my life. Along with 15 other students, I lived in an apartment and took three different classes at Charles University: Central and Eastern European Politics, Centrally-Planned Economies, and Czech Language. The classes were all taught by Czech professors, so I really came away from the five weeks with a different perspective of a part of the world that most people know little about. We did not have classes on Fridays, so we had three to four days every week to visit different parts of the Czech Republic and surrounding countries. I was lucky enough to explore Olomouc (a town in eastern Czech Republic), the Pilsner brewery, a concentration camp at Terezin, Cesky Krumlov (southern Czech Republic) and Munich, Germany.

Between dancing in the largest club in Central and Eastern Europe, watching a ballet at the Prague National Theater, visiting the Olympic Park in Munich, walking across the famous Charles Bridge, and trying lots of different Czech foods, I think it’s safe to say that my study abroad experience was five weeks that I will never forget. Whether you’re a William and Mary student or not, I definitely encourage you to explore the possibility of studying abroad. You won’t regret it. It’s an excellent opportunity to step away from the textbooks and really live your education.

Anyways, I’ve got to get back to work in Williamsburg. For now, I’ll just have to continue studying abroad via Facebook pictures.

Make it a good one!

Ryan