Jamie Katz

While I was abroad, I participated in an internship with a startup company that was trying to penetrate the US market. The experience I got there has proven invaluable in my career search here. I've already accepted an internship with an international education organization for the summer before my senior year. In addition to professional development, I decided to study abroad because I love trying new things. Exploration is important to me, whether it be traveling to a new country entirely or finding a new coffee shop in Budapest, I was always able to find something new to do. Budapest is a little-known gem that had so much more to offer than I could have ever imagined.

During my semester in Budapest, I definitely learned to not be afraid to branch out! With my program, CIEE, we went on a trip to Transylvania, Romania with CIEE. This was one of the most culturally immersive parts of my semester. We lived in home stays for the weekend and ate our meals with our house mom. While our conversations were limited by our Hungarian language abilities, we were still able to experience the true "Hungarian hospitality" of the region. 

Marissa Pardini

I studied abroad in two Spanish-speaking countries that are an ocean apart! I spent one semester in Madrid, Spain and the next semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

One of the first weekends in Buenos Aires, my host grandma took me to her family's asado (all-day family party/BBQ on Sundays). I had only arrived about a week prior, but I immediately felt at ease when I walked into her son's house. I spent the entire day eating delicious Argentine meat, talking politics and religion (two things I was always told to never bring up at family events!), playing tag with the kids, and just enjoying each other's company. That was only my first experience with Argentine hospitality and flow of life - it's slower than the American lifestyle, but the family was warm and welcoming and truly savored quality time with the ones they love.

I returned from studying abroad with a reinvigorated purpose that affected both my personal and academic lives. Studying abroad allowed me to pursue my specific academic interests and learn in an entirely different culture. Before going abroad, I was not aware of the extent to which our culture influences how we learn, and how great of an impact our culture has on our mindset. By uprooting from my comfort zone, I pushed myself in ways that I had never done before. While I was abroad, I had to establish a new routine in the hopes of creating some structure for myself. This afforded me the opportunity to take up new hobbies and interests that I did not have the time to try out back home. I figured there was no better time to try new things than while abroad, and it definitely expanded my horizons.

To future study abroad students, be prepared to spend more time alone than you might be used to at Tulane (which isn't necessarily a bad thing)! I would advise students who are considering studying abroad to think hard about what they want to gain from this experience. It's an incredible opportunity for personal, professional and academic growth, and I firmly believe that if you choose to venture out on your own, you will end up learning more about yourself than you could have ever imagined. Instead of being scared of loneliness and constantly seeking ways to be distracted, I would tell potential students to welcome the uncomfortable feelings of loneliness, solitude, and homesickness. These are all natural feelings, and it's in this vulnerability of allowing yourself to feel where you will grow the most.