experiences and crash courses in culture, but the Australian study abroad program was more relaxed. After visiting countries where even ordering a soft drink was a challenge, she was startled by the lack of culture shock she experienced upon arriving in Australia. “I was expecting something dramatic, like my previous trips, but when we landed in Sydney, I really felt like we were still in the states only everyone had an accent. In a way I was shocked because it wasn’t that shocking,” Smith explained. “It was a very laid-back trip. When we weren’t in class, we were allowed to explore what we wanted, and because everyone spoke English, it was easy to get into the culture.” During the course of the trip, the students broke off into small groups to tour different parts of the continent and take part in various activities. Smith and Pitts visited the oddly seal-less Seal Bay, home to hundreds of sea lions, and Ayers Rock,
Bagley College of Engineering
an iconic natural formation just outside of Alice Springs.
participating in Mississippi State’s annual South Korean study abroad trip.
In between petting koala bears, watching boxing kangaroos and touring museums, the two racked up more than 2,000 photos, which they posted to their travel blog, “Missie and Tim’s Australian Adventure,” in an effort to chronicle the 17-day trip.
“I made a mistake by not doing something like this the summer after my freshman year. Time is limited to do these types of things, but I was lucky and still got the opportunity to participate in a study abroad,” Pitts confessed. “Students shouldn’t let the costs discourage them. There are opportunities out there for scholarships.”
“The blog was a way for us to let our families know what was going on and share in the experience. Even my grandma was able to get on the computer and see what we had been doing,” Pitts said. “We were able to write about what we did and post pictures as we went, which will be nice in a few years when we want to look back on the trip.” This was Pitts’ first study abroad experience. Although he is a senior and will be graduating in May, he hopes to cure his travel bug before leaving Starkville by
Smith added, “I’ve been on a study abroad every year since I’ve been in college. I think it’s one of the best things you can do. Even just going somewhere for a week, there’s a lot to be gained from these experiences.” For more details about the students’ Outback adventure, visit the couple’s blog at http://mtaustralia.blogspot.com/. *Above photos are courtesy of Missie Smith and TimPitts.
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