6 minute read
Travel the world from home
Travel the world from home: Study Abroad goes virtual
Words Sister Yen Thi Bui | Design Hannah Gergeni
Advertisement
Taxi
Olivia Hickman, senior at Mount Mary University, studied for a semester in Peru. Her experience reaffirmed her desire to help others.
Photo provided by Hickman.
Olivia Hickman, senior at Mount Mary, poses in front of Machu Picchu, an Incan citadel in Peru.
Photo provided by Hickman.
Olivia Hickman, a senior at Mount Mary University double majoring in Spanish and International Studies, studied abroad in Peru from August to December of 2019. With the desire to discover a new horizon and challenge herself in a country where English is not its official language, Hickman decided to take on the journey overseas. “I had three classes in Spanish and one in English, and they were absolutely fantastic,” Hickman said. “We went on so many field trips to show that what we were learning in class was applicable. For example, our professor took us to the market and asked different vendors about fruits and vegetables and different recipes we could make with them.” Living with a foreign family in another country can be challenging, but Hickman’s host family was accommodating. “I lived in a homestay, which was great,” Hickman said. “I had my very own room and bathroom. My host mom was very accommodating because I’m vegetarian. She was very conscientious about making sure my food wasn’t cross-contaminated with meat products.”
When Hickman wasn’t at home, she worked in the community. “I also did service learning at Colibiri, an after-school program, funded by the Peruvian Police Department, for at-risk children,” Hickman said. “The goal was to allow the children to eat two meals a day, work on homework and play with other children, without having to worry about finances or working to provide for their families. I want to be a humanitarian aid worker, and my time in Peru reaffirmed my desire to help others.” “It’s extremely unfortunate that COVID-19 has occurred and that opportunities to study abroad have been cancelled,” Hickman said. “I think that the option to study abroad virtually is very interesting. If you are considering studying abroad, I definitely would explore this option.”
Virtual Opportunities
Due to COVID-19, there are ways that the program is being handled virtually this year.
“Many of the program providers who typically offer summer or semester term programs abroad are currently offering Virtual Global Internships,” Nancy Metzger, director of international studies, said.
Metzger said there are varying lengths to these virtual opportunities.
“These global, remote internships provide an opportunity for students to have an internship and work cross-culturally, while developing valuable skills working as part of a team,” Metzger said. “These global remote internships are offered for varying lengths of time, and students can choose between fourweek or eight-week group project remote internships or eight-week or 16-week individual remote internships.”
Virtual interns can work for companies in the UK, Spain, Asia and Australia.
“Additionally, some providers are also (offering) ‘Remote Learning Opportunities’ where students can choose between one to four courses to complete online, but do coursework with professors in Spain, Costa Rica or other countries,” Metzger said.
Jenia Cunningham, a student at Mount Mary University, studied in Spain from January to June of 2019. Cunningham says that studying abroad virtually could be a great option.
“Even though virtual study abroad limits one from the magnificence of visiting monuments and historical sites in person, it may be a good option because it would be more cost effective, which might open up more opportunities for those who could not have studied
Patricia Golden was the first Mount Mary student to win the ASIA Freeman Scholarship, a $5,000 scholarship to study abroad. She also won the $4,000 Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in fall 2021.
Photo provided by Nancy Metzger.
Jenia Cunningham, graduate student at Mount Mary University, studied in Seville, Spain in the spring of 2019.
Photo provided by Cunningham.
Jenia Cunningham takes a cooking class in Seville, Spain, where she studied abroad in 2019.
Photo provided by Cunningham.
abroad before,” Cunningham said. “One can also avoid the more challenging parts of studying abroad: being away from family and friends, homesickness, high costs and potential language barriers.”
The Future of Studying Abroad
“Currently, those programs that were planned to travel in this upcoming spring semester have been deferred or delayed one year –– to depart in Dec. 2021 and travel/be abroad in January 2022,” Metzger said. “However, in addition to assessing what program(s) options are available and suitable for a student, we would also be looking at CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organisation) guidelines, as well as travel advisories from the U.S. Dept of State. Currently, many countries do not want U.S. citizens to come, and/or may require a 14-day quarantine period before travelers can engage in local activities/events.”
Scholarship Support in 2021
Many Mount Mary students have received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to support their study abroad. The Gilman Scholarship is especially concentrated on students who are underrepresented in study abroad, for majors who are under-represented abroad and to support students who are planning to study abroad in nontraditional destinations.
“Gilman is being very flexible this year in how they will allow students to use their scholarship funds they can use any time between Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021,” Metzger said.
Although COVID put an end to plans of studying abroad this semester, Vanessa Garnica, senior Mount Mary Gilman scholarship recipient, said that she is looking to use it for an international internship.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 had affected my chance of studying abroad, but that does not mean my chances are over,” Garnica said. “I was awarded the Gilman Scholarship this year, which I am super grateful about, but unfortunately I won’t be able to use it to travel to another country. It’s okay, though, because I am looking for an international internship.”
Even though studying abroad has been her dream for a long time, the pandemic and her economic ability has prevented her from doing so. Garnica is trying her best in order to make it possible in the future. “Beside the dream of obtaining academic study, I want to study abroad because I would love to get a feel of travel,” Garnica said. “I have never been out of the country before, but the Gilman was a huge opportunity. Even though it does not seem like I will be able to travel this year, I hope to raise enough money to one day be able to. I would be open then to study abroad for a longer time. I do graduate this year, so I’m not sure how that would work yet.”
Right now, she is interested in one in Argentina.
“This internship helps people with disabilities find a suitable job. I love to help others and feel like this one is for me,” Garnica said. “I plan to take advantage of the funds Gilman has awarded me in order to build more on my resume. I am grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to see what is next.”
For more information on studying abroad, email Metzger at metzgern@mtmary.edu.
Jenia Cunningham enjoys a game with her dad, Marlon Cunningham, in 2019.
Photo provided by Cunningham.
Oliva Hickman makes friends with a couple of llamas in Peru where she studied in 2019.
Photo provided by Hickman.
Senior Olivia Hickman said her experience in Peru helped her grow in her Spanish-speaking skills.
