Thinking about going abroad? Hear from students on their experiences overseas

Overseas Programs at Washington University invite students to consider international study as part of their academic journey.

There are over one hundred programs located across the globe from all four undergraduate schools. Not only can students bring back credits for their degrees, but they can also return with a wider global perspective and more independence.

Four WashU students who have just returned from their overseas programs shared stories of their adventures with Student Life — just in time for current sophomores to start deciding on their abroad excursions.

Sam Schwartz (Computer Science + Mathematics) — Auckland, New Zealand

Why did you pick New Zealand? Why did you decide to do this program?

I wanted to go somewhere that had an abundance of natural beauty and warm weather (my STEM [self] is also terrible with other languages, so I had to choose an English-speaking country). I also wanted something that was selfguided and an experience that I really would only have this one opportunity in my life to take.

Can you tell me one highlight and one lowlight of your study abroad experience?

Highlight: I was wandering around a gorgeous lagoon in Rotorua. An island dog (yes, it’s a thing there, and it’s wonderful) came up to me and was very friendly and led me to [its] favorite sunspot — and then proceeded to husk a coconut with its paws.

Lowlight: Easily day one. I arrived during Auckland’s winter, which is very rainy and gray. This combined with the overwhelming nature of moving across the world, dealing with an 18-hour time difference, being alone, and realizing my face wash had exploded in my suitcase upon arrival [made] for a really rough first day.

What are three things you have to pack to study abroad?

1. Something to remind you of home, whether it be a keepsake or poster or picture or whatever — you will get homesick, and these little reminders can be super helpful.

2. Some little activity that requires other people — bring a frisbee or board game or deck of cards or something that can help you out with meeting new people those first few days.

3. A universal adapter! You don’t know where you’ll travel to or how long you’ll be stuck in some random airport for.

What American food did you miss the most? What New Zealand food do you miss after coming back?

Tie between deli bacon egg and cheeses and New York-style pizza (I had dreams about both…).

Auckland had incredible and affordable Indian and Vietnamese food that is oh-so-good.

Do you feel less, more, or about the same academic pressure when studying abroad as you do at WashU?

Significantly less. Through McKelvey and this program, all courses were taken pass/fail. This, combined with easier and more hands-off classes ([for] most classes, your whole grade was just a few exams, assignments, and projects), made it very easy academically, and I was able to spend more time exploring and cooking and hanging out with friends

Sophia Xu (Psychology)

— Copenhagen, Denmark

Can you tell us one highlight and one lowlight of your study abroad experience?

Highlight: I enjoyed the trips that were part of the program. The first trip was a short three-day study tour. It was great to get the opportunity to talk to doctors and people on the street about the healthcare system. Some activities included a walking tour, river cruise, zoo, and rainforest. The second trip was a week-long tour to Vienna and Budapest.

I also traveled on my own and, in total, visited 12 countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Britain, and the Netherlands. I learned to say cheers in 15 different languages!

Lowlights: It was a very homogenous environment. Many of the Danes were not used to being around people of different backgrounds and cultures, such as Asian Americans. My host family and some professors made a few comments that were a bit insensitive, but I acknowledge that that was likely due to unawareness rather than malintent. For example, they sometimes asked where I was “really from” after I responded [with] Texas. My host family also commented that me and other Asian students looked alike, probably just based on our shared race. Did you experience any culture shock?

Being in a [place where I was] a minority was a bit different, and the way people reacted to me as an Asian student [was also different]. In addition, this wasn’t necessarily culture shock but I did observe how the professors in Denmark were much more casual than [the ones in] the U.S., which was fascinating. Students and teachers were often seen hanging out with each other, and professors were called by their first names.

Do you have any suggestions for what to pack for a study abroad?

It would have been useful to have cash for thrifting flea markets. This was a fun activity to do on the weekends, but unfortunately, the flea markets did not take credit cards.

Were there any foods in Denmark that were special to you? What American food did you miss the most while you were there?

There was something called smørrebrød, which is a Danish open-faced sandwich with pickled herring and onions. It was good. They also had lots of candy, such as salted licorice, which I personally did not love.

Read about more experiences online:

They definitely did not have all the American fast food options. I missed