Studying Abroad

The Different Challenges and Experiences gone abroad

By Nicole Paxinos

Joshua Roeser, an alumni from the University of Pittsburgh, traveled abroad for 5 months in 2015 to Prague, only to find out upon his arrival that the housing he was placed in threatened to wreak havoc on the entire experience.

Taylor Urban, also a Pitt student went abroad to London for the Spring 2017 semester, which gave her hands-on experiences in a wide variety or foreign nations.

Robert Morris University student Lauren Ferianc experienced many new cultural traditions when she traveled abroad for the first time to Northern Ireland during the summer of 2017.

Green Mountains at Dunluce Castle in Ireland summer of 2017. Photo courtesy of Lauren Feranic.

Study abroad programs offer academic courses and also credit for students from many American universities, but when one is considering a semester abroad they should consider when they’d like to travel, when they’d like to go, and if the credits they obtained abroad will keep them on track to graduate on time.

Andrew Wilson, Director of Media Relations at Carlow University, and Dr. Michael Jones, who is overseeing the Center for Global Learning at Carlow, have both had much experience with dealing with students who would like to study abroad while in college.

Depending on the school, the program options range within schools depending on where abroad you want to go and also how long you plan to be there.

Different programs within Pittsburgh Universities

Carlow University offers programs during each semester but also has summer programs, yearly programs and even a study abroad program during spring break. During the fall and spring semesters, Carlow has the option for their students to study in either Italy or Ireland.

The University of Pittsburgh offers one of the widest ranges of study abroad programs in the Pittsburgh area. Students have the option to choose when they’d like to study abroad and have a wide variety of places to choose from such as Berlin, New Zealand, Italy, Buenos Aires and more.

Other schools such as Point Park University have study abroad programs in London, Rome and also England. Each program will guide students step by step to study abroad such as housing, meals, tuition costs and when these programs are offered. Point Park also offers independent study abroad programs but they are not affiliated with the university. They go through programs such as Semester at Sea and IES Abroad which are third parties.

Big Ben in London: Photo Credit to Taylor Urban

Robert Morris University study abroad programs are along the same lines with faculty led abroad programs, semester abroad programs and even summer programs. A faculty-led study abroad program at Robert Morris ranges from $2,500 and $3,500, but students at all these universities can also apply for scholarship to help cover the costs abroad.

Jeffrey Whitehead, who is the Director of Study Abroad at the University of Pittsburgh, said that 80% of their students participate with programs that are built in conjunction with Pitt’s faculty that vary from Europe to even Australia.

Studying abroad has its ups and downs

Roeser explained the experience that he had while traveling to Prague for 5 months.

Originally, when he arrived he was in housing that the organization provided for him. They provided them housing just like a normal college campus dorm and only later found out that the housing presented was not up to his expectations.

“The dorms we stayed in were not the most ideal Eastern European place you could think of. Very gray, sketchy rooms, trash everywhere. Just disgusting,” he said. He was not expecting this kind of housing whatsoever. The whole situation threw him off guard.

Deciding that he and his roomates needed to live in a better vicinity, they went to administration at the university in Prague and gave them the “OK” to find other housing on their own.

Cliffs of Moher from when Lauren Feranic studied abroad in Ireland during the summer of 2017

Upon knowing this living arrangement would not work for him and his roommates they then rented their own 5 bedroom apartment which was a more ideal option than what they previously had dealt with. They paid $320 a month per person for the new apartment.

Roeser said the apartment they found was exactly what he wanted and they were still close to the college campus. Looking back on the situation, he said they should have had a better idea of their housing situation before, but still made the best out of their overall experience in Prague.

His classes there were general education classes taught in English by Czech professors. He took 2 history classes, a literature class, government and a language class. They were very comparable to Pitt’s courses, but learning in a different country with professors who also live there was a different but amazing experience for him.

Going abroad, Taylor Urban, who is also a student at the University of Pittsburgh said she wouldn’t have traded her study abroad experience for anything. She did not know what to expect when she was headed abroad, but she knew she would be open to all the new adventures she was about to embark on.

“I met so many amazing people from all around the world and even made more friends from my own university,” Taylor said. Getting to travel throughout England and Europe she grew as a person, and says she tells everyone to go abroad. She had the opportunity to take amazing classes such as British Film and UK Child Psychology. The classes she took exceeded her expectations.

Princess Diana Garden at Kensington Palace in London: Photo Credit to Taylor Urban. Processed with VSCO with c1 preset

“Everyone in my program was so great and helpful. We went on a lot of field trips around London for class, so I got a lot of hands-on learning experiences,” Urban said. She said some of those highlights were that she got to be able to see English landmarks in all their glory.

Lauren Ferianc, a student at Robert Morris University went abroad with a program through the university which had about 25 students and two professors who joined them.

“While there, I took a Photography and Humanities class,” Ferianc said.

Although picking one specific instance of her abroad experience that stood out to her the most was a bit difficult, she said seeing the beautiful countries was an experience in itself: there wasn’t a single moment where it wasn’t absolutely breathtaking.

Ireland is well-known for their nightly entertainment and pubs, which she said are a huge part of their culture. And being able to be a part of that was not only a great way to enjoy friend and have a good time, but also celebrate their culture.

Success to study abroad

“With each student it is slightly different,” Wilson stated. “But overall the first step to studying abroad here is for staff here from the Center for Global Learning meets individually with the student and make sure all requirements and specifics for studying abroad are met.”

Every university has a different set of requirements, but mostly, you are required to take at least four or five classes while abroad, just like you would do if you are studying in the states.

Be sure to stick with the group that you travel abroad with. There is nothing worse than getting lost in a foreign country. If you have down time while not in class, before you trip, make a list of things you know you want to see while you are abroad. That way, when you have time to yourself you can go off your bucket list and hit all the sightseeing places in that country.

Nicole Paxinos is a student at Point Park University she will be receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a minor in Broadcast Reporting. She is graduating in April 2019. After graduation, Nicole aspires to work in the news world as a reporter and multimedia journalist. For more information or questions, you can contact her at nicolepaxinos@gmail.com.