Testimonials & Photos: Europe
England
Jordan Brown studying at Royal Holloway, takes advantage of the London sights.
Royal Holloway/University of London
William Bruce '09, Rydal PA
English Major
"We have had a fantastic semester! The teaching style is very different here; we've done a lot of independent research and it's been really stimulating, and we've made some great friends from all over the world! It's really been worth it!"
Semester in London program
Amanda Lewis '06, Cockeysville, MD
Art Major
"The life experience I gained by being there and going out and interacting with people – the things I learned from them – the bonds and connections I made are infinitely and inexpressively valuable. Don’t hesitate to do something you want to do or see something you want to, even if no one else wants to do it. Find out what the city means for you. You can only discover it by exploring."
"Keep an open mind and you’ll learn as much about others as you do about yourself."
France
Universite D'Artois
Ryan Trone '07, New Oxford, PA
History and French Major
"The only important advice I could give would be to be patient and open minded with the French administration which works at a different pace and has a different theory than that of America. The other thing would be to set reasonable goals with what you want to accomplish while abroad. Know what you are capable of doing, then plan accordingly. But make the most of your once in a lifetime opportunity!"
American Business School Paris
Brenna Doyle '07, Hampton, CT
Biology Major
Many college alums with whom I have spoken say the one thing they regret about their college experience is not taking the opportunity to study abroad. Not wanting to end up saying this, I decided to stop by the Office of International Programs and see what they had to offer. Figuring out where to go seemed to be my only problem! France was at the top of my list, but the only programs available were in Grenoble, Arras, and Provence. I had my doubts about each of these, so I began considering South Africa and Australia. Luckily, the college began a new program with the American Business School in Paris. And despite being a biology major with little fluency in French, I decided to sign up as Washington College’s first guinea pig to brave the City of Lights!
Getting accepted was very exciting and terrifying at the same time. I was nervous about leaving my friends for a semester, taking classes at a foreign school, and living in a city that speaks no English! But everything worked out just perfectly. The school had arranged for a shuttle to pick me up from Charles de Gaulle Airport and bring me directly to my apartment. I could not have asked to be placed in a better part of the city! My apartment was located in the 12 th district of downtown Paris, within walking distance of the Bastille, Nation, and Notre Dame. I always felt safe because the neighborhood was residential, and my building was filled mostly with students and other people my age.
Paris is a fantastic city to walk around, but on days that were too rainy or cold, taking the metro was an easy and affordable alternative! I also signed up for a one-week orientation for exchange students, before the semester began, and I could not be happier that I did it! In addition to taking us to every important monument and museum in the city, our guide also helped us with the laundry mat, post office, metro, bank, restaurants and the grocery store.
The American Business School in Paris does not have a campus like Washington College, rather three buildings in the same vicinity where classes are held. The buildings are shared with about five other colleges, so you get to meet a ton of people! Students at ABS Paris come from all over the world; I made friends with people from Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia, Mexico, Indonesia, Japan, Turkey, and Iran. Professors are extremely well educated, and also ready to help you acclimate to the city in any way possible! Almost every one of my classes would venture out of the classroom: whether it was on a field trip to the Louvre or to a café to practice French dialogue. My friend Kaitlyn Ruitenberg who studied in Cork, Ireland came to visit when my French Civilization class went to Versailles for a tour as well as a wine and cheese tasting!
My experience abroad was absolutely perfect! Paris is such a huge city with so much to offer. It’s so historic and beautiful, and has the best restaurants, museums, theatres, and nightlife. While abroad I was able to visit eleven other countries! This was definitely a big advantage of studying in Europe versus South Africa or Australia. The trains are such an easy way to see so many places.
I really encourage anyone and everyone to study at the American Business School in Paris. You don’t even have to be a business or French major to go! It’s such a great program, and the only regret I have is that I did not go for a full year!
Germany
Eberhard-Karls-Universitat Tubingen
Kristin Porter '06, Damascus, MD
German Studies Major
Choosing to spend my junior year studying abroad in Germany was an easy decision for me to make, as it was something I had wanted to do since my first year of high school. During my freshman year at Washington College, I decided to major in German Studies and became certain that I would transform this dream of studying in Germany into a reality.
Looking back, choosing to study at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen was the right decision for me. The city of Tübingen is small and personal. The professors were very nice, and the Germans with whom I became friends were caring and thoughtful. The location of Tübingen is ideal for those wishing to travel to the countries of Austria and Switzerland as well as into Bavaria. Do take advantage of the excellent public transportation system! My favorite time of the year is the Christmas season and in Germany it's certainly beautiful. Make sure you visit as many Christmas markets as possible!
While studying in Tübingen, Germany, I not only had the opportunity to improve my German-language skills and build upon my knowledge of the German culture, but I also had the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful, interesting people from all over the world. Through these friendships I not only learned a lot about other cultures and languages, but I also learned a lot about myself.
My year in Germany taught me to appreciate even more where I am from and to realize how important it is to cherish relationships you have with people. Being away from home for an extended period of time not only opens your eyes to new, different things, but it also opens your eyes to things which have always been around you.
If you have the opportunity to study abroad for any length of time, I highly recommend it.
Hungary
Pécs University
Jill Kelly '07, Pasadena, MD
Sociology and Political Science Major
I don’t have an exact reason why I decided to spend a semester in Pécs, Hungary, but in the end it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Though it is the second largest city in Hungary, Pécs is not exactly on a European backpacker’s list of must-see cities. It’s a shame, because this gorgeous city has a lot to offer, in both culture and nightlife. It was recently selected to be the European Capital of Culture for 2010, which is also when my European friends and I are planning our reunion.
Along with studying European politics, I took classes in Hungarian language to help me in my adventures around both Pécs and Hungary. English is not widely spoken, but I did not have too much trouble going grocery shopping or communicating with native Hungarians. I chose to live in a dorm, and our international floor had students from all over Europe and Asia. I was the only American female in the international program, but I never felt out of place with my friends.
The location of the city is great for exploring Eastern Europe and the Balkans. I went places I thought I would never see in person, like Croatia and Sarajevo. The International Programs department even arranged a trip to Prague for the international students.
Everyone should take the opportunity to study abroad, and consider countries that are not as popular. Going somewhere completely foreign may seem scary at first, but the places you go and the people you meet will make every minute worth it.
Ireland
University College Cork
Katherine Honold '08, Summit, NJ
History Major
I got to go to Dublin and Belfast with my class for early start and have visited quite a few places locally--Limerick, Kinsale, Cobh, etc. Hopefully I'll get to Galway, the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry too before I head back to the US. Living over here definitely did take some getting used to (all the information you gave out in the predeparture orientation was extremely helpful). The Irish people are all SO nice. It's unbelievable, I had dinner with Caroline and Michelle from Washington College last night and we were talking about how the people here really go out of their way to accommodate you and help you in any way they can. And I absolutely love Cork! The Jazz Festival took place last weekend and over 40,000 people came into Cork for it. It was supposed to raise 25,000,000 Euros for the city.
University College Cork
Val Larson '07, Landenberg, PA
English and Drama Major
"I'm studying abroad for the semester in Cork. I love it here so far. The city has a more laid-back, friendly feel than many of its metropolitian cousins in the States. The Irish are kindly disposed to Americans; many of Ireland's sons and daughters now live there, and most everyone has visited, and will happily regale you with that time they visited Boston as you sit inthe pub with a pint."
" Cork in particular is a very enthusiatic city. It is the 2005 European Capital of Culture, and is very proud of that fact. The orange logo sporting fireworks is to be found all over the city. Combined with the red and white of the city colors (and we just won the all-Ireland hurling finals, so it's around quite a lot), this is a very bright place at the moment. Cork considers itself just as important as Dublin , if not more so (that's what's called the Second-City syndrome here). The woman who informaed us of Cork's status as the Capital of Culture at Orientation stated quite matter of factly, "We *are* the Capital of Culture, we've *always* been the Capital of Culture, it's just that this year it's finally been recognized." It's a sentiment echoes allup and down the Lee River."
"The college campus is quite beautiful, all limestone and gothic architecture. It's surprisingly easy to find your way around, and if you do get lost, anyone off the street will give you directions. The teachers and study abroad officials are very friendly, and are absolutely on your side."
"Travel around Ireland can be done quite cheaply by bus...at the moment, it's 12 euro for a round trip to Dublin . Dublin's a popular place to visit, and so is the Burren, in county Clare. Our class was brought to the Aran Islands off the west coast of Galway, a wonderful trip. And now airlines are offering flights to England for 1 euro, and flights all around the Continent for 10 euro. Travel is spectacularly easy, and fairly cheap if you plan ahead."
Scotland
University of St. Andrews
Liam Daley '07, Drexel Hill, PA
English Major
St. Andrews is a small, medieval town on the south east coast of Scotland. The community is somewhat isolated, about an hour north of the nearest major city, Edinburgh. The town can boast a castle, a sprawling ruined cathedral, a pier, about dozen medieval churches, botanical gardens, and rows of seventeenth century town houses. Everything you could hope from a Scottish town.
But the geography is deceptive. Packed into that small town, are students from every pocket of the world, and every kind of background. It’s a truly an international university, and the students are constantly traveling. You’d think Amsterdam was a suburb of St. Andrews from the amount of weekend trips there.
The academic atmosphere is an odd mixture of formality and relaxation. You would never call a professor by their first name, but it’s not unusual for class to be held in a pub. The actual work load is about half of what we have at Washington College (only two classes a semester), but the level of thought they expect for each project is far about the normal level here.
Ultimately, the place will totally reshape the way you look at college, at other people, and at life. You are much more aware of what a wide and glorious place the world is at St. Andrews.
Spain
Nebrija University
Jeanne Seeberger '06, Baltimore, MD
Biology and Hispanic Studies Major
"If you have any desire to go abroad, I would definitely encourage you to go. There are not many opportunities like it in your lifetime to do something like this. Just do it, and you will have the time of your life!."
Semester in Granada
Lindsey Riley '07, Rising Sun, MD
Psychology Major
"Making the decision to study abroad was by far the best decision I’ve made here during my four years at Washington College. There is no better way to learn a language other than to immerse yourself within the culture of a native country, and absorb all that you can. Not only did I gain a better understanding of the language, but I was able to travel and see so many new places and meet so many new people, that I gained a better understanding of myself and a better world view. If you have any desire at all to learn Spanish or experience the Spanish culture, Granada is a wonderful program and I would recommend it to all!"