Kara Gavin returns from Brighton England

"My study abroad experience has been extraordinary. At first thought, studying English in England may sound a bit drab and clichéd. However, England is anything but this! The country is so diverse, and each city and town possess distinct qualities and traditions to discover. I was very surprised to find that I was not the only international student in my classes. Though few, it was nice to have other classmates from the U.S., Germany, and Italy to offer unique “non-native” viewpoints. I also volunteered with my host university’s language institute. This allowed me to engage with visiting students from the Ivory Coast, China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Not only did I gain experience assisting the students with their English, but I was also able to learn about their cultures.

In addition, I have done more traveling in the past three months than I have done in my whole life. I am very thankful to have had the experience of traveling to new countries (for example France, Spain, Italy) both independently and tour-guide accompanied. Because of my study abroad program, I genuinely believe that my perspective on the world has been widened – and I am excited to see where it takes me!"