Imagine climbing up a mountain to the famed Incan village of Machu Piccu. Thick mist frames the ancient stone city and the lush mountains graze the clouds. Some may describe the experience as unbelievable, but UA student Hannah Emerson can say it’s just another day in her South American adventure through Alabama’s Study Abroad program.
The program that gave Emerson the opportunity to see Machu Piccu—and experience living with a family in Chile for the rest of her trip—Capstone International will hold a study abroad fair will be held on September 13, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a the second floor of the Ferguson Center. Students will be able to meet program representatives who can provide them with more information about studying abroad.
Holly Buckner, the director of Capstone International Academic Programs, feels students see the world differently after studying abroad.
“Study-abroad is so important because it offers students an opportunity to shift their perspective and view the world through an entirely different lens,” Buckner said. “When you travel, you learn more about yourself and your culture as you interact with citizens of another.
“You undoubtedly come home with a respect and appreciation for your host country rivaled only by that for your homeland,” she said.
Emerson, a junior in the New College, has been pursuing her Spanish minor in Chile since February. She was set to return to United States on July 17, but decided to continue studying abroad until December 19.
“I have undoubtedly learned more about myself than about Chile or Spanish grammar,” Emerson said. “It sounds so cliché, but living abroad teaches you things that maybe have always been inside of you that our culture in the United States keeps on lock.”
Another Study Abroad participant, Kaitlyn Burgin, said she gained more than just a better Spanish vocabulary during her trip to Spain this summer.
“Studying abroad not only improved my Spanish, but also allowed me to embrace a completely different culture and connect with other students from Alabama,” said Burgin, a sophomore studying international business.
