08 March 2010

DN Column October 21, 2009: Studying Abroad Teaches What the Classroom Can't



“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” This was one of Mark Twain’s most famous quotes. One we should take note of as students, not because we need to completely forget about classes and assignments and professors, but because we need to realize that these years are for learning so much more than what a classroom has to offer us.

If there is one thing I wish I had done more of during the past three years, it is traveling abroad. I am a senior this year and took my first study abroad trip just this summer. It was by far the most eye-opening experience of my life.

When I got back from the trip this summer, I began to re-evaluate things. I realized that sticking to my original plan of getting two majors, four minors and a certificate in four years is great, but not if it is going to get in the way of my actual education. I was looking to take a lot of classes because I was legitimately interested in the coursework. However, in taking those classes I was limiting myself from having the time to experience the diversity of life around the world first-hand.

Now, I am getting only one major and two minors, but I’m going to go abroad for an entire semester this spring and then take another short trip with a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln students in the summer. It was totally worth it!

I can’t speak for math or biochemistry majors. I will be the first person to admit that I am grateful for you all because I sure as hell have no idea what is going on in your fields of study. But I’m willing to bet that you can find something relevant to your coursework in the people and places around you.

Why would we build something, or make a theory for something, or spend time on anything for that matter, if it didn’t seek to better the environment around us in some way? I’m a political science major, so everything I study is about people. When I look at theories, even if they are Machiavellian theories of gaining power for powers sake, they have to do with people. When I study public policy issues, I am studying how to best use the resources of the community to benefit that same community. When I look at international relations or compare the politics of the United States to the politics of another nation-state, I am constantly thinking about how those politics affect the people.

All I ever think about is how to use the government to better society.

We are all in classrooms studying something that will (hopefully) benefit society in one way or another, so it only makes sense that we should get to know the society we are trying to benefit. You might think this doesn’t pertain to you, that you will never do anything that has an affect on another part of the world, and therefore traveling to other places isn’t important for you. Wrong.

First of all, we are all intertwined, whether you like it or not. The world is full of ties from person to person that we aren’t even aware of. When we affect one person, they then go affect someone else, and the chain continues on forever and ever.

Secondly, we need to get a grasp on how to handle difference. I am a white, upper class, straight, mid-westerner who grew up in a family that attended a Christian church on a fairly regular basis. I am what a lot of Americans would call “normal,” and I’m treated as such. I have never felt like the outsider. But it’s important for me to understand that I am not “normal” and that, in fact, there isn’t any “normal” to the human race. Traveling the little bit that I’ve gotten to thus far has helped me learn that lesson.

For example, last summer while traveling in China, I got my first experience of being singled out as part of a minority group. Any time I would go somewhere in the “small” city of Xi’an (which has a population of around 9 million), at least a few locals would stare at me. When the group I was traveling with went places together, it got worse. Every time we sat down at a restaurant the kitchen staff came out to take pictures of us on their cell phones. We stood out, and there wasn’t any way of hiding it.

You don’t have to love everyone; you don’t have to like everyone. But you do have to respect everyone, even the people who show little respect to you or those around you. Traveling to new places and learning about other world-views makes this respect a lot easier to have. When you educate yourself about the people you are going to spend the rest of your life working for, you gain an understanding that is difficult to replace with a simple lecture in a college classroom.

I realize I’m extremely lucky because my parents had the means and were willing to help finance my study abroad experiences. Most people don’t get that luxury. But don’t let that stop you. There are a few places you can look to for funding to get an international experience while you’re in undergraduate school.

If you qualify for a PELL grant, there are a few scholarship opportunities reserved for studying abroad that you are eligible for that will cover an entire semester or even year of study. If you don’t qualify for a PELL grant, don’t worry because there are still numerous scholarship opportunities offered through the universities International Affairs office and other private donors.

I suggest checking out the International Affairs Web site and looking at their section on financial aid for study abroad. They have a great list of scholarships. They also work with the Office of Financial Aid to help get any current scholarships or loans you have credited toward your study abroad.

I am going abroad in spring and found four scholarships I am eligible for, which will probably cover my entire program if I am awarded all four.
Even if you have to save up a lot of money or go into a little bit of extra debt to get an international experience, it’s highly worth your time and money. Don’t discredit how much you will grow as a person and how much your experience will teach you about the human experience.

Don’t be afraid to learn some things that a classroom can never teach you. Take Twain’s advice and never let a school get in the way of your education.

Sarah Melecki is a senior Political Science major. Reach her at sarahmelecki@dailynebraskan.com.