Abroad

"Go Abroad, Young Woman, Go Abroad!"

This was the siren song playing in my head when I got the notice that the University of California was accepting applications to its Education Abroad Program.  Until I saw that bulletin, I had never even considered going overseas to study, but the minute the opportunity presented itself, I started planning my packing list.

The first step was to select the country in which I would study.  This turned out to be quiet easy, as most of the universities required fluency in the language.  After four years of high school and college French classes, I still spoke very elementary French...and barely a word of Spanish, Italian, or German.  I had the grand choice of one program that did not require a language background, the university in Lund, Sweden.

Norwegian Stave Church

The selection process was lengthy: a round of essays, interviews, psychological testing, but finally I got the exciting letter that I had been accepted into the program.  Almost immediately, I received a follow-up letter notifying me that the University of Bergen, Norway had just joined the UC Education Abroad Program family, and asking if  I would consider going to Norway instead.  Accepting this invitation turned out to be one of the wisest decisions of my life.  Not only did I get to live in one of the most stunning places on earth, but I learned lessons about life, about other cultures and attitudes, and about myself, (along with a little bit of European history in my studies that year).

That wonderful year abroad instilled a wanderlust and a curiosity about the world that has still not yet been satisfied.  My husband, Rob, and I share the philosophy that life is short and the world is wide, so we travel as often as time and finances allow. This blog is going to highlight some of the "lessons" we have learned from our travels - and the first lesson is:  Don't wait!

Go Abroad, Dear Reader, Go Abroad!