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Personal Discovery

Your study or intern abroad experience will excite, challenge, and push you to learn more about yourself in the process. Students report increased confidence, greater self-dependence, and a broadened world perspective as only a few of the new traits that study abroad provided them.

For thousands of years, a journey to a new and different place has often been coupled with the concept of "finding one's self". When spending an extended time in a place with different people, places, food, sounds, smells, and languages than that to which you are accustomed, you are forced to step out of your comfort zone and learn about yourself in the process.

You may find upon your return that you are more responsible and mature, or perhaps more carefree and relaxed - or maybe even both. Whatever the changes you experience in your personal discovery, you can be assured that the personal growth will benefit you into the future.

How GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Enhances Your Personal Discovery Prior to your Departure

Prior to departure, your GlobaLinks Learning Abroad coordinator will ask you about your goals for study abroad in order to recommend a specific program that will best serve what you are trying to accomplish. You will also be encouraged to review the various modules of the Global Citizen Development online learning system.

Examples of Some GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Scheduled Activities which Enhance Your Personal Discovery*

Bridging Cultures Program

Typically completed in the first few days of being abroad, the Bridging Cultures Program offers all students many opportunities for personal discovery. Students are encouraged to set goals for their time abroad so that they do not remain in their comfort zone, but instead push through to really learn about themselves. During just these first few days, you will participate in activities which may be new and maybe even scary to you - like SCUBA diving, trying new foods, snorkeling, zorbing, seeing a musical, caving, talking to locals during a scavenger hunt, or spending time with children in a local orphenage - which push you to explore your surroundings and yourself in new ways.

Video Blogging Program

Each term, we invite students to apply to video blog for us during their time abroad. We supply the camera, they supply the experiences. This program requires students to be confident and responsible, as each time you are behind the camera, you have the opportunity to really show other students back home what all you have learned abroad.

*Note that these are just examples and not necessarily offered each intake, some activities may have an additional cost to the student.

Holidays Abroad

Celebrating holidays, especially those unique to the United States like Thanksgiving, can be a memorable but challenging experience while abroad. Resident Directors and Coordinators often plan a Thanksgiving dinner for study abroad students where they can get together to celebrate and reflect. They may also plan celebrations for local holidays and discuss the significance of these events in their host cultures.