By Abigail Gamerdinger, Staff Writer
Many students on Ouachita’s campus wonder what it is like to study abroad, but don’t know what to expect or where to start. Ouachita student Payton Crum and the director of the Grant Center for International Education, Jason Greenwich, are both passionate about the study abroad program at Ouachita and encourage students to take advantage of these resources.
Students often question the benefits of studying abroad. Payton Crum’s response to this question was that she wanted to do something that pushed her out of her comfort zone. Crum explained, “It’s common to become comfortable with the college environment.” She wanted to grow as a person and in her faith. She went on to say, “I wanted to do something I had never done before. After a lot of prayer, I decided that this is what God wanted me to do.”
Students also wonder what the experience of studying abroad is like. Jason Greenwich discovered that being abroad allowed him to gain a better understanding of how big our God is. It helped him realize how egocentric we can tend to be until we step outside of our comfort zones and discover there are so many things we can learn from one another,” Greenwich reflected.
When considering studying abroad, figuring out what to pack or how to prepare can be overwhelming. Crum found that some major things that helped her prepare were journaling, talking to her family, and bringing letters from home. Remembering how privileged I was to have this experience helped me to prepare,” Crum explained. In regard to packing, she said that she knew she was an overpacker, so she dedicated time to researching what she was going to do and what she was going to need. This included talking to a lot of friends who had gone abroad and doing additional research.
Sometimes, all it takes to encourage a student to study abroad is a recommendation from a friend or mentor. Jason Greenwich encourages all students to study abroad: “Just do it!” He highlighted that as soon as you graduate and enter the real world, life comes at you quickly, and before you know it, responsibilities can make it more difficult to travel. He added,“Take advantage of the opportunity while you have it!”
As Greenwich said, all students are encouraged to take the opportunity while it is at hand and travel! More information about study abroad can be found on Ouachita’s website or in the International Office in Lile 101.
