UC students to support study abroad

Imagine waking up each morning to see the Alps out of the window, and walking the same streets as Mozart once did while getting a world class education at a foreign university. Sound like a dream? For University of Cincinnati alumus, Mark Heckerman, it is no dream.
Heckerman, now a graduate student in German studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, is on a yearlong study abroad program in Salzburg, Austria, offered through BGSU. He chose to study abroad to improve his German language skills, but emphasized that studying abroad can be an eye opening, life changing experience for any student, not just those learning a language.

It’s a valuable experience, Heckerman said. One that broadens our perspective of the world outside of the United States. Instead of what someone else has told you, you see how people in another country actually live you see that people have other ways of doing things.Approximately 262,000 American students studied in foreign countries during the 2007-08 academic year; an 8.5 percent increase from the previous year, according to vistawide.com statistics.

Besides taking classes at the University of Salzburg, Heckerman is interning at a bakery in town, to further immerse himself in the culture and to become an active member of his host community. An important thing is to embrace the other culture. Don’t go to McDonald’s or other things you can get at home; search the city and find unique restaurants and stores, Heckerman said. Consider yourself a guest and try to fit in and learn as much as you can from the locals.”

A study conducted by the Institute for the International Education of Students IES found that 96 percent of students who study abroad report an increase in self-confidence.
Katy Porter, a current German studies student at the University of Cincinnati, felt more self-confident after studying in Munich, Germany, last summer.I came back considerably more confident than before, Porter said. It was terrifying at first, trying to figure out the train system, laundromats and restaurants. But after the first week or so it became easier, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt for learning to successfully navigate my way through a foreign city was a major confidence boost.

Often students study abroad to enhance second-language skills, particularly because in the current global economy, knowing a foreign language draws attention from employers. Porter found this to be true when applying for a job.When I applied for a job in a chemistry lab, my employer was impressed that I was able to speak a foreign language, Porter said. The global market economy has made an understanding of foreign languages and customs a very important asset in any field.

While studying abroad offers many benefits, Heckerman and Porter believe it’s really up to the individual student to make the most of his or her time abroad. While some people, in my experience, have embraced other cultures, others reject it, deciding rather to incessantly criticize the country for not having more American-style amenities and customs, Heckerman said. These people gain nothing from a study abroad program.Porter echoed Heckerman’s statements.

Students who go overseas to party really won’t gain anything from the experience, Porter said. But those who are serious about their study abroad experience will find themselves more marketable, more confident and hopefully, more bilingual than before. No classroom experience can compare. Take advantage of opportunities to really improve your education.