Studying abroad

Studying abroad opens up new exciting culture experiences such as sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and touches that you cannot experience in a classroom environment.

In a classroom environment you listen to lectures. Not all instructors require classroom participation, therefore there maybe limited participation. When a student asks a question in the classroom, sometime it takes away the valuable time needed to discuss other beneficial information.

In a study abroad setting everything you encounter is part of your studies. From the engineering of the cobblestone street to the colorful cuisines of the culture you are studying and everything in-between.

Studying abroad has given me opportunity to grow personally and intellectually. I have become more assertive and more aware of my surroundings. The experience has enhanced my interests in what is happening in the world. Therefore, I will continue to learn more about our nations and the global issues. I will continue to study world culture, whether in a class room, literary works, or on the Internet.

I have always been told of the advantage of walking and climbing stairs in regards to health. However there is nothing that can compare to taking part in the action of walking and stair climbing while you are studying a new cultural.

Studying abroad give me the opportune to see first hand what I studied in Environmental Biology, such as contour plowing and ground erosion. It gave me the chance to see firsthand what the effect of using clean energy such as bio energy, is like. Spain harness wind power (wind turbine), which is the fastest-growing energy sector, as a source of energy. We experienced the effects of that energy in the hotels.

We can make a difference in pushing our communities in the directions of wind power and bio energy, now that we have had the opportunity to experience its effects in Spain.

We were exposed to the wide spread recycling in the city of San Sebastian and all the cities were visited. This has made us aware of the value of recycling. It has made many of us question why San Antonio and sorrounding town do not recycle more.

I believe my Bio instructors Mr. Brad Chandler and Mr. George Hagen would be very impressed with what we saw concerning the environment.

In my business courses in the Administrative Computer Technology, we study international business etiquette and customer service. I got the chance to see firsthand how customer service varies from city to city in Spain and the United States.

I now view the world as more then just animated objects that I here about on television news or radio. They are people who feel, react and endure. They may differ in customs but their lives are similar to ours.

Reading about culture in books and hearing lectures cannot compare to hearing the sounds, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching an unfamiliar culture. These are the valuable attributes experienced in the study abroad environment.