Program: Thailand: Teaching English (Learning Enterprises)
Term: Summer 2015
Major: Individual Studies
Studying abroad gave me a new sense of confidence.
Before my program, I was already an independent and determined person but traveling alone really allows a deeper insight into who you really are. Not only did I understand on a deeper level of what communication was, I was able to bring that cultural relevancy back home. I was able to build a cohort of people from Singapore, Berkeley, GW and more.
Advice for future #Terps Abroad:
Don't limit yourself or feel as though you are limited in any way! There are so many options-- that don't always have to be traditional. Seek the correct information from resources from MyEA or academic advisors and go on your way!
It is financially feasible, sometimes the same cost or cheaper than what it would be at home. It's NOT limited to people of a certain income, background, or academic majors. YES, there may be barriers at times but that does not render it impossible. You can make it happen and Education Abroad is more than willing to help with that.
Being with a host family was such an immersive and invaluable experience.
I was able to understand more of the structure of the traditional Thai family while simultaneously teaching in the community. When tutoring my host brothers, I learned more about the Thai education system and its effectiveness in society. My host mom and I still keep in touch and send each other photos.
As a first-generation student, I felt like I was limited in my options.
I plan on having a career in international development and policy so it was critical that I gained this experience. But I didn't know how to get to these resources and there was a lack of information.