Student perspective: Making the friends of a lifetime – by Emily Fessler, Penn State | AUIP South Pacific Study Abroad Programs to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Antarctica

Emily Fessler, from Pennsylvania State University , talks about her experience of studying in Sydney with Penn State School of Visual Arts in winter 2017. She writes:

Traveling to a new country is always a fun and exciting experience, but sometimes it can be somewhat nerve-wracking when traveling alone. One of the best ways to explore another country is with a group of people who share similar interests as your own. University-sponsored study abroad programs are a sensational way to explore and learn about another country’s history and culture!

Hiking at Royal National Park

Personally speaking, during this past winter of 2017, I had the amazing privilege to study abroad in Sydney, Australia for two weeks with Penn State’s School of Visual Arts. I had the unbelievable, first-hand opportunity to study Sydney’s history, culture, and social issues expressed through art in museums, on the streets and in the communities of Sydney. What made this experience so unique, however, was that I was traveling with a small group of 22 Penn State students.

Students on the waterfront in Sydney

When traveling to a foreign country, especially one 14 hours across the world, it is very normal to become nervous in anticipation on what is to come. Before boarding the plane in Los Angeles to travel the 14 long but exciting hours to Sydney, Australia, I knew only one other person in our program. Having a travel buddy is always a plus, in which I was fortunate enough to have had, but there were still 20 students I had never met before, basically strangers sitting next to me on a plane. It was safe to say I was quite nervous but fortunately that was all about to change. From the moment we stepped off the plane and onto the tour bus students were starting to mingle. The comforting reality of traveling abroad is that everyone is in the same boat. Everyone signs up to travel halfway across the world by themselves with a group of students who they have never met. Everyone is filled with the same excitement for all the breathtaking experiences that are waiting to be explored!

By traveling in a smaller group of students you can bond quickly as you share intimate experiences. By the end of the trip many of you will have friendships that will continue even when you get back to the States. I still hangout with some of the girls I met on my trip that happened almost a year ago! So, my biggest advice is to board the plane with optimism and excitement for the awesome experiences that are ahead of you. With an open mind and the excitement to explore, you will make friends of a lifetime!