It’s the time of year when most freshman conversation revolves around the decision to go abroad or not. An even more difficult decision is which city to choose. To give more perspective into what it’s like to live abroad, six recently returned IP students share their experiences by discussing with us some highlights of their time abroad and why students should choose their program.
Karen McElheny
Florance Program
“Florence was one of the best experiences of my life! I had never been to Europe prior to my time abroad, and I can easily say that it greatly exceeded any expectations that I had had before going. All of the little things are what I miss the most. Being able to walk down to the center of Florence in 10 minutes and walk through authentic street markets, eat panini and gelato, walk by the Duomo to go and see the David — the real one! — and of course, just spending time with everyone in the program and growing together as a family!
You should choose Florence because it is just simply the best. From the beautiful city to the great food, friendly people and cozy family atmosphere of the villa, you just can’t go wrong.”
Caelan Rottman
Shanghai Program
“Shanghai is the ideal location to travel Asia. During my year [abroad], I traveled to South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Tibet, Harbin, etc. Experiencing the cultures throughout Asia was worth the year abroad, yet there was so much more. The bonding with the family in the JIA was also extremely special … Everyone gets very close; in fact the people I live with now are girls I met in Shanghai that I didn’t know prior.
Everyone [in Shanghai] is very open-minded, adventurous and always ready to do anything … One thing that seems to surprise everyone is the international aspect of Shanghai. I like to explain it as the “Chinese New York.” There is everything you could possibly imagine needing. You eat dinners at the finest Italian eateries, most delicious sushi bars, best contemporary vegan cuisine. The nightlife caters to night owls. There are smaller clubs that mainly attract locals and maintain a Chinese crowd that loves to spoil foreigners. Or there are world renowned clubs that are lined with shark tanks and bring in top-notch DJ’s. There is something for everyone.”
Paul Safian
London “Programme”
“Going out and making friends with Brits would be the highlight of my year. I still communicate with some of them. One of our friends even came out to LA to visit us over the summer. He showed us a great time in London; we got to show him a great time in LA.
People should choose London as their International Programme because there is always something fun and exciting to do in the city. There is something for everyone, whether you enjoy being posh and seeing Oxford v. Cambridge rowing matches, going to a Chelsea football match, riding through Hyde Park on your horse, or seeing the world’s most famous works of art in the National Gallery and Tate Modern … You can spend your entire year abroad in London and never get bored. But it is also a great place to travel from. Flights are cheap, and going to countries is an easy thing to do.”
Jessica Wiles
Heidelberg Program
“One of the highlights of my time abroad is how close our entire house became. I went into the program not really knowing that many people, but we ended up becoming one big family. Another is being able to travel and explore so many countries different from the U.S. It really opened my eyes to how amazing other cultures can be.
Heidelberg has so many wonderful things to offer. From being centrally located for easy travel to the amazing architecture and two minute walk to the castle, Heidelberg is a beautiful, small town that becomes a home away from home for a year.”
Stephanie Acheampong
Lausanne Program
“One highlight from my time abroad was Thanksgiving. I was extremely bummed out because it was my first Thanksgiving away from home and that was hard for me because I am very family oriented and wanted nothing more than to be with my family on that day, but I just remember being in the house and getting all dressed up and going down to the basement of La Croisée (the Lausanne house) … and all the staff and professors gathered to have this huge and amazing Thanksgiving feast. That’s when I realized what an amazing family we had become in Lausanne. I was so truly thankful on that day.
I think people should choose to go to Lausanne because it’s not a super touristy place so it will feel more homey. Also, it’s an amazing place to create your own adventures because it’s not your average busy city, so it’ll inspire you to go out and explore, go hiking and captivate yourself with the scenery and nature. Lausanne is also in the center of Europe and that makes it a lot easier to travel around and get the full abroad experience. Finally, Lausanne is just perfect and there is no way you can go wrong by going there, and Darling is of course a plus, but that’s a conversation for another day.”
MA Alford
Buenos Aires Program
“Buenos Aires was a really great experience. It was definitely rough to get used to at first, but I grew immensely as a person. Staying with a homestay is at first awkward, but I have come to love my madre like my own grandmother — and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. One of the coolest parts was when we went to Tierra Del Fuego, the southernmost tip of South America. We got to stand on the tip of the Pan-American Highway, which runs all the way from Alaska, turns into PCH, and then runs through Central and South America. It was weird being on PCH so far from home.
I think Buenos Aires is best suited for those who want to get out of their comfort zone and experience a totally different lifestyle. It’s not a glamorous city, but there’s a lot of fun to be had. Discotecs, referred to as “Bolichés” open at 2 a.m. and go until 9 in the morning, so be prepared to get little-to-no sleep.
I couldn’t picture myself living in this city long-term, but the experience was once-in-a-lifetime, and I don’t regret a single moment of it.”
Even though the priority deadline was Sept. 24, there is still time to apply to any one of these wonderful programs.
Check out the International programs website at www.pepperdine/academics/international for full details on these and other international programs.
