CAITLIN WHITE
Assistant Living Editor
Photo courtesy of Cortney Black
Pepperdine was recently ranked No. 2 in the nation by the Insititute of International Education for its study abroad programs — a testimony to the school’s dedication to educating not just students minds, but enriching their lives in general. Another aspect that these experiences seem to bring about that might not show up on surveys or statistics is romance.
Love is free to blossom as students are secluded in foreign countries together, and without the familiar support system of family, language, and culture, someone who does share those things may seems extra appealing, according to senior Anna McLaurin, who went to Buenos Aires and met her boyfriend of two years, senior Steven Trigg.
“Life abroad is almost like a fake life, you just think everything is always going to be OK,” McLaurin said. “And you have all this time to just get so close to people and go on trips with them. You have these crazy experiences that you can only share with them, and it just bonds you more.”
From Heidelberg to Buenos Aries, love seems to spring up quickly as students travel to remote corners of the world and form close bonds with their fellow travelers.
As juniors Erica Long and Ryan Huie can attest, without the shared experience of living in Argentina, they never would have met.
Had they not been overseas, Long didn’t think they would have met. “We have totally different majors, we’re not in any of the same classes, I don’t see how we even would’ve met, so I really doubt it,” she said.
Huie echoed his girlfriend’s thoughts.
“No, no way, we never would’ve started dating if we hadn’t met there, I was too cool for her freshman year anyway,” he joked.
The two originally met freshman year in SAAJ, the freshman seminar they shared, but didn’t really start getting close until the end of their first semester in Buenos Aries.“We started to hang out a lot more right before winter break, and then when he went home to Nashville, I decided to go and visit, because one of my close friends goes to school at Vanderbilt,” Long said. “But once I got there, I just spent all of my time with Ryan.”
Many overseas couples say starting a relationship while abroad can add a very different dynamic to the whole group they travel with. Seniors Cortney Black and Paul Hignight, started dating almost two years ago in Heidelberg.
“It was just kind of weird for us, because we had been talking all summer long, so we started dating early, like two to three weeks into it. But still, we were the first couple of the group,” Black said, “And we also were pretty much the only one all semester, so it was just a weird adjustment.”
Another couple, juniors Kailey Lateri and Jason Putnam, who both traveled to London, felt extra pressure because Jason was in the position of RA while they lived in England.
“We were just really good about following the rules, because although an incident would be bad for anyone, for us, it would’ve been an even bigger deal because of his job,” Lateri said. “But it was dramatic when we first became a couple, because our whole group at the London house was so close. Some people had a hard time adjusting.”
Yet the opportunities for romantic getaways and extra time to really get to know one another seem added bonuses for those who plan to become involved while abroad.
“Paul actually had a scavenger hunt set up for me that ended at the castle where he asked me to be his girlfriend,” Black said. “So that was so cute, and then we got the chance to travel together: to Paris, Rome, and for spring break we even went to Morocco. It was incredible.”
Europe offers endless possibilities for travel and romance. Since students usually aren’t weighed down with jobs, other responsibilities, and conflicting groups of friends, many couples say they tend to find more time to spend with each other.
“I think an easier aspect of starting a relationship while you are abroad is that it lets you get to know your significant other a lot faster,” Lateri said, “You’re essentially living with them, and traveling with people really lets you see them up close and teaches you a lot about them.”
Long and Huie faced a different situation in Argentina, since they didn’t live in a house, but were in the home stay situation, and had to consider their host families.
“We couldn’t spend quite as much time together, because while you’re there, you’re supposed to spend time with your host family, like eat dinner with them,” Long said, “My house parents didn’t really care if Ryan would come visit, but at the same time, you have to be respectful. And we found a way to make it work. In that aspect, it’s not really different wherever you go, you find a way to make it work.”
As any relationship progresses, couples begin to spend more and more time together, and start to ponder their future.
“So many people my age tell me they can’t imagine getting married right now,” McLaurin says, “But all I can think is I can’t imagine not marrying Steven. Because there is so much I want to do in my life, but there is nothing I want to do without him there.”
Going overseas offers students the chance to broaden their horizons, and learn more about themselves, and for many finding their significant other is in the cards as well.
But don’t fret if traveling isn’t in your future, all the couples conclude that traveling just gave them an opportunity to grow closer.
“I’m sure I still would’ve started dating Paul even if I hadn’t gone overseas,” Black said. “All the romance of Europe sure did help though.”
09-06-2007