By Julia Berkman
There are many formative experiences we’re supposed to have in college. First time living on your own, first time fending for yourself, et cetera. One of these experiences is going abroad. The adventures you have are worth it, but the price is steep. There’s a way to get around this. The International Opportunities fair was chance to research how to get the most bang for your buck by studying or interning abroad.
There are many different types of international programs that Western facilitates, including Direct Exchanges and Internships. You can take as much time as you want- from 2 weeks to a year- in over 75 countries all around the world! The best part is, for many of the exchanges, the cost is as much as it would be to go to and dorm at Western- in state. That means if you’re out of state, there’s even a chance you’ll pay less to spend time out of the country.
Lindsey Genut, one of the managers of the event, highly recommends Overland Summers as the internship to look into. Overland Summers is a group that organizes summer excursions internationally, and hires college students to staff their programs. You can staff programs such as Field Studies in Southeast Asia, or language & hiking in France. In addition to being at the fair, Overland will also be hosting info sessions on January 26, from 4:30pm – 5:30pm in VU 462B.
Lindsey also recommends Faculty Led trips. For half the quarter, you take classes pertaining to the country you will visit, and then you actually visit the country and learn about their culture, language, et cetera. One faculty led program happening right now is going to Cuba in a few weeks!
This event took place on the 19th in VU 552, but don’t worry. You can still find out a ton about international opportunities online or in person at the Career Services Center.