My favorite experience abroad was traveling to the Salt Flats in northern Argentina. It was an incredible, otherworldly landscape that was unlike anywhere else I had ever been. My time abroad improved my confidence and ability to speak Spanish, which has helped me to increase my participation in my Spanish courses at Penn. After studying abroad in Argentina, I'm more interested in pursuing a career in which I could utilize my Spanish skills.

"If I had to describe Hong Kong in three words I would say convenient, international, and vibrant.  I had the most incredible summer integrating myself into a community where East truly meets West, and a bustling city that blends seamlessly with beautiful beaches and nature.  Not only did I fall in love with Hong Kong, but I also furthered my development as a teacher and scholar through my internship at the Science Workshop.”  

"It was really focused on engagement with people and learning about their expertise and experiences within the context of what we'd been learning in the course. A lot of what is appealing to me within cultural anthropology is this engagement with people and an emphasis on the histories that inform the present, mixing academic and activist work.”

"You start to gain a global perspective the more you come in contact with different people and cultures. With this class, you learn about a new culture, and you get to experience it first-hand. The more you challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and to really immerse yourself in new cultures, the deeper your sense of compassion, tolerance, and understanding becomes.”

"I'm a biology major with a concentration in ecology. My time abroad has provided amazing opportunities to explore and learn about the ecology of other countries. My abroad experience has made me feel more independent and confident. Being able to adapt to a new environment, customs and sometimes language has made me a more flexible and resilient person." 

"Interning at Project Pengyou and learning about US-China relations further confirmed my desire to major in Global Analysis and possibly minor in International Relations. I realized that I crave change, and love exploring familiar and unfamiliar cultures. It has definitely motivated me, even more, to study abroad in Asia in the future. If you're even considering, do it! There is no better and more opportune moment."

"My clinical experiences in Australia and Cape Town have hugely impacted my nursing education. The opportunity to work with different patient populations and healthcare systems is invaluable. I came away from my time abroad with a broader understanding of health and human rights. These experiences abroad initiated my passion for global health, which I hope to bring to my future career as a nurse and midwife."

"Before coming to Penn, I had never traveled extensively. Even just coming here has been a very mind-opening experience. The things you read in books are not the same as actually being in the place, interacting with people, getting to see their way of living, and just getting to know a few words of the language. Being a student at Penn and taking advantages of opportunities such as this class gives me a real-world education."