During last J-term, Allie Cheppa, a senior, went to Mexico with several other Seton Hill University (SHU) students. She said the trip was a good learning experience, but she regrets not having more free time after classes and group excursions.
“We had so much work that we didn’t have much time to enjoy the culture,” said Cheppa. “But it was a good experience. Negative or positive, you learn from it any way. I would never go back, but I’m glad I went.”
By Valerie Masciarelli
Staff Writer
During last J-term, Allie Cheppa, a senior, went to Mexico with several other Seton Hill University (SHU) students. She said the trip was a good learning experience, but she regrets not having more free time after classes and group excursions.
“We had so much work that we didn’t have much time to enjoy the culture,” said Cheppa. “But it was a good experience. Negative or positive, you learn from it any way. I would never go back, but I’m glad I went.”
Her advice to students who are considering studying abroad is to prepare adequately for the atmosphere that they will soon become a part of.
“While you’re looking at studying abroad, I think it’s a good idea to brush up on the culture before you’re immersed in it,” said Cheppa.
Nikki Klein, a senior, has taken full advantage of study abroad opportunities at SHU. She went to London over the J-term of her sophomore year, Italy and Greece over the M-term of her junior year, and just recently went to Mexico over this year’s J-term.
The trip to Mexico was Klein’s favorite because she feels she got a “full experience.”
“We stayed for three weeks, lived with a host family, and took Spanish and Mexican culture classes. We had a lot of interaction with the people there unlike the other places I went,” said Klein in an email interview. She especially enjoyed seeing the Mexican pyramids.
Klein does not have a least favorite study abroad experience, but she did admit to having some cultural hardships in Mexico at first.
“It is very difficult being thrown into a house with people you don’t know who don’t speak English. But, it ended up being one of the best experiences of my life,” Klein said.
Studying abroad is something all students should try at least once in their college careers, according to Klein.
“It is a great way to experience different cultures and meet new people- foreigners and fellow students… There is no planning or stressing on your part because all you do is sign up and everything is set up for you,” said Klein. “It is also a lot cheaper going as a part of a large group with the university,” she added.