UM brings overseas studies home

Ashley Richards, a senior studying Spanish, can't narrow her semester in Spain to one favorite moment. It could be her Thursday night ritual when she and about 75 friends would eat dinner together, go to their favorite bar that offered 10 shots for nine Euros, dance until 5 or 6 a.m.,  and eat breakfast before going to bed. Or maybe when she traveled to Greece to enjoy the islands and black sand beaches, or when she went to an authentic Italian barbecue with a group of Italians — although she only speaks English and Spanish. Richards said she even had fun signing a lease, opening a bank account and taking classes in Spanish.

"We used to say, ‘Just embrace the awkwardness.' We embraced it; we laughed with it," she said. "There's nothing else like it ... You can learn so much about yourself."

Richards is one of the University of Montana students who will distribute information about opportunities to study abroad today in the University Center. The Study Abroad Fair, which is sponsored by the International Programs Office each semester, began Tuesday in the Gallagher Business Building. Students can find general study abroad information in the UC today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and major-specific details in the Liberal Arts building Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the Health Sciences building Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The fair features brochures, pamphlets, posters and students' photos from UM's various study abroad programs. Interested students can talk with International Programs Office faculty and students who have studied abroad.

Whether the questions are about paperwork, classes or which New Zealand beach is best, experienced students are some of the best resources, said Marja Unkuri-Chaudhry, the Assistant Director of Study Abroad Programs at UM.

"Students who have studied abroad really want to keep sharing their experiences," she said. "Reverse culture shock can affect you in many different ways, so there are a lot of benefits for students [who have been abroad] and for their fellow students who are just thinking about doing a program."

Students can study at 58 of UM's partner universities in 30 different countries, or through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), which coordinates study abroad opportunities for students in 46 countries. Some programs require fluency in another language, while others are offered in English. Faculty-directed programs are typically shorter in time — usually two to six weeks instead of a semester or year — and are focused on certain disciplines, Unkuri-Chaudhry said.

Political science department Chair Paul Haber takes a group of 15 students to Mexico each year, where they live with host families and take courses focused on development, immigration and Spanish. The six-week program also provides field trips related to course material. Although some of the participants are studying political science or Spanish at UM, Haber said they come from all across campus.

"Many of the semester study abroad programs require fairly advanced language levels to study in Latin America. My program doesn't require that degree of Spanish fluency," he said. "I've had students go into the program, and after improving their Spanish, they then feel like they are ready to go on and do another study abroad."

Last year, UM signed new partnership agreements with universities in Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Korea and Australia, and ISEP added new sites in Botswana, Belgium, Norway and the United Arab Emirates.

About 350 UM students study abroad each year, Unkuri-Chaudhry said, and the first UM student in the new Botswana program is studying there this semester. Although UM students are consistently interested in universities in New Zealand and Ireland, Unkuri-Chaudhry said she has seen increased applications for non-English-speaking countries with programs offered in English.

Students are looking to get that "deeper cultural experience," she said.

The International Programs Office holds information sessions every Tuesday at 4 p.m., Wednesday at noon and Thursday at 4 p.m. in the International Center.

More information about study abroad opportunities is available at umt.edu/ip.

heidi.groover@umontana.edu