This May, a group of 15 students went to study with 2 of their professors in Spain for the May-Mester study abroad trip. Lainey Pettit, one of the students who had the opportunity to go on this trip, was able to answer a few questions about it.
Pettit’s interest in the trip was first piqued when she discovered that she could get the remainder of her general education credits. Once she and two of her best friends learned who the professors for the trip were, Pettit says, “it sealed the deal.”
As any college student would, Pettit had concerns about how she would afford this trip. Fortunately for her, she was able to use financial aid. Pettit said, “It truly is, in the grand scheme of things, a crazy, more accessible opportunity to travel outside the U.S..”
Once they arrived in Spain, over the course of their trip, they explored several beautiful cities, such as Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Sevilla, and Cordoba. Pettit and her classmates abroad visited several historical sites and museums while discussing the significance of architecture, history, culture, and language.
When asked about the academic side of the trip, Pettit stated “The only assignments we had to complete while abroad were daily journal entries where we wrote about all of the things we experienced and witnessed.” There wasn’t too much to be done while overseas, but once back in the U.S., they had some bigger curriculum-based assignments.
Pettit expressed how unique and wonderful the entire experience is compared to doing the lessons in a classroom:
“In a typical classroom setting, you are limited to pictures and your imagination, but on a study abroad, you have the ability to be a part of the history you’re learning.”
The professors were just as, if not more, immersed in the program as the students were. Pettit expressed, “It was so special to see both of our professors being so excited to physically show us all the things that they so passionately lecture about during a typical semester.”
This program offers such a special opportunity to learn about a culture on a personal level while they also complete a portion of their education. Pettit, on the overall experience, said, “International travel has a way of bringing people together.”
Based on Lainey Pettit’s experience, an opportunity like this should be taken to provide a chance to see the world.
