By MICHELLE THOMPSON

American students are enthusiastic about studying abroad in different countries, but what about international students? 

Are they interested in studying in the U.S? Will they find Piedmont College? How would they find Piedmont College? 

What should the American and international students look for when finding universities to study abroad?

Viola Terschluse is a junior majoring in education at Paderborn University in Germany. 

She is one out of nine international students currently at Piedmont College. 

According to Terschluse, she is studying abroad at Piedmont because she wants to improve her English, gain experience to become an English and German high school teacher, and to learn about American culture.

Terschluse found Piedmont College through the relationship of her English Professor in Germany and Piedmont’s Professor Monika Schulte. 

According to Schulte, professors can help students find the right place to study abroad through relationships between other professors or the college’s partners. 

Paderborn University and Piedmont College have similar majors, which makes it easier for a student to find a place to study abroad.

Terschluse also said she is enjoying her time at Piedmont College and likes the small classes, because she feels that she can have a personal relationship with the professors. 

She spends her free time like any other student by hanging out with friends, playing tennis with the team, working on campus and studying. 

However, this isn’t her first time in the U.S. After graduating from high school, Terschluse moved to New York to work as a nanny. 

“When I first traveled to the U.S., I kind of had a cultural shock, because almost everything is different over here,” said Terschluse.

It didn’t take her long to get used to it, as Terschluse said she likes the American culture and thinks that the American people are friendly and open-minded.

Terschluse also said that the experiences she had so far are helping her achieve her goals in college. 

One of her goals is to able to speak English everyday. 

When she returns to Germany, she said she will recommend for other German students to study abroad in other countries, especially in the U.S. She added that traveling to the U.S. would help international students gain new experiences and learn or improve their English.

For international students who are thinking of studying abroad to the U.S., Terschluse said she would advise them to be open-minded and not to be afraid to talk to other people, as this can help them meet new people and build new relationships. 

For the American students who are thinking of studying abroad Terschluse highly encourages the choice.

According to Terschluse, if a student want to go to Germany through the college’s partnership with Paderborn University, it can help him or her learn a new language and another culture and give the student an opportunity to travel around Europe.

“You don’t have to be fluent [in the language,] that is why you are going there: You want to improve your language and become better at it,” said Terschluse.

She also said that though students traveling abroad wouldn’t be able to go home whenever they pleased, the experiences students gain will help them grow and become independent.

Sophomore business major Michelle Morelli is one of Viola’s friends at Piedmont College. 

According to Morelli, it’s awesome for students on either side of the earth to travel and study in other countries. 

“The student gets to develop a broader perspective on many situations by seeing the varying aspects of the different cultures compared to their own,“ said Morelli. 

“For Viola it was a quick adjustment since she such a nice person and even plays for Piedmont’s tennis team now.”