Studying Abroad

Well, now that I’ve taken the time to immerse you in Kentucky’s beautiful landscapes and opportunities, I argue that we should leave – momentarily.

Like I’ve said, I never envisioned myself moving to Kentucky, but I also never pictured myself ripping my carry-on suitcase from the overhead compartment, running through an O’Hare airport terminal, and yelling at the airline’s gate attendant to “WAIT JUST ANOTHER SECOND!” because we almost missed our layover in Chicago. Welcome to studying abroad.

Please don’t get a bad taste in your mouth for Asbury’s travel requirement because of my airport fiasco. Honestly, I liked the adrenaline rush, and I’m so scared of planes, I slightly wanted our group to miss our flight. If we missed it, however, I wouldn’t have had easily the most memorable and forming moments of my life that I got to experience while a student at Asbury on a trip to Germany and Poland.

Say goodbye to Kentucky because we’re traveling abroad and almost missing our flight getting there.

IMAGINE YOURSELF…

Wanting to experience a new culture.

The possibilities are almost endless, and in some cases you don’t even need to leave the country or the state. Asbury has a Cross-Cultural Engagement (CCE) opportunity that sends you on your trip of choice to study, serve, and travel abroad for a short-term excursion (1 to 3 weeks) or a whole semester!

In Asbury’s Paris semester, not only can you dive into your new culture by studying famous landmarks and eating café croissants or touring the Louvre at a student discount, but you can also attend Paris fashion week, a night where the entire city is abuzz with tourists, celebrities, cameras, and creativity.

Suppose you’re not looking to travel to ‘The City of Light.’ In that case, you can also study biology in the Galapagos, work for the Olympics, sing with the chorale in Italy, wrestle through the questions of humanity and history in the Holocaust Studies Tour’s walk through the holocaust concentration camp sites of Germany and Poland, serve others in mission trips around the world, or sing in the Asbury Chorale in Italy!

If you’re nervous about the logistics, don’t sweat it. When you choose a trip, you immediately attend group meetings and Q&A sessions that prepare you for the trip’s minutiae.

When I traveled to Europe through Asbury, it was my first time traveling overseas and even riding airplanes! The trip advisors and global initiatives staff took the time to listen to my questions and concerns. Take it from me; someone who asked the difference between a carry-on and a checked bag!

If you’re not pining to board a plane and experience different cultures and areas of the world, that is okay. Asbury has many trips in the United States that satisfy the CCE opportunity. Many of our U.S. cross-cultural trips help with outreach initiatives. You could serve hot food, rebuild homes or communities, and build impactful relationships with your peers while serving others.

So, get out of here! Take a trip, but don’t miss your flight!