3 Surprising Reasons Why Sarah Decided To Study Abroad in Switzerland

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the term abroad is defined as “in or to a foreign country or countries”.

So what does it mean then to study abroad?

Simply put, it is the act of taking courses and getting an education outside of one’s home country and university in a different country.

However, studying abroad is so much more than this. Not only do students get the chance to take courses and gain college credit for their respective major, they get the chance to learn about the cultures and history of numerous countries through experiences that come with traveling.

Whether students are learning about another countries’ language, business culture, foods, citizen lifestyles, government practices, or simply just visiting a country and appreciating all of the aesthetic appeal it has to offer, each traveling experience further enriches that student and gives them a better appreciation of international cultures and values.

Study Abroad Programs

At Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, Virginia, the Pamplin School of Business is extremely accommodating of study abroad programs.

There are a number of these programs which are offered through the business school itself, however students are also given the option of participating in a third-party program through another company while still gaining credits for their degrees at Virginia Tech.

Why Study Abroad ?

When I first heard of the opportunity to study abroad in Lugano, Switzerland while taking courses which would help me fulfill my marketing major, I thought it was too good to be true.

How could there be a program which works so perfectly with my scheduled coursework that would allow me to still graduate on time?

There were so many things which appealed to me when I thought about the idea of potentially studying abroad.

For starters, I had never traveled out of the United States and Caribbean.

I had always thought of Europe as being a place I could hopefully bring my family later in life, a place that was far too expensive for me to travel throughout as a young adult.

When I learned that I could budget my money and make that work, I was thrilled.

Second, I was intrigued by the idea of visiting some of the most historical museums, churches, and landmarks in various European cities.

The Eiffel Tower, Coliseum, and Pantheon were all things I could only have dreamed of visiting as a child, and to think that I would be seeing them in person was extremely exciting to me.

Lastly, one of my main reasons I decided I’d love to study abroad was for the new experiences I would be gaining as an individual and with the people I’d meet in my study abroad program.

I am always open for meeting new people and gaining new friendships, and studying abroad is something that I knew would bring me closer with the people I would be experiencing it with.

This was appealing to me because at times in your life I think it is very necessary to step outside of your comfort zone and put yourself into a situation where you can learn, grow, and thrive.

Although there are countless other perks of studying abroad, I would have to say these were the main reasons I decided I wanted to enroll in my study abroad program.

Next Article – Overview about International Business in Lugano: Combining Practice and Theory