Despite a pandemic-induced early return, Taryn Lawler traveled wide and far during her time abroad and shares her transformative experiences through self-discovery. Keep reading to learn how Taryn expanded her boundaries and had incredible adventures in Europe!

I knew from the second I got my acceptance email from IES that I was about to start on a journey that would change my life and open up a world of opportunity and excitement, and I was right. The first six months that I spent in Italy were some of the best and most exciting of my life.

Although his study abroad experience was cut short due to the pandemic, PJ Hennelly spent a few transformative weeks in Europe, where he pushed himself out of his comfort zone, and realized that the world changes fast, and one needs to be prepared to take action at any point.

Hao Zhou wants to make films with LGBTQ+ themes—something he couldn’t do freely in his home country of China. At the University of Iowa, the MFA student has found a place that wholeheartedly supports his projects and goals.

University of Iowa graduate scholar David Smith recalls first becoming interested in the Norwegian language as a child when he learned of his family’s heritage. Although they did not speak it, he carried this interest through college and began studying Norwegian independently.

Nafisa Kamal Ayntee spent her early years traveling throughout South Asia. Her father’s career as an agriculturalist, working to support a variety of NGOs, resulted in the family relocating multiple times. One significant move was to the Maldives when Nafisa was five years old. Not only was this a remarkable time due to the birth of her younger sister, it was also when Nafisa was first introduced to the English language

UI professor to teach and conduct research in Columbia as Fulbright Scholar

Growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Pedro Marra was an active youth who participated in many activities, including swimming, soccer, and tennis. With his parents, younger brother, and many extended relatives around him, he had a strong support network.

Zainab Mousa-Makky, who received a BA in international relations and ethics and public policy from the University of Iowa, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Morocco for 2020-21

Yangyi (Edward) Luo’s journey into U.S. education started earlier than many students who study abroad. At the age of 15, he moved from China to Florida’s east coast to attend high school. Although young and living more than 7,000 miles from his home and family, Edward enjoyed his high school years.