T'Shailyn Harrington reflects on her IES internship as a marketing and public relations coordinator at the Cape Town Science Center.

My name is Brooke Jennings, and I am fourth year biology student on the pre-medicine track. This winter I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Kerala, India. When I first decided to study abroad, I knew that the cost would be my primary obstacle. I grew up in a low-income household, and I am currently putting myself through school. This meant that I had to decide if studying abroad was worth it, that it would make a difference in my educational experience. This was the best decision I have ever made. The trip to India was nothing short of life changing. Working with the wonderful staff of Pallium India was the best experience of my undergraduate career.

My name is Amanda Burroughs, and I am a first generation college student, as well as an only child. I come from a middle class family in which no one before me ever attended college, and I have a lot of student loans covering the cost of my education. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably considering studying abroad but you aren’t sure how to make it happen, or if it’s even possible with a limited budget. About 6 months ago, I found out about an amazing program called the India Winterim. I wanted more than anything to be a part of that trip, and I knew in my heart that it would be the experience of a lifetime, but my heart sank when I looked at the program cost sheet. It can be discouraging when you first look at the expense of going abroad, but I am here to assure you that if you are truly passionate about traveling and determined to have an experience abroad, you CAN find a way to make it happen!

My name is Juan Martin. I am a proud Latino and I am the first in my family to go to college. I wanted to show my family what a college education, what a student from the Tippie College of Business, has the abilities to do: at home and abroad. I spent the entirety of my summer interning for a French financial institution in the heart of Paris. This was also the first time I had ever been outside of the country and the first time I could truly learn and immerse myself into another country’s culture.

Every time I go to downtown, getting in and out of underground metro stations, I know this is Paris. Paris was once a name of romance in my mind. I got that stereotype from movies, music, and fashion, like everybody else. However, the opportunity of studying abroad here gave me the chance to learn about Paris. In Marais, the downtown district consisted of Center Pompidou, numerous gay and lesbian bars and boutiques, I saw individuals, who wear their own hair, their own clothing, especially females. Young girls, a black woman with a huge hat and a colorful long tight dress, madams with gray hair but exquisite make-ups. I would follow them and I can’t move my eyes off from them. I feel touched.