Saint Mary's College / Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership / Promoting Transformative Intercultural Engagement

Student Reflections on Study Abroad

“I was able to stay in Rome for Holy Week and get tickets for all the Papal Masses that week. This was such a blessing and helped me achieve my personal goals in growing my faith, understanding different cultures, understanding and using the Italian language, growing as a person, growing in responsibility, and gaining a moral global vision.”
(Lisa Ficker’09, Rome 2007)

“I can honestly say that I never thought I would go to Australia. Not that I didn’t have the desire, but being that it was half way around the world it seemed rather inaccessible. I got to learn more about Australia’s Aboriginal culture, which has now spawned an interest to learn more about the Native American culture and current problems (they share a relatively similar history). I also learned a great deal about leadership and progressive change. Finally, I made some wonderful friends who showed me love and never-ending generosity.”
(Kirsten Kensinger ’07, Australia 2006)

“At the end of my internship my Spanish had greatly improved and I had learned so much about what it means to be accepting of all people regardless of race, religion, or language abilities… the people of Spain taught me what it means to embrace everyone and every moment in life.”
(Christina Latty ‘07, Spain 2006)

“These new perspectives have allowed me to see that, no matter how much I think I know, there is always so much more to understand when dealing with culture, development, and globalization. Intercultural awareness and understanding are increasingly important tools in a world that seems to be continually shrinking due to the advent of technology and other forces of globalization. My experience in Honduras helped me to combine these previous experiences with new perspectives and ideas, adding more depth to my understanding of culture and globalization.”
(Megan McGee ‘06, Honduras 2006)

“With me, I carried big expectations for my future experiences, expectations that turned out to be not large enough. These means by which people existed in Quito captured a new reality for me and put my own lifestyle into a completely different perspective. The atmosphere here was like that of no other in the world. The experiences really affected my life. Reality has a new meaning for me because I am aware of the completely different lifestyles that exist throughout the world…the similarities and differences among people throughout every culture are equally important, and that we all have something to teach each other.”

(Caitlin Brodmerkel ‘09, Ecuador 2006)

“It was really an amazing academic, cultural and personal experience in an amazing country. Romanians are very interested in making sure visitors are having a good time and are almost worried that they are getting the wrong impression of their country. So the overwhelming question you would typically get from a Romanian seconds after meeting them would be “Do you like Romania?” and then immediately followed up “No. Really?” I couldn’t convince them enough that Romania turned out to be the most fascinating, beautiful, warm, authentic place I have ever been to. I feel very fortunate to be able to follow my passion for archaeology and have it lead me to such an amazing place.”

(Meghan McCandless ’07, Romania 2006)

“Seeing the ancient ruins around every corner really put my view of history in perspective. I wonder of the people who walked around the ancient city and could ever imagine that pieces of it would stand the test of time and still be there so many thousands of years later. Greece was an experience I will never forget and a trip I would suggest to anyone. It was a trip full of newfound knowledge about an ancient culture with a plush history that is still thriving today.”
(Johnnie Quigley ’07, Greece 2006)

“Cultural differences are the most prevalent thing that grabs my attention when visiting other countries. I feel as though with all of this worldly knowledge I can now continue my college career with a better understand of my peers. Hopefully in the future, I will have the opportunity to help those less fortunate than I and again will be able to immerse myself in other cultures.”
(Kathryn Doyle ‘07, Semester Around the World 2005)

“I felt that I had a sense for cultural sensitivity and a solid sense of where I stood in the world as an American. However, I found, understanding and being aware of these sensitivities is much different than practicing them. In this program dialogue was never flat and boring, but was always enlightening and spurred growth within the individual in ways that are life changing. We were, at times simulating the international round-table discussion such as what takes place at the United Nations, having to listen to, or represent, the views of a foreign country. In joining together students from various different countries around the world, the students grow in unison throughout the month long experience. Through these bonds we have formed, we are now, unlike a typical United Nations round-table, emotionally connected to one another and their country of origin.”
(Jane McGroarty ’06, Argentina 2005)

“I have deepened my love for traveling and discovering new lands. I experienced this immersion not only in my host country of Belgium but also in the other seven countries I was able to visit. With three ambitious never-before-been-to-Europe counselors, we were able to max out our traveling limits by venturing far and wide. Each weekend brought a new adventure, and usually a new country: we experienced Mozart’s home town in Austria, tasted the cold fresh water in Switzerland, visited the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, I found a new love for the French culture while in Paris, was emotionally taken back by walking through the house of Anne Frank in the Netherlands, ran into an art festival while stopping in Luxemburg, and waded in the Mediterranean while hiking the coast of Italy. Never did I think upon arrival to Brussels on June 12, 2005 that I would reach these places and gain such valuable, historical, and geographical insights. We definitely tested our limits.”
(Rebecca Feauto ’06, Belgium 2005)

“The best part of going to Siena for me was not seeing the sites or traveling but

instead it was my interaction with the people around me. I loved talking with them,learning where they were from, what they liked to do, and just basically who they were. My suggestion for anyone who is traveling abroad is to really get to know those around you and you will find that you will learn so much.”
(Sinnamon Wolfe ’06, Italy 2005)

“I learned that part of the culture is lost when you try to accommodate a variety of different people. Living in a foreign culture a part from other people from the US means that you will make mistakes and be embarrassed, but you will also learn certain things that are invaluable when trying to live in a global, multicultural world. if you are planning to go to Italy, either with the Rome program or independently, be prepared for a different lifestyle. going abroad in this capacity expanded my perspective of the world, and also how people live. Despite the different cultures, we are essentially human beings and certain things are universal.”
(Megan Conway’06, Rome 2005)

“While I thought I was an independent person before leaving on this trip, I came to realize just how much I had previously depended on others. Traveling to Europe as a single female seems to exceed some of these expectations, but going to Lourdes proved I could do things on my own. My experiences in Lourdes provided me with an opportunity to examine myself in light of these diverse cultural perceptions and lifestyles. I became more in-tune to the opinions of those around the world regarding foreign policy, everyday life, and religion. Furthermore, my confidence in my abilities and interests as an individual grew as I was introduced to some inspirational women from across the world. I feel, however, since returning from Europe I have also gained more confidence in myself and less regard is given to what other people may think as acceptable, according to society’s material standards. I also proved I could successfully travel independently and develop my foreign language skills to the point I could have a serious conversation. I would not say this trip changed me, but rather brought about new ways of thinking and pathways to explore in the future.”
(Sara Otto’07, France 2005)

“There is a lot that Americans can learn from Irish society and I could not be more grateful than I am to be able to have had the opportunity to really immerse myself in another country’s culture and learn about the people in first-hand experience. The most important thing that I have learned from traveling to Ireland is that the world is a small place. All people are really the same deep down just with different perspectives and ideas. We need to break down cultural barriers and learn from those all around us.”
(Amy Blue ‘05, Ireland 2004)

“I had my first true experience of being an American in China. I don’t know if I felt like a tourist or the main attraction. My red hair and very fair skin stuck out like a soar thumb. I can only begin to imagine what people thought when the saw me—fair skin, red hair, blue eyes—I was obviously foreign…My many experiences as a total “fish out of water” have stuck with me the most of anything that happened to me in China. Every moment and every memory has left an impression on me that has opened me to the realization that being different is a beautiful thing.”
(Maureen Garavan-Oskielunas ’04, China 2004)

“We do things one way in the United States because it fits who we are as a people and people in Grenada do it another way that fits who they are and their specific situation. Realizing this allowed me to appreciate, rejoice in, and participate in the Grenadian culture more. It also made me more aware of my culture and how it influences my opinions and ideas and ways of doing everyday things. Traveling to Grenada was an amazing experience that made me more aware of the impact culture has on every aspect of life. Traveling alone and living with a family forced me to examine both my own culture and the culture I was being immersed in. No other experience has made me more aware of the importance of culture or made me appreciate culture more.”
(Catherine Grill ’04, Grenada 2004)

“My host family welcomed me into their home as if I was their own daughter.

My host mother, Violeta, invited me to go to the markets with her… I felt just like her daughter because we had frequent conversations about faith and what it means to be an adult woman; we cooked together; and now I was going to the wedding of one her friends. It was such an awesome experience! I have never felt so immersed in another culture.” (Genevieve Tauer ’06, Guatemala 2004)

“Never in my life did I expect to travel to Africa as a college student and volunteer in Tanzania. This opportunity allowed me to experience a culture incredibly different from my own and challenge myself on this journey. I feel so privileged to have experienced this opportunity and look forward to sharing the knowledge I have gained with others. Tanzania gave me a sense of comfort but at the same time apprehension. I felt courageous and fearful. Tanzania is filled with happiness, despite the hardships and sadness that surround the country. It is a life unlike any I could have imagined; yet when I look back I know I could easily call it home. However, through it all I was challenged and that was the goal of my experience. I value the global sharing of cultures and feel so connected with the goal of the program and the values of the CWIL department. I gained great independence and personal strength.”
(Barbara Zarnick ’04, Tanzania 2004)

Please check the International Study Programs Brochure for a glance of all the programs. (pdf)

Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadership
Havican #14

CWIL · 9 Havican Hall · Saint Mary's College · Notre Dame, IN · 46556-5001 · Phone: (574) 284-4051 · Fax: (574) 284-4141 · E-mail:

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