BY DANIELLE HAUSNER // MARCH 26, 2012 //

I hope you had a wonderful spring break, wherever you went and whatever you did. For those of you still in the travel mood, or have the travel bug, what would you think if I told you it’s possible to travel for a whole semester?

A semester abroad is an amazing chance to spend time in a different country and experience a rich culture of food, people, sites and a life different from your own. You get to explore picturesque environments and meet fascinating people who are there for the same reasons you are: to learn and create amazing relationships and memories that you will cherish forever.

I had the most amazing opportunity to travel abroad in the spring semester of 2011 to Lugano, Switzerland.  I have so many memories of different experiences that I would not trade for anything.

The southern side of the Duomo in Firenze, Italy is among the places a student could visit while studying abroad in Europe. // PHOTO BY DANIELLE HAUSNER

Today, the numbers of students and professors (that’s right, professors, programs abroad are always looking for educators to fill in while professors within that institution are on sabbatical) participating in semester abroad has become increasing large. There are programs in every country of the world; you just have to find the right fit for you.

The first step for many is making an appointment with Career Services. You will sit down with Liz Deren, who will supply you with brochures of programs that work closely with Curry College. Deren also talks about different opportunities each program has to offer. There are some great  programs offered through the Curry office and AIFS Study Abroad. But remember, this is just the first step. You HAVE to do your research.

For researching, think about what experience you really want. Some things to consider are: will this program transfer course credits and will Curry accept them? (This can take some time, considering you will have to deal with Curry’s registrars office.)

Also, where do you want to live? Location, location, location…it absolutely matters. How about language? Do you want to be completely immersed in a new language? Do you want to go to classes in a different language or would you prefer to find a school that conducts its classes in English? How about traveling on the weekends? Do you want to travel in your own country or would you like to have the opportunity to jump from country to country? These are just a few thoughts to consider when exploring programs and destinations abroad.

While Career Services has some great programs, I suggest also looking at abroad programs offered by other schools. I found my own study abroad program through Franklin College in Indiana. NYU and Tennessee are two schools that also boast amazing abroad offices.

Don’t miss such an amazing, eye-opening and life-changing experience. Go explore. Party. Learn. And grow through a semester abroad.