An experience abroad is often the single most important and rewarding activity students engage in during college.
Fortunately, the University of Minnesota offers one of the nation’s largest learning abroad programs, with more than 300 options in over 80 countries. Every year at the U of M, nearly 4,000 students in almost every major take advantage of study abroad opportunities in countries from Argentina to South Korea to Austria to Tanzania.
These are students like Ali Oosterhuis, who chose a learning abroad program in Ecuador that she knew would challenge her—and it paid off. “No other experience will teach you so much about the vast diversity that exists in the world,” she says.
And like Joseph Rojas, whose experiences in Brazil, Venezuela, and France informed his career path. “Adaptability and flexibility are two of the greatest skills I learned as a result of studying abroad,” says Rojas.
Or like Issraa El-Khatib, who, while working an internship in Spain, was able to connect with classmates, professors, her host family, and her religion while taking a course on Christian, Muslim, and Jewish art.
In this Q&A, these and other students and alumni of the Spanish and Portuguese studies department share how their learning abroad experiences enriched their lives both academically and personally.
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Explore study abroad at the U of M Learning Abroad Center.
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