CUTTING CLASS WORK, STUDY OR TRAVEL ABROAD CAN GET YOU OUT OF YOUR BORING CLASSROOMS AND INTO THE ADVENTURE OF YOUR LIFE! BY LUCY IZON w w FROM HISTORIC UNI VERSITIES TO INTERNSHIPS TO SCIENCE PROJECTS, THERE IS A WORLD OFADVENTURE OPEN TO STUDENTS READY FOR A CHANGE Suffering from classroom claustropho- bia? Imagine being able to step outside that classroom to find that you have just cruised into Hong Kong, Sri Lanka or Egypt. A floating university is just one of the hundreds of opportunities for students wishing to escape their ivory towers. From historic universities to internships to sci- ence projects, there is a world of adventure open to students ready for a change. Everyone has done study projects for class, but about one that takes you to the far corners of the world? One way to escape classroom claustrophobia is to move yourself to a campus in a foreign land. For many years, junior-year-abroad programs at historic universities like Oxford, Manchester and the Sorbonne have been popular ways to experi- ence the world and continue your studies at the same time. Many credits are transferable, and most students love the experience. If you really want to get out of the classroom, consider programs like the University of Pitts- burgh's unique Semester at Sea. Twice each year between 400 and 500 undergraduates pay about $9000 each to sail on the SS Universe, a floating campus. Ports include Japan, Korea, Tai- wan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, India, Egypt, Turkey and Greece. If the whopping fees of programs like Semester at Sea leave you gasping, there are other ways to get out of the classroom with mini- mal expense. One popular program (organized through the Council for International Educational Exchange, CIEE) is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Education. Each year they invite English speak- ers with bachelor's degrees to work for one year in the Japanese educational system. Knowledge of Japanese is an asset but not a prerequisite. Transportation and salary are provided. Most employment abroad opportunities aren't nearly so romantic nor lucrative. Waitress- ing or cleaning house aren't glamorous jobs, but they do provide a chance to see a foreign coun- try without breaking your budget. However, if working abroad is your objective, be prepared to be flexible and to accept lifestyles and attitudes very different from your own. Judy Gerber, a 21-year-old veterinary student, went to Scotland last summer to seek work. "I spent a week and a half going on calls," she chuckled, "'but no one would hire me because I was a girl. At first it really burned me up. I said, 'I've done all this work. I've got a resume!' And they'd just pat me on the back and say 'Mrs. Han up the road needs a babysitter'." Gerber ended up waitressing in a hotel. Was it worth it? "Defi- nitely, I wasn't disappointed at all." Work, study or travel abroad can be exciting adventures, but that's not their only attraction. These experiences can also be serious prepara- tion for future careers. A year ago Audrey, a 21- year-old student from Brookville, N.Y. spent her Christmas in Hawaii teaching dolphins to com- municate. She hopes to pursue a career working with animals when she graduates. "The big thing for me was actually being able to touch the dolphins and communicate. I was able to get into the tank with them. It's the most incredible feeling. I learned to take care of them, feed them, to tell if they were angry or happy .. . there are so many sides to research that I never considered until I was actually doing it." Heather, a 21-year-old student from UC Santa Cruz is preparing for her second internship in In- dia. During her first visit she spent five months travelling; this time she'll earn credit by working for a women's magazine in New Delhi. Internships or projects that give you an oppor- tunity to test out your prospective career are just one example of the wide range of out-of-the- classroom experiences you can choose from. Another program, Earthwatch, offers an op- portunity to spend a few weeks actually partici- pating in scientific research. They act as a clear- inghouse, matching volunteers to scientific expeditions that need assistance. Earthwatch arranges for 400 teams of volun- teers to assist university professors with their fieldwork in 38 different countries. Fees for Earthwatch, ranging from $500 to $2000, are RESOURCES FOR STUDENT TRAVEL contributions towards the support of the pro- jects. Some scholarships are available. Earthwatch programs include such opportuni- ties as investigating traditional medicines in In- dia, exploring a shipwreck off the coast of Aus- tralia or studying the life of early man in Africa. Before you start packing your knapsack, how- ever, consider that foreign travel can be as ex- pensive as it is exciting. Costs start at $2000 for a summer study program and can go as high as $20,000 for a year at a foreign university. Yet, there are few financial aid opportunities for un- dergraduate students. However, if you've decid- ed that, despite the costs, fluency in Sanskrit is a must, you should pay a visit to your college's Study Abroad Office. The counselors there not only can tell you about the opportunities avail- able, but can also help you figure out how and if study abroad fits into your long-term goals. Don't forget your friendly academic advisor, who can tell you how your year in Manchuria will affect graduation requirements. Before you set sail, make sure this advisor gives you a written document from your college confirming that credit will be awarded. It pays to check out credit transfers ahead of time. According to Clayton A. Hubbs, a study- abroad counselor at Hampshire College, Mass., "There are lots of programs that say credits are transferable. You should be leary of that as soon as you see it because it's misleading. It's the home institution that determines credit." Also, check out the reputation of the program you're considering. In the past, hundreds of stu- dents have signed up for programs that "seemed okay'' only to have the sponsoring or- ganization go out of business halfway through the school term. Hubbs recommends that students begin plan- ning early. As he points out, "long range plan- ning is not paid enough attention to. . . a year is a reasonable lead to begin looking at the options. If it's at all possible, students should plan to take a year abroad, not just a semester . . . It does take time to adjust to a new environment." There are other problems that a good study- abroad counselor can help you avoid. "Not to be recommended is a program where you will be completely surrounded by other American stu- dents," warns Hubbs. As one student described her disappointing experience, "I didn't get a chance to spend as much time with British stu- dents as I would have liked or expected. First, our residence halls were just for program stu- dents-all Americans. Second, it was a com- muter school. There was no campus, and a campus would have been much more conducive to meeting British students and forming more solid relationships with them." Careful planning is the key to success in study or travel abroad. Check out the organizations and publications listed below before finalizing your plans to be sure that your experience abroad will be an adventure you'll want to re- member. Who knows? A whole new world may open up to you! CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), 205 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017. The CIEE is a clearinghouse for information and assistance for students planning work or study abroad. It operates a scholarship fund to assist students studying in developing nations. It also issues the invaluable International Stu- dent I D. Card. This card is the only international- ly recognized proof of your student status. It is the passport to a multitude of discounts and ser- vices around the world. Don't leave home with- out it! You'll find further details on CIEE's services in their catalogue which is available for $1. IE (institute of International Education), 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York, 10017. If you are particularly interested in study abroad, the lIE speciarists in this area can be quite helpful. Also an excellent clearinghouse for information and programs. National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, 1860 19th Street, NW, Washington,- DC, 20009. A free pamphlet is available by writing c/o the Publications Order Desk. Earthwatch, Box 127N, Belmont, Massachu- setts, 02178. Annual membership is $25. PUBLICATIONS From CIEE: Work, Study, Travel Abroad: The Whole World Handbook, $7.95. Many free pamphlets, including Basic Facts on Foreign Study, and A Guide to Educational Pro- grams in the Third World. When ordering books from ClEE, write to them c/o Publications Dept. and include $2.50 for postage and handling. From lE: U.S. College-Sponsored Programs Abroad, $15.95. Vacation Study Abroad, $15.95 Study in the United Kingdom, $9.95. Basic Facts on Foreign Study Financial Resources for International Study: A Selected Bibliography Fulbright and Other Grants for Graduate Study Abroad. Transitions Abroad-A Guide to International Study, Work and Travel is a quarterly publication to help students study abroad. Subjects include scholarships, volunteer work and independent budget travel. You can subscribe or check for it in your college library. Subscriptions are $9.50 per year, $17 for 2 years. Write P.O. Box 344, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01004 The Experienced Hand-A Student Manual for Making the Most of an Internship, $6.95 (in- cludes postage), Carroll Press, P.O. Box 8113, Cranston, Rhode Island, 02920. If you want to combine work experience and travel with earn- ing credit, this book from the National Society for Internships and Experiencial Education helps sort out the basics. Let's Go Guides, Harvard Student Agencies. Let's Go: Europe, $10.95. Other individual countries, $9.95 Many of these publications may be available in your college library. 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