Exploring the world through study abroad experiences

Culture and language in Peru

Isaiah Paris headed to Peru this summer with other members of his Spanish 202E class at Oxford College to learn about life in the Peruvian Andes. The rising third-year student from Macon, Georgia, noted how rewarding the opportunity was. 

“I found myself thriving in practical contexts and engaging with the culture around me, which was especially meaningful as it allowed me to connect with my Latinx roots.”

Paris, who is majoring in chemistry with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean studies, says that one of the most significant moments of the trip was perhaps the least expected. When he got sick in Cusco, he was accompanied by Natalia Bayona Vasquez, an Oxford professor who was on the trip as an advisor. While recovering, he and Vasquez explored the city, dined at local restaurants, went to museums and visited a theater to watch a film completely in Spanish.

“These are things I might not have had in a group setting. This period allowed me to engage in sort of unfiltered learning that many do not get to experience. It taught me to embrace unexpected circumstances and find value in every situation, no matter how challenging,” says Paris.

Also visiting Peru was Ryan Wang, a rising second-year student at Oxford majoring in quantitative sciences with a concentration in political science.

“We studied the traditions of the Andean people and their spiritual connection to the land,” Wang says.

Wang, from Naperville, Illinois, reflected fondly on his interactions with a variety of animals, including llamas, alpacas and donkeys. While learning more about the languages in Peru, he learned to utilize a basic introductory phrase.

“I learned that ‘Noqaq sutiymi …’ means ‘My name is …’ in Quechua, one of the languages spoken by indigenous people of Peru,” says Wang.

Health care and gender studies in Argentina

Sloane Shabelman, a rising third-year student from Glenview, Illinois, spent five weeks of her summer learning about Argentinian health care, culture and gender in Buenos Aires as part of the Emory Argentine Studies Program in Emory College of Arts and Sciences.

Not only did she gain more insight into those topics, but she also sharpened her Spanish skills because all the courses she took were taught in Spanish.

Jezmin Chavarria, a rising second-year student from San Antonio, Texas, joined Shabelman in Buenos Aires. Chavarria, who will major in business and minor in Spanish this fall, found it particularly interesting to learn about the impact of soccer on Argentine culture.

“Learning about this deep connection highlighted how the sport is not only a national passion, but also a reflection of the gender and machismo dynamics present in society,” says Chavarria.

Between studying the connection of gender in Argentine society, kayaking with her classmates and exploring new cities, Chavarria also recognized the profound impact the trip had on her personal and professional development.

“I want to encourage other first-generation and low-income students to pursue study abroad opportunities. These experiences not only enhance personal and academic growth but also open doors to new possibilities and networks.”

History of scientific communications in England and France

In the early weeks of summer, a group of Oxford College students traveled to England and France, the home countries of the first scientific journals, for the class "History of the Scientific Research Article since 1665" to learn more about the history of scientific research articles.

Nancy Puente of Atlanta, a rising third-year chemistry major on the pre-med track, was a member of the group that explored the forces driving the evolution of scientific research articles. On the trip, Puente analyzed archives, visited the study rooms of early influential scientists, attended printing press workshops and more.

While on the trip, Puente was impacted by the fact that the historical exclusivity of science didn’t hold non-traditional scientists back from contributing to research articles.

“Although women were known to receive a substantial amount of scrutiny for participating in the sciences, some of them were able to transcend the limits that society placed on them,” Puente says. “The Lister sisters were a prime example of this — they were scientific illustrators and engravers in the 17th century.”

Ankit Doddamane, a rising third-year student from Bangalore, India, found that the trip sparked his deep curiosity for the history of the Scientific Revolution.

While in England, he and the group visited significant historical sites like the Bodleian Library, the Royal Society in London and the History of Science Museum, and in France, they toured Versailles.

“The visit to Versailles expanded my understanding of how science was intertwined with politics and culture. Monarchs played a significant role in supporting scientific endeavors, and this patronage influenced the development of scientific thought,” says Doddamane.

Media, arts and language in Senegal

Ella Mukasa, a rising fourth-year student studying French and economics, studied in Senegal for two months through the Emory Art, Literature and Social Movements in Senegal program. There, Mukasa and her Emory College of Arts and Sciences classmates studied French media, historical arts of Africa and Wolof, a language spoken in Senegal.

Throughout the trip, Mukasa made the most of her time by immersing herself in the culture both inside and outside the classroom.

“It was refreshing to improve my French in an African francophone country. It provided a new and insightful perspective that I found deeply enriching, and I found it incredibly rewarding to work with African professors,” says Mukasa. “Experiencing the culture of the area through arts events, food and connections with my peers and host family has made me more appreciative of Senegalese culture and the diverse world we live in.”

Political relations in the British Isles  

Kenan Bajraktarevic, a rising second-year student at Oxford College studying finance and international studies, visited Cork and Dublin in Ireland and Belfast in Northern Ireland as part of the "Brexit, Borders, and Belonging: Identity and Conflict on the Island of Ireland" class to learn from experts in education, government and nonprofits about identity and conflict.

Bajraktarevic and other Oxford students learned about the history of the Irish fight for independence with a focus on the Troubles, a decades-long period of conflict between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

“Our tour guides in locations around the country had interesting personal testimonies about the Troubles. They helped us understand both sides of the conflict by inviting us to explore every corner of where it historically happened,” says Bajraktarevic.

The most valuable learning experience for Bajraktarevic happened when high officials of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs met the group in Dublin.

“I had the opportunity to ask them about the prospects regarding unification between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland,” says Bajraktarevic. “Other students asked questions regarding health care systems and economic growth. No matter the major of each student, we were able to find some application of our studies to the work of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.”

Diya Nair, a rising second-year student from Woodbridge, New Jersey, was also on the trip. The human health and international studies double major found it interesting to explore the many topics that are impacted by the historical division.

“We explored factors like politics, nationalism, history, religion, ethnicity and the impact of recent developments like Brexit,” says Nair.

Perhaps one of the most notable pieces of information from her time abroad was learning the history of certain city names.

“It was interesting to learn about the complex historical, political and religious divisions in the region that have created contention over the naming of cities,” says Nair. “This is a matter that can cause offense when interacting with locals, and it reminds us to be mindful and respectful when approaching such a divided topic.”

Food and language in Italy

While in northern Italy’s city of Bologna, Arden Phoenix studied Italian language and culture alongside other Emory College of Arts and Sciences students as part of the Emory Italian Program in Bologna. During her time there, Phoenix — a rising third-year student from Washington, D.C., studying philosophy, politics and law and minoring in Italian — visited many other locations, including the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre and Florence. She also watched the Bologna Football Club team compete in the Championships Leagues for the first time in more than 50 years.

Besides sharpening her Italian skills, Phoenix learned to always embrace the novelty of a new location and be open to connecting with the people around you.

“I’ve been casual friends with some of the people on my trip since freshman year, but I hadn’t really taken the time to get to know them before this trip,” says Phoenix.

Also in Italy with Phoenix was John Coppolino, a rising third-year majoring in finance and Italian from Tenafly, New Jersey. Coppolino enjoyed studying Italian conversation while there and grew fond of the cultural importance placed on food.

“I knew Italians valued food, but I was actually surprised how much it matters to them,” says Coppolino. “Anytime I asked a local what I should do in a city, they usually recommended that I go somewhere to eat. The attention to detail with fresh ingredients was really impressive, and I enjoyed the longer mealtime with friends.”

Story by Anna Chapman. Design by Ruby Katz. Wallpaper by Natalia Volk/Getty Images.