CSU second-years, great job. The year is now coming to an end and you will soon officially be third-years. I know it sounds clichéd, but your time in college really does come and go in the blink of an eye. I can already feel that happening, and it has been an incredible experience thus far. I never thought I would be pursuing my dream of teaching so seriously, and I especially never thought I would be living in another country to make that dream come true. I have grown so fond of this Porteño spirit here in Buenos Aires that it really is a shame I have to leave in a month and a half. On the bright side, at least I have that time left to savor.
Now that I am writing my final blog for you, I can only think of one piece of advice to give: please, please study abroad. I know your classes for next semester have already been picked out, but the second semester of third year is the most popular time for students to go. I was lucky enough to go my second year, and I cannot express how much I encourage studying in a foreign country. I have made friends with many native Spanish speakers, gone paragliding, jumped off a high dock into a moving river in pouring rain, gotten lost in a labyrinth of a city, gone horseback riding in the Argentine plains, drunk maté under an enormous, historic tree in the heart of Recoleta, and this coming week I will be visiting one of the seven wonders of the natural world, the Iguazú Falls. This is an experience I wouldn’t miss for the world.
If you even have the slightest interest in studying abroad, please go to the Education Abroad office in the oval during walk-in hours and talk to one of the alumni. They would be glad to help you and give you all the information you need.
If you’re interested in a country, odds are CSU has an affiliated program in the best city that country has to offer. If you’re confused, the office will take you through the steps of applying and getting ready. The application process is much easier than it sounds, and once you have your forms in, all you have to do is fly to your destination and your program will help you from there. In the end, studying abroad is actually very simple, and it generally only costs a bit more than regular tuition.
Earning credits abroad is very easy to manage if you have an International Studies, Mathematics, Psychology, Business, English, or language-related major, and many programs have courses that will apply to other majors as well. Most programs have courses that apply to AUCC requirements, and if a course seems like it can fit a credit it does not automatically transfer as, your home advisor for Education Abroad can help you change those transfer credits as long as you provide proof of the course’s content (books, notes, assignments, etc.)
See that weirdo on the right? That’s me, commanding a ship (citation needed) of my peers in one of the most famous rivers of Tigre. This is just one of the amazing activities I did with my program, and if you study abroad, you will no doubt have just as many fantastic adventures.
Living abroad can be scary and unnerving, but it is worth every ounce of difficulty and challenge you encounter. I do not regret any of it. So please, consider studying abroad, because it will change your life.
Thank you for letting me be your blogger. Stay strong, Rams, and live your third year to its fullest.
Love,
Josh
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