In the Place of Useful Learning

Posted on September 1, 2026 by maggienugentced7a64495

My name is Maggie Nugent, and from the 9th of January to the 7th of June, I was incredibly lucky to call Glasgow, Scotland, my home. Glasgow is on the west coast of Scotland, just a fifty-minute train ride away from Edinburgh (which I visited frequently). Glasgow is considered by some to be the second city of the British Empire, and it certainly does seem that way with all of the Gothic Revival architecture present throughout the city.

I lived in the neighborhood of Yorkhill. It’s right between the rivers Kelvin and Clyde and is just a ten-minute walk away from Glasgow’s most prominent university: The University of Glasgow. I studied at the University of Strathclyde in what is called Glasgow’s City Centre, which I went to every day through Glasgow’s amazing loop of a subway system.

Even before beginning to plan my study abroad experience in the spring and summer of last year, I knew that I wanted to live within a Celtic culture. I’m a third-generation Irish-American, and my Global Theme is Culture and Politics, so I wanted my study abroad to reflect the cultural connections I already had while also introducing me to the ways that the cultures are expressed within their countries of origin. When I was younger, and when I would imagine myself studying abroad, I always imagined studying in Ireland. But thanks to the constant pleading from my very best friends who just so happened to live in Glasgow, I applied to study in Scotland at the University of Strathclyde.

Coined by natural philosopher John Anderson in the 1790s, Strathclyde is known as “The Place of Useful Learning,” which I can tell you without a doubt was the kind of learning I had while studying there. I studied history at the University of Strathclyde, and my classes included classes on War and Society, British Colonialism, and a general crash course on British history in the modern era (which is something I most certainly needed). During my time at Strathclyde, I wrote a lot of academic papers regarding pieces of history that I would’ve never known about if it hadn’t been for the classes I took (if you ever want to learn about the different ways in which enslaved Jamaicans engaged in acts of resistance, I’m your man!)

One of my favourite assignments that I had to do at the University of Strathclyde was for my British Colonialism class, in which I had to go to the Kelvingrove Museum and present on an object currently on exhibit. The museum is one of the most beautiful museums I have ever been to, and I was lucky enough to be inside the museum during one of their daily organ recitals. To hear beautiful music coming from an organ as I walked past Rembrandts, Van Goghs, and Dalis was an experience I won’t soon forget.

The organ at the Kelvingrove! They have recitals every day at 13:00

I would consider my study abroad experience to be incredibly out of the ordinary. Rather than living with other international students in university housing, I lived with friends. I never experienced the emotions presented in the graph of Professor Udo Fluck. And probably most importantly, I never felt homesick. Because Glasgow felt like home.

It still does.

Classes at the University of Strathclyde ended in early April, and my exams didn’t begin until the 10th of May, so I had a LOT of time to explore Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom! I went down to Manchester to see a play with a friend. I hiked along a beach to see a crumbling castle on a cliff. I traveled to London and saw War Horse at the National Theatre. I took the train to Edinburgh whenever I could, including to Dean Cemetery to lay flowers down at the grave of a polar explorer. But my favourite thing I ever did was making it to a place I’ve had on my bucket list for ages: Loch Lomond.

My friend Malcolm and I after seeing Road by Jim Cartwright

To quote a traditional Scottish folk song: “There is an old Celtic belief that when a man dies in a foreign land his spirit returns via the low road. In 1745, two Scottish soldiers were made captive in Carlisle; one of whom was to be set free, the other executed. It is the condemned man who’ll return to Scotland by way of the low road of death and reach Loch Lomond before his friend who must travel the earthly high road.”

Hiking around Loch Lomond gave me a lot of time to reflect on how I had made it to Scotland. In the six months I lived in Glasgow, there was never a moment when I was not in awe of my city. It’s that love and appreciation that I’ll hold in my heart until I am back in that Dear Green Place.

Finding My Footing in Tarragona, Spain

Posted on August 31, 2026 by Elise Erickson

When I left for Tarragona, Spain, in January 2026, I pictured myself fully immersed from day one, meeting people from all over the world and hitting the road with them every chance I got. I imagined a semester where every weekend meant a new city with a new group of friends I’d made along the way.

Some of that picture came true, just not exactly how I expected. I did meet people from every corner of the globe through my classes and the URV Mentor Programme. But instead of constantly traveling in a big international pack, I found myself exploring in smaller, more personal ways. Whether with friends also studying abroad, completely solo, or with people I met along the way in whatever city I landed in. It wasn’t the version I had planned, but it gave me something better: the confidence to navigate a new place entirely on my own terms.

My Global Challenge was Balancing Culture and Control: Spain’s Struggle with Tourism Dependence. I wanted to understand how a country markets itself to the world while still protecting what makes it culturally unique. Living in Tarragona made this real in a way no classroom could. Tarragona’s Roman ruins sit steps from a beach packed with tourists every summer, and I watched firsthand how a city balances celebrating its history with sustaining an economy that depends on visitors.

Before this experience, I mostly thought of tourism as a way to explore and connect. Living there shifted that. I now see the weight that comes with it too, the way short-term rentals push up housing costs for locals, the strain tourism puts on natural resources. That shift in perspective is something I plan to carry directly into my career. I want to work in travel and destination marketing in a way that promotes tourism responsibly, not just profitably.

Most of my cross-cultural growth came from the people I met, especially other international students. Being surrounded by classmates from so many different countries meant constantly comparing notes on how we each saw the world, and realizing how much perspective shifts depending on where you’re from. It made me a better listener and a lot more curious about the “why” behind how people think and live differently than I do.

As an ISEP Digital Ambassador, I created content for ISEP’s social media channels, which meant regularly stepping outside my comfort zone. I had to approach classmates I didn’t know well and ask them to be in videos, then film in public spaces with people watching. It’s one thing to be confident behind a camera; it’s another to walk up to a stranger, or someone you’ve only met once, and ask them to be part of your content. That experience taught me how to lead with more directness and less hesitation, and I think it will change how I approach interpersonal interactions going forward. I’m quicker now to just ask, instead of waiting for the “right” moment.

The most memorable part of my semester wasn’t a landmark or a trip. It was my very last night in Tarragona, when all my friends walked me back to my apartment and we said our goodbyes at the door. After months of building those relationships from scratch, in a language and a country that weren’t our own, that goodbye hit harder than I expected. It was proof of how much a semester abroad can build in such a short amount of time.

My time in Tarragona didn’t look exactly like I imagined, but it gave me more than I could have planned for: a sharper understanding of how culture and tourism collide, real friendships built across language barriers, and a leadership style built on just putting myself out there. I came home with a clearer sense of the kind of marketing work I want to do, and the confidence that I can land somewhere completely new and figure it out.

My Summer in Potsdam, Germany

Posted on August 31, 2026 by Noah S. Roberts

From March through August of 2026, I studied abroad at the University of Potsdam in Potsdam, Germany. I was attracted to the university for its excellent Computer Science program, young but vibrant history, and location within Europe and Germany.

Potsdam spent the last four hundred years as the home of the Prussian (and later German) royalty and court, a history which is reflected in its architecture. Its many palaces, including the Neues Palais (literally “New Palace”) whose grounds and auxiliary buildings are home to one the University of Potsdam’s three campuses, and beautiful nature ensures Potsdam’s centuries-long status as a prime vacation destination remains. Additionally, its close proximity to Berlin grants residents access to all of the sights, sounds, foods, and experiences the modern cosmopolitan metropolis has to offer.

The University of Potsdam is a relatively young institution, having been founded in 1991 after German unification. Despite its short history, it regularly ranks towards the top of several global college and university rankings and is well known for its teacher education program and Faculty of Science. I chose to study at the University of Potsdam for its well-renowned computer science program and its vast array of courses offered to international students that need not be taken as part of a traditional degree program. These offerings allow students like me to study subjects not offered at their home universities. I attended a seminar from the Institute for Slavic Studies in which we analyzed themes of peace and conflict in eastern Europe through various works of literature from the past few hundred years. The university’s proximity to and intertwined history with the Slavic world gives them a unique perspective on this topic, one which the University of Montana (or most universities in the United States, for that matter) cannot offer.

I expected my Beyond the Classroom Experience to be a challenge. I would be studying in a new country, foreign culture, and completely unfamiliar bureaucracy thousands of miles away from home, all while speaking far more German than I ever have. However, my study abroad tested me in ways and to a degree I did not expect. As time went on, and as my German skills and confidence improved, my ability to easily engage in everyday conversations proved to not be too difficult. Working within the bureaucracies of the university and Brandenburg state governments was a consistent challenge though, one that persisted mere days before I flew home.

The largest challenge I faced was cultural. Where Americans will strike up a conversation with anyone in their immediate vicinity, conversing with strangers about anything other than which is absolutely required for a given interaction is considered taboo in this part of Germany. This general coldness and shallowness took a real and unexpected toll on my mental health. I am generally a rather smiley and outgoing person, so this environment felt repressive. My day would genuinely be made on the off chance that some random passerby on the street smiled back at me. I was lucky to have found a group of amazing friends from all across the world who supported and opened up to each other to satisfy that need for deep social interaction. Turns out that the stereotypically cold Germans just need some time to get comfortable with you first. I was invited to join some friends at the movie theater to watch The Drama (in German, just for fun). These people became my closest friends, and I will never forget them.

With challenges come growth. Over the last six months, I learned how to navigate an entirely new environment largely on my own, though with some help from my friends and family. I stepped out of my comfort zone and participated in seminars covering difficult and entirely foreign topics to me. I discovered an interest in humanities and research that I had, up to that point, barely explored or considered. Heck, just a day before I moved out, I learned to paddle board!

My Global Theme is Technology and Society, and my chosen Global Challenge is the urgent need to end the ongoing erosion of personal and digital privacy. I hoped to take a course at the University of Potsdam which addresses this challenge but was unfortunately unable to. However, my time in Germany offered some perspective on this issue. Germans generally value everyday privacy very strongly, a value which is clearly reflected in their culture. As an example, Germans who do not wish to be photographed will duck out of frame, whereas Americans will react with apathy or maybe even intentionally enter the frame to photobomb it. This value is reflected in their government, too. The GDPR and the myriad of privacy legislation in Germany and the European Union are not perfect, but the “private by default” attitude taken should be seen as the standard for all privacy legislation throughout the world.

I had lots of memorable experiences, but my trip with some friends to Hamburg was one of my favorites. I found some cheap tickets to the city via Deutsche Bahn’s ICE high speed rail service, so I recruited two friends of mine to join me: Aspen, from Minnesota, and Georgios, from Greece! We really only had one full day in Hamburg, but we packed it full of museums, sightseeing points, and an evening boat tour of the city.

I was also incredibly lucky to have my parents visit me in June. I loved being able to share the amazing places I had found in my adoptive home!

My spring and summer in Germany was one of the hardest challenges I have ever faced, filled with frustration, stress, loneliness, and lots of impostor syndrome. However, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. I have discovered new academic interests, furthered my German language skills, experienced a world of cultures, and proven to myself that I can jump into the deep end and thrive. Potsdam will forever be a special place for me. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

My Spring in Yorkshire

Posted on August 31, 2026 by jameskampen

During the spring semester of 2026, I studied abroad at the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. Between classes, multiple hours on British trains, and my many Steak & Ale Pies at Nottingham House, I thoroughly enjoyed and experienced my time in Sheffield to the fullest. Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire near Manchester, Leeds, and the Peaks District, famous for its contribution to the Industrial Revolution and steel production. Now, in a post-industrious climate, Sheffield is best known for its presence of students as it boasts both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, two major British institutions. The school that I attended, the University of Sheffield, is famous for its vast campus, international programs, and being a part of the Russell Group. The University of Sheffield has many schools and different programs, but since my Global Theme is Culture and Politics, I mostly spent my time in classes that circled around British politics, government, and culture. I chose the University of Sheffield because of my fascination with England, their geography and city planning programs, and my friend, Kate Fraser, who conducted her study abroad at the University of Montana last year, studied at the University of Sheffield as well.

Before I left for Sheffield, I had no idea what to expect. I knew that the city of Sheffield was much larger than any place I had lived prior, so I knew I was going to be overwhelmed. I also expected that I would have plenty of culture shock to accompany me during my first time in the United Kingdom. Luckily, because of my friend, Kate, I had realistic expectations regarding the workload, social life, and atmosphere of Sheffield before arriving. Once I did arrive, everything felt a lot less overwhelming than I would have expected. The grocery stores weren’t vastly different, people were much nicer than non-Brits try to make them out to be, and I didn’t experience all of the culture shock that I was expecting. It wasn’t until Easter Holiday (the United Kingdom’s much-lengthier version of our spring break- our’s was almost 4 weeks long!) when I returned to Sheffield from my vacation to Italy and Greece that I began to feel homesick for Montana, which didn’t fully leave until I returned home in late June.

While living in Sheffield wasn’t a shock within itself, I still had moments of surprise and reflection. I lived in a student-living flat with 5 other roommates, who were all students studying abroad from a variety of other countries. All of them were from different parts of Europe including Lena from Portugal, Mark from the Netherlands, Julie from Belgium, Sanyi from Hungary, and Sarah from France. So while learning about the United Kingdom and all that it has to offer, I also got to learn so much about other parts of the world through my roommates. Often on Wednesday nights, my roommates and I would get together and make a large dinner for all of us, including different dishes from our home countries. I got to experience both that and constantly visiting my friend Kate’s flat that she shared with multiple roommates as well. I would come over almost weekly for movie nights with Kate and her roommates who were from all over the United Kingdom, and through that I got to learn so much about the different communities, cultures, and livelihoods in the United Kingdom.

During my time in Sheffield, I also had the opportunity to travel a lot. Luckily my boyfriend, Will Eaton, was also on the exact same study abroad program from the University of Montana to the University of Sheffield as I was, so we got to do a lot of traveling together. We explored a lot of places in the United Kingdom together such as London, Manchester, Bristol, Bath, the Peaks District, Bakewell, York, Haworth, and even went up to Edinburgh with our friend Kate. We also got to explore Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Rome, Florence, and Venice in Italy, and Athens, Arachova, and Delphi in Greece. After my last week of classes in June, my mom flew to the United Kingdom and we explored London, Sheffield, Bakewell, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Scottish Highlands together.

My experience at the University of Sheffield and my general time abroad will absolutely aid my further work with the Franke Global Leadership Initiative. This experience has allowed me to open my mind to further opportunities, to always accept any adventurous chance given, and how to prioritize both analyzing and experiencing a different culture at the same time.

Exploring Culture and Education in Sendai, Japan

Posted on August 30, 2026 by Brynn Jankowski

Over the spring and summer, I studied abroad at Tohoku University – a university in Sendai, Japan that prides itself on international collaboration. Since my Global Theme is Culture and Politics, I figured that focusing most of my class time on learning more about Japan’s culture would be both beneficial and engaging. However, as a striving teacher, I also wanted to explore Japan’s educational systems. Thus, I designated my Global Challenge as exploring “how to assess and address the inequalities found in nations like Japan through the differences in their rural and urban education systems, along with financial disparities.”

In order to better answer my Global Challenge, I took two classes; one class taught me about primary education in Japan (with an emphasis on foreign language teaching), and the other class taught me about universities (with an emphasis on comparing Japanese universities with other universities around the world). Through these classes, I explored issues regarding test-based educational systems and recent revisions to the educational curriculums that shift the emphasis to applying skills in the real world. Having to propose revisions for the education system as my final project in these classes, I learned that no one solution exists to the question of how to inclusively structure public education; every student learns differently, and with societal expectations constantly changing, having a curriculum that always fits the mold is unrealistic. Rather, I have found that having in place a system that allows for regular change within the curriculum is a valuable, flexible method to address new issues as they arise.

However, education became a secondary focus when I was studying at Tohoku. It seemed like every week, I encountered a new opportunity to learn about and personally experience Japan’s and Sendai’s culture. For one, I got to take a class that taught me the Sparrow Dance, which I got to perform at Sendai’s Aoba Matsuri: a festival focused on honoring Date Masamune’s (the local lord’s) memory.

I also got to take a class in which I helped make decorations for Sendai’s Tanabata Festival. This class had us creating a design, folding thousands of paper flowers, and attaching all of the origami to a bamboo structure. I not only learned how to fold origami but also how to create meaningful designs.

However, I think my favorite experience was learning Kyudo, or traditional Japanese long-bow archery, from Tohoku’s Kyudo circle (a noncompetitive club) named Zansin. While there, I not only learned about Kyudo and the arts of patience and form, but I also got to make local friends and practice my Japanese.

Overall, this study abroad experience opened my eyes to the wonders of other cultures. While engaging in classes and club activities, I felt that the culture I was learning about was truly beautiful and community driven. Being able to actually participate in another culture also made me feel more connected to the people I met in Sendai, and I am so grateful they were open to sharing it with me.

My Time Abroad In South Korea!

Posted on January 28, 2026 by eddygallegosde443417b9

Hello, my name is Eddy Gallegos. This past semester I studied in Seoul, South Korea at the University of Seoul. I am currently a junior majoring in Cybersecurity with a global theme focused on technology and society. Prior to my study abroad trip, I had never traveled far from home, especially not to a city of millions of people who have a different culture and language from my own. I originally came to Korea to observe how a society with such high technological standards interacts with its population, but I left with a better understanding of technology and my own personal growth.

Before starting my journey, I really didn’t know much about South Korea at all. Most of what I associated with it came from popular music and shows. Two days before my departure I started to overthink, I started questioning if I should really go. I worried about going through my daily life without being able to read,write, or speak Korean. I was nervous about being alone in an unfamiliar place. These worries were simply just worries. Once I arrived I met people from a wide range of backgrounds, many of whom I still text to this day. With these connections I found myself stepping away from my introverted nature and by the time the program came to an end. I was reluctant to return home.

My challenge was to see how a society with high technological standards operates. I personally have experienced the opposite during my time in Mexico where the same infrastructure is not present. One of these technologies was the subway system. This technology was completely new to me as I have never experienced it before. The Trains arrived exactly on time, the stations were well maintained and clean. It was easy to go from one place to another without any worry about how to get there. There were many other technical systems that took some time getting used to, but the overall benefits far outweighed any inconvenience. I’d go as far as to say that transportation was my least worry.

As the program went on, I found myself trying new things and becoming more social. It felt like I was living a different life, one that I find myself missing in a meaningful way. I spent a lot of my time going out with friends, exploring different parts of the city, walking through nearby districts, or riding the train or bus for hours just to see where I would end up. I also traveled outside of South Korea and visited Jeju Island, where I hiked the Hallasan mountain, the tallest mountain in Korea. I never realized I could be so outgoing and I discovered what I liked through my experiences with my friends. I always thought of myself as being very introverted and in my own lane so to speak. However in Korea that was just not the case, I would even go out alone at times just to explore new places and monuments.

My time spent in Korea also educated me on dealing with South Korean culture. Many Korean people were very nice and they mostly kept to themselves. Sometimes during my commute on a train some elderly people, Ahjussi or Ajumma would talk to me as best they could in English and I was more than happy to start a conversation with them. I never felt like I was alienated nor felt out of place while I was on the study abroad program. I also met a few Koreans who I became friends with and there I learned more about the culture and why they act how they act.

Looking back on my time in South Korea was an amazing experience, I never expected to do any of the things I did there and I would gladly do something similar like this again. This entire experience changed how I view myself inter-personally as well as how society operates over in the Asia region, something I was unfamiliar with before.

A Semester Of Good Craic!

Posted on August 13, 2025 by brooklyngrimm

In Gaelic, ‘craic’ pronounced like the English word, ‘crack’ means ‘a good time’ and let me tell you, Ireland did not disappoint! I’m Brooklyn Grimm, a third year student at The University of Montana studying Elementary Education! I joined the Franke Global Leadership Initiative as an incoming freshman because I have always wanted to learn more about the world and explore other places besides The United States. My theme, Public Global Health, covers the different factors that play into the variety of approaches to Public Health and the varying challenges that may need to be overcome in order to promote Public Health in different parts of the world. For my Beyond The Classroom experience I chose to explore the Public Global Health theme further by spending my Spring 2025 semester in Cork, Ireland! There I had the privilege of taking several relative courses including ‘Intro to Public Health’ and ‘Public Health Issues’ which focused on Public Health problems specific to Ireland such as the over-consumption of alcohol and the way smoking tobacco has been normalized in most public spaces throughout the country.

University College Cork where I attended my classes!

Learning about the thoughtful ways in which Ireland has attempted to minimize alcohol consumption and unhealthy habits throughout the population was an eye-opening experience for me. One concept that really stuck with me throughout the semester was the importance of brainstorming ways to promote health without causing a larger social divide between differing demographics. For example, one approach to minimizing alcohol consumption was to raise the price of alcohol, however, some concern is shown now for those who may be experiencing an addiction to alcohol. Realistically, these individuals are going to find a way to drink it and raising the price of alcohol may only lead them to a darker financial place than before.

The River Lee I got to walk every morning with one of my closest abroad friends!

Aside from broadening my perspective on the Public Global Health theme, this study abroad experience altered my perspective on life as a whole. I had the opportunity to meet loads of people from diverse upbringings and cultural norms and learn more about how these things impacted them and their worldview. I made friends with other fellow Americans and in addition, I met people from Argentina, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Finland, Canada, and of course, Ireland! I would not trade the sunset picnics, coffee runs, beach days, craft and cooking nights, Irish roadtrips, and insightful conversations I had with these new friends for the world! Cork, Ireland is truly a sweet place with a mix of city and small town vibes and I loved getting to live there for those short four months of my life. I am simply overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible opportunity and the fact that I have so many reasons to hopefully visit Cork and Europe as a whole again!

A portion of my new international friends at the Cliffs of Moher!

From Tāmaki Makaurau to Piopiotahi: Envisioning Sustainable Futures in Aotearoa New Zealand

Posted on July 3, 2025 by maiyaroelen

Kia ora, hello! My name is Maiya, and I am a senior at the University of Montana studying Wildlife Biology with a Climate Change Studies minor and certificates in Nonprofit Administration and Global Leadership. For my Beyond the Classroom experience, I studied abroad in Wellington, Aotearoa (New Zealand) at Te Herenga Waka (Victoria University of Wellington). My Global Theme is Resources and Sustainability, and during my time abroad, I immersed myself in learning about New Zealand’s sustainability and climate goals and the history and culture of the Māori people. My classes at Te Herenga Waka covered a vast range of climate change impacts in Aotearoa and I furthered my learning outside of the classroom by having conversations with local people, visiting a diversity of natural spaces around the country, and experiencing the critical nature of having a connection to place.

The famous Wellington sign in the country’s capital city.

New Zealand is home to tens of thousands of endemic species, meaning that certain plants, birds, reptiles, and other organisms are found nowhere else in the world. Being an island nation, Aotearoa also hosts a diversity of marine life, including dolphins, whales, seals, sting ray, fish, and marine invertebrates. Being from the United States which is not geographically isolated in the same manner as Aotearoa and not having had a lot of prior knowledge of endemic species, it was incredible to witness the plant life and wildlife that are Native to the country. Students and professors in the Ecology and Biodiversity Department at Te Herenga Waka nearly always refer to species with their names in Te Reo Māori (the Māori language). For me, this was a learning curve at first, as Indigenous language has never been a part of my education due to the systemic colonial thinking embedded in US academic culture. It was a beautiful and transformative experience to learn to speak about the land in Te Reo Māori. I will remain committed to decolonizing language and systems of thinking in my field of conservation, and I will challenge myself and others to continue to learn in this way, for it is so important to the knowledge of people, place, and our relationship to the natural world. I initially arrived in New Zealand thinking that policy would be my primary focus with regards to conservation and climate commitments, but came to be reminded of the importance of turning to Indigenous leaders for lessons in how we care for the Earth. From Pīwakawaka to Kererū, Ruru to Kārearea, and Kauri to Rimu, my time in Aotearoa expanded my understanding of the possibilities for the future of conservation and only made me love wildlife more. How can I continue to honor Indigenous tradition in my education, my career, and throughout my life? How does language shape the way we view the natural world and our vision for the possibilities of a future that exists in symbiosis with the planet?

Hiking near Marlborough Sound outside of Waitohi Picton.

In addition to the unique wildlife and plant communities of the country, the geography of Aotearoa is absolutely stunning. Highlights of my time there include a weeklong bus trip across the scenic North Island with other students and solo travelers that took me from Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) to Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). Along the way, we stopped at the famous Cathedral Cove, Karangahake Gorge, Waitomo glowworm caves, Huka Falls, Tongariro National Park and Lake Taupō. I also greatly enjoyed my time on the South Island at the end of my trimester, as I travelled from Tāhuna (Queenstown) to Waitohi (Picton). Experiencing the splendor of Piopiotahi (also known as Milford Sound) on the South Island was one of the most magical moments of my time abroad because witnessing largely untouched and protected wilderness such as that is so extremely rare and precious. And of course, visiting a Kiwi bird rehabilitation sanctuary in Tāhuna is another special memory from the South Island.

The southernmost point of the North Island at Cape Palliser, Aotearoa.

My time in Aotearoa challenged the way that I think and enhanced my ability to evaluate how language shapes our relationship to the world and each other. I met some incredible people who welcomed me to a new place with compassion, curiosity, and warmth, and for this welcome I will always be grateful. I found joy in learning about species I had never known, like the Tuatara, hiking to an eight-hundred-year-old Rimu tree and stumbling upon a huge Fur Seal community at the southernmost point of New Zealand’s North Island. I believe we should always learn from our local, national, and international neighbors with humility because there is a lot to know, and it is always worth taking the time to listen. I am tremendously grateful to the Franke GLI for helping to make this experience possible and for encouraging me to seek unique paths along my educational journey that open doors such as this. I look forward with great excitement to my next adventure.

The Remarkables mountain range in Tāhuna Queenstown, Aotearoa.

My Semester Abroad in Athens, Greece

Posted on August 30, 2024 by kaleismith

My name is Kalei Smith and I am from a small town in North Idaho. I grew up in Lolo, MT but we moved to Idaho to be closer to family when I was in seventh grade. I am studying Elementary Education here at the University of Montana. I have always loved Missoula and when I was looking at colleges, I originally was going to go to a school in Idaho, but as soon as I toured UM, I knew I wanted to attend. I have never felt homesick or out of place while I have been in Missoula because Montana was home to me for so long that it is just comfortable. Here is a picture of little me and Monte. 🙂

I studied abroad in Athens at The American College of Greece. In high school I always loved the idea of traveling to other countries and experiencing new cultures, so studying abroad was always in the back of my mind. I never thought it would actually be possible though, until I found out about GLI and decided to apply. The only country that I had been to before studying abroad was Mexico, and I loved getting to meet new people and see their culture, so I knew I would enjoy being in a new country. When I originally started planning my study abroad experience, I was thinking about going to Spain or Italy, but the schools I was looking at in those countries did not have many classes that interested me and it wasn’t guaranteed that those classes would be taught in English. The American College of Greece was appealing because everything is taught in English.

Once I was accepted to ACG, the process for getting my visa began. This was probably the most stressful part of the whole experience, because there were so many things that you had to have before you went to your appointment. Once I had my visa, the rest of the process was pretty simple. I browsed the course catalog to plan what classes I wanted to take and I had to set an alarm to register for classes at 2 a.m. I was able to register for classes that only took place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, because I wanted to be able to travel to other countries in Europe while I was studying abroad.

This is the Panathenaic Olympic Stadium. We visited this our first weekend in Athens and it was a trip we could sign up for through ACG. At the end of my semester in April, I had the opportunity to watch the Olympic Flame handover ceremony to France for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

January came around and thus my adventure in Greece started. I enjoyed my time in Athens so much. While abroad I could explore the city of Athens, learn more about its history, and meet many amazing people. I loved being able to see the historical parts of the city as well as the more modern parts. Seeing the Acropolis has always been on my bucket list and it was amazing to see it in person.

While at ACG I took four classes, Greece: The Birth of a Modern Nation, Modern Greek I, Infancy and the Preschool Years, and Myth in the Ancient Greek and Roman World. My GLI theme is culture and politics and my class Greece: The Birth of a Modern Nation served as my connection to my theme. The class talked about the politics at play when the Ottomans occupied Greece and what their government looked like after the Ottomans were defeated. Modern Greek I was a great way for me to introduce myself to the Greek language and learn some basic conversational phrases.

One thing that I also wanted to do while I was abroad was travel to other countries and I was actually able to visit four other countries as well as a few different Greek Islands. The different countries I traveled to were the United Kingdom, France, Hungary, and Malta. Out of these four, I think the UK and Malta were my favorites. I also traveled to Santorini, Aegina, and Hydra, which are all Greek Islands. It was super helpful to not have classes on Mondays and Fridays because we were able to have longer trips to each of these places. I am super thankful to have had the opportunity to visit other places as well as the experience of studying abroad. I had such an amazing time and I keep telling everyone that I talk to that they should think about studying abroad because it is such a great way to learn not only about yourself but also about a new culture and new people. I never thought that I would actually have the chance to study abroad but I am extremely happy that I did and I would do it again if I could.

Semester in Athens, Greece! Spring 2024!

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Faith Marshall

Hi blog! My name is Faith Marshall. I was born and raised in Missoula and attend the University of Montana. Studying abroad has always been a dream of mine, especially having watched my older cousins study abroad in Australia, Wales, Italy, etc. Further, as someone who attends a university in their hometown, I knew that studying abroad would be a great opportunity to see more of the world while having structure through school. While looking at universities as a junior and senior in high school, I was fond of the opportunities that the Global Leadership Initiative presented at UM and it was definitely an aspect of UM that brought me here. And then began the journey through GLI and applying to study abroad!

Through traveling with my parents prior to studying abroad, I knew I loved London and Paris. However, there were not great options for me to study abroad in Paris. London did have 1-3 options, but after more research I decided they were not meant to be. After a few trips to the Global Engagement Office, the American College of Greece began feeling like a very realistic and awesome option. It checked lots of the boxes. I had only been to Greece once in 2023 (and loved it! Even saw ACG’s campus.) and because it’s in Europe, I could travel to other European countries. Additionally, as I began browsing the course catalogs, it became very reasonable to be able to have classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with no classes Friday through Monday. This seemed to be a great option to be able to travel on the long weekends to other places around Europe.

As far as the application process goes, it seemed to be a breeze. However, as preparation progressed, it was increasingly more stressful, but surely worth it. The visa process was especially stressful. The necessary materials, the expense to travel down to San Francisco to the Greek consulate, and finally the appointment at the Greek offices to apply for the student visa, wow! The preparation for studying abroad, on top of extra-curriculars, and taking 21 credits, I could not wait to just be in Greece, sit down, and take a deep breath.

January 2024 was the beginning of one of the most amazing experiences in my life thus far. There were amazing chances to meet new people from the United States, Greece, and other places such as Egypt, Turkey, and many others. I also loved the classes I took, Modern Greek, Modern European History & Politics, and Tennis, along with three online classes from UM and Helena College. It was a huge bonus that all classes were taught in English! Modern Greek was a great way to learn more about Greek culture while learning the language. I can go to the grocery store and have a conversation in Greek now! Further, as an American student, Modern European History & Politics was very enjoyable in learning more about European history from a Greek/European professor. This is especially true because we go through many series of learning about American history with US History, American Government, etc. and seem to rarely learn about European history.

Continuing on with the experience, I saved as much as possible to be able to travel to as many places as possible on the weekends. Along with a friend from UM, our travels began in January with a weekend in Bucharest, Romania. In February, we went on trips to Milan and Venice, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, London, and Paris. In March, my mom came across the pond to meet me in London. Then, we visited another friend who was studying abroad in Ireland over St. Patrick’s Day, and had a friend from home visit during UM spring break to travel around Greece. At the end of March, we went to Rome, Italy over Easter weekend. Then, off to Malta in April and towards the end of our experience, we visited another Greek island and my parents came during finals week to see more of Greece and go to Spain to begin a cruise along the French and Italian coasts. Finally, coming home was just as wonderful as being abroad. In different ways of course, but I was ecstatic to see my friends and family after four months and to have an awesome summer in Montana. Studying abroad is an experience I would recommend to anyone who is considering. I reflect on the friends I made, professors teaching styles, new daily routines, the uphill walk to the ACG campus, the time change from home, the yummy Greek chocolate, and finally, how well I know the Athens airport now. And looking back, I feel very thankful and wouldn’t change a thing.

Beyond the Classroom

Your gateway to the Beyond the Classroom Experience with the Franke GLI at the University of Montana.

Tag Archives: Study Abroad