Hello everyone! My name is Julie Pham, she/her, and during my time as a junior/senior, I was given a chance to study abroad. There was a slight hiccup where instead of going to my chosen country physically, I went there virtually. A study abroad gone virtual!
With many of you who are thinking of studying abroad, I can understand the difficulties you might be facing whether that be from figuring out how to pay for expenses, how to choose from multiple options, and so on. Not to mention, amid a pandemic that is slowly getting better, there is still a bit of caution that I’m sure many of you are wanting to take. So, the question really falls on, “Is a virtual study abroad worth it?” and my only answer is, it depends. So perhaps the experience I was put through might help put into perspective for you all on whether this is the right fit for you.
The question really falls on, “Is a virtual study abroad worth it?” and my only answer is, "It depends".
Again, I can only speak from my own experience as a person who has done only a virtual study abroad. To get straight into it, I’ll like to share my experience, thoughts, tips, advice, and hope that this will help you in some way.
My encounters and how I dealt with them
#1: Money. I come from a family where I am a first-generation college student and money ends up being something I must think heavily about. Study abroad can be pricey, so for anyone who’s in the same shoes as me, perhaps this helps.
With virtual study abroad, the price range was much lower than my initial program that was abroad. And I think you’ll find that many virtual study abroads tend to be that way. I was able to cut down more of the cost by applying for scholarships. There are two I would highly suggest if you’re eligible, UWB Study Abroad Ambassador Scholarship and Gilman.
Gilman had been such a huge help for me during this time. They have great resources, people you can talk to, events that you can be a part of to meet others, and of course, financially support you.
Another suggestion might be to start a gofundme which can also work to incorporate your family and friends who want a way to support you.
#2: Interest. One of the biggest challenges I had while doing my virtual study abroad during a pandemic was my struggle to consistently be engaged. The program was inspiring and had an appreciable component to it like a virtual internship with an organization based in South Africa called Institute for Global Dialogue. The only issue was the program topic just didn’t quite fit my interest.
My advice when doing a virtual study abroad is to look for that spark in you with what the program is offering. If you don’t find yourself passionate about what they are going to be teaching, you and the activities they are going to have you do then look for a new one. Every program is unique and isn’t for everyone, so take your time when you are deciding where to spend your next few weeks or months.
My suggestion here is, speak to someone about the program sometimes you’ll find out whether you’re really interested in it or not by just talking about it. This can be done with a friend, a family member, or even talking to one of the study abroad peer advisors.
#3: Mindset. Now, I say this because there might be a time where you just end up being put into a situation that isn’t what you wanted. Maybe that’s you in a program with people you don’t know or one thing I was faced with was being in a different time zone and having to wake up early. One thing to know about me is, I’m not an early bird, at all.
My advice, look for all the things that are going well or view the program with every intention of taking in new skills and new knowledge. There is bound to be something within the reach of something you find commonalities with, note that, and explore it more.
My suggestion, try being the first one to reach out to your peers in the program and build a bond with them. For me, knowing that my peers and I had common struggles and were able to talk to each other about it, really helped me get through those struggles. I had someone I could lean on and vice versa. You could also shift how you view the program. At first, I looked at my program like, “man this isn’t quite what I wanted” but then started thinking, “wow, I’ve always wanted to work with a non-profit organization and now I’m working with one that is based in South Africa, a whole new perspective on how an organization works”. I even got to make a visual for the organization. So basically, try to look at things on the positive side.
The final takeaway
Look, as much as these programs are about teaching you a specific topic, it’s very much also about you. To be able to make the most of this and for everything else in life, be forward with your intentions and your boundaries. Things can get tough, find ways that work for you to cope. Keep a journal, talk to your peers, talk to your program directors and mentors, change your perspective, whatever helps you to get the best experience out of your study abroad.
This is me signing off,
Julie
