Soleil Savadove

Soleil's Education Abroad Experience

"Prior to my exchange semester, I had never been out of the country, let alone, away from home for such a long time. Because I attended Abington, I commuted to school. So this was my first time being away from home and having a "real" college experience. In all honesty, the entire semester was a highlight in itself. However, one of the most prominent memories would definitely have to be the lifelong friends that I made. I keep in touch with them everyday and I truly feel like we will be friends forever. I think we all get along so well because we are like-minded-- all of us chose to do something out of our comfort zone and share the love of traveling the world! That would be another highlight of mine. Since I was already on the other side of the world in Australia, I went on so many trips to so many countries that I would have never been able to go to otherwise. During my time abroad, I also went to New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, and Dubai. I left home having been to zero countries and I came back with five once-in-a-lifetime countries under my belt. Studying abroad has strengthened my independence and ability to advocate for myself. It also broadened my mind and introduced me to a culture and country that a lot of people do not get to experience.

When I initially began my search for study abroad programs, I actually only had a limited amount of programs to choose from due to the extended deadline. Australia seemed like the best fit for me since it was my first time traveling, let alone studying, abroad. I would recommend choosing a country that uses English as its official language for a first time exchange student... unless you speak another language. With that being said, it is still easy to communicate with natives from countries who do not speak English. For example, when I traveled to Japan, most of the time, I was able to communicate solely with language, but there were a few times I had to use Google Translate and it worked just fine! In general, I chose to study abroad to pop the bubble that I had been in for 19 years. I have always wanted to travel the world so when I found out that I could do that while working toward my degree, I jumped on the opportunity. Australia's currency is weaker than the US dollar, so, this program was definitely affordable! All of the courses I took aligned with my degree requirements and I got credit for all of them.

What shocked me the most during this entire experience was how strong and confident I became. Before my departure, I was nervous. I couldn't stop thinking about an endless amount of "what ifs." But, the second I stepped foot in the airport, I was okay. Actually, I was excited and looking back, I had every reason to be. Studying abroad has been (and I'm sure will always be) the best experience I've ever had in my life. So much so that I am looking to do it again this spring!

For me personally, I know that the rigor at Monash university helped prepare me for other types of learning environments. Whether that be another education abroad opportunity, graduate school, or a challenging class here at Penn State, I definitely feel more equipped to complete my degree. It also showed me that I am capable of thriving academically and socially in new environments and circumstances. I was able to get straight A's during this exchange while also traveling the world, meeting new people, and trying new things! It was the perfect combination. Not only did I get the best of both worlds, but I succeeded while experiencing it. 

I know it sounds cliche, but taking the step to study abroad was truly the best decision of my life. I got to live out my dream of traveling the world while completing courses that enhance my education and count towards my degree! I would say, go for it! I was in your position once and I know the unknown can be scary, but once that fear fades away, you will see how amazing your time abroad can be. I gained such a sense of independence, developed thoughts of my own, met friends who I will have forever, all while getting to travel on and around the other side of the world. I loved it so much, I will be applying to study abroad again! Do it, your future self will thank you! :) "