Summer study abroad fulfills students' dreams

By Jordan Schiemer & Jaclyn Bieber, Guest Commentary

One of the main reasons I chose to attend University of Portland was because of the School of Nursing's willingness and desire to have nursing students study abroad, something that can be difficult to do at other schools. Having studied Spanish all through high school, I wanted to study abroad to really take my Spanish skills to the level of fluency. This change in plans caused me to look into the summer options available to me. I was drawn immediately to the program in Chile as it would be focusing on Social Work, something that I have always had a heart for and a great opportunity to prepare me for my future in nursing.

Shortly after we arrived in Chile our group of 14 was divided up and sent to work in various organizations, all with different missions and purposes. Some worked with disabled children, some with young girls with a history of abuse and others with a fair trade business. I got placed at Santa Clara, a home for children who have HIV, which could not have been a more perfect fit for me as a future nurse and someone who loves to work with kids. The hours were long and the communication barrier was tough (kids show no mercy!) but the time I spent singing Justin Bieber songs with little girls who have faced more discrimination and challenges in their short lives than I ever will made it an experience that I will always hold near and dear to my heart.

Although I read for months and months all about Chile in preparation for the trip, nothing could have prepared me for actually being there. From the moment I arrived I was placed in situations that stretched me and broke me, yet at the same time, allowed me to grow and change. In six weeks it is difficult to dramatically improve language skills or heavily impact those in need, two things I was certain I would do. Nevertheless, it only takes one moment, one situation, to force you to stretch farther than you ever thought possible. That was what I needed at this point in my life and I am positive that only a trip abroad could produce such a profound and dramatic impact on me. For this reason, I would tell everyone to go abroad and "abre los ojos, los oídos y la mente para que absorbas al máximo la oportunidad de estar en otro país, en otra cultura."

Jaclyn Bieber is a sophomore nursing major. She can be reached at bieber15@up.edu

 

 

In the first summer session of Salzburg study abroad, 24 engineering students and I studied a variety of topics and visited amazing places. We took a combination of engineering classes as well as classes that fulfill core requirements. Every Wednesday we took a group trip to somewhere nearby. We went to salt mines, ice caves, Obersalzburg (a Nazi compound and documentation center), a concentration camp, castles in Bavaria and the BMW plant in Munich. Outside of the planned trips I travelled with other students to Prague, Budapest, Interlaken, and Vienna.

Prague was my favorite city because of the history and architecture. During our time there the Swedish played England. We watched the match in the Prague Fan Park and it was an experience unlike any other sporting event I've been to. We also took a walking tour and learned about the history of the city during WWII to the Cold War until the liberation of the city and the country eventually becoming the Czech Republic.

The BMW "Welt" (BMW World) was amazing. We had a tour from a previous employee who worked in the Marketing department. He didn't know many specific details about the engineering of the car. I asked him what alloy the car was made out of. He tried to tell me it was just steel and not an alloy. The funny thing was working for BMW he didn't even own a car. He rode a bicycle to work. He told us a lot about how BMW was a leading innovator in effectively using resources and waste products from the manufacturing process. The ionized paint used by BMW was also fascinating. 

I definitely learned more about myself travelling abroad. Just trying to figure out where to go, communicate with people at restaurants, and use public transportation is an quite a challenge until you understand the culture. I would recommend studying abroad to everyone. Not matter where you go it is worth the investment. It has given me experiences I will remember for the rest of my life. I loved every minute of it, even the hours we had to spend in class.

Jordan Schiemer is a junior mechanical engineering major. He can be reached at schiemer14@up.edu