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Studying abroad has been the best decision I’ve made in my four years of college. The decision was made during sophomore year and I did

all that I could to go abroad. Financial aid was a huge obstacle for me since I have a single mother who couldn’t fully support me in my ambitions abroad; fortunately, there was hope. I applied for the Office of Study Abroad scholarships and the Benja-min A. Gilman scholarship. I worked hard to write my essays and didn’t think I would get much. To my surprise I received both the Collins’ and Gilman scholarships, which combined could be considered a full ride scholarship. I was and still am extremely thankful.

Not too long ago, I told a colleague to study abroad if he had the chance. He gave me nothing but excuses why he couldn’t go, but there were no valid reasons not

to go unless it was his own willingness or in getting financial aid. People may not know, but the University of Kansas strongly sup-ports students studying abroad. There are several scholarships provided by the Office of Study Abroad catered to many different majors or countries of study. If you don’t receive scholarships from the Office of Study Abroad, there is another realm of outside scholarships ranging from being very broad to extremely specific. Studying abroad is great for those who are paying out-of-state tuition because they would pay in-state tuition when in a foreign country.

I couldn’t stand by and let my friend miss a great opportunity. Studying abroad could potentially change his life and perspective. People say they can travel after graduating school, but there is nothing that can replace studying abroad and the camaraderie built between classmates I was generally never

An Advocate for Studying Abroad

close to. Since studying in Germany, I feel like I will always be an advocate to those who are on the fence, or those who have no interest in going out of the country.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Studying abroad provided me with an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone, break my bad habits, and learn the importance of curiosity. I grew to understand myself, build up tol-erance, and appreciate why my mother left

her mainland to start a new life for me. As a creative person, it helped replenish my mind with new inspirations and see situa-tions in a different light. People can always find reasons not to go, but everything can be rebutted with a better reason to go. I lived in another country for five months, but I wish I stayed longer. My friend still has a long time to make the decision to study abroad. Whether it is for two weeks, a summer, a semester, or a whole year, I want to encourage him and many others to go out of their comfort zone and try something new for the first time.

By Voranouth Supadulya

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Attend a Study Abroad Financial Aid and Scholarship Info Session or meet with OSA staff to discuss optionsThe Office of Study Abroad offers multiple info sessions/workshops through-out the year. The OSA also has 2 staff members who can take walk-ins or appointments, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri at 108 Lippincott Hall, to discuss all the financial aid and scholarship options for students who want to study abroad for the summer, fall, academic year, winter break, spring or spring break. Start the process early and come on in!

Apply for Scholarships!Study Abroad scholarship information, eligibility requirements and applica-tions are all online. www.studyabroad.ku.edu/ScholarshipsFinancialAid Stu-dents can apply for OSA departmental scholarships, academic departmental study abroad scholarships, regional scholarships or national scholarships. Deadlines are approaching, so don’t wait to get started on the process.

Apply for Federal Financial Aid if you have not done so alreadyStudents can most definitely use federal financial aid (grants, student and parent loans) for study abroad. Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) https://fafsa.ed.gov/ for the term that you will be going abroad. If you want to study abroad in the summer there is also an online summer aid application available with the KU Financial Aid and Scholarships office: http://affordability.ku.edu/financialaid/summer. Make an appoint-ment with the KU Financial Aid and Scholarships office by calling 785-864-4700 to discuss your federal aid eligibility.

FundingStudy Abroad

Investigate alternative sources of fundingWhile many study abroad programs are affordable, students may need additional funds to help cover costs. Look into KU Endowment Loans to help cover airfare or other costs! Students, with a co-signer, can get up to $2,000 a semester ($4,000 max) through Endowment and it takes only 2 weeks to process an application and receive your funds. Students can also apply for Private student loans as well. More information on KU Endowment Loans or Private/Alternative Loans can be found on the financial aid website affordability.ku.edu/forms.

Make sure you can pay before you commit to a study abroad programAfter being accepted to a program, you usually have 2-4 weeks to commit to participate. Remember that by committing to a program you are saying you can pay for it, so make sure to secure all financial arrangements ahead of time and ensure that your have enough aid to cover all costs associated with the program.

Feel free to contact OSA at any time throughout the process!The Office of Study Abroad is here to help you at any time. If you have ques-tions or need help with scholarship essays, contact us or come on in!! We’d be happy to assist you.

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By Michele Arellano, Associate Director of Study Abroad

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On most people’s list of places to see before they die, Russia usually doesn’t find its way to number one. So why did I choose this country to study abroad in for nine months? Well, besides the fact that I am a Slavic Language & Literature major, this country is just too beautiful to miss! Over the course of two semesters, I had the opportu-nity to travel the length of western Russia (over 1500 miles), witness harsh winter to tropical summer, and see a differ-ent part of the Russian culture in every city that we stopped in or rode through.

The thing is, Russia is big. I mean, it’s the largest country in the world. Russia has everything from mountains to beaches, from snow to sunshine. When I first arrived in St. Petersburg in August 2012, the weather was in the high 70s and the sun was shining. Fall is more of a rainy time in Russia and quite dreary, as the sun begins to set earlier and earlier. At one point, I was waking up and going to class in the dark – and it didn’t get lighter until about 11 a.m. But every step in the dark toward class is

Experiencing Russia

Natalie Perry participated in a Student Initiated Program in Russia for the 2012-2013 Academic Year. Here is a summary of her experiences.

By Natalie Perry worth the springtime in St. Petersburg, when the white nights start to show their smiles. By May, the sun was coming up at 5am and it hadn’t even set until midnight or after! In June and July there are 24 hours of daylight (white nights). Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see this full on, as we left mid-May!In late April, our group travelled south to Sochi, the site of the winter Olympics It is al-ready considered summer in April and it was

85+ degrees. We hiked and swam in waterfalls, not to mention riding the train toward the city when we arrived and seeing dolphins swimming in the Black Sea from our train window.

One thing that also blew

me away was the architectural beauty in every church in Russia. There are so many breath-taking churches throughout Russia, even someone non-religious can appreciate it. The colors and forms leave you awe-struck, standing in front of them, snapping a million photos.

Not knowing any Russian language may make it hard to study abroad in Russia, but even with beginner level classes at KU, you can definitely enjoy Russia and see her beau-ty. I promise that it’s totally worth it.

1. Advance your career! Students who study abroad are more likely to get a job after graduation.

2. Take classes you need to graduate. (A lot of programs are offered in English.)

3. Try new foods, clothing, hobbies, and lifestyles.

4. Learn a new language, or two. Or three?

5. Get in-state tuition rates if you are an out-of-state student!

6. Graduate on time! Students who study abroad are twice as likely to graduate in 4 years than students who don’t study abroad.

7. Experience and learn in a different type of classroom, from different professors, and different teaching styles.

8. Branch out with a new schedule or way of living.

9. Try new food, drinks, clothing, clubs, and lifestyles.

10. Meet incredibly different people from literally all over the world.

11. Gain insight about yourself while becoming more independent and self-sufficient.

12. Be away from home, break the mold, and get out of your comfort zone.

13. Travel.

14. Spend money, take risks, have a blast.

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By Clare Frantz, Spain Summer 2013

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When comparing China to the United States, the differences in food, architec-ture, and culture are obvious. After Danny Hudson spent 6 months in China, he found himself appreciating those differences and found them refreshing. Hudson spent a semester at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China studying Chinese and Finance.

Hudson learned some valuable skills and lessons while studying and traveling in SE Asia. “We enjoyed the food, the drinks, the culture and soaked it all in like a wet sponge,” Hudson said. “I was just trying to enjoy the limited time I had there.” Hudson encourages others to travel as much as possible while you are there, try the street food with the longest lines (it’s

A Semester in China

usually good), make friends with the locals because it is very, very, very helpful. “Don’t let differences get in your way,” Hudson said. Don’t be afraid to open up to everyone and study the culture and lifestyle so you don’t get caught off guard.

During his time abroad, Hudson made some great friends from all over the world. During his first week in Beijing, he was introduced to some German guys by another KU student. “Little did I know that these guys would become my best friends while studying abroad,” Hudson said. Hudson hopes to plan a trip to Europe sometime soon to visit all the friends he made from Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands while in China.Hudson chose to remain in China after the semester ended to work. He lined up in in-

ternship with an American law firm that had a branch in Beijing and he began teaching English for $20/hour. He worked at the law firm during the week and taught English on the weekend. Hudson said the summer flew by, but during the summer he really branched out to meet locals.

Though Hudson admitted to missing KU and home, he realizes that the memories he made in Beijing will stick with him forever. “I met people from all over the world, and was opened up to many different ways of think-ing and many different cultures.”

Photos from left to right: Danny and a few friends posing in traditional Chinese robes; silk worms and shrimp at Wangfu-jing, Beijing; Danny and his German friend at Summer Palace in Beijing. Photos sub-mitted by Danny Hudson.

By Emily Farnan

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Last summer, Ariane Tulloch embarked on an adventure in Nicaragua. Tulloch participated in a study abroad program, “Lan-

guage and Culture in Nicaragua”, where she studied the language and culture of the indigenous Miskitu people. So why did Tulloch choose to study in Nicaragua? One of Tulloch’s former professors suggested the program to her, primarily because it matched her research interest: race in Latin America. Tulloch’s professor thought that studying abroad in this region would enable her to build connections with people who could help her with future research endeavors.

Ariane also put together a packing list for

future students traveling to Nicaragua:

1. Raincoat: You’ll be in Nicaragua during the rainy season, and buying a raincoat there can be a chal-lenge.

2. A roll of toilet paper: Many villages in Nicaragua do not have indoor plumbing, so you will most likely have to use an outhouse.

3. Flash light: We lost power a few times. The ones with flashlights were the smartest ones in the group.

4. Games (cards, Frisbee, Jenga, etc.): Having a game is a fun way to pass time at the hotel with your group!

5. Long pants, jeans, tights, etc.: To protect you from mosquitos!

6. Floss: We ate a lot of stringy mangos and inevita-bly some of the fibers always got stuck.

An Adventure

in Nicaragua

Tulloch’s experience in Nicaragua was eye-opening. “Nicaragua is beautiful, but highly impoverished,” Tulloch said. Tulloch was able to interact with the local indig-enous people, volunteer at local schools, and practice speaking Miskitu, the local indigenous language. While in Nicaragua, Tulloch also had the opportunity to conduct an independent research project for course credit. “There was always this thought in the back of my mind.” Tulloch said. “Many people from that country would never be able to experience the things that I was experiencing in their home country.” Nicaragua is still a developing country, so students should be aware of the challenges that could come about.

By Emily Farnan

Learn more about studying in Nicaragua this summer at ku.studioabroad.com/?go=nic-aragua

1. Ryanair.com – No matter where in Europe you travel, this will most likely be the cheapest airline by far.

2. Easyjet.com – This will probably be the second cheapest, but it has more destination places than Ryanair does.

3. Skyscanner.com – A wonderful hub that puts all the cheap flights together for you to compare.

4. Eurostar.com – For train tickets throughout Europe if you’d rather not fly.

5. Eurolines.com – Bus tickets throughout Europe. PRINT YOUR TICKETS!

6. Nationalexpress.com – Cheap bus tickets throughout the UK.

7. Nationalrail.com – Train tickets for travel throughout the UK.

8. Hostelworld.com – Your best friend for cheap living all around Europe.

9. Wsaeurope.com – Cool and cheap preplanned student tours throughout Europe.

10. Skype.com – You’re going to get a little homesick. Download Skype to talk with friends and family to keep you sane.

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Top Travel Sites for Europe By Lindsey Roesti

Ready to get started?

Stop By the Office of Study Abroad

today!

Walk-in Advising available 9-5, M-F105 Lippincott Hall1410 Jayhawk Blvd

(Across from Fraser)

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