Nothing expands a college student’s education like study abroad.
Global experiences offer an understanding of the world beyond the classroom in a hands-on way, according to Beverly Burke, senior administrative assistant in the provost office, who coordinates the trips.
Recent WLU global experiences include China and Australia.
“We encourage our students to take advantage of the chance to study abroad. We’ll be having a Study Abroad Fair on Oct. 16 to help students learn more about the trips and opportunities available now. The benefits last a lifetime,” she said.
WLU junior Allyson Ashworth, Hamlin, W.Va., traveled to Beijing, China as one of 120 volunteers to perform service in rural China, this past July. Junior Rachel Wurster, Berkley Springs, went on the same trip that focused on teaching English to Chinese students in the rural countryside.
The girls landed in Beijing and spent a few days there before traveling to their rural destination by train. They were part of the Summer Service and Learning Program, headquartered in Beijing.
“We were in Beijing for a couple days for the tourist and cultural experience. We stayed in Tsinghua University, Beijing and had a great time,” said Ashworth. They were thrilled to see the famous sites of the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the beautiful Summer Palace.
After the Beijing experience, it was a long 33-hour train ride, over four days, to get to their rural home in Liupanshui. Located in the western part of Guizhou Province, Liupanshui’s population is 2.86 million and the climate is subtropical monsoon.
“We had a serious problem getting to Liupanshui due to rain. The track was flooded and held us up. We lost several days due to weather,” Ashworth said.
The rural area contrasted dramatically with Beijing. They were housed in a school building, with up to eight people in a room, sleeping on cots. The students had to walk into the city to take a shower in the public bathhouse.
“Some of the local residents don’t have running water at all,” said Wurster.
Ashworth, who is an English literature major, taught middle school students English. Wurster, an English education major, taught elementary school students. Both met other college students doing the same type of service and made friends from all over the country.
Ashworth and Wurster currently tutor international students attending WLU, which helped with their work in China. Fortunately, the WLU students always had an interpreter with them.
“The Chinese students were excited for us to be there. They take education seriously and put forward their best effort,” Wurster said.
“The children were so loving and accepting. There were few classroom supplies and conditions were rough by American standards but still they were very happy we were there,” added Ashworth.
The classes they taught numbered around 20-30 youngsters. Many of the Chinese students were shopkeeper children, anxious to improve their English skills.
The girls earned three college credits for the study abroad, which lasted a month, from July 1 – 31. Though they knew very little about Chinese culture before they went, both said they would return again if they had the chance.
“It was somewhere I’d never go by myself. But I’m glad I went. It was an affordable program and we are grateful that we had the chance to participate,” said Wurster.
One of the most peculiar things they had to get used to was the paparazzi effect.
“Everyone took pictures of us everywhere. They stopped their car to look at us. Even though we were welcome, the Chinese people would stop us and ask if they could take our photos with their phones,” said Ashworth. “We were a tourist attraction.”
Other interesting facts include that the only beverages were hot tea and hot water, due to water safety issues. Meals were family style, even at restaurants, and the girls learned to use chopsticks. “At the school they did have spoons,” Wurster said.
Another thing they noticed was the predominance of colorful printed and embroidered umbrellas, which were used both for rain and sun. Both girls brought one of the pretty umbrellas back to the USA as a souvenir.
“The other memorable thing was how terrible the driving was. Cabs and buses were scary and there were few traffic laws. No helmets on bicyclists either,” said Ashworth.
WLU student Alexis Dorris traveled to Australia for her study abroad through CAPA International Education. Dorris is from Shadyside, Ohio, and is majoring in the dental hygiene program. The only other international trip she took prior to this was to the Dominican Republic.
“My dad suggested I study abroad because he feels it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. Since I always found Sydney, Australia intriguing, I picked it as the location for me,” Dorris said.
She was gone “Down Under” for seven weeks during the Australian winter and earned six college credits for her effort, completing a class in “International Business and Trade” and another one called “Exploring the Global City.”
“The experience changed me. It gave me confidence and taught me how to interact with a variety of people,” she said. “Adapting to a whole different lifestyle and to life in a big city was challenging. I never even hailed a taxi before!”
Dorris was housed in an apartment with three roommates from New Jersey, New York and Minnesota.
“So many things were different there. Even crossing the street was strange since they drive on the left side of the road. But people were very kind and willing to help you,” she said.
She added that the “cost of living is incredible — so expensive.”
Another interesting thing to Dorris was the presence of Aboriginal Australians in their native dress everywhere. “They were on the street and offered entertainment and a glimpse of their culture.”
She enjoyed hiking through the Blue Mountains, spending time with free-roaming kangaroos and koalas at Australia’s Walkabout Park and touring the Olympic Park where the 2000 Summer Olympics were held. Dorris also witnessed breathtaking aerial views of Sydney and North Wallongong Beach when she climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and went skydiving over the beach.
“I never thought in my wildest dreams I would go skydiving in Australia. Nothing can ever replace that feeling,” she said. “My trip taught me so much more than I ever expected. Study abroad is definitely a good investment.”
“A study abroad experience goes beyond the classroom to give students an opportunity to create a lifetime of memories,” Burke said. “WLU is happy to assist students gain a better understanding of the world we live in, and to invest in their future.”
The Study Abroad Fair takes place from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 16 in the College Union. For more information on study abroad, please visit westliberty.edu/global or call Burke at 304-336-8004.