Now is best for travel
COMMENTARY
Laura McFarland

I see London. I see France. Did I pack clean underpants?

I always knew I wanted to study abroad. I fully intended to take advantage of the study abroad program here.

But making the final decision was still really hard.

On the one hand, this was my dream. I wanted to live in London for the semester and explore Europe, meeting new people and visiting places I had only seen on television or in books. Missing the opportunity seemed inconceivable.

On the other hand, my mother was terrified about safety and against me going, because I intended to go only months after Sept. 11. A favorite professor said I should stay and work toward graduation and my career.

But in the end, the choice was still mine. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.

The lessons I learned, and the mistakes I made while studying abroad could fill a book. Bumbling around a country with a two-word vocabulary in its language is an interesting experience.

I realized that, as a student, I am the ideal traveler.

You will never be able to travel as cheaply or as easily as when you are a student. Student discounts are everywhere. Youth hostels, which are nonexistent in the U.S, abound in other nations. They don’t always offer all the perks many adults can’t live without, but they are cheap, geared toward young people and a great place to meet travelers from around the globe.

There’s no better way to see the world than to get away from home and immerse yourself in a new language and culture. America will never seem the same after looking at it through the eyes of another nation’s citizens.

The Study Abroad Program has been holding information sessions and has a table in the Student Center to promote its programs, like the ones in London, Spain and Florence, because of the Oct. 15 deadline for the spring semester.

There may be a lot of hurdles standing between you and studying abroad. Fears about living in another country, missing friends and events here and grappling with schedule issues are all serious considerations. Then you have to find the money to go.

There are numerous scholarships and financial aid opportunities available. The Study Abroad office is willing to help students look for these and work on scheduling conflicts, and the opportunities to meet new people from diverse backgrounds are outstanding.

So if these hurdles can be overcome, by all means, do so and go, because studying abroad can change your life forever.

Managing Editor Laura McFarland is a senior news-editorial journalism and English major from Houston.