UW Exploration Seminars: Study Abroad

University of Washington Exploration Seminars: Month-Long Study Abroad

What do students say about Exploration Seminars?

Just being able to experience a completely different environment- it makes me appreciate so much stuff at home.
This trip really helped me to get a bigger picture of life in developing countries and defined some of my goals for my future medical career.
The most rewarding aspect of this experience was getting to know a culture so different from my own and falling in love with it rather than being scared away.
Everyday I realize how things I learned abroad are translating into my life here, so I suppose it's rewarding to know how much a trip like this has changed me.
The experience is really unexplainable. Being able to really get to know someone from the other side of the world is amazing.
I had never traveled outside of the US before this course. The most rewarding aspect for me was to be completely immersed in a different culture. I experienced the language barrier, adapted to new cultural customs, and met new people… I loved it all.
I feel that I have gained much from this experience, including life long connections to other UW students and to people I met down in Guatemala.
Walking down the street and hearing African friends call my name gave me a sense of accomplishment and independence.
I felt like I learned a lot about myself and my culture from observing and experiencing others' reactions to me. Going to a country visibly affected by war was quite powerful, and really moved me.
I learned so much and learned to love a place I once had fears of because of my lack of knowledge.
In our daily lives as students at a huge university it is often difficult to develop true social connections with people other than superficial crap. Opportunities like weeks abroad are an excellent opportunity for building these which exponentially benefit the education process because everybody is in it together.
This experience gave me the wonderful opportunity to take a step back and consider life from a different angle.
It was a great research experience and I enjoyed the work immensely, but the friendship building was what will remain with me for a while.
The most rewarding aspect is the view that the trip will continue to reveal its benefits as the years progress.
The trip was an experience unlike any that I have done and it was good for me to see another lifestyle and culture.
It is inspiring to meet so many people who are genuinely interested in learning about the world and trying to make it better.
Some of the people we interacted with were outcasts from society or definitely on the lower end. Most people don't give them the time of day, so I felt it was very rewarding to be able to hear their stories and let them know that they had something important to say and teach us. I felt that was just one small way our presence was able to help them in return for giving us knowledge on some very serious issues.
I returned to the states with a HUGE appreciation for the little things (family, friends, working toilets, pillows!) and less of a need for the silly things-- cell phones, computers, iPod, etc. And most importantly, I feel like I returned as a stronger person, both physically and mentally.
Our studies went deeper as a result of this clash of cultures and I have a deepened understanding of the world at large because of it.
I feel the most rewarding aspect was not a certain experience, but the fact that I was able to experience it with such a great group of committed, open, and compassionate individuals. The group atmosphere in the Exploration Seminar is, I feel, the most valuable aspect of studying abroad.
I gained new perspective and the ability to easily acclimate to new surroundings. The most rewarding aspect was simply having my eyes opened to not just the poverty/sickness associated with Africa, but also the warmth and the beauty of the people.
The most rewarding aspect was seeing a completely different culture from the United States and Europe and understanding how over 1 billion people live every day.
I got to see the most beautiful place on this planet.
Knowing that when I came back to the US that individuals can make a difference in this country.
Study abroad is a very enriching experience, and I will always support it! It is not a simple matter though and cannot be compared with classroom experience. It teaches students to interact with each other and their environment, to think about real problems and to have a sustained interest in the subject matter at hand. Unlike a class that lasts an hour and then you do your homework on your own time, the study abroad experience demands involvement.
Most amazing experience of my life thus far - would definitely recommend it to other students.
I can't stress enough how enjoyable, rewarding, and helpful this class was. If given the chance to participate in a similar class, I would without a doubt sign up immediately.
The experience was eye-opening and has honestly changed my life in so many ways I can't even begin to express.
I am happy that I had taken advantage of the foreign exploration seminar opportunity. As a result of my phenomenal experience in Italy, I will now engage in more study abroad opportunities.
Every student at UW should complete one study abroad program. It has been the most fulfilling experience in my entire college career.
I'm so grateful for the exploration seminars!
Be ready for some of the greatest life changing experiences of your life.
I absolutely loved the experience and wish that I had taken advantage of studying abroad sooner.
I loved my study abroad experience and will forever cherish it. It has truly changed my life.
I had such a wonderful trip & would encourage others to travel abroad!
Please keep up the Exploration Seminars!! They have proved to be invaluable experiences, and I very much hope to attend another one in the future (I have already gone on two!)
It is vastly educational and one of my most eye-opening travel experiences to date.
I loved it!!!!!
I want to go again next year!

On Program Instructors…

The instructors were very intelligent and knowledgeable on their subject. Some surprised me as they are much more advanced intellectually than some of the professors I know here at UW. Even more importantly, these professors genuinely care about students and their progress and learning.
She is amazing and dedicated to the program and her students. She worked nonstop to make the program the best it could be, even when class was "over", she was still working, making arrangements and making herself available to her students.
My instructor was amazing and was the primary contributor of the cultural knowledge I learned while abroad.
My instructor was one of the most remarkable professors at the UW with which I've had the pleasure to study. She encouraged open dialogue in our group, challenged us to think about the topics we were exposed to on a personal level, and introduced us to some amazing individuals and groups working on social justice in Bangalore.
Our instructor was always there for us, working extremely hard to give us a good taste of Bangalore.
Wonderful! Both were dedicated to the students' learning and they made for an enriching and interesting course.
I could not imagine a better instructor for this program. Not only was she able to clue us into the intricacies of the culture, but she had a deep commitment to the topics at hand which was extremely inspiring.
Our instructor was a top shelf academic; it doesn't get much better than that.
I felt safe having her lead us, and trusted her decisions. She was there for us not only as a teacher but also as a confidant, friend, and helper in general, which is important on a trip like this, where academic instruction is not necessarily enough in and of itself. In a third world country, you really do need more out of an instructor, and she really provided that for us.
Our professor was exceptionally knowledgeable, insightful, candid, inspirational. She was open to all of our viewpoints, and encouraged all types of discussion. She was a great leader, moderator and role model. Her deep caring for each and everyone one of us came through in everything she did.
Our professor is the most amazing professor ever. We had a great time, and after hiking up a 14,246ft mountain with him, I can definitely say I know him better.
He enlightened me about all different aspects of Turkey and Islam in relation to the rest of the world.
Top-notch, best of college experience.

On the Relevance of Programs to Academics…

Experiencing people who lived in a completely different culture showed how minds develop under entirely different circumstances than our own.
I went on this trip to study rural healthcare in West Africa. I am extending my project that I did on this trip into my Qualifying Paper for my International Studies major and I hope to work in international health after going to medical school.
Although the program wasn't in my major it was relevant to my personal interests because it expanded the way I see the world and increased my awareness of global issues.
This program helped me a lot to understand another part of the world I did not know too much about.
This program has helped me gain a better understanding of not only Guatemala, but the US and the rest of the world. I have made life long commitments based on this study abroad.
It has also helped me to re-evaluate how I live my life, and I have adapted based on what I experienced in Italy in order to incorporate some things that I found to be very important.
This trip made me think critically about my position as a global citizen and what I can contribute to the world to positively affect and change it. Personally, I grew immensely and will never be the same person I once was. It was a life changing experience and I am still not able to fully captivate my experience through text, words or photos. The trip challenged my views, values and goals as an individual.
I feel it’s important to understand parts of the world like this so we can see and avoid becoming like this ourselves.
This program especially helped me gain an understanding of Islam, which is very important in the world today.
This program was extremely relevant to my personal interests as far as taking care of the environment and definitely strengthened my motivation to make a difference and turn that passion into a career.
This program put on-the-ground faces and terrain to the many sorts of ideologies that get tossed around in an academic setting; that is to say, it is one thing to have an understanding…from a book, and it is quite another to know exactly what is at hand from the mouths of those involved.
I have become more culturally competent and will take cultural concerns into account in my career.
The program has made social justice a more prevalent interest in my personal and professional life. It is now my plan to work with a human rights NGO in the coming years.
The experience has given me a deeper understanding of [another] culture as well as a greater appreciation for what is available to us in our daily lives.
It gave me new insight into another culture and allowed me to form personal relationships with some amazing people.
It was great to see theories I learned in class being played out in the real world.
This program was very relevant to my career goals because it showed me a new direction to take my degree in.
I am forever changed by this program and my professional life and thesis will reflect what this program has taught me and be better because of it.
It helped me make some contacts so I have some internship/volunteer opportunities available to me after graduation.
This program gave me a lot of insight into the world of human rights and possible volunteer and job opportunities for the future.
Every traveling experience is infinitely valuable for both personal growth as well as leadership skills/independence which are necessary in a working environment.
I came away from the course with connections that will likely help advance my career after I graduate.
It not only helped me understand the world better, but revealed many things about me and challenged me to grow in many ways. It showed me a greater responsibility I have to work towards a more just society because of the privilege I own. The program was extremely relevant, and experience that altered my goals for the better.