Students Abroad: Escaping the American Bubble
Travel Blog • Julia Ross • 11.05.07 | 2:24 PM ET
Photo by As we’ve noted before, rising interest in study abroad programs has sparked discussion about how to reduce costs and improve access so more American college students can take part. Now a lengthy
One such program criticized as an “American bubble” is run by New York University in Ghana. On the Accra NYU campus, reports the Times, the dining hall provides “African food interpreted for the American palate,” as well as an on-site nurse and a shuttle bus to classes. “We are creating an entire infrastructure,” says one NYU administrator.
Not all study abroad programs are designed this way, of course, and not all college students are ready for full immersion. But for those willing to venture beyond the bubble, the payoff is evident.
The story’s accompanying audio presentation underscores the point: A Yale student who studied in Oman has fond memories of watching Oprah every evening with the women in her host family. Another who studied in Argentina decides to take tango lessons five nights a week and ends up dancing with lawyers and subway conductors.
On the flip side, a University of North Carolina student spends a semester in Prague living and studying only with other Americans and admits she learned more about the world while on vacation in Morocco.
According to the Times, some 6,000 U.S. study abroad programs now send students to more than 100 countries. With so much to choose from, it seems students—now more than ever—should consider carefully what they want from the experience.