We love to hear from our students about their study abroad experiences! To share your experiences and help get others interested in study abroad, you can:
Read about our International Study Centers OU in Arezzo and OU in Puebla, what makes them unique, and why so many OU students choose to study in these amazing places. Here you can also see photos and read about what OUA and OUP students were up to in spring and summer 2022!
D'Angelo Gatewood
Studied Abroad in Puebla Mexico with OU in Puebla
"As time went on, I befriended numerous people and found a sense of community, despite coming here alone. I learned that while it is great having people to join in the experience with you, the same experience is magnificent even if you are by yourself."
Daniela Kosnacova
Studied Abroad in Clermont-Ferrand, France
"I can safely say that despite being in quarantine for months, I wasn’t really bored. My two semesters of study abroad brought unexpected new friends to my life, made me overcome an impressive number of challenges and let me experience more than enough exciting moments, only under a tiny bit different circumstances. Nonetheless, it was just as unforgettable as any other study abroad that OU will offer in the future.."
Maddie Allen
Studies Abroad in Arezzo, Italy with OU in Arezzo
"While I was still sad my time in Italy was cut short, I am immensely grateful I went abroad when I did. If I had not gone in the spring of 2020, I never would have been able to go. The two months I was able to live and travel in Italy helped me to grow as a person, while also giving me amazing friends and experiences for which I will always be immensely thankful."
Libby Trowbridge
Studied Abroad in Amman, Jordan
"One of my favorite memories from Amman was spending countless evenings on the rooftop watching the sun set and listening to the mosques across the city announce the Call to Prayer. . . . Another memorable experience was when the Bedouins taught me how to drive stick-shift in a Toyota pickup truck in the Wadi Rum Desert. I remember the starry night and driving through the desert, mesmerized by the rock formations."
Yvette Cassadore
Studied Abroad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"Professor Moreira arranged for us to meet with Indigenous students. I was excited! We entered the Indigenous Medicinal garden, and it was a beautiful feeling to be in the presence of powerful energy which came from the plants. In those moments I knew that it was for a far greater purpose that I was placed there. In Indigenous culture, we are taught that there is a reason for everything — relationships, meetings and so forth — and that day the universe had aligned the stars to bring us together."
Elizabeth Penn
Studied Abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia
"One of my favorite memories of my study abroad experience came near the end of March, when I took a trip to Lake Ladoga and our group exchange students had a picnic by the completely frozen-solid lake. It was so surreal to be in Russia with other students from around the world, listening to music ranging from Usher to French pop, and hanging out on a frozen lake. When would I ever do that again in my life?"
The Virtues of Study Abroad (2014-2018) was a publication of student essays detailing the ways study abroad experiences helped them grow and develop, opening their eyes to other cultures and ultimately changing them for the better.
Read more student essays here, and to browse the full Virtues publications, visit the College of International Studies ISSUU page.
