My Current Travel Bucket List

Each of us have dreams of travel, but sometimes the hardest part is picking where to go. I have been to my fair share of beautiful places during my college and high school years, but there are still plenty of places that I aspire to go. Hopefully my list of my top choices of countries to travel to next will be able to inspire your own list of travel aspirations!

3. Estonia

Estonia, the small Baltic country located just above Latvia in Eastern Europe, takes my number three spot. While not a typical touristy location, Estonia still has a lot of great sights and beauties to offer, and studying abroad would be quaint and relaxing with a total country population of between 1 and 1.5 million residents. The capital, Tallinn, has entrancing architecture, but make sure to take time out for the museums and the Orthodox Cathedral in the city! Overall, Estonia is a very forward-thinking and clean country. In fact, in 2013 the World Health Organization (WHO) ranked Estonia as number one in air quality in the world! Additionally, there are castles scattered across the country, so make sure to take a countrywide tour of what all Estonia has to offer!
Photo Credit: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/estonia


2. Peru

Peru, located on the western coast of South America, is a country of many wonders. While Machu Picchu is the obvious tourist stop (and still a must-see), Peru still has much, much more to offer its visitors. First, I find it important to mention their cuisine, especially one dish by the name of chaufa. Chaufa is a rice dish served with meats, vegetables, eggs, and differing sauces. I myself have never been to Peru, but I have had chaufa on many different occasions. This is a must-try dish from Peru, especially if you are a fan of rice. After trying it, chaufa now ranks as one of my favorite foods of all times. Another important spot to visit is the capital of Lima. With museums and city parks galore, Lima would keep you busy for days! Plus, who wouldn't want to see llamas and alpacas??
Photo Credit: https://walkingtree.org/country/peru/


1. Czech Republic

The Czech Republic takes the top spot for a number of reasons. This country has lots of sights and experiences to offer, such as the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel in the country where the interior is completely made of bones! There is also the Houska Castle, which believers of the supernatural think it may be one of the entrances to Hell due to a seemingly never-ending pit within the fortress of the castle. Aside from the creepy sites, there are many other castles in the country to visit, and they likely would not be haunted either! The capital city of Prague is a beautiful and modern Central European city with breathtaking sites and architecture. If you are a fan of partying, fear not, for Prague and the Czech Republic as a whole will provide you with what you need. In fact, did you know that the Czech Republic drinks the most beer each year per capita? Finally, I personally desire to go to a smaller Czech city by the name of Tabor. This is where my family lived in the late 1800s before they emigrated to the United States. Even now, you can still find people in the Czech Republic with my surname, but there is a slight variation in the spelling.
Photo Credit: https://www.ciee.org/teach/czech-republic/


Honorable Mentions: 

 Cuba 

Photo Credit: http://www.lamacchiatravel.com/destinations/north-america/caribbean/cuba


New Zealand

Photo Credit: https://www.cfasociety.org/newzealand/Pages/default.aspx


Where do you want to go next? Do you agree with my list? Comment below and say your list of top 3 places to visit!

-Steph

The Opportunities Are Endless

I know, I know I talk about how much Education Abroad gave me all of the time. I really am just trying to solidify just how much it did give me! It gave me independence, confidence, friendships, the world and the ability to create myself. My time abroad was one of the best four months of my life, thus far. I will forever remember the country that changed my life for the better and the memories I made with the people there along the way. I also just want to highlight how much Education Abroad can give you once you are back on campus.

I never new just how much Education Abroad would change my life. After my four months abroad it opened my eyes and gave me a whole new perspective on life and the world. Education Abroad was a goal of mine for so long, I just couldn't imagine being done with it after getting off that plane in Minneapolis in May. Then the opportunity came about to work in the Education Abroad Office as an intern. Initially, I was interested and applied. I ended up getting an interview and then getting the job. I never realized just how connected I could stay to my study abroad experience once I was back on campus and that when I left Scotland my journey with Education Abroad didn't have to be over. You can apply to be an intern in the office, become an Education Abroad Ambassador, help with our various presentations and share your experience, become a Global Amigo and mentor an international student studying at UW-Platteville or you can become involved with the International Club. The opportunities are endless.

Education Abroad has continued to open doors for me and I think it will for the rest of my life. This is now my second semester working in the office and I can honestly say has it changed my life. I love my job and it has allowed me to continue my journey with Education Abroad. It has allowed me to write, advise students going abroad and help them follow their dreams and it has given me great friendships. I have learned valuable skills that will benefit me in the workplace one day and have truly put myself into a job and given it my all. I have met so many more amazing people working through the office, my bosses, my co-workers, the ambassadors and countless students who all have the same dreams and passions as I do to travel the world. It's truly uplifting to work in a field like Education Abroad. They say if your passionate about something you should dedicate your life to it, so that is what I intend to do. I have met some great friends and I even went on a cruise with three of them over Spring break to the Bahamas and had the most amazing time. Learning about new cultures and exploring a new country is always an adventure, but when you have great friends by your side through that journey it makes it so amazing it's hard to put into words.

Words will never be able to fully express everything Education Abroad has given me, the way it has altered my life forever and the amazing people it has placed in my life. It allowed me to find my place on campus, where I belong. Education Abroad sent me to a different country, but it also made Platteville, Wisconsin feel like home more than it ever had before. I always knew Education Abroad would change my life, but I never the opportunities it would continue to give to me, even after it was over. So go abroad because it is the gift that will keep on giving the rest of your life.

Cheers,

Morgan 

Blogs from Abroad

I am a huge fan of blogs and blogging myself. I especially love travel blogs and that is why I love the part of my job that allows me to blog to all of you. I love being able to tell my stories, experience, helpful tips and hopefully inspire at least one person to study abroad from the sentences I write. In my previous blogs I have constantly reiterated what a life changing experience studying abroad is and I have endless good things to say about my own personal experience with it. So now I am going to  pass it on in this blog to current students abroad through the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and let their experiences convince you how amazing of an opportunity Education Abroad is. Here is a little overview of who is blogging abroad and the links to their pages! I know I love reading about their experiences and it makes me want to go abroad again even more than I already do.

Hannah Corwin, a High Point University sophmore English major, is studying at St. Mary's University in London, England for spring 2015.

 http://study-abroad-adventures.tumblr.com/

Tori Walsh, a UW-La Crosse sophomore Psychology major, is studying at St. Mary's University in London, England for spring 2015.

http://twalsh11.blogspot.co.uk/

Samantha Johnson, a UW-Platteville senior Music Education major, is studying on the UW-River Falls International Traveling Classroom program in Europe for spring 2015.

https://samanthajohnsonitc.wordpress.com/

Becky Saladino, a UW-Platteville senior Biology major, is studying at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji for spring 2015.

http://globalgypsygirl.tumblr.com/

Annelise RotiRoti, a UW-Platteville junior Engineering Physics major and French minor, is studying at L'Universite de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard in Belfort, France for spring 2015

https://piinthehexagon.wordpress.com/

Sara Drinkwater, a High Point University sophomore Business Administration major, is studying at the Spanish-American Institute of International Education in Seville, Spain in spring 2015.

http://anoverseasadventure.tumblr.com/

Nathaniel Knautz, a UW-Platteville senior Industrial Technology Management and Spanish major, is studying at the Spanish-American Institute of International Education in Seville, Spain in spring 2015.

http://sangriaensevilla.blogspot.com.es/

Rachel Young, a UW-River Falls sophomore Education and Spanish major, is studying at the Spanish-American Institute of International Education in Seville, Spain in spring 2015.

http://adventuresinseville2015.tumblr.com/

Go Abroad, Then Land the Job

We all know Education Abroad is a great overall experience for an individual, but for your future it could also land you your dream job. Today in the job market, employers are realizing how important it is for their employees to have knowledge of the world and be aware of different cultures. Education Abroad really just makes a person more self-aware and willing to break out of their shell. It is a truly unique experience that really makes you stand out from your peers. The number of bachelor students who went abroad in 2012-2013 was only around 14.3% and the total of US students who went abroad, this includes all college programs, is just a slim 1.5% of students. You could be a part of this number.

I haven't gone abroad yet...
Well my first question is are you crazy?! There is whole world out there for you to experience! You need to get on the bandwagon now and look into some different options for going abroad. I know students don't go abroad or think they can for a lot of reasons. More often than not students don't end up going abroad during their college years because they face financial or time restraints. Be sure to really plan ahead and decide when is the best time for you to go. There are endless opportunities and if leaving during the semester isn't a choice, then look into going abroad Summer, Spring Break or during Winterim. If you can't afford going a whole semester or year then just shoot for a short-term option. That way, you still get the international experience and you don't have to miss a semester on campus. Even having that two weeks of international experience will put you one step above someone else who didn't spend any time abroad in their undergrad, when applying for a job.  

I kind of look at it like this, you spend the money at your home campus to go to college, why not spend the money and study in a different country. When it comes down to it, Education Abroad is an investment in yourself. Who doesn't want to invest in themselves, believe in themselves and truly better themselves in all aspects? It's also an investment in your future and like I said earlier, an investment in one day helping you land that dream job. We are human, we never stop growing and Education Abroad is one more of those experiences that really promotes personal growth. Think of the world as your textbook, you will learn more from it than any other textbook you have ever had. The possibilities are endless and I promise you, you will not be disappointed!

I've gone abroad, how do I market that?
Great, I am so glad you took that step outside your comfort zone and lived, saw and breathed a different part of the world! Welcome to the club, you will never forget those memories you made abroad or the friends and that country will always be your second home. However, now you are home and maybe you're a little confused at how to market your time abroad when applying and interviewing for jobs. I hope I can help you out and set you in the right direction!

You need to be specific on your resume in what you did exactly abroad: volunteered, worked or studied. Getting involved while you're abroad can also be a great idea, just one more thing to add to your resume and to your experience. Really emphasize on not only your resume, but your cover letter what you did, learned and how these skills will benefit you in the work field. You can highlight all the ways it made you grow as well. Whether that be your confidence, ability to adapt, independence, your problem-solving skills, complex thinking skills or your flexibility. How did your experience improve your leadership skills? Having leadership skills in the workforce today, as we all know, is huge. These are some points you could use to really sell your Education Abroad experience to employers. Also, make sure you really emphasize the learning experience and don't make it sound like a big vacation, anyone can take a vacation.

So Education Abroad not only gives you the chance to grow personally, but it also gives you the opportunity to one day land that job you've been dying to have. It's all about how you market your experience and how that time abroad makes you more unique than the other applicants.  If you have not gone abroad yet I hope this blog opened your eyes to what you are missing and just how much Education Abroad can influence your life. If you already have gone abroad then I hope you took something away from this blog that will help you in your future when applying for jobs! I know I am closing in on the ending of my college career and I want more than anything to express how much Education Abroad changed my life in hopes of getting a job I love.
 
Even First Lady Michelle Obama realizes and stresses the importance of Education Abroad. In the words of Michelle Obama, "When you study abroad, you are help making America stronger."

View more about Michelle Obama on Education Abroad at the link below. Great read!

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/19/first-lady-michelle-obama-when-you-study-abroad-you-re-helping-make-america-stronger