Women Abroad

a female student in education

I am a female studying education. During the summer after my freshman year, I studied abroad in China! As an education major the opportunity to study abroad is highly valuable. When I saw the chance to study abroad for a month in China along with two UWL professors and eight other UWL students I knew I had to seize this opportunity. During my time abroad I got to study and teach at Luoyang Number 2 Foreign Language School. I learned so much about the education structure in China compared to education in America while I spent most of my days at the school. As a future educator, I found this new knowledge valuable and fascinating. I learned to be a more flexible thinker, understand diverse perspectives, and even found a new confidence within myself during my time abroad. I fell in love with the rich culture in China and the seemingly endless amount of history. Seeing an Eastern culture that was so very different than our Western culture in America was life-changing. I truly believe any student who has the opportunity to go to an Asian country or anywhere abroad should take it, because it is a chance to see a culture extremely different from America’s.

a white female student

I decided to study abroad during the spring semester of my sophomore year at UWL. I wanted to go abroad to step out of my normal lifestyle. I grew up in the small town of Waupaca, Wisconsin and had limited experience in a culture outside of my own. A few years ago I discovered family ties in Ireland and Scotland and after researching Scotland I fell in love. As a biology major, I was easily able to find courses at the University of Stirling, Scotland. On arrival to Stirling, my intuition was instantly tested. I quickly learned how to travel and live in Scotland. My experience in Stirling was so much more amazing than I could have ever imagined. I absolutely fell in love with the culture and scenery of Scotland! I literally lived down the street from a castle! I was also very lucky to have made friends from all over the world. It was a really eye opening to live with students from places like Spain, Chile, Sweden, Canada, and Peru. I can honestly say the invaluable experiences I was able to have abroad helped me grow as a person. I would 100% recommend studying abroad to students no matter what you identify as. UWL has so many options for study abroad opportunities. I encourage anyone to explore the study abroad opportunities the University of Wisconsin La Crosse offers.

a white introverted female

As an introvert, the thought of going to a foreign country and not knowing anybody definitely scared me. I was worried it would be hard to make friends with people I probably would not have anything in common with. Even though I had some hesitation about studying abroad, I knew I wanted to challenge myself to be more adventurous. Once I got to Prague, Czech Republic and met some of the people in my CIEE program I realized I did not need to worry so much. It is sort of like freshman year where everyone is hoping to make friends right away. The people in my program came from all over the U.S. Although we did not have much in common, we made conversation by talking about the differences between different areas in the U.S. and our colleges. I ended up making lots of good friends who I was able to explore Prague with and travel to other countries with as well. I was in a four-week program and I was wishing I had more time by the end! I would recommend studying abroad to everyone, it was an experience I will never forget.

a female, STEM student

As a STEM major, I wasn’t optimistic about my ability to study abroad during my time at UWL. Many of my chemistry courses involve specific lab components or are split into classes that should be taken back-to-back, so trying to go abroad for an entire semester may have compromised my ability to graduate on time. Thus, I was really excited when I heard that UWL was offering a two-week program to the Cayman Islands to study chemistry and biochemistry during winter break. The other students and I were accompanied by a UWL professor, and hosted by the Central Caribbean Marine Institute, a center dedicated to marine research and education. In addition to learning about the environment around us, we were able to apply our new knowledge while conducting field work and lab experiments. The majority of the students who went on the trip were STEM majors like me, so the timing of the trip allowed us to have this experience without interfering with our normal class schedules. I would encourage any UWL student who is skeptical about their ability to travel abroad to visit International Education and Engagement in order to discover what opportunities are available.

a female student

Before leaving for my study abroad program in Italy, I was concerned with being a female traveler in a new place. I worried about traveling around the city and country if I was by myself, or walking at night, as well as what the general attitudes would be towards women. I had also heard that Italian men could be aggressive towards women, especially with catcalling; however, I quickly learned upon landing in Italy that Italians are extremely kind people. The locals I encountered showed me nothing but respect and appreciation. There were always lots of people around, and it really is a generally safe destination. Studying abroad taught me beyond what I could have ever learned in a classroom, I learned what Italy is really like past the presumptions and stereotypes, and it taught me about the amazing aspects of Italian culture. Not to mention I ate the best food I’ve ever had. If UWL students have even the slightest interest in studying abroad: Go to meetings, look at the IEE website, and reach out to the office to learn more about it. The education abroad programs and opportunities UWL offers are incredible and the experience will change your life.

a female, science student

I am a female UWL science student. As a science major/minor, it can often be difficult to try and fit studying abroad into the strict course schedule. However, I took the leap of faith and went abroad! Taking mostly science courses each semester can sometimes make you think only with a scientific mind. By going to Scotland, taking humanities courses, and being a part of a great international student community, I was able to expand and learn in different ways that were not necessarily the "science way" to think. I was nervous at first by not taking courses I was generally comfortable with - but I am very glad that I got out of my comfort zone! I would highly encourage any UWL student, including students in any STEM program, to take the leap of faith and study abroad.