The University of Denver is renowned for its study-abroad opportunities. With over 120 programs, 70% of students take advantage of the destinations offered by the university.
Most students go abroad during the fall quarter of their junior year. As the fall quarter has come to an end, criminology and Spanish major Ellie Barnett-Cashman commented on her experience readjusting to life at DU and America.
Barnett-Cashman left at the end of July 2024 for Valparaíso, Chile, a coastal city known as a main port and known for its bohemian, artistic vibe and lovely vistas. After six months abroad, Barnett-Cashman returned home in mid-December.
Studying abroad offers many opportunities for students academically, socially and culturally. No matter what country a student visits, they are guaranteed an immersive and life-changing experience.
For Barnett-Cashman, she got to make connections with locals, improve her Spanish and experience life outside of the U.S.
However, moving to a new continent can be overwhelming, so DU’s Office of International Education offers academic and advising support throughout the entire journey.
Barnett-Cashman said that she did not have too much trouble upon arriving in Chile because she knew what she was getting into. She described her hardest social challenge as having to start over in a new place.
Students who have gone abroad identify that returning to the United States can be challenging. Whether it’s the eating habits, as Barnett-Cashman experienced, or having a new routine and a new academic schedule, all students readjust differently.
In terms of lifestyles, some students visit countries where English is not the main language and it is challenging to readjust to speaking English.
Additionally, depending on where a student studies abroad, walking and public transit are often the main forms of transport, whereas in the U.S., students rely on cars.
This also has consequences on a student’s physical health. Since walking is such a main form of transport, students abroad average as ‘little’ as 15,000 steps a day. Compared to the U.S., where the goal of many students at DU is just to get 10,000 steps per day.
“In Alicante, I was able to walk to my closest grocery store within five minutes,” said Maia Halm, a third-year hospitality major who studied abroad in Spain. “However, now it’s an endeavor going anywhere.”
Halm has tried maintaining the “European mindset,” but it’s easier said than done, especially in the winter.
Academically, students struggle to get back into a solid work routine because the amount of work abroad is typically less than at DU.
While studying abroad is an immersive experience that exposes students to different cultures and connections, it can also be quite isolating upon a student’s return.
“I came back to people who had no idea what the experience I had was. We’ve been apart for six months and my friends do not know everything I’ve lived and vice versa. So there are these gaps in our friendships that we have to fill in.” Barnett-Cashman said.
While students can text and call their friends from home, they can never articulate the whole abroad experience which can feel quite lonely.
Students go abroad for many different reasons — for culture, for academics, for new experiences — and each student returns with many different takeaways.
For Barnett-Cashman, her biggest takeaway from this experience was this: “The connections I made abroad are valuable no matter how temporary it may be.”
For students who are interested in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, learn more about the application process here.
