Hey guys!
My name is Keri Clarke, I am the Business Manager here at NSR Australia. I am from a small town called St. Augustine, Florida and completed my tertiary studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.
I earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in International Business from USF. During my 7 years at USF I participated in 6 different international study abroad programs in: San Jose, Costa Rica; Madrid, Spain; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Buenos Aires, Argentina; a 4 country MBA program throughout Europe; and Barcelona, Spain.
These were undoubtedly some of the best experiences of my life so far. They opened my mind in many ways; to different cultures, I learned another language, made friends that will last forever, traveled to amazing places, experienced that the world is much bigger than my perception, earned an amazing education and gained life experience that has given me the confidence to live and work in any country.
The world is becoming more and more global every day. Opportunities are not only what you see at your doorstep. Increasingly, you need to be ready to think outside the box and take opportunities in different parts of the world to launch your professional career. This is a very important step that will help your future take shape!
STUDYING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
At the age of 18, graduating high school, many young adults are faced with the dilemma of what move to make for the next stage in their life. Some of the options on the plate are to travel around the world for “experience”, study at university, or attempt to jump straight into the work force. Studying in another country is the best way to combine two of these options! I loved studying in different countries so much that I did 6 international study abroads in my college career. These were some of the best decisions I ever made.
Exploring a new country is one of the most exciting things you will ever do in your life (in my opinion). Having the structure of going to class, studying what interests you and playing the sport you love makes it that much better. Studying abroad is the most sustainable way to get to see the world while not sacrificing your education. There are so many new places and things you can explore on the weekends and holidays where you have time off from school. You want to get out and see the country you are studying every chance you get!
While studying in another country you bond with the people around you more than you would at home. You are out of your comfort zone and away from the group of friends you’ve always hung around so it gives you a great opportunity to make new friends…. the rest of your mates at school are in the same boat! Everyone will be excited to hear about where you come from and share things about where they are from. This is the best opportunity to learn with an open mind. You will make friends that last a lifetime and have a global contact network that will no doubt prove to be very valuable throughout life.
Different countries have different prominent sports so you will probably have the opportunity to watch, if not participate in a new sport. For me, I found my love for soccer in the Central American, South American and European cities where I studied. Surely while studying in America you will watch a lot of baseball and American football, two of America’s favorite sports!
The subtle differences of everyday life are the best… the grocery store you go to, the subway or bus you ride to school, that little café you get a sandwich from while you are at school. All these little things add up to making your experience very special.
While studying in another country you have the opportunity to break out of your routine. This is so exciting! It doesn’t feel like the same day to day of going to class that you’ve always had, it’s much more exciting and you’ll be more motivated to go to class and participate in the experience.
Stay tuned for my next blog on how to keep focused and work through home sickness…