Study Abroad Program: A once in a lifetime learning experience 

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Study Abroad Program leaves a lasting impact on the program’s alumni. An experience of a lifetime, it broadens students’ cultural perspectives and worldview. 

The Study Abroad Program offers students the chance to take classes for their major in another country over the summer. UL Lafayette faculty members teach the courses just like they would here, except they tailor the curriculum accordingly to the location. It is an opportunity for students to step beyond the borders of a classroom and explore the world while learning with first-hand experience. 

In the summer of 2024, the program took students to the following countries: Costa Rica, England, France, Italy, Ireland, South Korea and Romania. 

Jaclyn Bridges and Miles A. Perez, alumni of the program, share about their experiences studying abroad. Bridges is a first year graduate student majoring in architecture, and she did the program in Florence, Italy. Perez is a senior majoring in moving image arts, and he did the program in Seoul, South Korea. 

When asked about what made him decide to apply for the program, Perez shared that he is interested in Korean media and wanted to experience it for himself. He said, “If I really want to appreciate the films that I am watching and the shows and the music that I listen to, it would be a really cool experience to actually go and see what the culture is like in person, so I can relate to the media more.” 

From a meaningful curriculum to places of interest and leisure activities, both Bridges and Perez had a fulfilling and enriching trip. 

Bridges shared that her course consisted of studying Florence’s architecture and researching its significance in relation to the city’s rich history. 

She said, “I was in the architecture curriculum, so a lot of that was just visiting those huge cathedrals, and sitting down and drawing them, diagramming them and figuring out what was the thought process, the inspiration.” 

Besides Florence, Bridges also got to tour neighboring cities like Rome, Pisa and Venice, as well as other small towns like San Gimignano. Some famous landmarks that she got to visit were the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum. 

Bridges highlighted her visit to the Church of San Giovanni Battista, better known as the Church of the Highway, and pointed out that it was designed to look like a tent that the pilgrims would set up. She said, “It was such a wonderful building, and it was so different from all the historical stuff we were looking at.” 

Onto the program in South Korea, Perez had only positive things to share about his experience with the exception of the difficulty he faced in navigating the subway network. 

Perez shared that the main major offered for the South Korea program was criminal justice, and that the course consisted of watching Korean crime films. The films delved into South Korea’s criminal justice system and provided insight into the country’s culture. He also took a Korean language class which taught the alphabet, pronunciation and simple everyday phrases which became useful for communication with locals. 

He shared that he got to experience a variety of exciting activities like a Korean baseball game, Waterbomb Festival and Lotte World. Besides those large scale events, he also enjoyed even the little things like waking up in the morning to go to Korean convenience stores. Perez said, “We did so much, everyday was jam-packed with some sort of adventure.” 

The program is an opportunity for students to discover new sides of themselves and grow as an individual. When asked what were some takeaways from the program, Bridges said, “I learnt how self-sufficient I can be.” 

She added, “I felt like my own person, I haven’t had that feeling in a really long time.” From figuring out a new city to making plans on her own, Bridges got to learn how to live independently. 

The program also immerses students in a new culture and challenges them to expand their worldview. Perez said, “At first it feels very isolating not being able to understand what everyone is saying but then that’s also like the charm about it too.” 

He added, “Even if we can’t speak the same language as each other there still is that human aspect between us that bonds everybody and allows for us to communicate with one another.” 

Abihail Patrick, a graduate student currently working towards a Master of Business Administration, is a graduate assistant at the Study Abroad Office. When asked what the significance of the program is, she said, “A lot of people don’t travel abroad, we live in this bubble of security and the sense of being at home. Some people don’t even go out of Louisiana” 

Indeed, the program pushes students out of their comfort zones and opens them up to a world that is so much bigger and greater than what they are used to. 

Perez shared that through the South Korea program, students from different backgrounds who would not usually have the chance to cross paths came together for their shared love of exploration and learning about Korean culture. They forged lifelong friendships from being each other’s support system throughout the trip. 

In response to what she would say to students who are considering applying for the program, Patrick said, “Hey go for it. Worst case scenario, you went to another country. Best case scenario, you went to another country, and you had so much fun.” 

The Summer 2025 Study Abroad Program will include three more new countries: Spain, Japan and Mexico. The deadline for applications is Dec. 16. Dates and costs of the program courses are yet to be finalized, however, students can expect the details to be announced sometime in the next few weeks.