There’s no correct reason to want to travel the world: a change in scenery, an escape from the current political climate, or just because it sounds like a great time. No matter your reason, Presbyterian College has numerous opportunities for you that range outside of American borders and into cities and cultures you’d never dream of experiencing. However, sometimes the diversity in options can be too overwhelming to figure out which experience you want. We’re here to help you narrow it down.

Starting off with semester programs, most of them are offered every year with little change. One of the great perks is that most of them carry on from January to May/June. Because of this, there’s still time to fit in summer research and that beach trip. Location-wise, the semester abroad options vary greatly. While mostly in Western Europe with options such as Norway, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Northern Ireland, and Wales, there are also locations in Barbados, Ecuador, and Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. PC’s amazing advisors are happy to work with students to fit semesters abroad into their four-year plan. Maymesters, on the other hand, tend to change more regularly throughout the years. If you have a tight budget, busy schedule, or just want to get a taste of a culture different from yours, Maymesters are the ones for you. One of the recurring Maymester trips is the four-week adventure to Lyon, France, but this year there are others offered in Japan, South Korea, Scotland, and a month-long trip traveling to Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Maymesters offer processes that are easier for students to navigate amongst course workloads, which is worth noting if you are a student independent from family assistance.

Now, let’s talk about the bad. Maymesters offer a cheaper route towards experiencing other cultures that will give you memorable experiences for life. There are often scholarships that can take some of the financial burden of college away, but the money to pay off an extracurricular trip must come out of pocket. This is quite the negative, as most Maymesters are offered to students only weeks before a hefty down payment is due. It has been discussed amongst students that if professors offered these trips months in advance, there would be a greater amount of participation, but no changes have yet been made. Maymesters offer a great experience to young travelers, but one month is not nearly enough time to familiarize yourself with your new location and be immersed in the culture. Another negative is the pace at which some of them travel. If you are wanting to experience a Maymester where multiple countries are visited, that can offer enriching experiences that nothing can compare to, but if you are prone to stress, these are something to stay away from. Checking the schedule of the Maymester trip to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands makes me feel busy just looking at it. While the itinerary is filled with exciting adventures, there is no denying that always having somewhere to be is not the right fit for everyone. However, if you enjoy a fast-paced travel experience, then this is something indeed to look into.

Semesters abroad are extremely different when it comes to financing. Whatever you give PC in tuition is what you give to your school abroad, which results in an easy transition if you took out loans for housing, meal plans, and classes. In short, your loans will transfer over, but make sure to ask financial aid for more details and specifics. Semesters abroad offer a much more advanced and immersive experience into cultures different from yours. However, there are some obvious flaws. First and foremost, being separated from your friends and family isn’t easy for even the toughest of students here. Homesickness is a true and understandable experience, and unfortunately it will be a waiting game until your arrival at home for the feeling to go away. Another setback is the language barrier. If you are traveling to a country where the native language is not one you speak, you could be running into issues every day with this. For a semester trip, the language barrier provides a constant challenge, and if your aim is to make friends or visit areas not for tourists, that constant challenge becomes extremely aggravating.

There certainly is a bad choice when it comes to choosing how to travel abroad using PC’s opportunities, and that bad choice would be to never consider traveling abroad in the first place. However, there is something affordable, accessible, and fun for every single student on campus. Make sure to swing by International Programs or check out PC’s website under Study Abroad for more information.