I am a firm believer in the fact that it’s never too late to learn a little more, grow a little more, or be a little better. This is a belief that I carry with me every day as I strive to make the most of every day that I am fortunate to see.
I did not always subscribe to this philosophy, and it is something that I spent a great deal reflecting on during my time in Europe this past summer while participating in the UC Blue Ash Summer British Study Abroad Program for a week as a Staff Mentee.
As a recipient of a University of Cincinnati International Mentoring Grant, I was able to spend a week abroad supporting UC Blue Ash faculty and working with UC students. Without a doubt, I can say that this experience was by far one of the best and most memorable that I have had in my time as a UC Blue Ash employee.
The opportunity to live and learn with a group of students and faculty in a completely different cultural context on the other side of the world is something that I as an educator will always value and remember.
I was able to spend time in the classroom (in a castle) with students while they learned about Erza Pound, T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein and other American born expatriate writers before the students had the opportunity to visit locations in Paris where these writers learned about lived, wrote, and, dare I say, partied.
I visited a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) station with students where we were able to not only take a tour, but spend time in both a television studio and in a radio booth. What better way to learn about the BBC than get interviewed for a radio program while spending time at the station.
Just as memorable as those ‘in class’ learning experiences were the opportunities that I got to take advantage in the ‘classroom’ of Europe itself. I now can say that I got to call Harlaxton Manor, a castle, my ‘home.’
Marcus Langford at Westminster Abbey in London. (Photo Courtesy of Marcus Langford)
I was able to explore the English countryside while running. I was able to visit a number of sites in European towns like Lincolnshire and Grantham, and also spent time in London while visiting Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Tate Museum of Modern Art with a few of the students. We walked, walked, then walked some more and became experts at both navigating ‘The Tube’ and taking trains across the country.
I made the decision to apply for the Mentoring Grant because I wanted to have the opportunity to work with and support students who were doing something that I did not do as an undergraduate student – study abroad. As I said earlier I spent a great deal thinking about this on my trip, because I unfortunately made the decision to NOT take advantage of the life changing experience that studying abroad can be.
If you are reading this, and you are remotely thinking about studying abroad, do it. If you are reading this, and studying abroad is the furthest thing from your mind, [think again] and do it.
Exposing yourself to new experiences and challenging yourself is necessary in order to grow as an individual, and a study abroad experience is an excellent way to accomplish this.
Know that this is an amazing opportunity. Know that we all have room to grow, learn and be a little better. Know that UC Blue Ash has a number of scholarships available to assist you in taking advantage of this life changing experience.
2014 British Study Abroad student Christy Sunday at Harlaxton Manor. (Photo by Kara Sunday)
For more information about UC Blue Ash study abroad programs, please visit http://www.ucblueash.edu/SAEC.