According to the Brandeis Office of Study Abroad, 19 Brandeis students studied abroad this summer, 60 Brandeis students are studying in 19 countries this fall and by this spring, more than 100 Brandeis students are expected to study abroad. Special thanks to Study Abroad Advisor, Ari Massefski and the Office of Study Abroad for their assistance in contacting students currently studying abroad for this article and for providing demographic information.

Zuham Moreno ’21 

Seoul, South Korea

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the program you are in?  

A: I am a fall 2021 graduate studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea at Yonsei University. It is a Council On International Educational Exchange “Science and Arts program,” so there are a lot of humanities courses available for students. There are a lot of courses for my major, but I finished all my requirements before heading abroad. So, I am just taking courses for fun! Most of the classes do not pertain to my major, but one course does. I am taking a “Medical Anthropology” class that perfectly intersects my majors in Sociology and HSSP. I decided to study abroad just for the experience. I wanted to choose an East Asian country so I can experience living in another country that is not Westernized. Eventually, I came down to Seoul, SK after hearing from other Brandeis students describe how amazing the program, university and location [was].

Q: What has been the most memorable aspect of your time abroad so far?

A: The most memorable aspect of my life here is meeting local people who have visited or are from my hometown in Texas. In my opinion, it is very hard sometimes to meet someone new and not know what to talk about, but I think meeting someone who is from my state gives me a common ground and something to talk about. It also makes me feel at home. It feels crazy to me that I just happen to run into people who are from my exact hometown even when I am halfway across the world. 

Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your study abroad program?

A: COVID-19 has severely impacted my study abroad program and location. South Korea is one of the few countries in the world that still has a travel ban, has mask mandates and social distancing restrictions. It has been very difficult for us because COVID-19 is taken very seriously here. Up until last week, only groups of two people were allowed to hang out past 6 p.m. It can be six people if four of them are vaccinated, but some establishments only accept Korean vaccines. That is probably the biggest setback for me, aside from no big events, no in-person classes and no talking while eating (which most people don’t follow anyway, so it’s not as enforced). Seoul has one of the biggest nightlife scenes. People are out until 5 a.m. or 7 a.m. and party all night. It is sad to see that those establishments have a 10 p.m. curfew now.

Q: What have you found to be the biggest difficulty or obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far? 

A: I think adjusting as a foreigner is difficult in South Korea. If you don’t speak the language, you are already at a huge disadvantage. Because it is a more conservative country, it is difficult to navigate South Korea for certain identities. My biggest obstacle is not being allowed into some establishments for being a foreigner. I’ve had some instances where I would try to go into an establishment, and they would outright tell me “No foreigners allowed.”

Q: What have you enjoyed most about the country you are living in? Is there a specific part of the culture that stands out to you?

A: I love how Korean society is a collective. They are mindful of each other and wary of their actions. Especially with COVID-19, they believe in public health efforts to look out for each other, rather than only car[ing] about themselves. 

Jessica Daniel ’22 

Dublin, Ireland

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the program you are in? 

A: I’m currently studying at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland through a program called Institute For Study Abroad. It’s an exchange program that allows me to directly enroll at Trinity, so I get to take classes with Irish students, join lots of fun societies and enjoy school events and traditions. 

Q: What are your academic interests and pursuits? Describe a favorite course that you’re taking or a course that intrigues you … 

A: At Brandeis, I am a Sociology major and have minors in LGLS and NEJS. At Trinity, I’m taking courses in Sociology, History, English and Law. My favorite course is “Irish Private Law” since there are many parallels with American courts, and it’s cool to explore familiar legal concepts with Irish cases as examples!

Q: What has been the most memorable aspect of your time abroad so far? 

A: One of my favorite [moments] was hiking in Glendalough, a beautiful national park an hour from Dublin. I met tons of Irish and international students during the hike, and [I] actually went back again a few weeks later because of how gorgeous the views are! 

Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your study abroad program?

A: COVID-19 has definitely had an impact on my program as IFSA isn’t taking us on trips around the country like it usually does. However, I’ve been able to explore with friends on our own and enjoy cultural events through the program. I’ve still been able to attend most classes in person and enjoy social gatherings.

Ireland has been really good with COVID-19. Everywhere requires a mask and proof of vaccination for entry. Restrictions were recently relaxed this weekend, so lots of indoor spaces are able to host more people going forward. 

Q: What has the adjustment been like living in a new country? What have you found to be the biggest difficulty or obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?

A: The adjustment wasn’t too bad for me, since I’ve been to Ireland before and because English is the main language here. I would say the biggest difficulty I had to overcome here so far was class registration — it was a mess and I wasn’t fully enrolled in all of my classes due to system errors until two weeks after the semester. Classes are also much more independent here, which took some getting used to. 

Q: What have you enjoyed most about the country you are living in?

A: I’ve really enjoyed getting to meet different people and hearing their stories! Everyone is very friendly here and I’ve had really interesting discussions which has greatly enhanced my perspective of the world. 

Q: What have you learned so far about the culture you have been immersed in (something that a tourist wouldn’t know, but a local would … )?

A: I’ve learned lots of really cool local phrases (like “what’s the craic” means “what’s happening”) and [I] now know the best pubs and coffee shops. 

Ada Wagar ’25 

Florence, Italy

Q: What does being a Brandeis midyear entail?

A: Being a midyear means that instead of starting out [your first-year] in the fall you start [during] second [semester]. This means that in the first term you have a few options: you could study abroad with Brandeis, study abroad on your own, go to a local community college for credit, get a job, etc. 

Q: Why did you choose the study abroad midyear option for your first semester? What are the advantages and disadvantages to this option?

A: I chose to study abroad because the pandemic made me realize how uncertain the world can be — I was presented with this opportunity, why not take it while I can? I think there are many advantages such as immersing yourself in a new culture, learning a new language, eating amazing food [and] seeing new places — the only true disadvantage is missing my friends and family back home.  

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the program you are in? 

A: I am on the CET Brandeis midyear program, so the only Brandeis students here are freshman midyears. There are also other students who are juniors and seniors from other universities across the country who I am in the program with and take classes with, as well as people on a gap year. This program is loosely based around political science, and the electives it offers range from money and banking to food and culture. Right now I am taking a writing class that all Brandeis freshmen have to take, an Italian language class [and some electives]. Besides homework, we have had excursions throughout the program exploring different facets of Florence and [soon] we [will] have a whole group excursion to Rome. We also only have classes from Monday to Thursday, allowing us to travel more throughout Italy and Europe on the weekends. 

Q: What are your academic interests and pursuits? 

A: My academic interests currently are in Political Science, and so that is what I am studying [here]. My favorite course that I am taking is “Italian and European Politics” because I have never studied it heavily, so it is interesting to look at politics, current events and history from a Eurocentric perspective. 

Q: What has been the most memorable aspect of your time abroad so far? 

A: There have been too many memorable aspects of this experience to choose just one, but some highlights have included going out to three hour-long Italian dinners, hiking in the Dolomites, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea in Cinque Terre and having the city of Florence as my classroom. 

Q: How has COVID-19 impacted the midyear program and your general study abroad experience?

A: I think the only way it really has impacted [the program] is that we have to wear masks during class, but other than that Italy is super conservative when it comes to COVID-19 rules. I think the program is a lot smaller than it usually is due to COVID-19. 

Q: What have you found to be the biggest difficulty or obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?

A: I think that the biggest challenge [is] adjusting to the new freedoms I have. Coming from high school to college is already a big jump, but then jumping from high school to college in a different country is even bigger, especially when you do not speak the language of that country. It has all been a learning experience in good and bad ways, but I think that I have started to learn how to manage living alone and being in school well while having fun and exploring the city. 

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about the country you are living in? Is there a specific part of the culture that stands out to you?

A: I think the approach to life here is very different from the U.S., and it is what I like the most. There is an attitude that everything will turn out alright and to not stress the small [things], and overall I have felt a lot more chill over here than in the U.S.. Also, everyone is super nice and hospitable so the atmosphere here is just a lot calmer. I also [like] the emphasis on enjoying life over here and spending time with people you love. I mentioned the three-hour dinners, which is just an example of how much people want to enjoy what they are doing in the present and it’s an attitude that is an easy one to adopt over here. 

Q: What have you learned so far about the culture you have been immersed in?

A: I think my biggest takeaway so far about the culture in Italy has been to live every moment to the fullest, spend your time doing things you love and do not stress the small things in life because everything normally works out in the end. Living in Italy so far has relaxed me in a sense because you are forced to accept these ideals, and so you pick up this “go with the flow” attitude. 

Q: Do you think it is going to be difficult to adjust to life back in the states when you come back? 

A: I think that it will be less hard to adjust back to normal life, but the transition to college might be a bit hard since everyone has already been there for a term. Although I am taking college courses here, I know that college work [at Brandeis] will be very different. Furthermore, I think I will enjoy having a dining hall because we do not have one here and although I love going out to eat, sometimes I have to cook, and I can never decide what I want. 

Q:  What are you looking forward to most about coming to Brandeis in the spring?

A: What I am looking forward to most is meeting my other classmates. There are only six of us out here from Brandeis, and our program is also pretty small, and so I am excited to meet new people. I am also excited to finally have [that typical] college experience.

Nicolas St Cloud ’22

Accra, Ghana

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the program you are in?  

A: I’m a senior at Brandeis majoring in HSSP. I’m currently studying abroad in Accra, Ghana, but I’m specifically in Legon, which is a suburb of Accra,  and it is very close to the downtown area. I am studying with the program CIEE and taking classes at the University of Ghana. My program specifically is an Arts and Sciences program, so students from all over the U.S. are coming with all these different majors. It’s a small cohort, so it’s been easy to connect with a lot of them. I’m taking one public health-based course here, (“Medical Sociology”), a language class [and other electives]. 

Q: What are your academic interests and pursuits? Describe a favorite course that you’re taking or a course that intrigues you. 

A: I’ve really enjoyed my “African Myths and Symbols” class, [where] I’ve been able to see how the [class topics] are so connected to religion here, specifically in West Africa. In the myths and stories, I’ve been able to really dig deep into the fact that there is a difference between myths, legends and folktales. There are also so many beautiful colors here in Ghana, and it’s been really interesting to [learn] how the symbols I see outside on signs, on my campus or on clothing connects with what I’m learning about.     

Q: What has been the most memorable aspect of your time abroad so far?

A: I’m on campus, not with a host family, so I don’t just go to class, but I also work at [a local] hospital. I am working with the medical director. In the future [I plan] to get my master’s degree in Public Health and really doing [sic] work in diversity, equity and inclusion. My first day, I actually worked in the clinic [instead of the administration office] — I ended up having to do ultrasounds on like 20 pregnant women, something I never thought I would do! But it was an experience that I cherish because I learned a lot that day.   

Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your study abroad program?

A: Before coming here, I knew Ghana was Level 1 on what the CDC [had] established. The country itself was doing well, and people are following guidelines. My program established that we had to wear masks in public areas. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has limited students from traveling outside of Accra, Ghana and to other countries in West Africa.

Q: What has the adjustment been like living in a new country? What have you found to be the biggest difficulty or obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far? 

A: I was able to adjust in just enough time. It was difficult at first because Ghana is a developing country, so access to safe drinking water [was hard to find]. I had to buy bottled water every day since I’ve been here. Wi-Fi connection and access to computer networks was an obstacle because the electricity wasn’t always amazing.  

Q: What have you enjoyed most about the country you are living in? 

A: The culture is so rich and unique; the food is amazing. [Coming to Ghana], I knew I would gain such a [significant] cultural, historical and social experience. It’s the heart of West Africa! There are beautiful beaches, historical landmarks like the “slave castles” and colorful fashion. It’s been really beautiful to see throughout my time here. I’ve been able to attend a fashion show where I got to meet models and designers and a seamstress who actually made an outfit for me! It’s also really nice to see that so many of the students here at the university will actually dress up for class, but at Brandeis, most people just throw on sweats (as I do at times).