Two perks of studying abroad are gaining experience about a new country, from the same point of view; and gaining a new perspective on your home university. What has my past 6 months taught me about the American University System, a lot to very. Talking with students from around Europe and the world, and learning their point of view about me has taught me to appreciate many of the things I love about Arizona State University. I am proud to be a new American student.
All the semester spent at ASU were well spent, I would not trade a single one of them for a semester at any other university. I experience many positives there. I am a proud sun devil.
ASU’s faculty is amazing. The teachers are willing to work with students one on one, answering my questions, and meeting during office hours. Every professor I encountered was accessible, willing to make time to meet with me to talk about what I wanted to. Not only is it the professors it is also the Deans and President Crow, the latter who I met with during his office hours. I was strongly motivated by Dr. Crow saying he wanted to see results. In Paris it has been much more difficult because professors put up barriers of communication.
Students at ASU are different. I made some fun friends at ASU and had adventures with people I never would have expected myself to connect with. I am in a wonderful relationship with a lovely woman.
Opportunity there are many more opportunities to participate in the ASU community. I remember when I was president of Model UN, how much fun I had doing lunch meetings, conferences and presentations. Global Devils parties were a good time, and my co-workers at APAS department were a fun bunch of guys. Paris opportunities are much more self-made, the friends I made were through class, and I did not settle into the club structure of cultural exchanges this first semester, I wanted to explore on my own. Luckily I am on a study abroad where an element of American Civil Society existences.
The American University ASU is America’s new university, what that means is what can I do to make ASU the best it can be. I struggled to find out how I could do this then I remembered the announcements every morning before class in high school, my principal would say ” you can make it a good day or not the choice is yours”. By changing my attitude I was able to make my experience at ASU the most it could be, and that is what resonates with me about the American University System, it is easier to make it your own.
American schools seem to have more interaction between students and teachers. After studying in the middle east I found that in class I had closer relationships with my teachers here. The atmosphere is more formal abroad and question asking can be a foreign concept.
From what I have read and from my experience, it seems American schools and universities offer their students variety and a chance to really discover what it is they are good at. When and how did you decide to study abroad? Wasn’t it hard to live and get around not being able to speak the native language? What were the french student’s impression of American students?
thats interesting that you hold asu in such high regard. a lot of people i know dont really like it here. (im a student at asu :)) but so far i have to agree with you for the most part it seems the staff really want the students to succeed. its really motivational the read all of the good reviews you have for the university, since i am about to complete my first semester here and have a long road ahead of me. :) its a comfort to know that this place was a great learning environment and even more so from someone such as yourself who has had the opportunity to study abroad. thanks!
I think your high school principal was right; and that’s a fact that many of us often need to be reminded of!
I have not yet had the great opportunity of studying abroad but I am tremendously eager to do so. Reading your post I realize that I should not take advantage of how much help I am receiving here at ASU, also it motivates me to become a more active member here at ASU. I am wondering now why the teachers there are so strict and distant from their students as you say they are I think the closer the relationship to your students the better you help them to succeed in class and out of class.