I am not quite there yet, but it is close, and I feel it. Ever since I decided to study abroad, the paper work has not given it a chance to sink in: I am going to England.
Quick introduction, although some of you may recognize the name from the Liberal Arts blogging, here I am going to focus on my experience pre, during and post my study abroad experience. Hopefully when I get back, you will be able to tell from my posts how much I have changed and grown both as a person and as a student.
Many think Senior year is too late for study abroad and regret having missed out on the opportunity earlier in their college career, and so I am here to bring back hope to students who log on to the study abroad website their junior year and have their hearts drop to their stomachs as they realized the application deadline was just a few days ago.
I am a rising senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Studies. I love to travel and did not think merely spending a summer in a different country would give me enough of the diverse learning experience I have been craving since my sophomore year at Penn State. I wanted to fully immerse myself in the academic and social culture of my environment and for this reason, I chose to study abroad in the fall semester. Had it not jeopardized my attempt to graduate in Spring 2012, I would have committed to an entire year abroad, but seeing as I am somewhat late, I had to settle for a semester. On the brighter side, I know that life is what you make it, so should I go to England for a day or six years, the experience I get will only be as rich as I want it to be and therefore I will be making to most of this experience.
Being in a new country is not foreign to me and neither is meeting new people. If you knew a little bit of background, you would know that I have lived in New York, Cameroon and Canada in the last decade. I went off to boarding school when I was 11 and started college at 16. As a result, I homesickness and irresponsibility have no place in my vocabulary. This on the other hand is very different seeing as I do not have a sibling in the school (although I have a brother in Lancaster, England) and it is a country I have never been to before. I may need to rely on Skype a lot more than I have had to in the past.
I am glad to be able to share my experience with the world and as I finish up the paper work and get prepared for this life-changing experience, I will keep my blog in mind. As I apply for scholarships (I got one from my college-the Liberal Arts College!) and seek financial assistance for my trip, I will keep my blog in mind. Finally, when it gets to the point where I am booking flights, packing suitcases and stamping passports, I will be sure to channel the adrenaline to my blog, as I will keep it in mind.

Best Wishes,
Joyce T. Chuinkam-The traveler you can travel with anywhere-for free!

Location: State College, PA