The following students have been selected as study abroad ambassadors. They have recently participated in UM-sponsored study abroad programs. If you are thinking about studying abroad and have questions about a specific country and/or university, you are welcome to contact the ambassadors. If you have recently studied abroad on a UM sponsored program consider becoming an Ambassador. Apply Now!
¡Hola! My name is Devan Annan, and I spent spring 2012 in Osorno, Chile. Osorno is a small town located in the Lakes Region in Chile. I attended the Universidad de Los Lagos and took 18 credits, all which transferred back as upper division Spanish credits. Being a small town Idaho girl, I jumped at the chance to leave my comfort zone and experience something new. I was the only native English speaker in the school, the other foreign exchange students being from Spain, Mexico, France and Colombia. I couldn’t fall back on English or my customs, forcing me to grow in ways I didn’t know possible. Now, being back, not a day goes by where I don’t think about Chile. I can’t wait to return. The advice I would tell anyone who is even a little interested in student aboard is jump in with two feel, go abroad, you never know what you can learn! devan.annan@Umontana.edu
I spent last year studying Geosciences at the University of Potsdam in Germany. I had been to Germany a couple times before, since my mother is German and I grew up bilingual. Even with that previous experience, the idea of living alone for a year in a European city was an exciting and slightly scary prospect, and upon reflection, it has lived up to all my expectations. The proximity of other cool places in Europe is invaluable, and I was able to maintain friendships in Vienna, Prague, and Budapest, and build new friendships in France and Spain. This aspect is something I think is one of the more important parts of traveling and spending time abroad- meeting new people and possibly learning about their worldview. I was lucky to be placed in an apartment with awesome people, and I became very close friends with those dudes. I met great people through the Geology program, which could even be considered networking when it comes to future jobs. This isn’t to say that there were not difficult times, but those times forced me to be independent and develop better people skills, and I think I became more patient and a bit more humble. I guess I can say that I often had the feeling that I had jumped into cold water, but was learning to swim and even to enjoy it. So my only suggestion to those on the fence on whether they want to study abroad (at the risk of sounding cliché) is to make the jump- you never know what you’ll learn about yourself or who you will meet. arensshibu@gmail.com
My study abroad experience took me to the Emerald Isle where the myth of 10,000 shades of green has proven to be true. I studied at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland and it was the best 5 months of my life. Friendly people, beautiful country, and endless experiences to be had. I'm a journalism major here at UM and unfortunately in Cork, they do not offer and journalism classes, so I ended up taking a bunch of upper-division courses that I couldn't have take anywhere else. Everything from a European Cinema course to a course devoted to Medieval Celtic traditions. I also got involved with things on campus including volleyball, the International Society, choir, and tons of others. Traveling around Europe is super easy and exciting! I was able to spend time visiting not just Ireland but also England, Spain, Italy, and Austria. I greatly encourage you to study abroad or at least look into it as a possibility. Feel free to contact me with and questions you may have! My email is caitlin.avey@umconnect.umt.edu and I'd love to hear from you! Cheers!
From the beginning, I always had my heart set on studying in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, one of the most international, breathtaking, creative, and unique cities in the world. In this metropolitan of canals and cobblestone, millions of bicycles, flower markets, and world famous cheese, studying for a year at the Universiteit van Amsterdam allowed me to truly be in the center of it all. The heart of the city and its history was our campus. As one of the top 15 universities in Europe, with origins dating back to 1632, I was nervous about how I would do in such a different academic environment. I learned that with openness and confidence, I can rise up to any challenge I’m faced with. But the most memorable experiences and sources of personal growth came from outside the classroom, learning to be self-sufficient through living in a foreign country and better understanding myself and others through the exploration of different cultures. As a hub of travel, Amsterdam also made taking trips to other countries easy. I had the opportunity to have adventures in Morocco, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and many more. But what I will miss most about my year abroad is simply riding my bike through the winding streets of Amsterdam and the Dutch countryside, picnicking in the oasis-like parks scattered around the city, and sitting at a terrace for hours with close friends – enjoying life the way the Dutch do. People always say studying abroad is a beneficial thing to try in college, but I can proudly say that that’s an definitely an understatement. I wouldn’t trade my year abroad for the world, and I bet you won’t either.alette.boogman@umontana.edu
I studied in Joensuu, Finland at the University of Eastern Finland. UEF is known for it's huge forestry program but I went to the school as a history student. The history surrounding the town and the country is massive! Joensuu was established in 1848 by Nicholas I as a regional center of commerce. It's really near to the Russian-Finnish border and there are a lot of Karelian influences. Karelia is an area that is shared by Finland and Russia. The town is about the size of Missoula. Finnish people are really open to you, they want to know more about you but it can take them a little while to start talking. It was absolutely amazing to be able to study in a place where language barrier was there but surpassable! While I was abroad I was able to go to both Russia and Italy. Traveling is amazingly affordable to students and it's also good to make contacts in different countries. I was able to stay with a friend when I went to Verona, IT. My only regret is that I didn't stay for a year. If you'd like to contact me, my email is reburdette@gmail.com. I'm always up for answering questions!
Studying abroad was an experience I knew I had to try…I spent the summer of 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Four unforgettable weeks in the city where JFK once claimed, “Ich bin ein Berliner!”, a city with a history of immense intensity, and a modernity that only truly wonderful places can cultivate. Immediately, I was both thrilled and intimidated to be studying and living in such an exciting place. However, all fears and anxiety washed away the second I stepped off the plane at Tegel Airport. The lush green city, with modern buildings standing next to ancient relics and its cobble-stoned sidewalks welcomed me and my interest to learn. I studied at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, in an international program that enabled me to meet 50 other students from 15 different countries. This type of interaction and integration is no stranger to the likes of Berlin, where the city is known for its diversity. My program covered material that paralleled the concepts and content taught here at the UM from a European perspective, supplemented with viewpoints from my fellow program-mates. The opportunity to discuss, share and gain knowledge about another’s culture is an experience I cherish. I was exposed to new languages, different styles of teaching, delicious cuisine, various approaches to reading a bus map, and new people. My study abroad enabled me to meet, travel, learn, and discover attitudes and beliefs valued by many members of the international community, in a city that embraces such diversity. I gained so much from my study abroad and I was only gone for four weeks! Study abroad is definitely the way to go. Auf Wiedersprechen! julie1.cahoon@umontana.edu
I studied at Philipps-Universität Marburg in Marburg, Germany as a sophomore for the school year of 2009-10. This experience was the biggest and most amazing adventure of my life! I learned so much about myself and about other people of the world. Though I studied in Germany and took all my classes in German, I also met many other exchange students from all over the world and was able to travel to other European countries and experience more than one culture during my exchange. Marburg is a beautiful university town, and in living there I learned how live on my own and became much more outgoing and confident as time went on. This was also due in part to the amazing family of friends I made over there, and because of this the hardest part of the exchange was having to come back! But now that I am back I have a more excited outlook on life and the world, and I feel very ready to take on any challenge thrown at me. Thanks to the classes I took and the experience as a whole, I also have a clearer view of what I want to pursue as a career and hope to end up in Europe again sometime soon. I encourage everyone to study abroad and travel, and if you have any questions at all please email me! linznicole7@hotmail.com
I spent the last year studying at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. In attempts to achieve the proper mindset prior to my time abroad I decided to spend the preceding summer in Sri Lanka where I lived with a local family and taught English in the surrounding villages. My time abroad proved to be more incredible than I ever could have imagined. Every experience from the minute I landed was just constantly building this amazing journey. The good, the bad, the terrifying; it all just got chalked up to “incredible” at the end of the day. Aside from the unhealthy amount of time I spent traveling to surrounding countries, my day-to-day life in Thailand was actually as unpredictable as my time spent traveling. The most consistent aspect of my day was waking up at 4:30 am to assist a monk I had met at one the local monasteries in my area with his morning collection of alms or offerings from the people in the neighborhood. At the university I attended a vast array of classes in both Thai and English all of which were intellectually stimulating regardless of what my transcript may have reflected. After class I would head up the river on one of the express boats to one of my many jobs typically located in the downtown area of Bangkok. My role, regardless of the organization, was to basically be white. Apparently it’s quite rare to find a foreigner with skills (mediocre, if anything) in Thai language. The money was of course appreciated but the real reason I chose to work was to simply see another aspect of Thai culture and to get even more involved in the life I was living. I met incredible people everywhere I went and with everything I did. It’s a beautiful culture in Thailand and really has a lot to offer the world in the ways of serenity and cultural continuity. I feel fortunate to have been able to experience such a different view of the world and will continue to carry everything I’ve learned with me in my life wherever I may end up. I concluded my time abroad with yet another mind bowing journey through India. I left from Thailand with two of my friends from Japan for Kolkata with the intention of simply heading north into the Himalayan mountain range. We ended up heading east to the coast and then finally vaguely north through Bangladesh. Once again the trip was brought to another level by placing out trust in the hands of the local people. We were fortunate enough to see aspects of the country rarely seen by foreigners and made lifelong friends in the process. We finally did make it to Darjeeling and were absolutely blown away by the Tibetan culture in which we’d stumbled upon. It was a great way to end my time abroad and once again reconfirm my love and curiosity of different cultures throughout this world we all live on. jackfdooley@gmail.com
I studied abroad Spring 2011 in Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe, France in the Caribbean. This small territory has so much to offer, with a blend of African, Creole and French culture all coming together on one tiny island. I lived in the dorms at the Universte des Antilles et de la Guyane close to the city on the island of Grande Terre, though I spent much of my time exploring the forested, more mountainous island of Basse-Terre. I found the island mentality, the glorious sunshine and beaches and the laid back lifestyle of the Caribbean extremely agreeable. I enjoyed the diversity of the area, with most Guadeloupian’s African ancestry, the large Indian population and the French vacationers. With classes like Caribbean history, geology of France and of the Caribbean, French conversation and scuba diving, I met a wide variety of students. I learned to love the French language, and even a bit of Creole. Traveling around to the surrounding islands of Marie Galante, Les Saintes and Dominica gave me a good glimpse into the other cultures in the area. Living in an entirely different culture as the only American student definitely presented challenges, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. There is a certain passion for life in the Caribbean music, food, dancing and people that would made anyone fall in love with the islands. Feel free to email me with any questions at Erika.foster@umontana.edu.
Say “Japan” and many think Hello Kitty, Pokemon, and advanced toilet technologies. I think of those things too, but also so, so much more: Japan is a historically fascinating country rich in tradition and home to a culture unlike any you will experience here in the United States. Living in the international hub of Tokyo not only opened my eyes to this captivating, warm and unique culture but also to the rest of the world as I made incredible life-long bonds with people of many ages and countries. Beyond enjoying the bustling bright-lighted capital, I was able to travel to many cities around the nation and even nearby foreign countries over the span of four distinctly beautiful seasons thanks to the amazing transportation systems in place. The people I met, the places I went, the failures and triumphs endured and achieved while in Japan are all factors in my own personal growth, which I wouldn't trade for anything. I dare you to climb Mt. Fuji! claire.froelich@gmail.com
My study abroad experience was truly life changing. I spent the 2010-11 academic year in Aix-en-Provence, France which is about 20 minutes from Marseille, the second largest city in France. I attended Université Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille III which has campuses in both Aix and Marseille, and passed my first semester in a language program school built for foreign students and the second in the real business faculty. Through the ISEP program, I was able to live in CROUS, which is French national housing for students across the country. I had the most amazing year of my life, until this point that is, and have truly been changed for the better in my outlook and attitude. I honestly believe that a study abroad experience is a vital part of an education because of the real world, hands-on experience it provides in any subject. In France, I learned French, politics, business, interpersonal communication, advocacy for myself, and overall tolerance. I experienced French and a lot of other western European cultures, in addition to the unique opportunity which living next to Marseille offered. Marseille is a political hot spot in France, filled with a largely northern African population, and the culture that I experienced was not one I would ever have had the chance to see or understand in Montana. The picture above is of me standing in the Mediterranean Sea in November and looking back over the large, somewhat dirty, and extremely charming city of Marseille. We often took the bus there on the weekends for a toll of only 1 euro and went to the Arabic markets and strolled the streets looking at art and listening to music, ending with taking a stroll along one of the many city beaches before heading back. After a year in France, I have a quiet confidence in myself and my ability to chase my dreams, wherever they may lie, in the future. I want to share my experience so that I can help someone else to have the same invaluable experience I had. Merci! michelle2.gibson@umconnect.umt.edu
Hi everyone! I studied at the University of Sunderland in north east England for the 2010 and 2011 school year. In addition to attending classes at Sir Tom Cowie business campus, I travelled around as much of England and Scotland as I could. I also spent time in Germany, France, Italy, Hungary and Turkey, among other places. I loved my year abroad, and now that it's been nearly a year since I left I would give anything to be doing it all over again! Please contact me if you are headed to Sunderland, or England for that matter. I would love to answer any questions and share any experiences that I can! Contact me at breann.griffin@gmail.com
My year abroad in Japan was an incredible experience. It afforded me the opportunity to make friends with people from Japan, and around the world. While in Japan, I watched the sunrise from Mount Fuji's summit, saw a Giant Robot in Odaiba, visited the temples of Kyoto, and had countless other experiences that I will never forget. Studying abroad has had such a huge impact on my life, that I can't help but recommend to everyone that they spend time abroad. alexander.horrell@umontana.edu
Salut! Je m'appelle Danielle Horton. (Hello! My name is Danielle Horton.) I believe that studying abroad is an experience which cannot be described but must be lived. You won’t know all of what a culture has to offer until you actually live in it. I see the world with an entirely new perspective, and I wouldn't trade my time studying in France for anything. I got to visit Europe, and make great friends from all over the world. It was by far the most amazing experience of my life. Bisous!danielle.horton@umontana.edu
My study abroad experience was excellent. I took a variety of classes on two of the three campuses of Kumamoto University. I played soccer for the university with their women’s football club. I traveled all over the prefecture as well as other prefectures, both on and off of the Kiyushu Island. I met amazing people of academia as well as public relations. I also worked while I was there as a part-time English Instructor. kato_bear@yahoo.com
I am a double major in Dance and Business Management at UM. I spent last year studying at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, England. It was a great way to experience something new and exciting without having to worry about the language barrier. I was able to take many of my lower core business classes there as well as a couple of dance classes. I joined the Dance Club there and made many new friends from all different countries. I still keep in touch with many of them and hope to visit again sometime in the future. Travel is extremely accessible in the United Kingdom and I took advantage of that. I traveled across England as well as to Scotland and spent spring break in Spain, where I got to practice my rusty Spanish skills. Living in a foreign country was an amazing experience that I would recommend to every student. Being immersed in a different culture taught me so much about myself and my own culture. If you are at all interested in studying abroad make sure to check out the amazing opportunities available to you at UM. Feel free to contact me with any questions: roxanne.madler@umconnect.umt.edu. I am more than happy to help!
I spent the last school year studying in Lyon, France. Lyon is the third largest city and France and is conveniently located in between the Alps, the Mediterranean and Paris. Along with the attraction of its size and location, places such as Germany, Switzerland and Italy are accessible by train. My time in Lyon allowed me the opportunity to live on my own, use and test my knowledge of French, experience a new education system and explore my interests. Above all, I got to meet other foreign exchange students who were just as passionate about traveling, French and exploring as I am. I was fortunate enough to get to take advantage of my location and new adventure-thirsty friends and travel all over. With all these new friends, we were able to explore every part of the city together from hanging out in the immense “Parc de la tête d’or,” walking through markets, renting bikes to ride throughout the city, enjoying some of France’s food capital’s cuisine to constantly struggling through daily French encounters together. It’s difficult to describe what a rewarding experience it is to pull yourself away from home and “the familiar” and to put yourself in a foreign place. It took months to adjust completely, but I feel that I’ve grown more than I thought possible because of it. I hope that everyone who wants to is able to have a similar positive and exciting time abroad and I would love to help answer questions to make that happen! Ilse.mehus@hotmail.com
I spent my junior semester studying abroad in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. I had planned on going to Western Europe but one thing led to another and I found myself flying to far Eastern Europe. My time in Bulgaria was unreal and unforgettable. I loved being in this region of the world because it was free of tourists and very untouched so to speak. My University building was actually old headquarters for the Communist Party. Living in Bulgaria was a bit of a culture shock but I learned to appreciate the culture and all of its intricacies. I got to travel to remote mountain villages, walk on ancient Roman roads, and learned the ways of traditional Bulgarian dancing. I loved my University because its student body was from all over so it was very international. I had friends from Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Bosnia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia, Moldova and many, many other countries. It was also small enough that I met a lot of people and even attended the graduation to see all of my senior friends graduate. Because Bulgaria was so cheap I was able to explore Bulgaria extensively and travel to Turkey and Greece, all for the small amount of $700!!(cheap travel is possible!). Also, after my semester was over I backpacked through Europe for three months. I was lucky enough to travel to Sweden, England, Iceland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Serbia. I also did this on a small budget and managed just fine. Studying abroad enabled me to do all of this and without it my experience would have been much different. I loved my time backpacking but my best experiences were from my time in Bulgaria where I was really immersed in the culture and close with the people. Studying abroad will change your life and only for the better. There is no better time to do it now since not only do you get to live in another country, you get credit for it! If you have any questions on studying abroad, living in Eastern Europe, or cheap backpacking please feel free to contact me at myersmelissa57@yahoo.com.
Hello everyone, I am a Russian major here at the university and I went to study Russian at the University of Tromsø in Norway. Many of you are probably thinking "how much sense does that make??". Well when I got there it actually made a lot of sense because there was a huge Russian population where I was studying and many of the Norwegian students spoke Russian as well. I wouldn't ever take back this experience! It is one of the best opportunities to learn more about yourself and the world we share with many other people. Speaking Norwegian also wasn't a problem because most people in Norway speak English, but classes are offered at the University and are very important to take to get the full experience of being in a foreign country. I am a huge supporter of studying abroad, especially while you're in college! Any area of study can be studied abroad just as easily as it can be in your home country and it also gives you a more international advantage! The University of Montana has many great programs and a very dedicated staff to helping students! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at alec.short@umconnect.umt.edu I check my email frequently so getting back to you should be pretty quick!
The school year of 2010 to 2011 took me from maté and extensive bus rides to jandals and zorbing. As a major in Spanish, International Business, and Management, I spent the Fall in Córdoba, Argentina at La Universidad Católica de Córdoba, and the Spring in Aotearoa, beautiful New Zealand at The University of Waikato in Hamilton. These experiences are almost entirely incomparable, but both were invaluable to me. In Argentina I did a homestay and took classes through the exchange program and for international business. I had the privilege of travelling extensively around Argentina, Peru and Patagonia and my experiences were incredible. I got to jet boat around Iguazú Falls, sandboard in the desserts of Peru, hike Huayna Picchu, and walk with the penguins in Ushuaia. In New Zealand I lived in off campus University accommodation and took International Business and Management classes. I saw wild kangaroos and koalas in Australia, went Zorbing in Rotorua, and did the Nevis bungee jump in Queenstown. I made some of the most incredible friends, did things that I will never again get the opportunity to do, and made memories to last me a lifetime. I would be happy to talk with you about any questions or concerns you have about your related interests. roxy.steinberg@gmail.com
In my four years at UM, I have travelled to seven Spanish-speaking countries with university programs and one through a student group. First, I went on a travel seminar about human rights, politics and environmental issues in Guatemala the summer after my freshman year, which I loved so much I signed up for the same program the next summer in Nicaragua and El Salvador, with a few bus rides inHonduras. Then, I hopped over to the Dominican Republic to visit a living wage garment factory and reported back to the other members of Students for Economic and Social Justice. During the winter of my junior year, I travelled to Chilean and Argentine Patagonia helping one of my professors research sustainable tourism development while mountain biking through the region. Then, I spent spring semester 2012 in Granada, Spain. I studied and lived completely in Spanish and took three political science classes just for the fun of studying something different from my journalism major at UM. I travelled all over Spain, and to Morocco, London, Lisbon, Berlin, and several cities in France and Poland during my five months in Europe. I made great friends from all over Europe and Mexico, and learned a little bit of a lot of languages. There are more ways than you think to get out of Missoula while you’re in college. Feel free to contact me: kmw_90@yahoo.com.
My time spent teaching Physical Education in Punta Gorda, Belize was unforgettable. From my wonderful host family teaching me local customs, to the unforgettable memories I created with dear friends, studying abroad was one of the best decisions I have ever made! It was the catalyst that has outlined the rest of my life. My time spent abroad has opened doors and has inspired me to continue travelling. Not only have I grown as an individual, but have gained greater insight to what this world has to offer. wool0098@gmail.com
I spent spring semester of my junior year studying abroad in the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia. I attended La Trobe University and took four classes - two of which transferred back to Montana as upper division credits in my Psychology major! I got to live on campus in a co-ed international dorm with students from all over the world. My floor included one boy from China, three Australians, a Canadian, one girl from San Diego, and one Brazilian! Living with and getting to know the students from all over the world was one of the greatest experiences I had abroad! I went to Australia without knowing anyone, and the friendships I made will last a lifetime. The most surprising thing I came across was how expensive everything was!! The American dollar and the Australian dollar were about even in value, but everything cost at least 50% more than it would in the States because Australia imports almost everything. The good news is an Australian Student Visa does allow you to work part time! The education system is entirely different and difficult to adjust to. By the end of the semester I learned to appreciate my home University and education system so much more than before. Overall, my experience was very positive. I learned so much about myself and had my eyes opened to see the world with an entirely different perspective. At times it was difficult to understand the Australian culture and way of life, but the experience made me grow in knowledge of, respect, and love for America. I would love to talk with anyone considering Australia for study abroad, and I am more than happy to help answer any questions! Corinnezylstra@gmail.com
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