The World Observer:
Study abroad creates global opportunity

A few years ago I decided that one day I would travel the world, but I never expected I would be where I am today.

Two semesters ago I decided to become a part of the study abroad program at Rider. I urge every single travel-aspiring student to take full advantage of such an amazing opportunity.
Many students at Rider are unaware of the new Study Abroad office which moved from the Dean’s office and is now beginning to form and grow under the direction of Joe MacAde.
I decided to study through the American Institute of Foreign Studies (AIFS), which is an affiliate of Rider, and to spend not only one semester abroad, but also a second semester in a different country. I finally chose Florence, Italy for the fall semester and London for the spring semester.

A few months later I found myself handing in a plethora of paperwork and dealing with the stress that came with it. I never expected how much work goes into pursuing the chance to study in another country.

From credit transfers to student visas, I was slowly going mad with the mix up of information and my phone bill sky- rocketing with phone calls to the AIFS headquarters and Rider. Signing up for one semester should be a piece of cake, but signing up for two at the same time was quite the organizational adventure.

I now look back and realize how hard I worked to make it to where I am. My flight left Aug. 16, only a week after the liquid bomb scare at London’s Heathrow International Airport. Minus the annoyance of new carry-on regulations, I safely landed in Rome the morning of the 17th. The group of approximately 140 students from around the United States spent three days touring the ancient city only to continue our travels to Lido di Camiore, where our three-week intensive Italian language orientation courses were held.

After three weeks on the beautiful Tuscan shore, I now find myself sitting on a couch in my apartment on Borgo Allegri in Florence, Italy. I am here. I actually made it here. I know the language more than I ever thought I would, and I realized how hard I pushed myself to get here. I have climbed the mountains at Cinque Terre, held up the leaning tower of Pisa, and climbed the Spanish Steps, and soon I will make my way up the Duomo. In November I will visit Spain, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Looking back at the process I went through to get here, I see how much it was worth the stress, the confusion, the paperwork and the phone calls. I urge students everywhere to take a few minutes out of their day to visit the Study Abroad office, pick up some information and sit down with your adviser. If you have the passion to see the world then this is your chance to do it.

—Annmarie Mercieri