IES Abroad Christchurch DE – University of Canterbury

I’ve always loved to travel and think cultural awareness is so important. I really wanted to experience living in a different country rather than just visiting because immersion brings so much more insight and changes in perspective.

Having been exposed to travel at a young age, I’ve always had an inclination for exploration. I often daydreamed about the faraway places I would travel, especially with an older brother who also spent time abroad during his college years. That, combined with a desire to experience a new physical setting as well as cultural environment, made studying abroad an obvious choice. Doing so during college was also very important to me, as I wanted to really get to know a place, rather than serve merely as a visitor or passerby.

I knew I wanted to study abroad before I came to college. My sister studied abroad in London, and she told me that it would change my life. She said that no matter where I went, I would gain an amazing outlook on life from experiencing a different country and making new friends around the world.