Semester at Sea: Global Study Abroad on a Floating Campus

I knew I wanted to study abroad from the time I was in high school. I actually turned down acceptance to certain programs when I was applying to colleges because the curriculum was so strict that it left no room for taking a semester to study abroad. I wanted to see and learn different things and meet new people with different perspectives. I had lived in the same town my whole life and was ready to experience new things; although I was close to my family and chose a college within a few hours of driving distance from my hometown, I wanted the experience of really getting out into the world for at least a semester.

I've always been passionate about different healing techniques. I chose Semester at Sea because I wanted to get a taste of a number of countries so I could explore various cultural healing modalities on one trip. I also wanted to live on a ship, because, well, it's awesome. Semester at Sea allowed me the structure to get the experience and knowledge I craved without planning and paying for multiple trips. 

I actually had the opportunity to do two semesters abroad, so I had the best of both worlds! I studied in Heidelberg,Germany for one semester and then did Semester at Sea for my second semester of junior year. This was a great opportunity to experience one culture more in depth (my time in Heidelberg) versus the comparative nature of a multi-country program (Semester at Sea).