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Page 3 • Wednesday, August 26, 1998
tudents earn
~~^lass credit,
xperience
ther cultures
ough Texas
v i6r/W Study
road
A World
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By Andrea Rodriguez
The Battalion
"lihis summer while most students were busy
Hwith jobs, taking classes and building up
J their resumes with internships, a group of
Itas A&M students were experiencing life in oth-
CQiintries.
Cathy Schutt, program coordinator for the study
road programs at Texas A&M, said 249 students
ivelled to France, Italy, Mexico, Dominican Re-
blic and Costa Rica this summer to gain an inter-
tional experience.
Schutt said study abroad programs provide stu
nts in all fields of study a wide range of educa-
|nal experiences.
Many students find that travelling abroad gives
iem a better understanding of the world,
lot:Tidwell, a junior computer engineering ma-
r.Studied abroad in Normandy, France this sum-
Irance was a lot different than I expected,” said
lell. “It wasn’t as post industrialist as I thought
'iould be, but a lot more agrarian.”
Hdwell said the common stereotype of the
French being rude to Americans was unfounded.
“I thought they were going to be rude to me,
but they were mostly nice,” Tidwell said. “Only
in the big cities
such as Paris was
there more of a
problem.”
By travelling to
foreign countries,
students get to see
places they can
only read about in
books.
Tidwell said a
part of his trip was
so inspirational, it
made him consid
er joining the mil
itary.
“One of the
most memorable
events during my
trip was visiting the U.S. cemeteries and memori
als,” Tidwell said.“As far as you could see, there
were white gravestones of people who had died for
Brad Graeber/The Battalion
a country they had never seen before.”
Tidwell even got a chance to learn more about
Texas A&M history by travelling to France.
During his trip
he learned about
General James Earl
Rudder’s participa
tion in the D-Day
attack during
World War II.
While travelling
abroad, students
are also able to
take a few classes
beneficial toward
their majors.
Jason Binford, a
senior manage
ment major who
traveled to Mexico
City for the sum
mer, was even able
to complete an internship.
“I made a lot of contacts during my internship
with the American Chamber of Commerce in Mex
“One of the most memo
rable events during my trip
was visiting the U.S. ceme
teries and memorials. As far
as you could see. there were
white gravestones of people
who had died for a country
j mm « » 4 <
they had never seen before."
MM * *
Junior computer science major
ico City, which will be very beneficial to me when
I graduate in December,” Binford said. “I was able
to learn more Spanish.”
Other than taking classes and working, students
studying abroad are often able to take weekend va
cations that are comparatively more expensive if
taken from the U.S.
“One weekend we travelled to Oaxaca, which
turned out to be great because there was a festival
going on we didn’t even know about,” Binford said.
“We were able to stay in a hotel for really cheap, 50
pesos a person, which turns out to be about six
bucks in American dollars.”
Studying abroad also can give students a chance
to learn how people of another culture live by stay
ing with host families.
“My host family was the greatest,” Binford said.
“We lived above their restaurant and were cooked
some of the best home-cooked Mexican meals.”
After living in Mexico City for 10 weeks howev
er, Binford said his trip made him appreciate living
in the United States.
“Compared to a lot of the poverty I saw in Mex
ico City, I realized how good we have it here in the
U.S.” Binford said.
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