Averett Around the World

Stories by Averett students before, during, and after study abroad

recent posts

  • France, here I come!

    I have been eagerly waiting for my study abroad program to begin. I have the air ticket ready. I will be visiting France on June 25th.

    I am enrolled in Averett’s study abroad program French Culture and the Mediterranean. This course will give me exposure to the outside and let me know how people in that part of the world live. The visit to France will promote a sense of coexistence and give me a chance to appreciate other peoples’ cultures.

    My smile says it all – France, here I come!

    Since when I was a child, I have always wanted to visit France. I have always adored the French culture and the French people. Actually, if given a chance to live in another part of the world, I would choose France without a second thought. I had decided that at one time in my lifetime I will have to visit France. Therefore, the study abroad program gave me the opportunity to actualize my dreams while at the same time undertaking my studies.

    Through the use of Google and the school library, I have been learning about the host country. I am more interested in the language and the culture. I am now aware of the basic greetings, the foods, and the religions of the French people.

    Learning about the French culture will make to easily settle in France. Moreover, it will make my interactions with the French people easier. I wouldn’t want to feel like an outsider while in France.

    Also, learning about France will ensure that I don’t offend the people in France. I am normally very friendly and I love to smile. Some things that we consider normal here in America may be offensive in France.

    While abroad, I want to learn about French traditions, French art, the business culture in France, and French cuisine. 

    I am nervous about how my trip to France will turn out to be. Will the people be welcoming, friendly, or hostile? I can’t wait to find out when I land in France. Stay tuned!

    Carlita Britten QMHP-A  BA

  • Farewell to My Remote Global Internship: The Final Week

    [Katelyn is a senior at Averett University with a double Major in English and Communication Studies (Journalism) and a minor in African and African American Studies.] 

    As I enter my final week as a remote global intern through CAPA: The Global Education Network, I feel honored. An experience I was anxious to begin, I am now sad to see end.

    It is hard to believe I have had the chance to meet individuals from around the world, while being at home. My summer plans changed drastically when the worldwide pandemic, COVID-19, impacted millions of lives.

    Yet, CAPA provided a new method of learning for me to adjust to. As a remote global intern for a company located in Sydney, Australia and a student in a global internship course, I am forever changed.

    This vital experience has been life-changing and my final week is going to be built by final tasks and assignments that push me to do my best.

    While completing my last 20 hours for SugarMamma.TV/SASS Financial as a marketing/social media remote global intern in Sydney, Australia, I aim to continue to be an effective communicator.

    Thus far, they have taught me new skills and provided me with advice on how to improve my work. Most importantly, they have provided me with a chance to learn about a new culture.

    A brief insight to my final tasks for the week includes the following: carrying out Search Engine Optimization (SEO) research, promoting their podcast by commenting on forums, and promoting community engagement for their YouTube channel, blog posts, and podcast.

    Reminiscing on my time as an intern for their company, I continue to be appreciative of how kind they have been. They have made me feel like a true contributor to their company without physically being there.

    This also goes for my global internship course; I am going to miss having Zoom meetings at 12:00 pm (EST) every week and speaking with my classmates in group break-out rooms.

    However, I get to have one last remote collaboration with three of my peers for a final group project assignment. It is focused on creating a metaphor that collectively represents each of our separate journeys this summer.

    It is going to be challenging to complete, due to not having the ability to meet in-person. Yet, it will provide me with a new perspective on the word collaboration and the desire to succeed together; no matter where we are.

    As I enter my final week, I plan to give it my all and nothing less. It may be hard to say goodbye, but I know this journey will always be a part of me.

    All smiles after completing my first week as a remote global intern. Although I was not able to travel to Sydney, Australia, I had the chance to learn about their culture and work for a company located there. I gained this experience while staying at home and spending time with my family.

  • Wherever you go have fun and smile: Week 3

  • Averett Study Abroad and Its Lasting Impact

    [This is posted on behalf of Averett alumna Sydney Glass, who graduated from Averett with a double major in Biology and Modern Languages. As an undergraduate, Sydney spent a semester in Sevilla with Averett Study Abroad partner ISA. In this post she gives her perspective on the impact of studying abroad.]

    I graduated from Averett University in May 2018 and am attending George Mason University for my Master of Public Health (MPH) with a Global Health concentration. Currently, I am working as a Graduate Professional Assistant for Graduate Student Engagement in the Office of Graduate Student Life. I can say without a doubt that my experiences with the Study Abroad Office at Averett, both as a student and peer advisor, have positively influenced the way that I interact with and consider the needs of all graduate students at Mason. More importantly, I believe that it has enriched my perspective and will make me a better public health professional in the future. Having the opportunity to study abroad in Spain for a semester not only sparked my love for travel but also increased my cultural humility. In addition, working as a peer advisor through the International Studies Abroad (ISA) program showed me the importance of international education and viewing the world through many lenses.

    Recently, I traveled to Xela, Guatemala with the Alternative Break program at Mason for my 2019 Spring Break where I learned about the indigenous people, their culture, and the social injustices that they face. While there, we volunteered at an elementary school in which we helped beautify the outdoor space and spent time playing with and getting to know the students. This was a special experience for me as I also had the opportunity to conduct focus groups with the teachers to learn how we could enhance the work that they do and the lives of their students. Although the focus of the trip was service-learning, we were able to spend several days in the beautiful city of Antigua and see the most amazing views from Lake Atitlán. This was truly a wonderful trip that allowed me to build relationships with both my Mason peers and the Xela community, leaving me with a lifetime of memories. While my experiences with the Study Abroad Office have taught me many things, the one thing that has stuck with me is that some of the most important lessons will come from experiences outside of the classroom. For this reason, I try to take advantage of every opportunity that I have to travel to other parts of the world and encourage others to do the same! 

  • When Learning Got a Little More Interesting: Week 2

    By this time I have gotten into the swing of things. I wake up around 8 a.m the get ready for my 9:30 class. I take the tube to class which is about a 30 minute commute. My flat has 3 bathrooms which makes it a lot easier when you have four flat mates. My flat mates are so much fun and love the try and feel the days with many adventures when class is dismissed.

    This week taught me that learning is such an amazing thing. I learned so much more about someone who my school speaks highly of when it comes to nursing …Florence Nightingale. I knew she was important when it came to the foundation of nursing and some of the skills we still use today but I never knew the unique methods she used during the war and that she trained other women to just as great as she was. She worked on making other knowledgeable until her passing. When visiting the Nightingale museum we got to see and learning intimate details of her life from childhood until adulthood and her prized possessions from her time.

    Stopped for a visit to the British Library afterwards, so amazing!
    Greenwich Boat Tour, my first tour and can I say HAPPY! This tour was everything I excepted the view of London from the boat was stunning, we were able to learn a lot about historical building and why they were created, you wouldn’t believe how much history I learned in just 45 minutes.
    Tower Bridge
    Big Ben who is now under construction was in clear view from the boat 😦
    There is always time to fit in a little shopping lol
    I just had to add this picture I was able to sit in my dream car while shopping in the mall, Tesla Model 3 I think it fits me

    All in all the second week was amazing and I found an extreme love for Indian food! I probably ate Indian food 3 times after this picture I could not eat enough of it while I was there. I will definitely have to find me a place in the U.S. that makes it this well.