PEOPLE -130 AT ALEATHER FACTORY in Turkey, junior RyanKazmarek, a member of thespring2004 HUG group,dons aleather coa t andis escorteddownafashion runway byoneof the factory's workers. Factory employees askedHUG studentsto volunteer in the humorousfashionshow during the students'visit tothe plant. ,COURTESY OF M. MANN EXp'eriences shared fro The office of international studies estimated this year that about 30 percent of the class of 2004 had traveled overseas to study abroad at one of the university' 5 five campuses in Australia, Chile, England, Greece and Italy. The percentage of students participating in international programs had been rising for several years, according to officials. While earning college credit, students learned lessons about culture, not just in the classroom, but through their everyday experiences. Senior Brian Ford, who went to Harding University in Florence, said he noticed how laid back the Italian people were. "The biggest thing I had to get used to was their value of time," Ford said. "Businesses would take four-hour lunches, and Icould hardly ever predict when something would be open." Students said the changes in culture were eye-opening. "Living in another culture was alife-changing event" REBEKAHWYANT, SENIOR "Living in another culture was a life-changing event," said senior Rebecca Wyant, who went to Harding University in England. Although England was a different culture, Wyant said she had an advantage, because she did not have to deal with a language barrier as did many students who went to other programs. ''It was easy to acclimate to their culture because they spoke the same language as us," Wyant said. "We lived in downtown London, so everything was at OUI fingertips." Students said one of the biggest blessings of overseas experience was spiritual growth. "I grew spiritually when I went to [Harding University in Greece]," Students tell stories from foreign study junior Amber Huston said. "I also grew close to the people 1 went there with, and now we are all best friends." Huston said she wished she could go back to Greece because of the people there. "[Greeks are] so compassionate, caring and very genuine," she said. "People in Greece care so much for the people around them, and they made me feel right at home." Wyant said she appreciated the chance to visit different cultural forums. "We were able to walk out our front door and become immersed in their culture," Wyant said. "From museums to theaters, we were able to participate in so many English traditions." Wyant said the greatest blessing she gained from her overseas experience was a new perspective concerning global matters. "It made me aware of how big our world is," she said. ~(ALLIE OWEN
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==