Sixty students embarked on a semester-long journey overseas Wednesday, departing the states to study in three foreign locales. Thirty-four students will study in Oxford, England, 14 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and 10 in Leipzig, Germany.

The Hunter Welcome Center was packed with family and friends of the students about to leave earlier that morning.

Kaitlin Foster, sophomore communication major from Hallsville, is studying in Montevideo. She will take courses similar to classes on-campus but also Spanish and international studies.

“The most difficult part will be leaving my friends and family,” Foster said.

She said that the excitement of living overseas is helping her get past not seeing friends and family for four months.

“We are going to be living in Casa ACU that is minutes from the beach, and we’ll be there during Uruguayan summertime,” said Foster.

Study Abroad coordinator Rachel Brown is in Germany this semester to serve as the on-site director in Leipzig and will continue her work as coordinator.

Through out the semester students in the different study abroad groups will go on several excursions, she said.

“The Germany group will be spending 13 days in Turkey, Montevideo’s extended excursion will be to Brazil, and Oxford students will be spending time in France,” said Brown.

Brown said she gets to hear about all the adventures of studying abroad.

“I know this sounds cliché, but ACU’s semester study abroad programs really do change students’ lives,” said Brown. “I have heard countless times from alumni that it was the best thing they ever did at ACU.”

Travis Bolt, nursing major from El Paso, studied abroad in Montevideo last semester. He said going to Montevideo changed his view on an issue occurring in the states – health care.

“It opened my eyes to the aspects of social health care, and how it can be done,” said Bolt. “This was important because the issue was something that is directly tied to my major, and being abroad changed my opinion on it a lot.”

He said studying abroad gave him a larger worldview and helped him realize there is life outside the states. Bolt offers advice to the students studying abroad this semester.

“Don’t be afraid to get out there and interact with the locals,” he said.

Chandler Petrey, sophomore nursing major from Arlington says goodbye to her friends going to Oxford, including Corinne Sheffield, sophomore from McKinney, who is going to Montevideo. (Optimist photo by Paige Otway)