Friday, February 21, 1997
Increasing numbers of students at UCLA and nationwide opt to
experience studying abroadBy Yvonne Champana
Daily Bruin Contributor
Veronica Castillo enrolled in spring classes, and then opened
the window of the guest house she was living in to look out upon
the breathtaking Andes mountain range in Santiago, Chile.
Castillo, a sixth-year UCLA Latin studies student was not
daydreaming but describing experiences she had last year while
studying abroad in South America.
Castillo saw a culture there that she did not expect.
"It was nothing like Mexico," she said, describing the long
narrow Latin country where they don’t eat tortillas. In addition to
the classes for which she received full UCLA credit, she travelled
to the city of Punta Arenas, the southern-most city in the
world.
Castillo is part of a growing trend at UCLA and nationwide to
study for a quarter or longer overseas. The number of UCLA students
studying abroad has increased by about 25 percent from last year,
according to Jennifer Demello, UCLA Education Abroad Program (EAP)
Student Affairs officer.
Student interest in education abroad has increased due to the
invaluable experiences it offers and is easier and more practical
than ever, Demello said.
UCLA students can study abroad for full academic credit, with a
complete transfer of financial aid, in over 35 countries worldwide,
she said.
Most of the students who study abroad from UCLA and nationwide
go to Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, France, Spain and
Italy. In the past few years, International study for credit in
Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe  particularly Prague
 and Australia are becoming increasingly popular, according
to an Institute of International Education report, "Open Doors
1995-96."
Many students decide to study abroad to experience a culture
they feel drawn to, or that is connected to their academic studies.
However, students often find the world is not what they
expected.
David Chow, a first-year architecture graduate student, changed
his conceptions about China, even though he has visited other parts
of Asia throughout his life. Although his studies and the new
language were intense, Chow felt that the culture struck him the
most.
"The way that space is used and viewed, the smells and all of
the social-cultural things are so different, you have to be there
to see how they relate," he said. "Guys holding hands is normal
there."
Students often prefer to go to an English-speaking country due
to lack of foreign language requirements, Demello said.
However, the cultural difference from America can be just as
significant, said Gene Sitinsky, a fourth-year English student who
studied last year in London. Sitinsky found that British culture
could not be classified as American or European but was totally
unique.
While the academics proved more rigorous than UCLA’s, Sitinsky
found that most of his in-depth learning came from his immersion in
the culture. Not only does England have top notch theater at dirt
cheap prices, he said, but "a peasant in a pub will have read James
Joyce as well as modern fiction, whereas here we only consider
something great literature if it’s old and dead."
Sitinsky decided to study abroad because he has lived in Los
Angeles all his life. Although England was not what he expected,
his culture shock in returning to Los Angeles was even more
significant.
"Here they have a smile on their face but there’s a distance,"
he said. "There, if they are rude, they are rude from the heart,
and if they are nice they are genuinely nice," he said.
There are inconveniences in all foreign counties that students
at UCLA do not face, however, Sitinsky explained. For example, when
he sprained his ankle in England he could not find the convenience
of wheelchair ramps.
Studying abroad is increasingly important as the world becomes
more connected, Demello said, calling for college students to
broaden their scope of learning other cultures.
Berta Benavidez, a sixth-year Spanish literature student
explored her cultural background and gained a sense of independence
last year in Mexico City.
"So many Latin American women are studying abroad, and going to
another country alone, in order to break the stereotype that Latin
women only stay at home and tend the family," she said.
Studying abroad is becoming so popular nationwide that the
amount of students studying abroad for credit is almost twice what
it was nine years ago, according to the "Open Doors" report.
Students from the University of California system make up the
majority of students studying abroad each year among U.S. research
institutions, the "Open Doors" report stated.
At UCLA specifically, Demello reported that in recent years only
about 300 of UCLA’s over 30,000 students have participated in EAP,
but in 1996-97 this number has reached almost 400.
Demello wants to see even more students get involved, she
said.
"How can students have such tunnel vision to have as their only
goal to get out of UCLA in four years?" questioned Demello, who
works with students aiming to study in Latin America. "The best
year at UCLA can be spent abroad, and they will become valuable
world citizens."
Application dates for EAP depend on the country. Students may
still apply for programs in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
and Latin America this spring. Contact the EAP office for more
information.
Related Links:
International Studies Program Home Page