People, God knows how much I like your country. I like your sense of service, your politeness, the fact that I feel full when I leave a restaurant, or that – in certain movie theaters – I can enjoy a cold one while watching the latest blockbuster. I like that you have vegan cafés (even though I’m not vegan myself) because it provides people with options, and that’s always nice.

In a nutshell, I like a lot of things that makes the U.S. of A. very different from where I come from, and I can appreciate those changes precisely because I was born elsewhere and have standards of comparison. I see this as a blessing because I think that, the day I go back to good ol’ Europe, I might be able to bring something new there. Something that I’ve experienced and liked here.

Now, I speak as a business management major, but I think that this applies to all fields of study. Health science students might learn different nurse-client relationship techniques in, say, South America, while engineering or technology students would probably bring home tons of good ideas after a stay in Japan, for example.

What I’m trying to say is this: there is a lot to gain from spending some time abroad, from both personal and professional standpoints. And, guess what, if you’re willing to spend between two weeks to a full semester in a foreign country, Madison College can (and will) help you!

Several programs have been put in place by the Center for International Education, whether exchange programs, language programs, or short-term faculty-led programs (10-15 days). You may receive credits for most of them, and could even get a scholarship (some Madison College students have even obtained the prestigious Boren scholarship). You could also try to get an international internship, which would definitely boost your resume and help you land a better job when you return to the motherland.

Overall, more than 300 Madison College students have taken the leap since the Center for International Education was created in 2008, and you could be next. So, what will it be? Wisconsinite winter or Costa Rican sun? Bratwurst on the Terrace or ichiju-sansai in Makuhari?  Whichever one you choose, don’t forget to send a postcard.