Around the World in Five Months

Study abroad programs at Marshall University give students the opportunity to expand their educations by adding real world experience at a low cost. 

Peter Zasowski, senior history major from Knoxville, Tenn., had a chance to visit 13 countries in five months.

Zasowski studied in Estonia during the spring 2009 semester. "Studying abroad changed my life," Zasowski said. "This may be a cliché but it is true, and that's why so many people say it."

Estonia is located in the Baltic region of Europe. Zasowski said it is the most developed country in the region.

"I wanted to go to a smaller, lesser known place to get a better experience," Zasowski said.

He said because he went to Estonia, it allowed him the opportunity to visit more places. "If I would have been in a bigger and well-known place like Germany, I wouldn't have had as broad of an experience," Zasowski said.

During the semester, he took 16 credit hours but only had class Monday through Wednesday.

Having a four-day weekend allowed him to take many trips with other exchange students in Estonia.

He visited 13 countries including Sweden, Italy, Croatia, Ireland and Germany.

Zasowski said traveling within Europe was easy, cheap and a very good experience.

"Once we got to where we were going, it was relaxed," he said. "Each time we were in a strange city but it was so easy to adapt."

"All of the flights I took to other countries combined, cost less than the flight over to Estonia," Zasowski said.
Instead of booking a round-trip flight, Zasowski got a one-way ticket, and when he was ready to leave, he booked another flight home.

"Not having a set date to leave allowed more time for me to go to other places with my new friends," Zasowski said. "I stayed in Europe an additional three weeks after classes ended just because I could."

By the end of his stay in Estonia, Zasowski said he could make it through a conversation in Estonian. He had no prior knowledge of the language when he arrived in Estonia.

"It is important to learn at least some of the language no matter what country you visit," Zasowski said. "It shows that you are interested and you gain respect with the people you are trying to communicate with."

"The easiest way to adapt to other cultures is to immerse yourself in it," Zasowski said.

He said not to get too wrapped up in the experience.

"I had to keep telling myself that I have a life after this," he said. "It helped me to keep in touch with people from home, and stay interested in what was going on in their lives."

Zasowski kept a travel blog where he posted his activities with pictures.

He said his parents would read it, post responses and then print it off to take to his grandparents.

"Writing the journal helped me to stay grounded," Zasowski said. "It reminded me that I wasn't going to be there forever. I had to remember that I would be leaving in four months."

Since he returned from abroad, Zasowski has put together a memoir of his entire experience.

"The blog and pictures are the basis, and after the book is finished, anyone will be able to pick it up and basically follow me through my journey," he said.

He said he is considering going out of the country once he graduates from Marshall.

"I am trying to get an internship in Lithuania through contacts I developed," he said. "Before this experience, I never would've considered going out of the country for school or work," he said, " but now I definitely am."

Zasowski started preparing to go study abroad his freshman year of college, and the details were finalized the semester before he left for Estonia.

He said the study abroad office was helpful throughout the process.

"Someone was always available to help or answer any questions, especially when I was out of the country, " Zasowski said. "They were really concerned with my happiness and how I was doing."

"Now that I'm back, they throw parties and invite people who have gone, are going or are foreign exchange students at Marshall," Zasowski said. "It is great to talk with people who have had similar experiences."

Zasowski said he knows a lot of students do not study abroad because of the cost, but there are solutions.

He went on a tuition exchange program that allowed his scholarship from Marshall to keep paying tuition for his studies abroad.

"My room and board ended up being the same as it would have been for a room in Towers for a semester," he said.

 "Even if you do have to spend some money, the experience is definitely worth it," Zasowski said. "The little bit of credit card debt I have now doesn't compare to what I was able to experience."

Kylie Gallegher, executive study abroad adviser, said most students go on exchange programs like the one Zasowski participated in.

"It is a nice and easy way for students receiving financial aid to study abroad," Gallegher said."A lot of people don't realize they can pay the same amount they would be paying at Marshall."

Gallegher said Marshall usually has about 30 students study abroad each semester, and 40 to 50 students go to various places in the summer.

To be eligible to study abroad, a student must  have a 2.75 grade point average, a sophomore standing and no academic or disciplinary probation, Gallegher said.

Haley Thaxton can be contacted at thaxton21@marshall.edu.