Shana

ISEP University of Chester, England, Spring 2017

Tell us about yourself.

Hi, my name is Shana McCusker, I am originally from New Jersey, and I am a junior at East Carolina University. I study Speech and Hearing Sciences, in hopes to go to graduate school, and someday be a speech therapist for young children. Traveling has always intrigued me, so I found studying abroad to be the most amazing experience!

Where did you study abroad?

I studied abroad in the United Kingdom, at the University of Chester in Chester, England for spring semester of my sophomore year. Since I was in the process of applying into my major of speech and hearing sciences, I pretty much had free range to take whatever classes I wanted to while I was abroad, as almost all of them would come back as elective credit. I chose to take a couple psychology classes, and took an English class to fulfill my Humanities credit. I lived in a university linked house with 5 other girls from England which was really cool!

What is your favorite memory from your time abroad?

My favorite memory from my time abroad was just meeting so many new people who I will be friends with forever. I met girls from Australia, Finland, and Germany who I now consider my best friends, and still talk to on a daily basis! Also, traveling to so many amazing places in Europe for so cheap was absolutely incredible! I saw the most breathtaking places, that I only ever imagined seeing in magazines! Lagos, Portugal and Positano, Italy were two of my favorite places to travel to!

How has studying abroad helped your personal or professional life?

Studying abroad has definitely helped both my personal and professional life. I’ve learned so much more information about different cultures, and gained a newfound appreciation for all of these cultures and how we interact together. I also learned a lot about myself, and proved how independent I can be, to go abroad by myself for almost 6 months. I’ve learned to be adventurous and spontaneous, because who know when you will get to do this again!

What advice can you offer to students interested in studying abroad?

For any students interested in studying abroad, I would tell them GO FOR IT!! This is a truly unforgettable experience that will leave you with everlasting memories that you cannot make anywhere else. You think that you will miss home when you go away, but trust me, you won’t, because you will fall in love with the new culture you are a part of!

Do you have any future plans or ideas to travel abroad again?

I most definitely have future plans to travel abroad again! I am looking into possibly going to graduate school abroad. If that does not work out, I will definitely try to travel as much as I can in my free time!