Margot Andreasen Learns Valuable Life Lessons Abroad In Italy
BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott women’s tennis rising senior Margot Andreasen (Portland, Maine) recently studied abroad in Italy. Andreasen, who is a marketing major at Endicott, sat down with ECGulls to catch us up on her study abroad trip.
MARGOT ANDREASEN STUDY ABROAD PHOTO ALBUM
BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott women's tennis rising senior Margot Andreasen (Portland, Maine) recently studied abroad in Italy. Andreasen, who is a marketing major at Endicott, sat down with ECGulls to catch us up on her study abroad trip.
ECGulls: Give us an overall description of your trip.
I went to study at the Umbra Institute in the small city of Perugia, Italy for four months.
ECGulls: Describe your overall study abroad experience.
My study abroad experience in Perugia allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of different cultures and taught me to be more independent. Living in a small city where many of the locals spoke little to no English taught me the importance of self-reliance and problem solving with language barriers.
ECGulls: Why would you recommend studying abroad to other students?
I would recommend a study abroad experience for any adventurous student who wants a change in environment and a desire to learn and travel. Many schools abroad give students three-day weekends which allows you to really explore the different cities and countries you decide to visit.
ECGulls: What was the biggest lesson you learned?
To always be prepared and learn to solve problems on your own. I had an incident on the last night leaving where I was carrying two of my 50-pound suitcases down the stairs of our apartment and one of them busted open and of course, I was by myself. I ended up fixing the zipper back on its track somehow, but it definitely taught me there are times you need to solve problems on your own.
ECGulls: What was your favorite experience?
My favorite experience was when a group of us Endicott students traveled to Madrid to visit each other. We had a blast and it is an experience I will never forget.
ECGulls: Describe the educational side of the program.
The Umbra Institute focused a lot on their Food & Sustainability program which I was not a part of, but took a lot of classes revolving around the topics. My favorite class was Business of Wine. For our final project, we had to create our own vineyard which included setting up a business and marketing plan for it. Our group also had plenty of classes strictly for wine tastings and learning about the different appellations and processes for making wine in Italy which is what made this class my favorite.
ECGulls: Were there any funny stories from your trip?
During the first weekend there, a group of us decided to take a train to a neighboring town for a wine tasting but had no idea we couldn't buy tickets on the train when it came. We ended up sprinting through the station to buy tickets at the booth and barely made it back on. Eventually, we ended up missing our stop because we didn't know we had to manually open the train doors. Pretty embarrassing.
WHY STUDY ABROAD? – (ENDICOTT STUDY ABROAD WEBSITE)
Following the College's philosophy to "learn by doing" through experiential learning, the study abroad program & its international internships prepare students at Endicott for success by offering alternative academic understanding, social & cultural literacy and life-changing experiences. Through semester-long academic study, faculty-led trips, and/or 3-to-15 week internships abroad, students gain new confidence and self-awareness, and obtain the skills necessary for success in today's economy.
"Globalization is here to stay, and students who want to work in our interconnected global world should study or intern abroad.
Despite the inevitable increasing global competition for jobs, American graduates lack the international experience, language capabilities and cross-cultural communication skills necessary to succeed in the global economy.
Making education abroad a part of their college education is the most effective and accessible means for students to develop needed skills because it pushes a student to get out of her comfort zone to experience another culture, language, environment and education system. It teaches students to appreciate difference and diversity firsthand and enables them to recognize — and then dismiss — stereotypes they may have held about people they had never met.
Learning how to interact with people from other countries and cultures equips future leaders in all sectors to address urgent issues — from curing diseases and finding energy solutions, to fighting terrorism and hunger — shared across borders."
The Endicott Experience feature aims to highlight the entirety of the student-athletes' experiential learning journey throughout their academic careers. The student-athlete at Endicott is afforded the same opportunities as the general student population at the College as it relates to internships, study abroad, and postgraduate career pursuits. This philosophy mirrors the mission statement of the College which every student is encouraged to take intellectual risks, pursue scholarly and creative interests, contribute to the community, and explore diverse career paths. Read more Endicott Experience features by navigating the links below.
INTERNSHIP: Fall 2015 | 2014-15 Internships | Fall 2016 Semester-Long | Gulls "Learn By Doing" On Winter Break | 442 Student-Athletes Complete Internships During 2016-17 Academic Year
STUDY ABROAD: Studying Abroad as a Student-Athlete at Endicott | James Dwyer Focuses on Opportunities Abroad in Switzerland with Les Roches Global Hospitality | Endicott Student-Athletes Study Abroad in Asia | Holly Erbe Studies Abroad in London, Paris, Amsterdam | Andrea Courtemanche Gains New Perspectives Through Study Abroad Trip | Shelby Elwell Catches Travel Bug From Study Abroad Experiences | Erica Hadad Studies Abroad In Ireland
ACADEMICS: Emily Sharpe and Eric Owens Balance STEM and Sport at Endicott | Daquan Sampson Always Willing To Learn, On The Court & In The Classroom
CAREER OUTCOMES: Internships Lead To Career Outcomes | 2015 Graduates Find Immediate Success in Job Market | The Relationship Between Athletics & Academia At Endicott
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(Photo Credit - Margot Andreasen)