Fair spotlight study abroad

By Sharon Nagy, On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, October 21, 1998

For many Cal State Long Beach students, studying in another country has only been a farfetched dream.

The Study Abroad Fair, which will take place today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friendship Walk in front of the University Bookstore, will make those dreams more of a reality. The fair will host a myriad of overseas program representatives ranging from the Peace Corps to universities in Australia, Latin America and Europe.

"This fair opens up all opportunities available for students in one day," said Cecilia Fidora, study abroad coordinator at the Center for International Education. "It's a once-a-year chance for students to literally go shopping for the best program. It saves a lot of time."

Fidora said 34 booths and information from more than 50 representatives will be available at the fair.

Lisa Rudolph, a senior ceramics major, participated in a CSULB Direct Exchange Program, which offers fall or spring study in nine different countries. She spent last semester studying art and design at the University of Wolverhampton in Wolverhampton, England.

"I really enjoyed it," she said. "They were very welcoming and friendly."

Rudolph lived in the dorms on campus and shared a bathroom and kitchen with other students, which she said eased the process of meeting people.

"You didn't get as much sleep [living in the dorms], but I met people from all over the world," she said. "The student union had bars and a disco downstairs, and there were exercise facilities on campus. It was a great experience."

The CSU International Programs is an on-campus program that features opportunities to study for a year abroad in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

Todd Hatfield, a senior international business major participated in the program by studying in Japan.

"It was great," he said. "I learned about living life in Japan. I'm kind of an asterisk in the program because I already knew the language. Actually, my speaking and writing skills were good, but the language classes really improved my reading and writing."

Hatfield cautioned students to focus on the international experience and language more than the school-credit aspect.

"Students want to keep in mind that probably half of the classes they take won't be counted for their core major. As they did for me, most of the classes counted for upper-division elective credit," he said.

Tom Hao, an alumni assistant to IP, returned last June after spending a year in Bristol, England, studying through the IP program.

"It was the most fantastic experience I ever had," Hao said. "Being there for a year lets you find out what it is like to be a citizen of another country and culture. You really learn to view Americans in a different light."

Hao said the experience taught him to be less ethnocentric and gave him a broader spectrum of world politics.

"A semester program can make you feel more transient," he said. "You don't feel like a tourist when you're gone for a year."

The fair will feature other opportunities to study in summer programs, travel and work or teach-abroad programs.