Testimonials

Bordeaux 2007

Thanks to UTPA's Study Abroad Program, my life has been enriched and blessed. The Office of International Programs and the Department of Modern Languages and Literature helped me spend two semesters studying in Bordeaux, France. There, I embarked upon great adventures which led me to a wealth of knowledge and allowed me to meet a lot of people I know will be friends for life. The experience opened my mind and advanced my academic goals. My deepest admiration and most heartfelt respect go out to all who work with the Study Abroad Program at UTPA. I encourage my fellow Broncs to be bold and apply for a study abroad program today!

Oscar Jiménez

Hawaii 2007

Studying abroad has changed my life dramatically. I have a whole new appreciation for diffrent cultures and will never stop traveling.  Hawaii is beautiful everyone here is so nice and helpful.  I highly recommend studying abroad because it helps you mature as a person and lets you experience something not many people get to.

Lynnette Aguilar

I really enjoy the opportunity I have had to come to the University of Manoa at Hawaii.  I love it here and I don't even want to think about going back to Texas.  It really opened my eyes and exposed me to amazing cultures and beauty in every form possible.  The weather is perfect and the view from out the dorm windows is undescrible.  It really feels like heaven here.  The students and faculty are great and I felt welcome and a part of the school since I got here.  Everyone is really nice in Oahu.  I don't see any excuse a student could give to not venture out and take advantage of the UTPA International Program. 

Sincerely,

Leandra Villarreal

Yemen 2007

The reason I chose to study abroad in Yemen and learn Arabic was because the program provided a great opportunity for me to submerse myself in a culture that I knew little about first hand and only knew from books I had read.

Being in Yemen has really opened my eyes to what it is like to live in the Middle East and in a Muslim country. I have had a wonderful time living here so far. I have meet people from all over the world and made friends with them from such places as Scotland, England, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Mexico, France, and Yemen just to name a few. I have found the people of Yemen to be some of the most friendly and caring people I have ever encountered. I have also found that studying Arabic in Yemen was a perfect choice for me because the majority of people hardly speak English forcing me to learn Arabic quickly. In addition, the people who do speak English in Yemen have been the most helpful in making sure that I learn Arabic by inviting me into their businesses or restaurants to speak with their friends and customers in order to learn Arabic. My time here in Yemen has also been spent shopping at the local suq (market) or strolling the streets of Sana’a in order to familiarize myself with the city. Study abroad was something I always knew I would do and the Office of International Programs helped me in achieving that dream. Studying abroad is a choice I will continue to make in the future and the only question is which country from the many will I chose to go to next?

Jennifer Bland

HONORS ITALY 2006

Jonatan Reyes, a junior majoring in Computer Science, participated in the Italy Honors Program in Intersession 2006.
According to Reyes, studying abroad is an amazing and exciting adventure where one experiences diversity of cultures and traditions. “Certainly, it was one of my most memorable experiences during college life,” said Reyes. “It has showed me not to keep on the same path but look beyond new opportunities and expand my perspectives and ideas.”
Reyes believes that personal interaction is an efficient tool that makes learning better. “It is an exciting and great opportunity which every student should not miss,” said Reyes. “I encourage anyone who contemplates to join study abroad programs. Definitively, it will make a difference in your college life.”

Studying abroad to experience the culture and lifestyle of another country was truly breath taking for Denise M. Elizondo, a senior pre-med student at The University of Texas-Pan American. According to Elizondo, who participated in the Italy Honors Program in Intersession 2006, is once in a lifetime event. “Words could not explain this experience,” she said.
Elizondo believes reading about music, art, and culture is completely different from experiencing it. “To be able to sit in a grand opera house and see Don Carlo by Verdi, is completely different from reading the opera or seeing it on TV,” Elizondo said. “I was able to completely understand the reason for the architecture of the opera house, and the setup of the stage.” Elizondo said, to read about ones culture is completely different than being a part of that culture. Furthermore, she believes eating their food, listening to their music, and interacting with the people can never be accomplished in a classroom to its fullest.
Elizondo will be participating in a medical program in Guadalajara, Mexico for the next three years. “I can honestly say that my first two trips to Europe had a tremendous impact on my decision,” she said. According to Elizondo, coming from a small town she was unaware of the depth of this world, and this trip has instilled in her a passion to travel and experience different cultures the way they should be.
Moreover, she said studying abroad is something that every student should experience, and not wait to take advantage of the great opportunity. “I wish I would have started as a Freshmen in college and not waited until my Junior year.”

FLORENCE, ITALY 2005

I wanted to write and tell you what an amazing experience it was to be able to go to Italy this past summer. The history was so rich there, and there was never a dull moment from which I was not able to learn something. As a student of the arts, especially, I appreciated the amazing opportunity to see the monumental art of Italy, evidence of the astounding achievements of which man is capable. I will always benefit from the things I saw there, driving me to accomplish more in the art that is created for our world today.

With much gratitude,

Theressa Steele

BORDEAUX 2005

Study Abroad is: more than a life changing experience, you discover more about yourself , things you never imagined, experiences that stay with you for the rest of your life. Something that you would never regret. EVER!!

Fabiola de la Garza

CANADA 2005

My name is Martha Anta and I attended the study-abroad Canada program during Summer II of 2005. In continuation, I have provided a glimpse of my experiences abroad:
Whether admiring the historic site of Le Château Frontenac, learning what it is to be a Québécois, listening to the popular French-Canadian group Les Cowboys Fringants, or simply having attended the oldest university in Canada, the Canada study-abroad program was not only well-organized and fun, but provided a well-rounded learning experience. Being immersed into the Québécois culture was one of the most exciting and inspiring ways to learn the French language. I had the opportunity to experience first-hand a province that never forgets its past and continues to keep the French language and culture alive!

TURKEY/GREECE 2004

I had a wonderful experience during my undergraduate bachelors in International Studies Program.  I had the opportunity to explore new culture and traditions in Turkey and Greece in 2004.  Moreover, I strongly recommend students to enjoy this program because not only helps in professional, also on a personal manner.

I have always been impressed and interested in the culture and the language of China. This summer, I was fortunate enough to have immersed myself in the Chinese culture and expand my knowledge by visiting the mysterious orient and meeting it's citizens’ first-hand as a teacher at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China.

The summer English program that I participated in was a rewarding and unforgettable experience that I have benefited from.  As a graduate student who aspires to pursue an advanced degree in communication studies, with an emphasis in intercultural and instructional communication, I experienced first-hand the theory and concepts discussed and researched in the discipline and utilized it through practice. In addition, I was also able to gain familiarity with teaching in a university environment with dedicated and highly self-motivated students. This is a program that I would like to attend again in the near future and highly recommend to anyone to that would like to accelerate their education and life experience.

Debora Infente