Abhigya Ghimire
Staff Writer
While most study abroad programs at Troy are a semester long, Bailey Anne Corbin spent her entire junior year in Germany.
Corbin, a senior global business major from Panama City, Florida, spent the year at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, taking advantage of one of the longer options offered by Troy’s study abroad program.
“When it comes to study abroad trips, longer is always better,” said Sarah McKenzie, the coordinator of Study Abroad at Troy. “A semester-long trip is better than a short trip and a year-long trip would definitely be better than a semester-long trip.”
According to Corbin, a year-long trip seemed like “a fuller and richer experience” because she felt like she could become more familiar with her surroundings and more comfortable with the experience.
When in the program, a student isn’t required to spend the entire time in the same country.
“You can also travel around to other countries on your free time when you are in the program,” Corbin said.
Corbin said one of her favorite memories from the entire trip was her visit to the Island of Malta, a small country underneath Italy.
“We were able to look at the entire island and all the perimeters. It wasn’t like anything I had ever seen; it was beautiful.”
Although she had a wonderful time, Corbin said the trip also had some challenges such as homesickness and red tape.
Corbin said she found the first couple months particularly difficult because she found herself away from home and lonely.
“I have never been alone and I felt like that was one thing I wasn’t ready for when I reached there,” she said.
She said other challenges revolved around frustrating paperwork and bureaucracy and regretting that she had not gone to France for the World Cup.
“I wish I had been more bold toward the beginning and put myself out there a little more,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Corbin still encourages other students to take advantage of the study abroad program.
“Don’t miss out on the beautiful opportunity to listen,” she said. “Go there willing to learn and grow. Leave no stone unturned.”
Usually, Troy University tries to send a couple of students together for the study abroad programs. While going with a friend saves you from the loneliness and fear, Corbin suggested that going to the trip alone isn’t a bad idea either.
“I think if you go with a friend, it isn’t much different because you will just hang out with them more,” Corbin said. “But when you go alone, you get to experience everything.”
Even though the concept of studying abroad may seem intimidating to most people, Corbin mentioned that the trip isn’t something you should fear. Going to Germany with no German language background taught her a lot. The trip helped her see a lot of things that she overlooked before and helped her to be more passionate, she said.
“My whole life I was so scared of change and going to Germany helped me face my fear and not let it hold me back,” she said.
“It was seriously the best experience of my life,” she said. “Just being able to live in another country and be immersed in their culture and language is the best experience.
With numerous different countries to choose from, Corbin encourages everyone to be a part of the study abroad program.
She also suggested students study abroad during their sophomore or junior years, as those are the most convenient academically.
