By Yao Yu

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UK’s Education Abroad program hosted its annual Fall Fair on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Buell Armory.

The Fall Fair is the biggest event of the year for Education Abroad. It was open to all the students and faculty who are interested in studying abroad and want to have an opportunity to explore international academic programs.

“For some students, our Fall Fair is the first exposure they have to Education Abroad,” said Austin Hughes, Education Abroad’s promotion and outreach coordinator. “Our goal is to make international education less daunting.”

There were some changes in the Fall Fair event this year, Hughes said.

“The fair (highlighted) Education Abroad programs within each college so students can easily access program options relevant to their academic interests,” Hughes said. “New Education Abroad programs available specifically to UK students, such as Blue Grass Down Under and First Year Seminar in London, (were also) introduced at the fair.”

Hughes said he thinks the biggest advantage of studying abroad is becoming a global citizen. By participating in Education Abroad, students are able to gain a wider worldview that prepares them to be active global citizens in the future, Hughes said.

“Education Abroad experiences are also good talking points for job interviews as it gives you the opportunity to discuss skills you learned while abroad, how you handle challenging situations,” Hughes said.

Shiza Arshad, an international studies, Chinese, and gender and women’s studies junior, said she has been to China twice through Education Abroad programs, including the 2014 Conversational Chinese program in Shanghai and the 2015 Conversational Chinese program in Hangzhou.

“During these two months of studying abroad in China I improved my Chinese language abilities,” Arshad said. “I also learned how to be independent in a foreign land, which will certainly be beneficial for future experiences.”

Danielle Beam, a psychology junior, said she participated in the Celtic Blue program at Arcadia University and National University of Ireland Galway during the 2014-15 academic year. She said studying abroad was the best experience of her life and allowed her to see more of Ireland than many people get to see.

“I visited places in every region of the country, from the hilly countryside to the urban landscape of Dublin — I even had the opportunity to spend some time in Northern Ireland,” Beam said. “Because I was able to explore so many places, I was able to learn a lot about the culture, history and natural wonders of this incredible island.”

Studying abroad may not only be a way for students to explore new sights, but it could also be a good way to explore a new culture — one which may be very different from their own. As a result, students may experience a little culture shock.

“It was a bit difficult to get adjusted to the time change,” said Courtney Fadler, an elementary education senior who studied abroad through a Kentucky Institute for International Studies program offered this summer in Paris, France. “Most of Europe does not have air conditioning, so sleeping when it was in the 80s outside was a bit of a challenge.”

“They also do not put ice in your drinks, but some restaurants gave us ice because we were American,” Fadler said.

Jordan Farmer, a psychology and Spanish senior who went to Quito, Ecuador with Education Abroad during the fall 2014 semester, said students may also suffer obstacles and problems they have to confront alone.

“The biggest thing I took away from my program is autonomy,” Farmer said. “I proved to myself that I am very capable of traveling and not only surviving in a Spanish speaking country, but I am able to flourish on multiple levels.”

To provide more UK students the opportunity to study abroad, Education Abroad also offers various scholarships students can use to help with program fees.

“There are several scholarships available for students,” Hughes said. “Some have more requirements than others do — some are based on need or merit, while others are based on diversity.”