View photos

Amber Laurie. I went to the study abroad office and asked, "Where can I study psychology and education without any sort of proficiency in another language?" Denmark- where basically everyone speaks English and education philosophy is wildly different than in the U.S.- turned out to be my best option. My program focused on children with special needs and has numerous study tours with each program. I traveled to London, Sweden twice, Moscow, and St. Petersburg doing things like visiting an outdoor kindergarten (in cold Sweden nonetheless), haggling for apricots in a traditional Russian market, and biking/hiking through a national park. And through all of that, I even became a little more proficient in a number of languages.

View photos

Jennifer Noelke. I did the child development and diversity program with DIS (Denmark International Study). I lived with a host family near Copenhagen. Some of the highlights of my study abroad experience included the academic tours to western Denmark and the Netherlands, exploring the nightlife of Copenhagen, and traveling around Europe during our travel break.

View photos

Abigail Robbins. I was in their International Business and Economics program, and also took law courses in the European Politics and Society program. From Copenhagen, I was able to travel extensively around Europe- visiting Sweden, England, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, and Switzerland. It was an amazing opportunity. The program is more academically challenging than most, but I was able to receive credit for some high level econ courses back at Mac which made it worth it.

View photos

Anupama Sreekanth. I studied the Politics of the European Union in Copenhagen. Copenhagen is a beautiful, unique city, and the Danes a unique and interesting people. The program offered me the opportunity to take classes (in English) that weren't available at Macalester, and travel extensively through Europe, including several EU institutions in Brussels and the Hague.

View photos

Jenna Enger. This fall I was direct-enrolled at King's College London in a joint English and Theology program. I lived with four "flatmates" (Behnaz, Helena, Debbie, and Kate) in the college dorms, except over Christmas and New Year's, when I had the flat to myself. Small yay. I also spent one weekend in Bratislava and one in Edinburgh, and took a day trip to Brighton on the coast.

View photos

Deborah Heller. ACM London Florence focuses on the arts (theater, architecture, paintings and sculpture) in two very different but equally influential European cities. The division of the program between these cities essentially provides two completely opposite study experiences, the first very cosmopolitan and independent, while the second is familial and structured. Both were lots of fun, and one of my favorite parts of the program set-up was its allowance for travel to other countries (I was able to visit 7 in all and 17 cities). A great deal of my time outside of classes was spent trying intriguing new foods and exploring supermarkets.

View photos
Read his story

Keon West. From his journal he writes, "I found Montmartre. I plotted a course and I started walking. I felt alive and independent. I knew the city and what I was doing. I began to form a mental map of Paris, which would leave me infinitely less lost next time. What's even better is that while I was walking, a woman asked me how to find something. And get this: I told her where it was! In flawless French! Ain't that something? She had no clue that she was talking to a foreigner who just landed in France a few weeks ago."

View photos

Maura Koehler-Hanlon

I studied abroad in Ireland.

View photos

Emma Gallegos

I studied abroad in Rome through Lexia International, which was a general liberal arts program that covered Italian culture, language and lots of art history. We also got the chance to do our own independent study, so I opted to study the changing roles of women and the position of the Catholic Church within the world through an American order of Franciscan sisters that had centers at the Vatican in Rome and in Assisi (the home of St. Francis and St. Clare- their founders).

View photos

Virginia Hungate-Hawk

I studied at Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy.

View photos

Jake Levy Pollans

There’s a famous quote: “If you’re bored of London, you’re bored of life.” During my semester in Goldsmiths College of London I learned how true that saying is. London is one of the most diverse, energetic and exciting cities in the world. In one semester in London, I explored dozens of museums and galleries, saw tons of great theater, walked in an endless number of neighborhoods and, of course, had some of the best ethnic food the world has to offer. I’m excited to be back at Mac now but still daydream from time to time about riding The Tube (London’s metro) or exploring Trafalgar square.

View photos

Annah Walters

I spent the fall of my junior year in Valladolid, Spain, with the Universitas Castellae program. I lived with a host family while I got to study Spanish art, literature, and cinema. Considered by many to be the birthplace of the Castilian language, Valladolid holds on to tradition whether it's bullfighting or taking a siesta.

View photos

Michael Labejsza

I studied abroad in Amsterdam.