Coming Home

To say that I learned a lot during this past semester is an understatement. I had always thought that "experiential learning" was just a way to make a class/program sound more educational and fancy when it didn't actually provide anything more than a normal class/program, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Experiential learning is really a real thing that is absolutely beneficial to anyone and everyone. I never thought I'd be able to learn so much in one semester.

I agree with the author of "The Globalization of Higher Education"– global education, like experiential learning, is a crucial aspect of education that is extremely beneficial to many facets of education and life in general. Even though the majority of my semester technically wasn't "abroad," I still experienced different cultures that I had never experienced before, whether in the United States or in St. John, USVI. I can honestly say that what I learned, saw, and experienced has changed my perception on life. I was extremely fortunate to have been able to have this opportunity because I got to experience things that the "average" person has not experienced. From snorkeling twice everyday for two weeks in St. John, to participating in dolphin communication research and conducting research on plastic marine debris, I can now say that I have had a more well-rounded educational experience than the average undergraduate student.