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Mara Syman
Mara Syman is an Ambassador who studied abroad in Chile.
Briefly describe a specific cultural experience you had on your trip that made a lasting impression.
While in Chile, I stayed with a Chilean family. It was incredible. Not only did it keep me speaking Spanish all the time, but met people of different ages and grew to care about them. Through my family, I experienced Chilean food, Chilean customs, and the Chilean healthcare system.
Why did you choose the program in which you participated?
I wanted to study abroad to get more experience in the world. Living in Minnesota and attending a wealthy college where almost everything is available to me all the time, I felt like I needed a life challenge. I chose Chile because I have always been drawn to South America and I wanted to finish my Spanish minor. I had already been to parts of Europe, and there seem to be many opportunities to go to Guatemala. Therefore, Chile it was.
Describe your overall study abroad experience.
Going abroad is hard. It will be scary, it will be a overload of new experiences, and it will hopefully be uncomfortable for a while. But, it will also be four of the months in which you will grow the most in college. Living abroad is a beautiful challenge, but it is worth every moment of it.
How has the trip affected you? How are you different for having completed the experience?
My adventure in Chile has made me a much more independent person. I had a lot more of alone time than I have ever had in my life and I grew to understand how much I needed that time for myself. I am much more patient with rapid changes and unexpected obstacles and I can be more relaxed about busy scheduling. I developed relationships with people, both American and Chilean, that I will remember and cherish forever. I got a glimpse of who I want to be and how I can become that person. The main thing I gained was confidence in myself. There are so many moments I can look back on and think of how proud I am that I was outside of my comfort zone and didn't give up.
What advice do you have for future Study Abroad Students?
Going completely out of your comfort zone is exactly what needs to happen when studying abroad. There is nothing like completely losing yourself in a culture and trying to find your way out.