Patti Ristau says she was terrified when she first landed in Seville, Spain, for a semester studying abroad.
Though she had a double major from the University of Wisconsin-Madison that included Spanish and felt sure of herself speaking the language in Mexico and the Caribbean, Ms. Ristau was worried she would be like a taco at a tapas bar in Seville. And she was all alone.
"But it was an amazing, self-enlightening experience," says the 22-year-old. "I found out a lot about who I was being there by myself. And I became a lot more confident about everything, not just my Spanish."
It's a common theme from students who give up the comforts of home and campus to live and study abroad and immerse themselves in another country's culture. They come back changed. And some even admit to becoming more mature -- and with a more wide-eyed view of the world.