Savannah Shaw

Savannah participated in the 2022 Study Abroad trip to Germany and France.

A Conversation with Savannah

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I chose to travel and study abroad for many reasons, but the two core reasons are to see history where it happened and to experience diverse cultures. My goal after graduation is to teach middle school English. I know that I will teach literature from diverse cultures, and my students will be from diverse cultural backgrounds. I will teach history within English class through the writings that we discuss, so I want to be able to clearly understand what I have the possibility of teaching. There are so many things that you learn about in grade school that you only wish you could completely understand and experience, and I got to do that during my study abroad trip. I want to be the teacher that tells you they stood in front of the Eiffel Tower and they experienced French culture. I want to have that full grasp of other cultures because I want to be able to tell my students everything there is to know about what they are learning. I went on this study abroad trip so that I could better myself now so that in the future, I could better my students.

What was the most surprising thing about study abroad?

I was surprised by the differences in the ways of life among the United States, Germany and France. Each place was so different from the next. There was even an enormous difference between Berlin and Munich as well as Bayeux and Paris. Every place was so unique, whether it was the way people commuted, the food, the stores or the way they greeted others. It was all so identifiable to where I was at the time. The food and atmosphere of places was a completely different world. In some cultures, it felt like I had all the time in the world to complete the tasks that I had set out for myself. There was not a lot of interrupting at meals or random hellos that you get a lot here in the south. Everyone had a path that they had set out upon, and they were getting there on their own time. It was genuinely nice and peaceful, which I did not expect.

What was your favorite part of study abroad?

It is extremely hard to pick a favorite part of the study abroad experience because all of it was so amazing to take in, but I will choose two. My first favorite was visiting all the museums that were around Germany. There were so many places to visit that had a plethora of art styles from different eras. I love sculptures, so I was overly excited to get to visit so many museums that had an array of art. In Berlin, there was a section that was named Museumsinsel- or Museum Island. There were only museums in that area whose buildings were as much a piece of art as the things they had in them. Huge sections of history were available to walk around and gaze at, and a lot of the pieces were not roped off or in glass cases, so you could get close enough to see some pieces of detail that I had never thought to look for before. It was an amazing experience.

My second favorite part of my time overseas was visiting Bayeux, France. It was such a change from Paris, which is more like a big city. Bayeux was just a quaint small town that was full of shops, bakeries and had a beautiful cathedral right as you walked into the town. There was something about the town that made you feel so welcome and like you could stay there for hours and never get bored. There was never a moment where I did not have something else that I wanted to visit or look at while I was there. While it was the shortest stop on our trip, I think most would agree that it was the calmest stop on our trip. Something about the town really made you feel like you were in a film about life in France. I wish I could explain it better, but it was an amazing feeling.

How do you intend to use your study abroad experiences in the future?

I intend to use the experiences and knowledge I gained on this study abroad in my future college classes as well as in the future classrooms that I teach in. There are so many things that you cannot fully comprehend until you have seen them. You can learn about so many things and still not understand them until you experience them for yourself. I want to talk about my experiences and use them to better myself and everyone around me. Standing in a place where history was made gives me a huge advantage in understanding the heartache that was felt. I now have a sliver of knowledge of how two different countries go about their everyday lives, and I want to share that. Growing up in one place can make you a little close-minded, and I want to remind people every day that there are diverse ways to do things. We cannot think that our way is the only way or that any other way is less efficient or wrong. I want to remember that and share that with others.

What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?

My advice to students in the future would be to just go for it. Do things that you are scared to do. If you think, “That looks kind of fun,” then do it! You may never get the experience again. You may have the opportunity to go overseas again, but not with a group of people that are in the same boat you are in, not with friends and potential friends. Do not let your fear keep you from experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just go for it and see everything you can while you can. It is something so amazing that it is hard to put into words.