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ISEP Student Stories: Maria Studies Abroad in India

January 4, 2013
Say cheese!
Say cheese!

This week’s blog post is brought to you by ISEP student Maria N, a junior at Nebraska Wesleyan University majoring in Theatre Arts and minoring in Religion. Maria is currently studying at the University of Hyderabad in India and shares what motivated her to study abroad in India…

If I could do ANYTHING with the rest of my life I would travel. Hence, my journey begins…

Maria study abroad India ISEP Myself and my squirrel, Earl! In January I left my beloved Midwest home, my sunny bedroom, and my dear family & friends to travel to “the land of the gods”…India! Why India, you ask? Well…here is the story:

Studying abroad has been a priority to complete my college experience because I love to travel and encounter other cultures. From day one at Wesleyan, I was looking into the ISEP program and where I could study in another country. Last winter I seriously began looking at where I wanted to go, planning on a spring semester abroad my Junior year. I had my eyes set on the Baltic Region after becoming good friends with an Estonian exchange student. However, in taking a course in world religions, I realized I wanted to study religion while abroad, because, in many countries, religion shapes its culture. Similarly, I decided that, since I hope to do travel extensively later in life, I should study in a country that I may never visit again. The answer suddenly hit me—India.

In India I will be immersed in a culture completely different from America, one that is embodied by religious traditions and strong heritage. India is the birthplace of the world’s major religious traditions, most prominently Hinduism and Buddhism. At the University of Hyderabad, I will be able to take courses in religion, Hindi language, history, and even dance. But I am most excited to explore the city, meet locals, and experience the religious culture firsthand. I hope that this experience will not only give me a greater understanding our world but help me better understand religious diversity and the cultural impact of religion on a deeper level.

Hence, I enter the land of the gods!

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