Orientation may present tailgating and spray painting in the Free Expression Tunnel as quintessential campus experiences not to miss—but some of these experiences, like study abroad, may not occur between the boundaries of Hillsborough Street and Western Boulevard.

Lucero Galvan , a junior in biology, spent the summer in Thailand, working with the University’s anthropology department and a partner university in Thailand. Galvan worked on an archaeological dig, studying human remains and artifacts found at the site. 

When not on the dig, Galvan and her classmates went sightseeing in Thailand. 

“[For one trip] we went to the tiger temple and petted tigers that had been rescued from the wild,” Galvan said. “We had to wear simple colors so we wouldn’t attract the tigers.”

According to Galvan , local Thai monks took care of the tigers and tamed them, making sure they didn’t harm any visitors. However, Galvan said she remembers one point where despite the precautions a tiger almost attacked a visitor of the temple.

“All of a sudden the tiger started charging someone and the monk yelled something out, and the tiger just stopped and sat down,” Galvan said.

In the end, Galvan learned about both archaeology and the Thai culture.

“[The local people] were really nice, even though we were foreigners,” Galvan said.

Jaimee Decatur, a junior in Japanese language and culture, returned from spending a year abroad in Japan, at Kwansei Gakuin University near Osaka. Throughout her stay, she lived with a local Japanese family, allowing her to use Japanese daily and immerse herself fully in the culture.

Though she experienced the conflicts of the language barrier and the surprises of living immersed in a different culture, one of things that stood out to her the most was her experience in the Kwansei Gakuin University clubs.

“I joined the aikido and ikebana club,” Decatur said.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art style and is ikebana a traditional flower arranging art. 

“The part that I learned the most Japanese in was aikido…the different ways you talked to people [while practicing and competing] really stood out there.”

Decatur said the most surprising aspect of her trip to Japan was its similarity to what she knew through pop culture.

“It actually is like manga (Japanese comics)—the streets really are that narrow, the cats really do cry like that.”

After long periods in a foreign country, the reverse culture shock of returning home can be difficult, but Decatur is settling back into the University community. However, she brought back a few things from her time abroad.

“[I brought back] the little things I’ve grown accustomed to [while living in Japan],” Decatur said. “Like healthy eating and aesthetically pleasing things. I’d like to do something with aikido, to show people how awesome it is.”

According to Decatur, reverse culture shock makes one think about their own lifestyle and values. Like many things new students encounter in when first arriving at the University, study abroad makes students refine and define themselves, Decatur said.