I am a student teacher at a Christian bilingual PreK-12 school called El Camino Academy. I work with a variety of classes from teaching Kindergarten letters and vocabulary to giving one-on-one ELL support to middle-schoolers and high-schoolers. The school focuses on discipleship and service in addition to excellent academics. Last week I was a chaperone for the 9th grade service trip where I helped the students teach English to kids at a school in a poorer area of the city, and the previous week I traveled to an island on the other side of the country to teach English at a school that doesn’t have an English teacher. I just started attending a church that does a lot of ministry for Venezuelans, and I’m excited to get involved in that ministry as well! I have lots of fun in Colombia! My favorite things about living here (other than teaching) include eating exotic fruit, exploring Bogotá, rock climbing, hiking, playing soccer, looking at the great mountain views, meeting new people, and practicing Spanish.

I’m excited that G5 is to Colombia, and I hope many come visit and fall in love with Colombia like I have! Also, El Camino Academy is looking for teachers for next year (shout out to all the education majors).

My name is Constance Schneider, and I am currently double-majoring in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Spanish here at Liberty. I went to Málaga, Spain this summer with LU Send. While I was there, I took two classes at the Universidad de Málaga and also did missions work with LU Send. I loved getting to experience a completely different culture during my homestay, experience a different learning environment as an international student, and work with refugees in the area. My study abroad trip offered me the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective and showed me the beauty of Spanish culture.

The opportunity to intern in London is an experience I will never forget. I instantly fell in love with the city’s beauty, people and culture. I learned so much about myself as well as the Lord’s great affection for the world while I was away.

One thing that I was not expecting was the “reverse-culture shock” that I would face upon my return. It was challenging to reinsert myself into my American life when I had changed so much in such a short time. Advice that I would give to anyone going abroad is this: treasure your experiences in your heart, and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable in sharing all of the highs and lows of your experiences with people. When you return home, be present and remember that you can change the world there, too.

I am not your typical college student. I’m studying for my Bachelor’s Degree online through Liberty University, at 46 years old, while working full time, with a husband, a daughter in college, and a son in High School. But I promised myself, if I was going to do this degree program, I would take every opportunity available to me to enrich my life, such as LU Send.

Any apprehension that I might not be greeted warmly due to my age was quickly laid to rest upon meeting the charming students that I would get to have this incredible experience with.

What I learned on this trip was that I am a unique and multifaceted person that has very diverse interests, and this trip fed my soul. Castles, museums and INCREDIBLE history around every corner. Taking in the amazing surroundings of England and soaking up every educational opportunity at my fingertips, all while making incredible new friends and fulfilling my dream of seeing as much of God’s beautiful earth as possible, this trip was truly a gift.

Quite simply, studying abroad in London changed my life in a way that only God can. It was a journey of self-discovery and self-love, and an incredible amount of fun. God showed me what I am capable of on this trip, and there is no stopping me now. I would not trade one moment of this experience for anything.

Follow your heart, listen to what God is saying to you, and go…study…abroad!

My time studying in Berlin Germany helped me see things from a broader perspective. Through many conversations I had with those I met, I gained a better understanding not only of cultures outside of the US but also of how these cultures view America. When people found out I was American questions almost immediately began about Trump, the proposed wall, and the why behind them both. But as I would talk to people about these things, I also began to understand their stance and why they held that position. It helped me to see things from a perspective that was not my own.

Over spring break I traveled to the UK. One evening, I was talking to some of the other guests at the hostel I was at; they were all from other parts of Europe. As we were talking about our different cultures and languages, one man from Greece pointed out how lucky I was. English is my first language and because of that I can easily converse with people from other countries. But for him and most Europeans, he was required to learn English as it is the common language that unites Europe and much of the world. It was this conversation and many others like it during my time in Europe that left me with a better understanding of the views of other cultures and how Americans are perceived.

I’d always known I wanted to study abroad, but when the time came to pack my bags and go, I was a nervous wreck. Now that I’m on the other side of it, I can confidently say I’m glad I faced my fears and spent a semester in Seville, Spain. My program, CEA, gave me the opportunity to take classes for my strategic communication major and digital media video and Spanish minors while exploring a new city and a new way of life. My classes were amazing, but I learned the most important lessons outside the classroom. I honed my Spanish skills over meals with my host mom, conquered my fear of flying, mastered the art of the European weekend trip and made meaningful connections with people from different cultures. Study abroad was not without its difficulties. It was hard to adjust to living in a homestay. The Andalusian accent had me questioning whether I knew how to speak Spanish at all. I struggled to draw myself out of my shell and meet new people. But the challenges I faced were nothing compared to the personal growth I experienced. I returned to the states a more confident, culturally aware, and mature version of myself. God blessed me in so many ways during my semester abroad, and I want everyone to have the kind of experience I did through LU Send.