For many, summer is a time for complete relaxation in the comfort of their own home. However, a select group of USF students spent their summers learning far away from campus.

According to USF’s Education Abroad website, 550 students traveled across the globe this year, taking part in a once in a lifetime educational experience. Of those students, 16 of them blogged their experiences for the Education Abroad website — sending dispatches from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

The Oracle talked with some of these students when they

arrived home to discuss their

experiences studying abroad.

Africa

Bulls back home might be bidding for books on eBay to prepare for fall, but Farah Britto has brought back some hands-on bargaining experience from the time she spent in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Britto, a senior majoring in mass communications and

anthropology, took an African Literature class and a sociology

class for a program with

Kennesaw State University.

Britto said she spent much of

her time shooting photos and videos to complete her Gilman Scholarship, which paid for her trip. Though she saw wild

elephants and crocodiles, Britto said she most enjoyed bartering in the local markets.

“The shopkeepers and

craftsmen are very aggressive

in their sales tactics, and

bargaining is the norm,” she said. “I became very good at

bargaining down the prices. It was like a strategic game — I wish I could do that here.”

Though she had to blog to complete her scholarship, Britto said she would have done so anyway to remember her experiences and keep a dialogue with family and friends.

“Blogging helped keep me sane,” she said. “Communication

with family and friends was very limited. Blogging was a way for me to explain my experiences and also voice my frustrations.”

South America

Patricia Sennhauser, a

senior majoring in international

business, got to learn about the history of Argentina while

interning for a company in the country’s capital, Buenos Aires. Sennhasuer said she

interned for a company that sold

alfajores, an Argentine cookie,

with the proceeds going to

underprivileged children in the area. The company worked

towards building a place where the children of La Boca, a slum in Buenos Aires, could study, learn English or simply enjoy

themselves.

“My class revolved mainly

around Argentine history,” she said. “We got to celebrate

National Friends Day on July

20 with some Argentines at a

local restaurant, we saw the

Casa Rosada where the

president works, went to a farm, saw gauchos perform and rode horses.”

Sennhauser said she enjoyed blogging but found it frustrating at times — as she sometimes

forgot about them and had to turn them in late.

However, she said the staff was very understanding and never

counted it against her.

“The best part was it helped me reflect on everything I had done and seen in the past week,” she said.

Europe

Running out of the Raymond James Stadium tunnel before kick-off might be great, but at least one USF Bull got his chance to attend the original “running with the bulls.”

Ross O’Bryan, a junior

majoring in international

business and economics, said he had “the best time of (his) life” taking part in this centuries-old tradition

in Pamplona, Spain.

O’Bryan traveled to Spain for his Spanish 4 class. Though he also visited Barcelona,

Pamplona, Toledo, and Paris, France, O’Bryan said the capital of Madrid was his favorite.

“In Madrid, I would just start walking and get lost and then try to find my way back,” he said. “I believe every student should go travel abroad because it

really opens your mind to other cultures and is a life-changing

experience.”

Fellow USF student and

European traveler Courtney

Coton got to experience a

variety of countries in her study abroad experience. As a part of the “Know Europe Summer 2011” program, Coton, a senior majoring in marketing, traveled to Belgium, France, Holland and Spain as part of the “Know

Europe Summer 2011″

program. She had daily courses

in international marketing

— culminating in a group project where she and teammates introduced an

American beer in a foreign

market.

Though she learned about

other cultures, Coton said the study abroad experience also teaches internal lessons.

“I would recommend studying abroad to all students, no matter what major,” she said. “Living in another country outside your comfort level really helps you to learn a lot about yourself.”