From Nervousness to Inspiration: Delilahalynn's Journey to Study Abroad

Many people have let misconceptions of studying abroad deter them from doing so. For our first blog post we want to give readers a glimpse into what goes on before people actually decide to study abroad. Delilahalynn Wells did a wonderful job of giving an inside view of her process as well as helping to debunk these misconceptions.

Read on as Delilahalynn shares with us how she decided to study abroad and what inspired this decision to become an exchange student at St. Aloysius College!

"The coolest experience thus far, feeding an Asian elephant some hay." Delilahalynn Wells SUNY Cortland, Junior Early Childhood Education Originally from Kirkwood, New York

What and how was your process of applying to study abroad? 

First, my friend from my previous community college told me how she wasn’t going to be at Cortland next semester (This was in the Fall of 2017). She had explained to me about the study abroad trip to India and all the amazing opportunities that it came with. She gave me a lot of details about what she had learned and how it was going to help her finish her class requirements sooner on top of not having to pay much out of pocket.
I spoke to Julie from the International Programs Office a few days after to have her go over a few things with me like plane tickets, food, transportation, and basic costs that I would need to cover while abroad.
Later I spoke to Professor Sharon Steadman (Anthropology/Sociology) about the possible classes I could take as well as more financial needs. 

"The view of the swimming pool from our "Cortland Classroom" at St. Aloysius College."

What inspired you to want to travel abroad? 

I’ve wanted to travel more since my first trip out of the country when I was in 8th grade. I also enjoy short summer trips to various beaches on the East Coast. I also always wanted to travel abroad but I was thinking more along the lines of student teaching in Australia. 

"The temple cow looking for a snack at the stand."

What made you select the country you traveled to? 

Partly because one of my friends was going but also because all of the amazing opportunities that would be available to me. I also didn’t have to pay much out of pocket and was going to be able to complete my degree requirements in a shorter time. I also just fell in love with the idea of traveling to India because that had never been a thought of mine until the opportunity came up. 

"The monkeys of the Konaje Kallu Temple. Try not to look them in the eyes."

How did your family respond to your intention to study abroad? 

My boyfriend was the first person I told immediately after having the conversation with the friend that was going. He was not thrilled to say the least and wasn’t comfortable with the idea. 
My mom was the most worried. She didn’t like the idea at all and was very concerned about my safety. 

How did you feel about starting this new journey on your own? 

I was nervous about leaving home because I’ve never been away from my family for longer than a week. 

"Our tour guy had a talent of taking neat pictures."

Were there places in India that you knew you wanted to visit before arriving? Have you visited any of these places yet? 

I wanted to visit the beaches and so far I have visited St. Mary’s Island. In a couple weeks I will be in Goa. 

"Some pretty seashells I collected from St. Mary's Island trip."

What has surprised you most about studying abroad so far? 

I am surprised about how inexpensive everything is here in India. In India I can buy 7 1 liter water bottles for the same prices as 1 16 oz water bottle at home.
Stay Tuned for next week's blog on Culture featuring Early Childhood Education major, Kathryn Wills!