Logan Schmitt
Major:
Agricultural Communications and International Agriculture, Animal Science Minor
Program:
Culture and Economic Diversification in the United Arab Emirates
Scholarship Award:
Shelley Taylor Study Abroad Student Support Fund
I knew that the experiences provided while studying abroad were incomparable to those you get when you just vacation on your own, so I wanted to capitalize on those opportunities provided by Iowa State University and the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences while I had the chance.
- Why did you study abroad?
- I chose to study abroad because I always loved traveling growing up, but I hadn't gotten the opportunity to go internationally until college. I knew that the experiences provided while studying abroad were incomparable to those you get when you just vacation on your own, so I wanted to capitalize on those opportunities provided by Iowa State University and the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences while I had the chance. Seeing friends of mine study abroad prior to my travel course just made me even more excited to experience a new region of the world and a completely different culture.
- Overall experience from studying abroad?
- Studying abroad was truly a life changing experience. The knowledge and new perspectives I gained after traveling to the United Arab Emirates has proven to be useful in numerous other areas of my life. I gained a newfound appreciation for international travel after completely immersing myself in a new culture, particularly one as misrepresented as the Middle East. During our time in the UAE, we were able to see all of the tourist attractions and stunning views while also visiting farms and other companies that are extremely relevant towards my career in agriculture.
Most memorable experience?
- A few of my most memorable experiences include meeting students from NYU Abu Dhabi and touring the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with them, visiting the home of the late Maktoum Al Seiari's family, and riding around in the sand dunes on Thanksgiving night. Prior to traveling to the UAE, our class interacted with students who attend NYU Abu Dhabi. This was a great way for us to get personal insight into the region and for them to show us around the Grand Mosque. Maktoum Al Seiari was an economics student at Iowa State University from Abu Dhabi. He was a driving force behind activating the UAE study abroad program again in 2017, and his family always welcomed the students into their home- an extremely unique opportunity for us to experience a native Emirati family's lifestyle. We enjoyed a traditional dinner, traditional entertainment, and learned about several things culturally significant to them.
- What advice would you give to students interested in studying abroad/going on a travel course?
- Take advantage of the opportunity! Never again in your life will you be surrounded by as many resources as you are right now to make traveling abroad possible. The growth that you experience is worth every penny and the memories you make will last a lifetime.
- How has this experience impacted your life?
- Studying abroad in the United Arab Emirates made me rethink everything I thought I knew about the Middle East and has made me want to visit even more regions of the world. People aren't lying when they say you catch the travel bug the first time you go abroad!