Photo courtesy of Laura Scaviola
After two years without Study Abroad, Choate has officially reopened the program for students wishing to travel to Italy, France, or Spain in the 2022-2023 school year, albeit not quite to its pre-Covid status. Students taking Arabic and Chinese are still unable to participate.
Nonetheless, many students are excited by the program’s return, especially those who came to Choate seeking international and immersive experiences. “Studya Abroad is an important part of Choate’s mission, where [students] talk about building global competency and critical thinking skills,” said Director of Global Programs Ms. Ashley Sinclair. “That international experience doesn’t just help kids develop foreign language skills, but to navigate a new area and build independence and self-reliance.”
Given the limitations on international traveling due to the pandemic, organizing Study Abroad was a difficult and ambitious project. “We took a two-year break from study abroad and decided to wait until we had a grasp as to what Covid meant and what that would mean for travel,” said Ms. Sinclair. She added that the safety of students is of utmost importance, especially regarding protection from Covid-19.
She continued, “We’ve worked with SYA [School Year Abroad] — the ones hosting the semester program in Spain and France — about their Covid mitigation strategies. Their host families have to be vaccinated, they are masked in the classroom, and when they go on field trips outside of the building, they make sure they follow the Covid protocols.”
Many students have shown a strong interest in joining the program. “I’m excited about immersing myself in a new culture and experiencing unique opportunities in a new place,” said Lucy Dreier ’24, a Spanish 350 student who is considering applying for the program in Spain.
Tess Taetle ’24, a French student, agreed, saying, “The Study Abroad program interests me because I want to explore new cultures. While I think that learning French in a classroom setting is valuable, it’s nowhere near as valuable as learning in the actual country.”
While many believe that Study Abroad is a great opportunity, there is still some apprehension about the program. “One of my reservations about doing a study abroad program is the risk you take going to a foreign country, speaking an unfamiliar language, while living with a native family whom you’ve never met,” said Dreier.
In addition to being far from home, students are worried about how spending part of the school year in a different country could affect their life back at Choate and ability to participate in on-campus teams, clubs, and events. “Another downside would be the way it changes my schedule,” said Dreier. “It might prevent me from taking other electives that interest me.”
With Covid-19 still an important factor in regards to travel, the School is treading carefully to bring the full Choate experience back to life.
