Claire Bettenburg ’25

Program: Australia Semester

Major: Biology

Minor: Psychology

Why did you choose to study abroad and how did you decide on this program?

I chose to study abroad because I wanted to gain new experiences and be able to explore what life is like in other cultures and locations. I really wanted to see the world, and the weather and beautiful sights in Australia really drew me in. Since Australia is pretty much half way across the world, it really seemed like it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Briefly describe a specific cultural experience you had on your program that made a lasting impression.

I think the most significant experience that made a lasting impression on me would be seeing how differently people live their lives in varying cultures. One of the biggest differences I noticed while being in Australia was that their culture more closely follows the “work to live” rather than “live to work” lifestyle, which I thought was really refreshing to experience.

Based on your experiences abroad, what are some of the benefits of spending a semester abroad? How has studying abroad contributed to your personal, academic, and professional development?

Spending a semester abroad has so many benefits including gaining new experiences, getting to travel the world, meeting new people, learning more about yourself, and so much more. I think this experience will really benefit you in a way that makes you question your priorities in life, which will help you grow as a person. In my experience, I gained new friendships throughout my study abroad semester that I continue to stay in touch with today that I would have never met if I didn’t study abroad.

What advice can you offer for CSB+SJU students who are considering or planning to study abroad?

My best advice would be to look into the places that you are considering studying abroad, or reach out to some of the people who went the previous year and make sure that it is a place that will match your lifestyle, especially if you are going to be doing a full semester. I would also say that it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you likely will not be able to experience again.