GEO Blog

Want to experience the world through the eyes of our students? Dive into the GEO blog and discover captivating tales of adventure, culture, and academic growth. Share your study abroad journey with us by sharing your own blog post!

Share Your Blog

Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream of Traveling Abroad

study abroad students making an O shape with their hands
Image Day 1: Here I am a middle aged woman going back to school obtaining concurrent masters degrees and participating in GEO study aboard program for SE Asia NGOs. I attended this class for two reasons: the first is to get a deeper look…

Learning and Growing in SE Asia

group of study abroad students posing with peace signs
Image   My study abroad program, NGOs of SE Asia, has exceeded any expectations I may have had for the program. When I started the study abroad program, I had few expectations, to ensure that I did not get disappointed if things did not…

Returning Home

Person standing on a bridge at night with a smile, with the city skyline and a brightly lit suspension bridge in the background.
Image A consequence of making friends abroad is having to say goodbye to them. This summer, I was not very sure what I was getting myself into with a study abroad experience, but I was excited to start my adventure nonetheless. Studying abroad is…

Lessons from Abroad: Racism and White Saviorism in Vietnam

Smiling person on a boat with the Dragon Bridge illuminated in the background in Da Nang, Vietnam at night.
Image Whenever someone asks me, “What’s your dream destination?”, my response is always, and almost immediately: Vietnam. For 20 years, I had spent my life only seeing my family through a screen, so when the opportunity to study abroad struck I…

Building Resilience and Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

Colorful buildings with balconies adorned with flowers under a clear sky in a town square in Spain.
Hello! My name is Connor and I identify as a queer first generational non-traditional student studying Spanish at the University of Oregon. In relation to my identities, I found that studying abroad here in Oviedo was a bit of a relief as Spain overall tends to be more inclusive to queer people.…

Addressing Mental Health Abroad and Gaining a New Perspective at Home

People relaxing and walking in a vibrant public square with lush green trees and a large manicured bush, with a view of a historic church tower under a clear blue sky.
Hi friends, we’re back for blog #3. This time I’ll be writing about coming back to the U.S. and readjusting to the culture to see if I might be able to prepare you for what you might experience returning to your home country. I will also cover some brief thoughts on the GEO exchange experience.…

Experiencing the Intersection of Race, Religion, and Sexuality

Exterior view of the Templo de San Francisco, an ornate colonial-style church with intricate façade details, under a cloudy sky. People are seen walking on the steps in front.
Hey everybody, Abraham here back with another blog. I want to continue some of my thoughts from the last blog, as I spent most of it introducing myself. Specifically, I want to write about my relationship with Catholicism and religion. After, I will offer some thoughts on race and ethnicity in…

Bringing Multiple Identities to Queretaro, Mexico

Colorful Pride parade in progress with a crowd of people and various rainbow flags and decorations in a sunny urban setting.
Hi everybody, my name is Jacob Abraham Munoz and I’m happy to be writing for you as a Diverse Duck Ambassador! Before I get into my experience in Mexico in contrast to my expectations of the trip, I’d like to give a little bit of info on myself so that you can know what kind of perspective I’m…

Reflections After Coming Home

Image of ancient ruins in Jordan
Coming home from such large experiences always trigger a period of required rest for me. I tend to return and collapse into a minimum of a week of recuperation, sometimes longer. This adjustment period is a mix of many things: recovery from burnout, culture shift, and just the sheer need to process…

Getting Lost in Querétaro

Queretaro skyline at night
Image   Image My study abroad experience in Querétaro, México, was an incredible and humbling experience. There was so much to learn and love, with, at times, an overwhelming number…