Marquette is a bubble. It’s easy to stay still in a place filled with natural beauty and kind people — ecological diversity and community. But Marquette is just one of the microscopic coordinates among seemingly limitless lines of latitude and longitude. Beyond our green forests and blue waters exists a world of culture, language and opportunity.

On Tuesday, March 31, the Department of Languages, Literatures and International Studies hosted three NMU students who breached the transparent walls of Marquette for far-reaching countries and shared their experiences with curious staff and students. The event consisted of three presentations from students who had spent time in Finland, France and Tanzania.

One attendee, associate Spanish professor Amy Orf, shared her expertise on the benefits of studying abroad, having traveled to Spain in 1989 and later to Cuba.

“We wanted to highlight our students’ time studying abroad to show people the opportunities that are out there and how it can benefit them,” said Orf. “They gain a lot of perspective about their own lives and their own cultures by experiencing something completely different. Very often, it gives you a perspective about yourself, your own life and your culture that you didn’t realize before you left.”

The chance to not only experience another culture but also receive an education at the same time is rare after college. NMU’s International Programs Office, located in Cohodas Hall, Room 203, understands that opportunity and wants to help students find the right place for them, whether it’s on this continent or across an ocean.

Lila Isleib, the IPO’s director of international programs — study abroad, has extensive knowledge when it comes to selecting a country and program that benefits students and their selected countries.

“She can answer questions about where you might want to go in the world,” said Orf. “Do you want to be in a big city? Do you want to be in a rural area? Do you want to live with a host family? Do you want to live in a dorm? What kinds of classes do you want to take? A lot of questions you have to answer.”

Professor Orf’s personal experience studying abroad significantly affected her perspective — so much so that she made an academic 180-degree turn as an undergraduate, leading to her current position as a highly praised Spanish professor at NMU.

“What is totally normal to you is all of a sudden not normal there, and what seems normal to them is completely foreign,” said Orf. “I ended up becoming a Spanish major after that trip. I started in engineering at Iowa State — I had a full ride to go there — and I ended up completely jumping ship. I got bit by the language bug.”

The “language bug” is going around, and only a lucky few will be infected. Traveling abroad, away from home, from everything you know, isn’t easy. But if you’re willing to leave familiarity behind, even for a few weeks, the benefits — personal, professional and educational — are impossible to ignore.

If you were unable to attend Planet Chat but are interested in studying abroad, contact the International Programs Office to learn about the many opportunities available at NMU and around the globe.