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"...you can actually get to know the teacher and the other people in your classes and figure out what you want to do.”

—Mike

Michael Quinlan, a German and marketing Carlson student, was initially attracted to the IRSEP Malaysia program for its culture and direct enrollment opportunity.

“Well I had studied abroad before and I really enjoyed my experience. I studied in Germany actually, for my German degree. And decided I wanted to do it again. I knew I wanted to go to southeast Asia that was kind of the issue for me was going there and I wanted to spend a whole year abroad again… Because it was a direct enrollment program I knew I could also get really involved in the university and the student life there. I wouldn’t just be with international students but I would be a student at that university. Taking classes along with the local students which was attractive to me.”

Academic and Cultural Experience

Michael lived in the city of Penang, Malaysia in an off-campus high-rise apartment with other international students. His residence included a pool, work out facility, and grocery store and it’s proximity to campus made for only a 5-10 minute walking commute. His classes were taught in English and offered complete immersion into the university.

He found his academic work in Malaysia to be distinct from the American system and much more independent.

“After registering and everything you end up taking a lot of different courses and trying to pick which ones you want in the first couple weeks of classes. What’s nice about that is you can actually get to know the teacher and the other people in your classes and figure out what you want to do. In Malaysia it’s quite different. There’s only two or three big assignments or places where your grades are going to be coming. So you have to have a lot more independence in your studying.”

Memorable Experience

Michael participated in a university event where he and other international and Malaysian students performed the traditional Malaysian dance Kuda Kepang in front of over 3,000 people.

“We did a local Malaysian dance called the Kuda Kepang…which is from the south part of Malaysia. And we practiced for a whole month and the girls had practiced their thing for a month as well… It was probably one of my favorite things that I did there because it was with local students and then we got to perform for local people, students as well as their families and everything. And when we finished we just got a standing ovation kind of cheer. It was one of the coolest experiences because I was standing there on stage and everyone was clapping, cheering for you…”

What would you say to students who are considering studying abroad?

“I would just say… do it..do it, do it, do it. I’ve met lots of people that have studied abroad and I’ve never met one that has regretted it whereas I have met lots of people who have regretted not studying abroad. So as far as going anywhere, and I’m not partial to any part of the world saying this is the best, I would just suggest that people look into programs, talk to people, look at these profiles, read things online, read things about the country, get interested in it, and do it. Really it is an amazing thing that changes your life no matter how…if it’s more academic or if it’s more personal, it will probably both. It’s going to impact you positively.”

“Every country that you go to there are going to be things there that you find a little bit negative or not the best or something you miss from home, but you are always going to find things that are also amazing and wonderful and you miss them when you leave. And that absolutely happened in Malaysia.”

 
Last modified on November 21, 2008