The waves smash and crash against the basalt wall in Belfast Ireland that was formed by a volcanic eruption. Visitors gather round to not only listen to the smashing waves, but to really embrace the scenery around them. Belfast was one of the numerous places 2012 Cannon Falls High School graduates Jana Lundell and Jesslyn Hendrickson went to. Now attending Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, they took a leap of faith by studying abroad January 6th to January 28th. Hendrickson describes in detail to the places they went. They travelled to Belfast, Ireland, the cities Birmingham, Stratford upon Avon, and

London (all within England). Hendrickson describes her experience as “wonderful…because it gives you new ideas about new cultures, people, and all sorts of things that can allow you to grow as a person.” Traveling across the world may seem easy, but it takes guts to go somewhere with a society and schedule that can be much different. Lundell, sharing a snippet of her experience, claims it “makes you appreciate the littlest things.” She describes the “littlest things” as the beautiful landscape.

More importantly is what these two college sophomores did on the trip. In Cambridge and Oxford they visited colleges to see how the other half lives, according to Lundell. They also studied the European side of the World War I in order to see both sides of the war according to Hendrickson. The students did work their fingers to the bone when it came to studying, but also got time to travel elsewhere. In Belfast says Lundell, they visited Giants Causeway, which was the best part due to the relaxing atmosphere. According to www.elfproject.org, Belfast consists of basalt, formed from a volcanic eruption, which makes the scenery overall more enjoyable. Lundell describes “Les Miserables” the musical as a production that they watched on the edge of their seats in London. She goes on to say that half of the time she and the other students didn’t know exactly where they were, but that the students had to learn to accept that they there wasn’t going to be a set schedule for the day, like they were used to.

These travels morphed these two students into people able to understand experiences outside of Decorah, Iowa. For example, Hendrickson explains how she can now “look at World War I from the experience of Europeans compared to us.”  When asked if she would recommend studying abroad to other students, Hendrickson exclaimed, “I would definitely recommend it! It allows you to see a whole new point of view.” As Cannon Falls students prepare for college, they should consider studying abroad. Whether it’s Belfast or London, studying abroad may just open students eyes to a world they haven’t seen.