The following was written by Colgate student Alicia Gopi ’14.
I am Alicia Gopi, class of 2014, currently a joint sociology and anthropology major with a minor in writing and rhetoric. During the fall of 2012 I took a semester away from SOAN and studied abroad in London with the English Study Group. Since I was a little girl I dreamt of visiting London and when that opportunity became available to me I was not hesitant to apply. I did not care what the requirements or pre-requisites were at the time I was filling out the application, but I was persistent in learning that my opportunity was possible. It turned out that I needed an English course as a prerequisite in order to qualify for the study group. I immediately sent an email to the professor and set out to learn of my course options for the spring 2013. I spoke to the professor leading the group and ended up fulfilling that pre-requisite by taking an independent study the spring of my sophomore year.
Another obstacle in the way of achieving this opportunity was that the study group did not acquire enough students to meet the minimum capacity in order to proceed and as a result, myself and a few other members were devastated that we could not embark on this journey. Admittedly, I had lost all hope in my dream. But then I received an e-mail from a student who was willing to take the matter to the Director of the Office of Off-Campus Study. Together we worked with the that office and eventually we were successful in convincing the director that with limited time, we would meet the minimum capacity. Our already determined group set out to make posters and advertise via social media that our study group needed more students, and in the end we attracted and acquired students beyond the minimum capacity. In August of 2012, I was ecstatic to board the airplane from JFK to London.
London was amazing. Being in London reminded me much about my country of birth, Guyana, South America because Guyana was once a British colony, which continues to model the British system. While in London, I visited The London Museum, The British Museum, which was a block away from where our study group resided, Shakespeare’s Globe, visited the birthplaces of Shakespeare – Stratford-upon-Avon, Stonehenge, Oxford University, Windsor Castle, and went on many mini-adventures around the great city. London is a fascinating city and somewhere I can see myself living for a few years. While I was abroad I also hopped on over to Venice, Italy. My overall experience abroad is unforgettable for which I am very grateful having gotten the opportunity here at Colgate to make my dream come true.
Despite not having a specific study abroad program concentrated on sociology and anthropology majors, I would encourage students majoring or minoring in sociology or anthropology to look into programs that one may qualify for, contact the professor leading the group, and do not hesitate to submit multiple applications for various study groups. Make your dream come true and apply to study abroad – it will be an experience you will never forget.