Imagine wandering around campus, having to find the HUB-Robeson Center and then being dropped off at a dorm 20 minutes away with instructions to return the next morning at 9 a.m.

Now imagine everyone speaks German.

This was a reality for Rachel Whitesell, a 2002 Penn State graduate. She studied abroad as part of her German studies major.

Though she had taken 300-level courses before she arrived in Marburg, Germany, classroom German is not the same as spoken German, she said.

"I don't think I really said anything in German for a long time," she said.

This inauspicious beginning may not sound encouraging, but Whitesell's eyes lit up when she talked about her year-long stay in Germany.

"You get over [the shyness] quickly because you have to," she said.

Prior to arrival, Whitesell said she was not nervous about the trip because she had been abroad for a semester while in high school.

Her main goal was to learn the language better and she did this by attending a German university.

Contrary to what the director of the Office of Education Abroad said is a common belief, it is not impossible for engineers, or for any student in a degree program, to study abroad.

International programs director John Keller said although there are obstacles, such as the cost of airfare, a family not wanting a child to travel abroad or a major with many requirements, studying abroad is not only a dream.

It is almost always possible for students in any major to overcome these obstacles and go overseas, Keller said.

Keller said students must look at study abroad programs individually to determine their economic feasibility.

Some programs do not cost much more than a regular semester at University Park, he said.

In addition to impressing future employers, studying abroad changes a student's personal life, Keller said.

"I can tell you it changes lives personally," he said. "I became a diplomat because I went on for a summer to study in Italy."

Keller was a diplomat for 12 years and traveled around the world before coming to Penn State work in the education abroad office.

Penn State sponsors more than 130 different programs in 42 countries. Last year, 1,019 students studied abroad through Penn State programs.

Keller said most students participate in English-speaking programs, so it is not necessary to know a foreign language.

He said a desire to learn another language is a plus because it adds another aspect to the cultural experience.

But not having linguistic background will not exclude students from a cultural experience.

"There is some cultural component to all the programs," he said.

Emily Rowlands (senior-advertising and public relations) said it gave her a broader sense of the world.

"It teaches you there's more out there. I felt like I was really close-minded when I left," she said of her trip to Manchester, England.

Jen Knapp (senior-history) said she always wanted to study abroad but never applied.

She said there are many benefits to going overseas.

"Aside from the typical [benefits] like seeing a new culture and seeing other parts of the world, people can take what they learn form other countries and bring it back here," she said.

She said Americans often go to other countries and expect the same atmosphere in the new place.

Knapp said it was important that they see different perspectives.

For people who have gone abroad, the experience may help them master another language.

Although he never considered a stay abroad, Ben Henson (senior-mathematics) said it is a positive thing to consider.

"The only con I can think of is being away from family and friends for six months," he said.

"But I'm not really sure that's a con because it isn't really a big deal," he added.