English tea in Norwich and French bread in Lyon proved to be a little too expensive for two University students studying abroad last year, so they decided to work part-time to battle the exchange rate.Academic Programs Abroad said students are interested in working part-time while abroad to be able to buy more things, but experts worry the time spent working will take away from the cultural experience of studying abroad.”Over here at LSU, I have a work-study position on campus, so not having that income … plus the fact that the pound is more valuable than the dollar influenced [my decision],” said Samantha Alleman, English junior who studied abroad in Norwich, England, in spring 2009. “My parents weren’t always able to send me money, so if I had a job, I’d have [money].”
Alleman said she applied for a type of student visa that allowed her to work 20 hours a week. When she arrived at her international school, she applied for a student job with the School for American Studies at her foreign university. “It depends on the person because some people would love to travel all the time … [or] focus more on studying, but for me it was the best thing because I was able to get more spending money,” she said.Alleman said having a part-time job provided her with enough funds to go to London for her birthday and see the Broadway musical “Wicked.” To work or not to work?One euro is equal to 1.42694 U.S. dollars, and one United Kingdom pound is equal to 1.62555 U.S. dollars.Rachel Daroca, Academic Programs Abroad international exchange coordinator, said she noticed more and more students who inquire about working part-time while studying abroad.”It may be more on students’ minds because they’re taking out loans and funding their own experience, and they’re looking for additional income,” Daroca said.But Daroca said working while abroad can prevent students from focusing on the cultural and academic experience.”I would tend to discourage a student … from working part-time while abroad because I think it detracts from the experience,” she said. “We have definitely seen students who have gotten in over their heads or become overwhelmed in terms of work load.”When Melissa “Missy” Bucher studied abroad in Lyon, France, last year, getting a job was the best way she could keep her mind off homesickness. The wallet full of extra euros wasn’t bad either, she said.”I would’ve been fine without the money, but it did enable me to go shopping more and to go out a bit more,” said Bucher, political science and French senior. “The exchange rate was quite unfortunate when I went over between the dollar and the euro … It was nice to have the extra pocket change.”Daroca suggested for students who need additional funding to work prior to studying abroad and save their money.Robert Newman, economics department chair and professor, said the exchange rate only affects students when they are buying euros with U.S. dollars.”Once you’re there, then the exchange rate is not an issue at that point,” Newman said. “It’s important before you go over there.”Newman said the marginal benefit of a job could help a student’s cultural experience.”Having a job over there would provide you with an interesting experience because you’re working with individuals from other cultures,” Newman said.Laura Martins, department of foreign languages and literatures graduate adviser, said she doesn’t recommend students to work while studying abroad, even though it is a way to be integrated into a foreign culture. She said living with a host family is one of the best ways a student can be immersed in another culture.THE VISA PROCESSDaroca said student visas are required to study abroad in most cases, but the student visa process is different for every country. She said some student visas allow students to work part-time jobs up to 20 hours a week, but that is not the case with every foreign country.”Students are responsible for applying for a student visa themselves according to student visa regulations, which vary by country and are posted on each country’s consular Web site,” Daroca said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille. “Additionally, rules governing part-time work while abroad vary by country.”
Daroca said the visa process, especially in the United Kingdom and France, has recently gone through some major updates.Alleman said studying abroad requires a lot of research and planning in advance. She said she applied for her student visa in November, even though her program didn’t begin until spring 2009. WHAT THEY LEARNEDBucher said tutoring the English language to a French child and interning with the French consulate in Lyon were positive experiences.”[Tutoring] was beneficial because the family of the child was very welcoming,” Bucher said. “They invited me over to their house for dinner. They wanted me to feel welcome in Lyon. It didn’t hinder me at all.”Bucher said conversing with the French people she worked with helped develop her French language skills.After two semesters in France, Bucher worked an unpaid internship at the American Consulate in Lyon.Alleman said taking prospective students on tours through her exchange university helped her learn more about her school. She said her study abroad program allowed her to get a different perspective on literature she had previously studied in the U.S.–Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]
Students work part-time overseas
September 6, 2009