Marie Roussel expected to see the exciting cities of London and Paris, the old castles in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the lush Irish hillsides on the summer 2008 Magical Media Tour. But she didn’t expect to get into a tussle with an Irish gypsy.”We were on the ‘Bourbon Street’ of Dublin, Ireland, going to a pub when I dropped some of my Euro change and … a gypsy beat me to it,” said Roussel, communication studies junior. The fight ended after Roussel argued with the gypsy and got her change back with tactful force, she said, noting her overall exeprince was overwhelmingly postive.The Institute of International Education annually releases a report showing U.S. universities’ international activity. IIE’s Open Doors 2008 report identified three national trends — European countries remain the most popular destinations; students are increasingly choosing to study in non-traditional locations; and social science, humanities and business and management majors more frequently study abroad than their peers. And Harold Leder, Academic Programs Abroad interim director,  said the University’s programs have followed these three national trends.”This is really one of the only times in life where you can go away that long and still have your spot available,” said Jill Clemmons, Summer Programs coordinator. “You’re still a student here, but you get to go away for a summer, semester or year.”A common misunderstanding among students is the cost of studying internationally, Leder said. When students go abroad, they pay University tuition, use TOPS or other financial aid and can apply for additional scholarships. Depending on the international program, tuition can include housing and meal plans. Leder said his department sees an increase every year in the number of students studying in the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy — the same pattern found nationally in the Open Doors 2008 report. At the University, Leder said Germany also stands as one of the top destinations because of its good exchange programs and the educational efforts of German universities to instruct in English while the exchange students learn to speak German.Leder said of the 2 percent of University students who go abroad, most are humanities majors, again following the national trend. He also said the majority of students going abroad are female, while very few are minority students, engineering majors or science majors. Leder said he wants Academic Programs Abroad to develop more programs allowing students in any field to take major-required courses.From the 2004-05 to 2006-07 academic years, there was a 65 percent increase in the number of University students studying abroad. Leder said the numbers for 2007-08 are not complete, and nationally, IIE found a 17 percent increase during the same period.Clemmons said the current number of students attending the 2009 summer programs is the same as last year, though numbers typically continue increasing at this time of year. Clemmons blames the lack of increase on the recent U.S. economic problems.Because of the economic crunch, Leder said the experiences and qualities students gain abroad will give them an upper edge when applying for jobs.In line with IIE’s findings, Leder said the number of University students seeking non-traditional, study-abroad destinations — including China, India, South Africa and Argentina — has increased during the past few years.The University’s Modern Chinese Commerce and Culture Initiative, a cooperative effort among the College of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Honors College, provides University students with knowledge of the Chinese business and cultural environment and caused a giant increase in the number of students going to China between the 2005-06 and the 2006-07 academic years. During this period, the number of University students studying in China increased from 41 students to 126 students.This study abroad program dramatically increased when the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures hired an additional Chinese professor, giving more students the chance to study Chinese in the country, Leder said.”The reason the students would go [to China] is … because it has potential,” said Leder. “Students are beginning to realize that we are dealing with a global economy, with global problems and global issues.”Leder said junior year is the ideal time to study abroad because it is typically the most flexible year. For language-based programs, students must complete certain language credits before they can go abroad, and that time usually comes during junior year, he said. Freshmen through seniors can go on summer programs, depending on the courses offered.BON VOYAGEWhen arriving in Jena, Germany, last year, Rachel Guillory, German and international studies second-year senior, was just another exchange student. As the year rolled on, while most of the exchange students became friends with each other, Guillory befriended the German crowd by hanging out in pubs and traveling with her German peers to other towns and countries. Guillory gained course credit during her abroad experience and made a new best friend who has since traveled across the Atlantic to visit Guillory at her home near the University’s campus.Even though Guillory went abroad for her majors, most students who go abroad through University programs do not have a fluent understanding of the native languages of the countries they want to visit, especially students in the summer programs, said Clemmons.Kate Liethead, international trade and finance junior, traveled abroad last summer with the LSU in Paris program.”The classes in Paris had a lot to do with the culture,” Liethead said. “Our teachers made sure we got out in Paris as part of the class.” Academic Programs Abroad doesn’t send students only to international locations but also to new places within the U.S. Students typically overlook the National Student Exchange, which sends LSU students to 180 universities within the U.S., Canada and U.S. territories, said Dawn Humble, NSE & Non-Affiliated Programs coordinator, “You have to leave Louisiana at some point,” Guillory said. “I really love Louisiana and that was part of the surprise of going abroad for me. I didn’t just appreciate the country over there, I learned to appreciate home.”Applications for all 19 of the 2009 summer programs can be found on the Academic Programs Abroad Web site or on the first floor in Hatcher Hall. The deadline to apply for summer programs is Feb. 27. Academic Programs Abroad will host a Study Abroad Fair and Photo Exhibition Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Design Building.—-Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]