Skip Navigation
Clare with sheep Clare with friends in front of church Clare with friends

Clare Dymecki

Back to the Main Student Experiences Page

Clare Dymecki Location: Leiden, Netherlands

Time Abroad: Fall 2009

Major: Mathematics

I learned a lot about myself while I was abroad, and also a lot about the world. Going into the future I will definitely be concerned with world politics and other countries more. After having befriended many people from many different countries it has become more important to me to understand how people are being treated and what is going on around me. I learned a lot about other people, but also myself while I was abroad. I have always been shy but going abroad put me into situations where I had to step up and take care of things for myself. The confidence I gained in myself and my abilities will be an invaluable asset for the remainder of my college career and then further into my life after college. I appreciate the everyday conveniences so much more now, but I also appreciate taking a risk and doing something challenging. I've learned to take the calculated risk and embrace what comes your way to the fullest, and appreciate what other people have to teach you, and that's one serious life lesson.

Going abroad for me was always a given, my parents just expected me to do it, so I did. I never gave much thought to why I should be going or what I would really gain from it, but now that I've done it I can easily say it was one of the most valuable experiences of my college life. Not only did I have a ton of fun (so much fun), I also took a lot away from the experience. I made many friends from all over the world, an experience I would not have had staying home at DU. I have an entirely new perspective on my country and my customs because I experienced another country and its customs first hand. I also saw the United States through the eyes of another group of people; in fact, world politics in general was altered for me because of my experiences abroad. I could go on forever about why going abroad was so great, and how much I learned about myself and how I see the world but the bottom line is simple. The bottom line is if I had not gone abroad I would never have seen the beauty of Leiden, or experienced how fun the Dutch are in their own homes. I would not have learned so much about myself and what I am capable of doing and accomplishing on my own in the world. I can sincerely say I appreciate all I have going for me at home, but I now also appreciate how much more there is in the world beyond what I have here.