Ryan Healy Studies Abroad In Europe

Ryan Healy poses for a photo with friends in England.

Posted: Jun 27, 2018

BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott men's volleyball rising senior Ryan Healy (Fair Lawn, N.J.) recently studied abroad in Europe. ECGulls caught up with Healy to find out more about his experiences abroad.

ECGulls: Give us an overall description of your trip.

This was a 13-day study tour to England, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. In England, we saw the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Abbey Road, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, the British Library, Old Bailey, and much more. In the Netherlands, we went to the Hague, explored Amsterdam, and saw the Anne Frank House, among many other activities. In Belgium, we visited the European Commission, the Atomium, the Grand Place, and while in France, we saw the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, Versailles, the Arc de Triomphe.

ECGulls: Describe your overall study abroad experience.

This trip was one of the best experiences of my life. I loved getting to see the different countries, their culture, their food, and their people. I loved learning about the different countries from our tour guides. The tour guides we had were experts and displayed a lot of knowledge, all while being funny and engaging with us.

ECGulls: Why would you recommend studying abroad to other students?

I would recommend it because you may never have this type of opportunity again. After graduation, most students will either go back to school to further their education or enter the workforce. Now is the perfect time to travel and get this type of experience. Whether it is a short-term study tour like this one or a full semester abroad, I highly recommend doing some type of study abroad.

ECGulls: What was the biggest lesson you learned?

The biggest lesson I learned was to go with the flow. I did not worry about anything except what was going on at the moment. I learned to savor every moment while abroad and truly embrace my surroundings. I stayed off my phone, except to take pictures, and just looked around. I looked at the buildings, the people, the dogs, and everything else that was around me.

ECGulls: What was your favorite experience?

My favorite experience was seeing Old Bailey, a courthouse in London. We got to go inside and sit in on one of the cases. I have never sat in on a court case before, so getting to see how England's court system worked was very interesting to me.

ECGulls: Describe the educational side of the program.

While in Europe, we got to sit in on two lectures, one at a University in England, and another at the European Commission in Belgium. The one in England discussed Brexit, which is about England recently voting to leave the European Union. The lecture at the European Commission discussed the European Union as a whole.

ECGulls: Were there any funny stories from your trip?

We had free time during one of the days in London. I decided to take the lead and navigate my and a few friends through the subway system, trying to get to one of the museums. I ended up getting us completely lost. Instead of going southeast, we ended up northwest. Instead of panicking, we decided to just walk around and just explore the neighborhood. It was a ton of fun and extremely memorable.

WHY STUDY ABROAD? – (ENDICOTT STUDY ABROAD WEBSITE)

Following the College's philosophy to "learn by doing" through experiential learning, the study abroad program & its international internships prepare students at Endicott for success by offering alternative academic understanding, social & cultural literacy and life-changing experiences. Through semester-long academic study, faculty-led trips, and/or 3-to-15 week internships abroad, students gain new confidence and self-awareness, and obtain the skills necessary for success in today's economy.

"Globalization is here to stay, and students who want to work in our interconnected global world should study or intern abroad.

Despite the inevitable increasing global competition for jobs, American graduates lack the international experience, language capabilities and cross-cultural communication skills necessary to succeed in the global economy.

Making education abroad a part of their college education is the most effective and accessible means for students to develop needed skills because it pushes a student to get out of her comfort zone to experience another culture, language, environment and education system. It teaches students to appreciate difference and diversity firsthand and enables them to recognize — and then dismiss — stereotypes they may have held about people they had never met.

Learning how to interact with people from other countries and cultures equips future leaders in all sectors to address urgent issues — from curing diseases and finding energy solutions, to fighting terrorism and hunger — shared across borders."

The Endicott Experience feature aims to highlight the entirety of the student-athletes' experiential learning journey throughout their academic careers. The student-athlete at Endicott is afforded the same opportunities as the general student population at the College as it relates to internships, study abroad, and postgraduate career pursuits. This philosophy mirrors the mission statement of the College which every student is encouraged to take intellectual risks, pursue scholarly and creative interests, contribute to the community, and explore diverse career paths. Read more Endicott Experience features by navigating the links below.

INTERNSHIP: Fall 2015 | 2014-15 Internships | Fall 2016 Semester-Long | Gulls "Learn By Doing" On Winter Break | 442 Student-Athletes Complete Internships During 2016-17 Academic Year
STUDY ABROAD: Studying Abroad as a Student-Athlete at Endicott | James Dwyer Focuses on Opportunities Abroad in Switzerland with Les Roches Global Hospitality | Endicott Student-Athletes Study Abroad in Asia | Holly Erbe Studies Abroad in London, Paris, Amsterdam | Andrea Courtemanche Gains New Perspectives Through Study Abroad Trip | Shelby Elwell Catches Travel Bug From Study Abroad Experiences | Erica Hadad Studies Abroad In Ireland
ACADEMICS: Emily Sharpe and Eric Owens Balance STEM and Sport at Endicott | Daquan Sampson Always Willing To Learn, On The Court & In The Classroom
CAREER OUTCOMES: Internships Lead To Career Outcomes | 2015 Graduates Find Immediate Success in Job Market | The Relationship Between Athletics & Academia At Endicott