Picture yourself years from now, sitting in the living room with your kids.
They lean in as you tell them stories of that one unforgettable summer in Tokyo taking courses, living with friends and exploring Japan’s culture, history and language.
You share adventure after adventure, and by the end, your kids sit wide-eyed, convinced you’re the coolest parent ever. That’s the opportunity I almost left on the table. This past summer, I spent two and a half months living in Uganda, and if there’s one lesson I’ve carried home, it’s this: study abroad!
I didn’t take the chance during my undergrad at Western University, but through my Master’s program I finally did. And I am eternally grateful for the experience.
I travelled to Uganda with the Global Health Systems program, completing three weeks of International Field School followed by an eight-week internship. During the first three weeks, I travelled with a cohort of 36 students to different parts of the country, visiting 14 health organizations.
From Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., we were fully immersed in Uganda’s healthcare system. We learned firsthand about the impact of global health funding cuts, shortages of resources, the reach of the public health network, the burden of communicable diseases and the challenges faced by community health workers who often serve without pay.
On weekends, I got to explore Uganda beyond the classroom. I spent one weekend in Jinja at the source of the Nile River, trying out water sports, eating amazing food and shopping at local markets. Another weekend, I was on safari in Murchison Falls National Park, surrounded by wildlife and spending nights around a campfire with friends.
When it came time for internships, I was placed at a world-renowned research facility in Kalisizo, a rural Ugandan town. At the same time, I contributed to HIV and noncommunicable diseases research alongside colleagues from Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University and Columbia University. It was an experience that pushed me professionally in ways I never expected.
The GHS cohort on the last day of an internship in Kampala, Uganda. July 18th, 2025. Courtesy of Abdirahman Salat.
For me, this was the first time I had travelled overseas for more than two weeks. Spending three months abroad in Uganda taught me professional skills like conducting research, working in global health settings and collaborating with colleagues from around the world.
It also fostered personal growth — teaching me to travel independently, plan trips, budget money, try new foods, be outgoing and connect with others. The experience strengthened my desire to continue international collaborations, deepened my love for travelling and reinforced my sense of global citizenship.
One of the biggest highlights was experiencing a part of the world I hadn’t visited since I was a child. The chance to explore neighbouring countries afterward gave me new perspectives that further shaped my personal and professional growth.
Looking back, I realize I wouldn’t have been able to grow so tremendously without this experience.
Travelling overseas and immersing yourself in a new culture, language and history can feel daunting, but it’s often in that discomfort where real growth happens. That’s why I encourage every student to study abroad. Experiences like these push you to adapt to new cultures, take on challenges and gain a deeper appreciation for the world.
What struck me most is that opportunities like this aren’t out of reach. More students could study abroad if they knew about the available funding and the variety of programs offered.
Students with an admission scholarship already have $1,000–$2,000 set aside for optional study abroad. Many, myself included, assumed this money would go unused, but it can cover part of a course, a flight or housing and food. Western also offers awards like the Global Opportunity Awards and the International Learning Awards, which provide additional funding, and OSAP can help further offset costs for exchange programs.
Western also has over 170 programs in 40 countries, running at different times of the year and lasting anywhere from a few weeks in the summer to a full semester. Study abroad, exchanges, internships, research and faculty-led experiences offer something for every student. You could earn credits in Scandinavia while studying aging, engage in community-based learning in Cuba or explore engineering in Spain.
No matter your program, and whether you’re in arts, science or engineering, there’s an adventure waiting for every student — my experience proved that.
If there’s one piece of advice I could give every student, it’s this: don’t leave study abroad on the table. Embrace the opportunity. It will challenge you, teach you and leave you with stories, skills and perspectives that last a lifetime.
— Abdirahman Salat, Master’s student in Global Health Systems
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