2008 Woodie Awards
Travel study costs increase because of dollar deflation
Greg Ylvisaker
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: News
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There have been some complications however. She needed to work four jobs over the summer and basically give up a social life to ensure there would be enough money to last her the four month period she would be unable to work while in Ireland. She worked a schedule of about 102 hours a week. The cost of her semester abroad, which included her ticket and spending money, was around $11,000.
One of the difficulties she now faces is the depreciation of the dollar around the world. After all of her hard work over the summer, Ward still has to worry about how much she has to spend. With no sign of the dollar's value going up, Ward's problem seems likely to continue, and possibly even get worse.
Ireland's currency is the euro. The exchange rate values the dollar at around $1.57 to 1 euro. A 12 gallon tank of gas in Dublin costs around $60 U.S. A pint of beer in a Dublin pub costs Americans between $7 and $8, or around 4.50 euro. Ireland is one of the most expensive places in Europe to visit right now.
Ward is not the only student studying in Ireland or in other places in Europe. They all share some of the same difficulties. The price of airfare is being affected, not only by the exchange rate, but also by the rising cost of fuel.
Exchange rates and fuel costs are considerations often overlooked by students preparing to take part in travel study or study abroad programs according to Harlan Smith, in charge of the international education programs at UW-Whitewater. However, he points out, students should not let these considerations stand in their way.
"I honestly haven't seen a drop off in terms of numbers of students taking parting the international education programs since prices started going up," said Smith. "In fact, our numbers increase every year."
Students around the country are spending time abroad despite the increased cost. Smith said more students are taking part in travel study programs rather than spending a full semester or year abroad.
He cites rising costs and students having less time to spend away as reasons for the changing trend. Travel study programs hold classes on the UW-Whitewater campus and travel to a foreign country for several weeks after completing the classes.
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