MACON, Ga. — Mercer University is welcoming back their study abroad program after taking a brief pause because of the pandemic.
Sophie McWhirter is a junior at Mercer University. She will travel to Morocco as a study abroad student in the Spring.
"I am really excited to study abroad. It's something I've always dreamed of doing. I think it's going to be such a cool and unique opportunity that I won't get to have any other time in my life," she said.
McWhirter was supposed to travel to Israel last spring, but couldn't due to the dangers of COVID-19.
"I was pretty sad at first, but everything worked out in the end. I totally understood why we weren't able to go," McWhirter said.
Rebekah Anaya, Mercer's associate director of study abroad, says they had to cancel faculty led trips, and 10 exchange programs, within the past year and a half.
"It was a little heartbreaking to have to cancel all of the in-person programs." Rebekah Anaya said. "Some of the students had really wanted to study abroad before they graduated, and because the programs were cancelled, some of them missed that opportunity."
This year, the program is back in full swing.
"We currently have seven students overseas right now for a whole semester. We have students in Thailand, Korea, Morocco, France and the U.K.," Anaya said.
In order for those students to travel overseas, and for them to travel abroad in the future, they had to take certain safety precautions.
"We decided to go with the policy, which is now Mercer's official policy, that all approved international travelers have to be fully vaccinated before departure, which is at least two weeks from their last dose," Anaya said.
Anaya says some countries have other safety procedures that students must follow, and they will notify them at their safety orientation.
"I feel comfortable to travel now. I feel like COVID has been around for a while now, and put a lot of things in peoples lives on hold. I don't want to let it hold me back. I'm going to be super precautious while I'm there." McWhirter said.
McWhither says she's excited to see the world through a different lens, and learn about the importance of other cultures.
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