The academic life abroad is rigorous for both students and professors. Shorter semesters (12 weeks vs. 14 weeks) mean longer class times and more material that needs to be covered. Students' travel schedules and nightly activities stretch them thin, leading to stress and frustration when they find their classroom performance does not meet their expectations.

The nature of living in the house with students is sometimes challenging for Faculty-in-Residence (FiR) who are not used to living in close community with those they teach. Due to the close nature of professor/student relationships abroad, our professors typically report that their percentage of student grade disputes increases. There are also certain emotional and relational strains that are created when teaching in close proximity with the students. In Abilene, you may assign a student a poor mark in your class and never see them again. Abroad, odds are you will see that student again at dinner later that night. This can create tension and breaches of relationship that are different than the kind professors experience on campus. 

With that said, the integration of learning and experience abroad creates a deep and fulfilling teaching experience. Some of our previous FiR have commented that their time abroad reminded them of why they loved teaching in the first place! Though the challenges are real, the rewards are great. We know you will love teaching in your new country! 

• For all academic inquiries, including class times, syllabi information, or classroom facility information, please contact Mark Barneche.

• For course schedule information, book lists, or program calendar information, consult the academic section of our program website under "Current Students” (https://www.acustudyabroad.com/academic).