Students considering studying abroad can find advice from an ASU alumnus and world traveler who has written a book about his experiences studying in Spain.

Brian Ary, a 2002 broadcast-journalism graduate, wrote “Study Abroad Unauthorized,” a guide for students who want to know what to expect when they travel abroad.

This is Ary's second book, picking up where his first, “Warning: College Unauthorized,” left off.

In “Study Abroad Unauthorized,” Ary writes about his late-night experiences in bars and discos, days on beaches in Ibiza and hookup opportunities “vastly unique to those at home.”

He also writes about more serious issues involved with studying abroad.

“It can be intimidating going to another country,” Ary said.
But he wrote the book to help students deal with such apprehension.

“There’s no better time to do it than when you’re in college,” he said. “You have minimal responsibilities.”

Pier Baldini, a professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, agreed that college students have the best opportunity to travel.

“Once you finish university, you can’t take off for six weeks,” he said.

Ary said spending time in another country helped him learn more about his own culture.

“You actually come to realize that many of the experiences that we’re going through are identical to experiences of people in other countries,” he said.

Ary said he decided to go to Spain during his senior year at ASU because he had always wanted to study abroad and needed Spanish-language credits to graduate.

“It’s just a notion of getting out of your zone and checking out different countries,” he said. “Once you get a little taste of international experience, you want more.”

Baldini, who has traveled with many students studying in Italy, said one main advantage of studying abroad is the ability to interact with the learning material.

He said students traveling to Italy can take art-history courses and visit a museum to view the work they study in person, as opposed to viewing slides in a classroom.

Studying abroad is also the best way to learn about different languages and cultures, he said.

“It's a maturing experience,” he said. “Little by little, they feel much more at home.”

Baldini said study-abroad groups hold several orientations throughout the school year before leaving the country. This allows students to know what preparations to take before leaving and provides an opportunity to meet with other travelers.

English-literature sophomore Emily Reynolds traveled to Athens, Crete and Rome with the Barrett Honors College this summer.

“It's an awesome experience. Every college student should do it,” she said.

Reynolds said the best part of studying abroad is being able to integrate yourself into a foreign culture.

“Study Abroad Unauthorized” also covers the financial issues of studying abroad. Ary offers information on scholarships, grants and work-study programs.

“The opportunities are out there. It takes the initiative of the individual to go out there and find it,” he said.

Ary said he is planning to write a third book dealing with life in Los Angeles, where he lives now.

“It will pick up after where 'Study Abroad' left off and bring everybody to LA,” he said.

Reach the reporter at adam.sneed@asu.edu