Every Brick Tells a Story: Study Abroad as an Extraordinary Experience

Research on study abroad programs (SAPs) has traditionally focused on logistics or the development of attitudes and skills. Less attention has been given to the subjective value of the participants' experience. This study focuses attention on that neglected topic. Drawing insights from an evolving genre of graffiti data and autodriving interviews, the study identifies dimensions of the study abroad experience that cause participants to describe it as life changing and the best experience of their lives. Key dimensions include program-directed and self-directed travel, magic moments, and the experience of communitas. The paper discusses the implications of its findings for SAP management.