Jenny Bushnell '18 has been planning her semester abroad to India for more than a year, applying for endless scholarships, and working five jobs to pay for it.  

On the second day of this new year, she and classmate Abby Bergey '18 took off for their new adventure. 

And what an adventure it has been! 

The pair are both social work majors, slated to graduate this spring, are with the BCA Study Abroad program in Chennai, India. Chennai (formerly known as Madras)is the fourth-largest city in India, and well-known for its offerings of culture, music, and film.

They live in university housing with Indian students, and have been touring major sites, such local temples, the market, and the site where it is believed that St. Thomas was buried. They attend classes at Madras Christian College. 

"We have been learning so much about the culture and learning how to navigate," said Bushnell. "I don't think I will ever be able to express how prepared I feel to study abroad based on my academics and experiences at Malone. As we have started our field work, it is a test of our knowledge on the subject. The students we are working with are masters level students and we are finding ourselves prepared to respond to the questions very easily." 

Bushnell, also a Global & International Studies major, is interning with the community development agency associated with Madras Christian College. Bergy, also a minor in Psychology, is interning with an agency that assists orphans and the elderly. Both will intern at the Community College partnered with MCC to teach lifelong skills classes. 

"Photos don't do our experiences justice," said Bergey, who has enjoyed sampling lime soda and new coffees, eating meals served on banana leaves, exploring beautiful buildings, obsessing over animals, and meeting new people.