LYNN ALUMNUS PREACHES STUDY ABROAD
Originally from Essex Junction, Vt., Tyler Bean traveled across the world to search for one specific concept – a cultured experience.
The former graduate assistant for the Office of Admission and front desk navigator for the Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel had long valued travel. After seeing so many friends and classmates taking their talents to the international stage, Bean chose to do the same in his final undergraduate semester.
Via the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Bean found his way to Berlin for his 18-week trip. There, he achieved exactly what he had hoped – to engage and educate himself in a different culture while enhancing his experience as a student.
“When you study abroad, you really get to see a cultural difference, which affects you as a person for the better,” said Bean. “It can be hard at first when you are thousands of miles away from close friends, family and loved ones. Once you connect with the individuals alongside you internationally, though, the experience just flourishes into an opportunity that is worth it in the end.”
While in Berlin, Bean learned numerous lessons that he may have never discovered in the U.S. He acknowledges that living in a different culture allows individuals to understand themselves better, taking themselves out of their comfort zone.
“When you are living in a different country, you learn more about yourself. It forces you to go out, explore and engage in a culture unlike any other,” said Bean.
The Vermont native greatly values the relationships he built, allowing him to see uniqueness first-hand through the multitude of individuals he met. The younger feel and environment of Berlin fascinated Bean.
“When you’re abroad, you feel a sense of being spoiled when living life in the U.S.,” said Bean. “I enjoyed the life in Europe. It was a great challenge to be more responsible for myself than I ever have.”
Bean saw that life in Europe was more environmentally friendly and economically easier to travel. Consequently, he journeyed to four countries, visiting cities including Rome, Venice, Prague and Budapest.
After studying abroad, he learned to be thankful for all that has occurred, regardless of the stage of life in which one might find themselves. While in Berlin, he resided in an old factory that had been revamped following a Berlin genocide, enhancing the historic value of his experience abroad.
To strengthen his resume while in Europe, Bean worked with others around the globe via his internship with the start-up company Book A Street Artist (BASA). The graduate assistant worked with a particular clientele with hopes that their abilities would be displayed at various weddings, street activities and festivals.
“It was an opportunity for me to be a part of sales, marketing and events, along with being in a work environment where I could be more relaxed. This was an internship experience I get to share with my future colleagues, helping me add international content to my portfolio,” he said.
Bean returned from Berlin just two days prior to his undergraduate graduation, walking across the stage with an event management degree in hand. Also, he recently completed his MBA in marketing and now serves as the account coordinator for the digital marketing agency MoreVisibility. There, he applies the lessons he learned abroad to oversee internal and external communications, all while providing support to the company’s client strategist(s) throughout the fiscal year.
Now that Bean has completed his studies, he hopes to continue to be part of the hospitality world while traveling and discovering new cultures.
