Fun Facts: Famous People who Studied Abroad

They say (and I personally agree on this point) that study abroad adventures are life-changing.  There are many reasons why they are. First, you start challenging yourself and pushing your comfort zone, then you arrive to a place with a different culture and maybe even language,  and you need to learn them and adapt to them while growing as a person.

Here’s a list of famous and inspiring people with whom you might feel you have something in common, or even admire a lot… Did you know they all studied abroad at some point in their lives?

• Gwyneth Paltrow spent a high school year in Talavera de la Reina, Spain when she was 15. Every year she visits Spain, calling it a second home. Have a look at videos showing her Spanish skills. 
• Gael Garcia Bernal (Mexican star actor of The Motorcycle Diaries) studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. He was the first Mexican whose application was accepted into the prestigious school.
• JK Rowling, years before she dreamed up Harry Potter, spent time studying in France as part of her degree in French and Classics at Exeter University.
• Bradley Cooper spent six months studying French in Aix-en-Provence. He said he remembered watching a scene in the movie Chariots of Fire, in which someone spoke French, and thinking ‘Man, that sounds so cool. I want to learn French.
• Penelope Cruz left her home country to study theater at Cristina Rota’s New York school for several years.
• Desmond Tutu (South African activist) earned his Bachelor and Master's degree at King's College London in the 1960s. He says that studying there 'opened up a whole new world to me'
• Mother Teresa spent time helping others and learning abroad. Born and raised in Macedonia and Albania, Mother Teresa studied English at Loreto Abbey in Rathfarnham, Ireland before doing missionary work in India at age 18.
• Dan Brown (Da Vinci Code author) spent a year studying art history in the University of Seville, Spain.