While her Oregon State University classmates received their diplomas on June 17, Sara Haines prepared to journey to Egypt on an all-expenses paid trip from the U.S. Department of State.

Haines, a 2002 graduate of Lebanon High School, received a Critical Language Scholarship from the State Department. Through the program, Haines will spend eight weeks in Cairo learning Arabic.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, and the Council of American Overseas Research Center (CAORC), the program offers scholarships for intensive overseas study in foreign languages often not spoken by American citizens, including Arabic, Persian, Punjabi, Turkish, and Urdu. It's part of the National Security Language Initiative, an &#8220effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical-need foreign languages," according to the CAORC website.

Haines first heard about the program a few years ago and was intrigued, but at the time she had already made summer internship plans. This year, she went ahead and applied, making her one of over 3,000 applicants vying for 150 Arabic language scholarships.

In Cairo, a typical day for Haines includes six hours of language instruction. Afternoons and weekends are spent visiting cultural and historical sites in Egypt.

&#8220It's a cultural and language immersion crash course, if you will, into the Egyptian way of life," she said.

One thing Haines said is appealing about the program is that, unlike other State Department programs, participants are not required to continue working for the State Department once the training is competed. Applicants did have to demonstrate how they will use the language after the program.

&#8220My interest specifically is parasitology, which is the study of parasites," said Haines, who majored in microbiology and minored in French at OSU. &#8220Speaking French, I've always been interested in working in northern Africa." Adding Arabic to her language repertoire would be a huge benefit to her future plans.

Haines left two weeks ago for a three-day orientation in Washington, D.C., where she met the other program members. On June 19, she left for Egypt.

She had to get through finals first, which concluded just a few days before her departure. She also had to pack.

&#8220They did say I'd have to go shopping and buy a new summer wardrobe," she said, noting that in Cairo, she's expected to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, hopefully of linen to combat the heat.

It's not the first time Haines has traveled internationally to increase her knowledge. Last summer she spent three weeks in Prague. Prior to that, she did a year-long internship in Wales.

It won't be her last overseas trip, either. Next year she will teach English in France.