I chose Forum Nexus because it was a multi-country program. Having never traveled outside of the country before, I loved the idea of getting to explore several places in one trip. Not only did I get to see nine of Europe's biggest cities, but I also had the ability to do some independent travels during the weekends to maximize my time abroad.
Alumni Spotlight: Valerie Wojciechowski
Photos
Valerie is a junior at Grand Valley State University, pursuing a degree in photography.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The program providers took care of everything on the trip except for independent student-lead weekend excursions. They made all accommodations for hotels, transportation from city to city, itineraries, etc.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Make the most of your time, 5 weeks goes by fast. Say yes to every opportunity, go on every trip, stay up late, get up early, and do as much as you can. There are endless amounts of things to do academically, socially, and culturally.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
Most weekdays you go to class in the mornings and then a professional visit or cultural tour in the afternoon. Then, it's dinner time and evenings are free to explore the night life.
On weekends, Forum Nexus hosts their own optional day trips for those who are interested but students can also do their own independent travels on the weekends. Usually one day per week is spent traveling from one city to the next, which is a good opportunity for studying and catching up on classes while on the train or bus.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear?
My biggest fear was the language barrier. On the first day in each new country, Forum Nexus professors would go over some of the basic go-to phrases that might be necessary to use in each language.
For example how to say hello, thank you, how are you, do you speak english, etc. I never found the language barrier to be a problem though because many Europeans speak english and there is english written in train stations as well.
Write and answer your own question.
Did you make a lot of friends?
YES. The social aspect of this trip was one of the best parts of the whole experience for me. You spend 24/7 with these people so you get to know each other very quickly. Within the first 5 days I found myself part of an inseparable group of friends. We became so close that all of us were in tears leaving each other at the end of the trip. There are several people that I keep in daily contact with that I met on the trip and am so thankful Forum Nexus brought us together.