Panrimo
Programs and Reviews
Panrimo is a company born of a friendship established between co-founders Paul and Tony while studying at Western Michigan University. Because of their mutual interests in travel, seeing new places, and the desire to avoid a monotonous college life, Paul and Tony put their heads together to come up with "Panrimo." Described as "an odd name for a serious decision," it salutes both Pangea (yes, the super connected super continent!) and the Latin word for explore, "rimo," thus denoting their underlying message- travel better, in a world that's connected better.
Panroamer alumni are guaranteed lifetime admittance into the Panrimo Travel Club - this includes access to free airport pick up in Panrimo's host countries, access to Panrimo coordinators in partner cities, letters of recommendation from the founders, visa and passport assistance, international travel advice, and access to Panrimo's excursions and cultural immersion activities - for life!
Programs Abroad
Reviews
90%Overall
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100%Overall
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The academic highlight of my trip was the quality of my professors. Both men were extremely qualified in their area of expertise and easy to talk to. Both of my professors understood that their students were only in London for a few weeks and they wanted us to get to most out of our trip. The classes weren't about sitting in a classroom and cramming facts about London into your head; they were about discovering new places and forming opinions and then sharing them with your class and professor, whether that was through a presentation or a series of short essays depended on the class.
The social highlight of my trip was traveling all over England with my new friends from all over the United States. I met people from States that I almost forgot existed and where I couldn't imagine living but we all had similar personalities and a love for traveling. It was great to be able to talk about the differences between growing up outside Washington DC with Chicago or Seattle and realize that even though we were all from different time zones in the US there were many ways we could relate and connect. I've been keeping in touch with my friend from London and I really hope to reunite with them all someday!
I chose Panrimo because of their excellent communication and customer service. I was very busy junior year with a heavy course load and a part time job but Panrimo made it extremely easy for me to study abroad. They always answered questions through email quickly and thoroughly. I never felt like I was dealing with a large company where I was only a number and a check and that made a huge difference in the 6 month long process! Panrimo understood what I wanted out of my experience abroad because they asked and cared then they catered my experience to those preferences and I had the trip of a lifetime.
Critical Feedback:
The beds in the University of Westminster's International House could have been a lot better
100%Overall
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From the time I submitted my application until I arrived back in the U.S. after my internship Panrimo was always there to answer any question or concern I had. They took the time to get to know me on a more personal level in order to find the perfect internship for me. One of the first questions they asked me after I was accepted into the program was if I could have my dream internship in Prague where would it be. I told them my dream internship would be at the National Museum. Only problem with that was the National Museum building was closed for renovations. However, they found me an internship with the National Museum working with their online collection on their website www.eSbirky.cz. My internship was the best experience of my life. My supervisor was wonderful she taught me everything she needed me to know and I felt comfortable asking questions if I did not understand something. I had 3 roommates from other universities across the U.S. Even though there was 4 of us sharing our apartment it was more than big enough for us all. It included a full kitchen, each of us had our own bed, and a washing machine. It was close to public transportation so going to work and into the city was quick and easy. The apartment was beautiful and in a clean and safe neighborhood. Prague has a never ending list of things to see and do. I look forward to going back. If you want a truly amazing internship experience give Panrimo a call or send them an email and see where it could take you.
Critical Feedback:
Honestly the only thing I would change if I was starting this experience over again would be doing a 3 month internship instead of a 2 month internship.
80%Overall
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From the beginning, I was very impressed with Panrimo's attentive staff, as well as with its professional website and catalogue. I really felt like they wanted me to have the best experience possible, and that they make a significant effort to personalize my program according to what I was looking for.
The orientation materials provided by Panrimo were a very helpful introduction to the city, and the support they gave me after I got there was much appreciated as well (I received a one-on-one city tour a few days after I arrived).
Panrimo found me an excellent internship with a local NGO that was a perfect match for my academic interests. Furthermore, my home-stay family was incredibly nice and accommodating and did everything possible to ensure I was comfortable and had a wonderful summer. Now that I'm back in the US, I really miss the home-made dinners and chatting with my host parents every night.
Critical Feedback:
Panrimo is a fantastic program if you want a truly independent experience abroad. They do prepare you before you leave, and are certainly available if you need anything during your stay. However, they do not organize meet-ups in the cities and more or less leave you to do your own thing (optional excursions are offered, but I did not sign up for these). Panrimo is a great program for those who are okay with putting themselves out there to meet people and finding their own way around.
100%Overall
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Simply AMAZING. However, amazing does not seem like a strong enough word to describe my internship experience. I had amazing support from the staff members at St. John's Hospital's Regional Eating Disorders Unit. I felt as though I was doing meaningful work during my time in Scotland. I was living in Edinburgh, and I was never bored. There is always something to see or do. The people were very helpful if I was trying to find a certain place and also very friendly.
Critical Feedback:
I wish Panrimo had a different method for selecting roommates when you are living in an apartment option. A difficult roommate can make for a challenging experience abroad.
Alumni Interviews
Staff Interview
I recently caught up with one of Panrimo's co-founders, Tony Schepers. A lover of jazz music and the Spanish language, Tony managed to study abroad 3 times in his undergraduate career. His business-minded approach to study abroad started at the mere age of 20, when he designed, implemented, and ran a new program for 8 of his college peers in Spain. When he's not writing clever posts on Panrimo's blog, he's off scouting out the next ideal Panrimo study abroad'er, lovingly dubbed "panroamer."
Megan: What are the core principles that Panrimo strives to achieve?
Tony: Intimate service, personal programming, guaranteed credit, small programs, and adventure! We truly want our students to go out and explore, and expect the unexpected. If a student chooses to go abroad through their own university or a typical third party provider, they're going to get what is promised. Panrimo takes it a step further: not only do we promise what you see on paper but so much more - Panrimo's overseas coordinators will invite students into their home for dinner, will bring them to operas, will introduce them to their local friends, will take them on boating trips down the Seine River. These are things you simply cannot do if you have 300 students abroad.We want to know who you are. We provide interested students with an intimate, 10-question questionnaire that pulls at the heart of each Panroamer, which serves as a base for the beginning of the program customization process. Panrimo not only guarantees a personality in the advisor the student is assigned, but a truly personalized and personal experience overseas.
Megan: What separates Panrimo from other study abroad program providers?
Tony: I simply pose this question to every college student interested in studying abroad: do you want to be a number in a group or do you want your interests to be known, utilized, and brought to you in experiences overseas you cannot get anywhere else? If you study photography and are interested in studying in Florence, and you love basilicas, what would you do with two tickets for a Mozart tribute concert at the Via Morano basilica with your camera? If you're a journalist studying in Prague, what could you do with a 4 hour session with a Czech writer in a coffee shop? Where else will you find guaranteed unique experiences crafted with YOU in mind?
It is truly personalized experiences such as these that make Panrimo stand out as the optimal choice for the student interested in maximizing their growth during their time spent abroad.
Megan: A Panroamer - can you better define?
Tony: A dreamer of lemon gelato in Florence, a cyclist through the French Alps, decision maker of your own life experiences, truth seeker of temples and Buddha in Beijing, lover of a caring host family or wicked apt. in downtown Lyon, dancer of 2 a.m. tango, intern hopeful in business marketing in Czech Republic, seeker of adventurous excursions, pizza parlor paisano's new friend in Sicily, or a friend of a friend wanting to study or intern abroad. Panroamers become part of an international club.
Megan: What does the future hold for Panrimo?
Tony: We are not going after 5000 students a year: not everyone can be a Panroamer, and we do not accept everybody. It takes a special type of particular person to be in our club. We simply hope to generate interest among students for our type of programs - the type that caters to their every intellectual desire and motivation for studying abroad. If a student attends a study abroad fair, returns to their dorm with 10 catalogs for study abroad, each with great photos and okay prices, and feels more and more keen to be in South America or Europe or Asia next semester, we want them to choose Panrimo, actually, ONLY choose Panrimo, because they have their own best interests in mind.
Megan: Where would you choose to study abroad again if you had the chance?
Tony: While I would love to return to Buenos Aires again for the 5th/6th/7th time, I think I would instead choose Lyon in France, largely because I have yet to go there. I will always favor traveling somewhere new solely for adventure's sake. That, and I hear the food is good.
I really admire Tony's ambitions for re-defining the typical study abroad experience. He's definitely won my interest in joining this international club - I wonder if I'm cut out for this panroaming business? I like gelato! And my tango's not so bad.
Panrimo offers opportunities for personal growth through unparalleled experiences. With Panrimo Customized Study and Intern Abroad Programs, you'll understand and love life overseas because you created the experience.
With supportive staff, a beautiful city with countless amenities, and an insanely fun university, this program was a fantastic choice. Prague is easy to get around and is a fairly cheap city when comparing it to the rest of Europe. The Panrimo advisors are always willing to help or give their advice, but they aren't overbearing in that you feel as though your parents came along. Anglo-American University is full of amazing professors and some really cool people that come from all over the world.