Why did you choose this program?
I chose this program because I wanted to study abroad, but I couldn't decide on just one place to do it. I wanted to travel around and study. This program is perfect for that. I didn't want to miss a semester at school, so it worked great for me to study abroad during the summer. There is also time to do something else with the summer as this program is about a month.
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
I found this program on my own. They helped me differentiate between programs through UW-Madison and external programs. Once I decided to do Forum-Nexus, I had plenty of help from the staff to get me set up for the summer. I just had to find the program and then I got help with the rest. Some schools have this program listed on their study abroad platforms, so it's good to always look at that.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Everyone should go for the full duration if it's possible for them. I wished the program was even longer and went to more places. There are options to shorten the program. People can do this, but I would say to only do that if it's absolutely necessary. I made friends with everyone quickly and would have stayed even longer if I could.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
The first thing everyone does is wake up and get breakfast at the hotel we are staying at. Then classes are in the morning and early afternoon. Some afternoons there are professional visits. These are a couple of hours to visit a business or organization and learn about it. Otherwise, the afternoons are free for students to explore the city we are in. There are free days which students can explore the city we are in or travel somewhere else. Travel days are when we move from city to city. There is lots of free time to do what you want, and you will learn lots from the classes and professional visits.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
I was nervous about doing a program overseas with people that I had never met before. I knew I was going to have fun and learn tons, so I went into it with a positive mindset hoping to make friends with everyone and learn all about Europe. This is exactly what happened. Some people went with a friend or had people from their school, but everyone wanted to make friends with each other. I quickly got to know everyone and they became my good friends fast. By going into the program with a positive mindset wanting to meet everyone and explore Europe, I overcame my nervousness fast.
What do students do in their free time?
Students do all sorts of things in their free time. There is so much to see in all of the places visited. I would find people that wanted to do what I was interested in or join someone that had a good idea of what to do. We would check out monuments, try the different food, meet people, and even travel to different cities. When we were staying in Milan, I went to Lake Como with a couple of the other students. There are endless options.