Program Reviews

My semester in Cuba brought me face to face with a culture and political/economic system I knew nothing about; and, through interactions with the close friends I made there, I was brought to recognize the deep-rooted sameness in all of us regardless of background.
One of the most impacting courses I took was "Political Economy of Socialism" in which on the first day of class my professor asked the students to identify the inherent contradictions within capitalism. While I was at a loss for words, the class seemed armed and loaded with a plethora of preset answers; the next day when she asked about the inherent contradictions within socialism, however, I was well-prepared with the propaganda my educational system had indoctrinated me with. Having these discussions with my Cuban classmates led me to understand at a deeper level how greatly our backgrounds affect our understanding of the world and how much the lines we are fed as children stick to our beliefs as adults.

Daily life involves walking to University of Havana classes in the morning and afternoon, and having the rest of the day and weekends free to explore the city and go on excursions around the island. The accommodations are comfortable and clean with great housekeeping and cooking every day. Highlights include seeing Havana landmarks, finding unique restaurants and clubs around the city, and a few day/weekend trips to other historic sites around Cuba.

The most valuable part of this experience was the independence and responsibilities we were given - it was challenging, but in a great way, as I was forced to learn to adapt to a new culture and new lifestyle on my own. I did not have a positive internship experience, however. My internship required a two hour commute, it took the entire day, and I did very little. The company I interned for also did not seem interested in having me there. However, I really enjoyed getting to take trips around the country and meet new people, all while learning and challenging myself.

I had a great experience with Arcadia and the University of Westminster. The spring semester program was long enough to allow me to immerse myself in the English culture and explore the city of London.

I do wish, however, that international students weren't grouped together so often. Because programs, housing, and even some classes were solely for American and other international/study abroad students, I found that it was difficult to step out of my comfort zone and meet locals. While I'm grateful to have met so many wonderful people from the US and other countries, I often felt that we were separated from everyone else. It was tough to meet locals.

At the University of Westminster, I was able to take courses I was interested in that would fulfill requirements at my home school. The education system is different in the UK, but the setup was beneficial to my schedule and my desire to travel. I found some of the classes challenging, but not so much that I was struggling.

While I didn't interact with the Arcadia program team often, I knew that they were always a resource for me. The program team made sure that we all knew where the office was located and how we could get in contact with them. I went on one Arcadia-led travel program to Scotland, which was one of my favorite trips that I took all semester. They set up housing and tours for us, and all went smoothly. I also attended a small get-together with Arcadia toward the end of the semester, which was also nice. It was good to reconnect with the other students in the program after a few months.

Definitely one of the best experiences of my life. I gained valuable life skills over the 10 week internship. My project was tailored to a subject field I was very much interested in and I was able to see the beginnings of the Scottish Referendum from an inside perspective of Parliament. The one on one interactions between you and your MSP is always an added bonus to a wonderful time abroad.

It's funny how things turn out differently from what you expected.

For as long as I can remember it had been a dream of mine to go to Ireland. However, I didn't want it to be a short vacation where I spent my whole time seeing the usual touristy spots; I wanted to actually live there for an extended period of time which is why studying abroad was my best chance of making this dream come true.

The application process didn't seem real. Even after I was accepted and bought my plane tickets to get to Ireland, it never really "hit me" that it was actually happening. It wasn't until the week before leaving that I finally started to feel the pressure. I say pressure because, although I felt a large amount of excitement, I also understood that my friends and family were expecting me to have the experience of a lifetime. I was going to grow; I was going to come back a changed person. But what if that didn't happen? What if I didn't become best friends with all of my Irish classmates? What if I didn't get to see every single place on my list? What if I didn't have the experience that everyone was expecting me to have; the experience I had dreamed of for years?

Well, I didn't. I didn't have a large group of Irish friends. I didn't make it to all of the places on my list. I didn't have the experience that I imagined or that my friends and family imagined.

Instead, I had a couple close Irish friends and an absolutely amazing group of American friends that I met through the program. I've seen so many beautiful places that I never expected to see and had so many fantastic moments that, although small, are among my favorite memories. I had the experience that I never anticipated; the experience that I NEEDED.

The bond that I made with my friends is one that I can never fully describe; it is something that I can barely understand myself. There are no words to describe the love I had, and still have, for them even though I've been back in the states for several months now. Cork became my home and those friends became my family.

The memories I made in Ireland are amazing. From making "foam men" at the Giant's Causeway to playing with peach rings in our small Dean's Hall apartment, they range from grand to seemingly miniscule. But each of these memories has brought so much happiness to my life and has taught me how to see the beauty in every moment.

Without a doubt, I can honestly say that this experience made me realize just how brave, strong, confident, and genuinely happy I can be when I let myself live my life. I am a changed person, even if it isn't visible from the outside. This experience, the one I never expected to have, is a defining part of my young-adulthood.

I find it best to bring things back to the beginning, so I'll end with one of my first, and favorite, memories of Cork:

A bunch of soon-to-be friends sitting in a strange apartment, in a strange city, in a strange country watching "Frozen" as the words to "Let it Go" flood the room.

"It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all. It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through; no right, no wrong, no rules for me, I'm free! Let it go, let it go..."

I attended a semester abroad at the University of Limerick and never wanted to leave. From the day I arrived in Ireland the Arcadia staff met us all at the airport, showed us around Dublin, taught us Irish slang, had us meet with the Gardia(police), gave us traditional Irish food and really helped prepare us for the semester ahead. The orientation was a great way to interact with the other students I would be with and gave us a connection so that we could rely on each other later on. Arcadia staff was always available by email or phone and were extremely helpful in multiple situations including during an unplanned trip to the dentist. We had a coordinator that was like our Irish Grandmother while we were there who showed us around the University campus, taught us how to take the bus routes into the city, showed us around the Market and city and even took us to dinner several times. Arcadia also planned a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher and Bunratty Castle for us and provided all the transportation and everything for only 10Euro. They also planned a huge weekend trip to Belfast for all of the students across Ireland. This made for a great weekend where we could reconnect with everyone we met at orientation and learn about the history of Belfast while exploring the city and the Giants Causeway. Arcadia even supplied with with a turkey and all the fixings to celebrate Thanksgiving while we abroad. Even though the Arcadia office was 2hours away in Dublin I never felt disconnected from them while in Limerick. The University of Limerick was a wonderful place to study as the campus was beautiful and set outside the city so you could be with all the other students but still only a half hour bus ride in to everything. There were numerous activities and clubs to get involved with that really helped me bond with Irish students and others from around the world. The on campus housing was better than any American Residence Hall I've seen. Suites were set up so that six people shared an apartment with a shared kitchen and living room but that each student had their own room and bathroom with a closet and even a double bed. Overall University of Limerick through the Arcadia program was a wonderful experience that I would do again in a heart beat if I could.

Classes were great, professors were cool and very knowledgeable. The best part was having class walking around the city. Apartments were perfect. Orientation and class field trips were well planned and educational.

This internship helped me discover not only what I wanted to do with my life, but also helped me grow and develop professionally that I would not have had the chance to back in the States. I worked for an integrated marketing agency, Carat, which provided me with the unique opportunity to learn skills such as media buying and planning, implementing marketing campaigns, and numerous other qualities. This wasn't an internship where I got coffee or filed papers - we were given tasks that were beneficial towards the daily activities and proceedings of the company as well as real-world experience. Furthermore, simply living in a new country provided an incredible opportunity to learn from a new culture, experience a more Asian themed culture than my Midwest background is used to as well as live in a gorgeous, friendly and beautiful city. This was easily the best decision of my life and I would study abroad with Arcadia again if given the chance.

Study abroad in Otago was definitely the highlight of my undergrad experience. Arcadia's program and advisors were super helpful and supportive every step of the way. The combination of great people, a great school, and an amazing country made my semester in NZ unforgettable.