Program Reviews

Studying abroad with Arcadia at University of Westminster was an amazing experience. Arcadia is wonderful in assisting students in transitioning to living in London. I had a really positive and informational orientation experience with Arcadia. They take you out to dinner your first night and also paid for us to see a London play together and take a tour of the Tower of London. Part of orientation is lecture-based, however the information you learn is very useful and interesting. Arcadia also has trips planned throughout the semester that you can sign up for to go to places like Cambridge or Oxford. The Arcadia staff is always available if you have questions or need anything. I was also very pleased with the University of Westminster. You will take classes alongside U.K. or international students, which is a great way to meet British friends. I stayed in the Marylebone campus and absolutely loved it. It was located in the middle of the city and it's right next to Regent's Park. Overall, I had an incredible experience and I am so thankful for Arcadia's program and support they offer to study abroad students.

I had dreamed of going to Ireland since I was a little girl, so my expectations were very high. I had fantasized about this experience to get me through the hard times in my life. Did I ever think I would do it? I'm not sure, I think I knew I would try, but I could never make it a reality in my mind until I was landing in the airport, sick as a dog I might add due to bronchitis and a sinus infection. Now, the actual country was different than I expected. History literally popped up on the side of the road when you least expected it, and you get used to seeing ruins of castles dotting the landscape. The food was heavy but so fresh and lovely! Not going to lie, going in the winter/spring was rough because it was very hard to break into the Irish student scene. However, I made some awesome friends within the international student crowd, and they were the people I hung out with during my free time. There is so much to see in Ireland that I still didn't see everything after 5 and a half months. Cork itself is a cute city large enough to find something new every time you walk around but small enough to feel homey. If you're religious, watch out. The services seemed sort of rushed to me, but the churches themselves are gorgeous. Also, I found much more spiritual connection when I was exploring Ireland and the landscape/castles/monasteries than when I was in church. UCC is a lovely university, and the classes in Irish studies/celtic studies are really interesting! The class style is an adjustment because professors expect more of you as a student than we are used to. There is very little babying there, though professors help immensely with the adjustment. Finally, Ireland could never meet up to those fanciful expectations that I held as a child, but by rating it on its own it was a brilliant experience

It could have been simply me just not paying attention earlier, but when I first arrived at Accademia Italiana is when I discovered it was mainly a schoool for fashion. I was the only Illustration student in the school's population as far as I knew, and almost the only one wearing tennis shoes (I felt very out of place!) Regardless of that though, I still enjoyed the classes I took. All the teachers were helpful and enthusiastic, and encouraging. I made few friends because many people were already friends with each other - unlike me, the only person from my university to be attending that school. The school trips were fun, although I wish the Rome trip was more than two days.

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.