CEA CAPA Education Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad through CEA in Seville, Spain was hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made. Whether it was the CEA staff in Phoenix, Arizona or the on-site staff in Seville, everyone was incredibly helpful and reliable. The staff were always available to help me with anything I needed. Whether it was helping me through the registration process and making sure I had all of my necessary documents or when I was in Spain and didn't know how to get somewhere or needed a restaurant recommendation. My semester abroad would not have been as successful as it was if it weren't for all of the CEA staff. Having the CEA Seville Center to go to every day was key in fully emerging myself in the Sevillano culture and being successful in my academics.

I have always loved traveling. Before entering college, I thought about the possibility to study abroad. My mom did when she was in college and loved her time abroad. After my first two years of school, I was so busy with academics and athletics that the thought did not cross my mind again until the fall of my junior year. I went in to speak with my schools study abroad office to see what my options were. I had always wanted to go to Italy and once I knew that was an option, I was sold.
Studying abroad was the best decision I have made in life thus far. Florence helped me grow as a person and become a better version of myself. I was completely out of my comfort zone when entering the country. Part of the reason I chose the college I attend is because of the size. I went to a high school the same size as my college, but it fit perfectly. When looking at locations to study abroad in, I knew I would not be able to handle a big city well. I am easily overwhelmed with navigation so I knew I had to stick to the something smaller.
CAPA International Education was a great fit for me. They have locations in 6 different cities around the world, including Florence. The program allow all kinds of different majors and they offer a wide range of classes. Each city has classes tailored to them which gives you the opportunity to learn more about your host city. One of my favorite things about the classes was that we stepped outside of the classroom to relate what we were learning with the city.
Being in a homestay gave me the opportunity to immerse myself fully into Italian culture. They not only gave me a roof over my head, but they were my family. My host family will forever remain a part of me and I hope to one day be able to return to Florence and visit them. Overall, CAPA offered everything I would want in a study abroad program and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Thanks to CEA, I had by far the best study abroad I could have possibly had in Paris. Their orientation well prepared me for life in a foreign country and was well tailored to the needs and desires of a college student. The academics were excellent and were clearly the focus of the program, but weren't so overwhelming that I felt like I didn't have time to explore my interests in the city. The weekly "outings" helped me get to know history about the city I wouldn't have learned otherwise, as well as let me get to know different CEA staff members who all offered different advice and life experiences which will ultimately help inform my own future career and travel choices. CEA also gave me a community in a foreign country that I couldn't have found elsewhere, because they connected me to other American students that had similar interests to my own. Finally, CEA managed to create a perceived bubble of safety in a country that has been deeply affected by terrorism.
I wish I could share a story to help show just how life changing this experience was for me, but how do you share a story when what you most fell in love with was daily Parisian life? It was thrilling to become accustomed to walking through the streets of Paris to class every morning surrounded by other French speaking individuals (amazing to me as I've studied French for years and have never been able to immerse myself so much into it). I fell in love with spending time people watching at Jardin du Luxembourg, or the steps of Sacre Coeur, or walking along the Seine. I will always cherish memories of picnicking with friends in front of the Eiffel Tower, enjoying each others company and laughing about the antics of tourists vs. locals. It's likely I would have had an amazing time in this city no matter which program I decided to go through, but after the two months I had, it would be impossible not to recommend CEA to fellow world travelers.

I chose to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland. It was the best decision I could have made.

During my time abroad I was an intern at a social media analysis company. The experience was enriching and positive; never a dull moment. I was able to tap into my major - Journalism, use innovation to suggest ideas, present content I researched, and pitch ideas to the young team. Overall, I am so glad I did my internship abroad - nothing can compare.

Some highlights from my experience abroad are travel, internship, and friendship. All three of those aspects of my experience abroad helped shape who I am and instilled me with new perspectives on the world and myself; the world is a much bigger place than we realize, but that is the beauty of study abroad. You get to see it from your own eyes and perspectives and make connections around the globe.

My time abroad in Sydney was beyond my wildest dreams. I have been back in the states for six months and Australia is still all I talk about-ask my parents or any of my family and friends! I think of Sydney as my home now, and I long for the day I can go back. I knew I would love studying abroad, but I had no idea how significant of an impact it would have on my life. I hope all students take advantage of this incredible opportunity to go abroad and challenge themselves.

I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! The CAPA Sydney program allowed me to gain professional experience, independence, cultural awareness and much more. I learned so much about myself and what I am capable of. After studying abroad and living independently in a foreign country for more than three months, I am confident that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. I cannot wait for my next Australian adventure and look forward to moving back and working and living there one day.

I loved my CAPA classes and my educational experience while I was abroad. I felt challenged by my courses but not overwhelmed, and I feel like I was able to learn a lot about the Oceania region through my classes. While I did had projects and papers to complete, I did not feel like my workload was too intense and I was confident in my ability to complete my work on time. The resources and support that CAPA offered me were a tremendous help as I learned to navigate the education system abroad. If I needed help with anything, from finding a fax machine or printer to navigating the online submission system, CAPA staff were always willing to help me and ensure that I had all the resources I needed to succeed. I felt like I had a really good balance of class assignments, internship duties and free time. I still had plenty of time to explore Australia and integrate myself into the culture, but my studies came first. I will always remember the help and support that my professors provided me with and the neat experiences I had within the classroom. My overall educational experience far exceeded my expectations and I would recommend CAPA to students who want to have an educational experience that enables them to interact with their host city and country.

I felt like I always had a safe place to go if I had questions or any concerns while in Australia. The CAPA support staff always encouraged students to stop by the office just to chat or try a yummy Australian snack. If I needed help finding a printer or fax machine, I could go there, and if I were to have had any issues, I am confident they would have helped me. It was so lovely to feel so welcome and at ease in a foreign country. The CAPA support staff planned many fun, optional activities for students as well-my favorite was the food crawl through Newtown! I have never ate in one evening ever, but it was so worth it and a wonderful bonding experience!

I really liked the Urbanest apartments we were assigned. They were much better than I expected, with many amenities I really appreciated it, including a fitness center, computers and laundry room. The apartments were really nice and very big-especially the kitchen and the living room. I was surprised by how big they were! I always felt very safe in my urbanest and I enjoyed my living experience and getting to know my roommates! I'm a country girl, born and raised, so living in the city was an incredible experience for me. I never felt homesick or culture shock, but rather Sydney felt like home, like somewhere I had belonged my entire life.

The food in Sydney was absolutely to-die for. I have never eaten such a variety of cuisine from around the world! On every street, there is a dazzling variety of food-from fast food staples to Thai, Mexican, Spanish, South American, Chinese, Italian and everything in between. One of the neatest things about Australia is that the country does not have a lot of chain restaurants. In America, we have Applebees, IHOP and a million other sit-down restaurants you can find across the country, but in Australia, almost every cafe and restaurant is independently-owned and operated, often times by families. I absolutely loved this, because I never knew what to expect and the menu was always different, featuring delicious food that I had not tried before. I must say Sydney's bacon&egg rolls easily became my favorite food of all time. I highly recommend stopping by a breakfast cafe (Newtown's Cafe in Newtown is my top choice) and trying a bacon & egg roll with barebeque sauce. I miss that meal everyday-it was my go-to while I was in Australia!

Australians are so friendly and welcoming in general, so I felt it was easy for me to integrate with the culture and meet Australian friends. I have some lifelong friends in Australia now, including some of my co-workers from my internship! I definitely did a lot of exploring in the small towns and suburbs in order to get a feel for everyday Australian life. There is always something going on, and it's easy to get involved and meet Australians, whether it be at the Manly Beach Surf Competition or the weekly markets in Glebe.

I think about going back and repeating this amazing experience all the time. It was absolutely incredible to go to school, work and live in Australia, and it has completely changed my future. I want to move back one day. Studying abroad in Australia was always a dream of mine, and accomplishing it was absolutely incredible. Going abroad and traveling and experiencing another culture inspired me to always shoot for the stars and achieve my dreams-I want to continue living an extraordinary life and I look forward to the future. CAPA Sydney was the perfect mix of support and independence-I truly felt like I was a professional adult, working in Sydney and taking classes. I felt so independent, with my own apartment, grocery shopping, money management and much more. I feel like, now that I lived across the world successfully and independently, I can do anything! I would love the chance to do it all over again, but I know I will be going back one day because Sydney is now home for me.

Studying abroad in Florence was my dream. But when I first arrived I had no idea what to expect or what to do. This is when the CAPA program really stepped forward and helped me. They introduced me to internship opportunities and ways to get connected with local students. This is how I was able to find the local college student scene in Florence and connect with them. I really wanted to make Italian friends and I was able to once I knew where to look! I was completely immersed in the culture and it really helped me develop my Italian. If I hadn't gone abroad, I wouldn't have the worldview that I have today or the strength to be a confident leader. I was given so many opportunities with CAPA for a different kind of education. My photojournalism course inspired me to write about the city. My Italian film studies class helped teach me about the core of the culture. My anthropology class actually took me outside to observe Florence and the people who live there in their every day life and I found this so rewarding. I learned so much with CAPA and I couldn't have asked for a better educational program.

My absolute favorite day in Paris happened almost by chance. A friend and I had planned to go to the Museé d'Orsay after class but it was closed when we got there. Until we figured out something else to do, we decided to stroll around Les Jardins Tuileries which is right across the Seine. We walked around for a little while and then sat down on a bench in front of some statues and simply watched people. We made up stories about who they were and what they might be saying. We walked around a little while longer and then decided to go to Montemartre and explore around the famous streets that inspired various artists and writers such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald. We took the metro and ended up having to climb about five flights of stairs in this beautifully painted winding stairwell to get to the street. At the top, it opened up to a little square with vendors and stands, many of which selling food. So, as any other Parisian would do, we ordered crêpes and continued our journey. At the top of Montemartre is the very famous Sacre Cœur and we decided to walk the many many stairs to get to it. Once there, we admired the astonishing view that looks out over the entire city of Paris. We took a quick tour inside and decided to wander around the streets of Montemartre. We stumbled upon some incredible art galleries with stone walls, beautiful paintings, and with old French jazz music playing in the background. We talked with some of the owners in French and to be able to have such an experience made my heart melt. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have gone abroad and to have done so with such a great program as CEA. So study abroad! You won't regret it. E

My CAPA study abroad experience was more than I could have ever hoped for. I not only got to learn in and explore a wonderful country and meet some incredible, lifelong friends, but I was helped along the way by some of the nicest, more genuine people I have ever met.

Dublin was my utterly amazing experience for me and CAPA is a big part in why I got to enjoy it so much. They helped to facilitate one of the best times of my life and I will be forever thankful for that. I got to truly experience Dublin as a resident and learned so much about myself and the world around me. Including the wonderful amazing things everyone has to offer by bringing their own unique background to the table.

I would wholeheartedly recommend CAPA and specifically CAPA Dublin to anyone considering a semester abroad.

CAPA, Legitimately the best experience I have ever had. CAPA was so helpful and planned so many AMAZING fun events for us to do ranging from FOOD CRAWLS for FREE (who doesn't love that) to up close and personal in the Opera House, to PRIVATE Screenings of movies, to hiking trips and getting up close and person with a KOALA! :) How many of you can actually say you have done that in your life :) CAPA Staff is absolutely incredible people and will forever stay in your heart for days, months and years to come. CAPA is interested in not only making sure you have the best experience abroad, but also ensuring your safety and security while you are away from home. They are concerned about that lovely stuff. The people you will also meet are incredible. The internship/classes are amazing and awesome of learning aspects and help you open your horizons to how many amazing things are out in this world. The accommodations are like living on a college campus and make you feel so at home seeing so many other college students around! I would recommend everyone to go take a trip with CAPA! If you want to make the best of your trip, the only people who can do that is CAPA International Study Abroad Program! :)

During my semester abroad in London, I Learned more than I ever thought I would, and not just in the classroom. I learned a ton about the world I am living in. I learned that a lot of the struggles and challenges we face as Americans are not at all the same thing that people in other parts of the world struggle with. This experience opened my eyes to all the great things I have had a privilege to and taught me to be fortunate for this. I would say this was definitely a worthwhile experience.