Program Reviews

Kyoto is without a doubt the cultural center of Japan and arguably one of the most exceedingly beautiful cities on earth. I had high expectations upon arrival of the beauty of the land, architecture, and infrastructure of Japan as a whole, and yet I was still surprised. Being immeresed in that alone felt surreal. My expectations for the academics I would be enrolled in were quite high as well, and like before I was surprised nonetheless with the reality of my experience. I had taken a semester off of my Physics undergraduate in order to travel, and I was quite glad to finnaly be able to have the opportunity to study Japanese language at a university level. It was time consuming and frustrating, but so rewarding. I wish I could continue my Japanese university study experience, and in fact I'm likely to do so, with the very same program. The on site coordinator was a charismatic and knowledgeable individual, the planned excursions were unreal, and although there were bumps along the way, I am very satisfied with CIS abroad's Kyoto program.

My time spent in Perugia Italy was life changing, and CIS did a good job of making sure the students felt welcomed and safe. The staff at the Umbra institute were exceptionally helpful and involved. My professors took the time to get to know the students and engage with us in the lessons. Especially my Italian teacher, who was very patient with us as we attempted to improve our pronunciation and grammar. Even before I took off for Italy, my CIS adviser was a great resource for all of my questions and responded to emails very quickly. My advice to other students who are interested in studying abroad is to talk with other students and ask them about their experiences. This program was perfect for me because I was part of the Food and Sustainability program which is something I'm very passionate about, however there may be other places that are better suited to your unique interests! Then, talk to your CIS advisor. Also, the process of getting your visa may be scary and complicated (or at least it was for me) so make sure to talk to your CIS advisor and try to get an early appointment with your closest consulate.

While I had friends also studying abroad at the University of Westminster who enrolled directly, and it is certainly possible to make do this way, the support from the CIS abroad staff was worth it to me. Students are under the care of two separate advisors throughout the experience, the first being a US based program coordinator who is available (and responds quickly) to any and all questions, and makes sure students are well prepared to navigate traveling/customs/visas and provides valuable information ahead of time. Once you get to London, you are picked up at the airport by the on-site coordinators who give you a walking tour of the neighborhood, and are close-by for the duration of your semester should you need anything.

Thailand was an absolutely incredible time. During my stay there, I traveled to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, which was done with ease due to our close proximity to the travel-hub of Bangkok. I haven't stopped talking about the trip since I returned to the US, and can't wait to start planning another trip back to Southeast Asia. Everyone that I met brought something truly unique to the experience & I will always cherish it. Southeast Asia was the perfect balance of culture, nature, and urban/rural life that kept every day & excursion exciting.

Everything about my trip was incredibly exciting. The only thing I would like to harshly review, is the program director in Ireland. It was a little sad because I really loved the staff in the US but the guy in Ireland was vey racist and did not believe in diversity. I wrote an article about it for my internship and it is linked here: http://www.metroeireann.com/news/914/diversity-brings-ireland-peace-not-creeping-islamification.html

So far I have loved my experience abroad with CIS. The program staff has been very helpful since the beginning. Right before I left, Michelle was ready to answer any and all questions I had. She took time out of her day to give me suggestions and tips I hadn't even thought to ask about. There was an issue with the pluming in my apartment from the previous tenants before I moved in- not CISabroad's fault at all. The housing company and CIS set me up in a nearby hotel for the first two days and even paid for my breakfast there. I felt completely supported, which is especially important during the first few days in a new country.

Since arriving in Italy, CISabroad has exceeded my expectations. Romina and Chris, the onsite directors, have been incredibly helpful and reliable. I feel as though I can talk to them about topics ranging from safety to silly ways of having fun. My internship placement is with an amazing company that has greatly increased my knowledge of different healthcare delivery methods, systems in the U.S. versus abroad, and the various jobs needed in the health sector. I have met amazing people and mentors that I can confer with at any time. Because of this internship, I now know that I want to be involved with international healthcare. This realization has been very exciting for me and I can't wait to see where my future takes me.

I also have been able to become immersed in Italian culture. Through both self- and CISabroad-organized experiences, I feel like I have discovered a whole new world. One of my favorite memories was getting to see the Pentecost service in the Pantheon. I had seen an online post about it a few months before I left for my trip. Planning, getting myself (and my roommates) there, and seeing the beautiful rose petals fall from the oculus was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It has given me the confidence to seek out additional experiences that will give me new perspectives. Another memory I will hold onto was laughing at a CISaborad excursion to Eataly. It wasn't a grand moment, but an everyday event that truly defines experiences like this.

Thank you CISabroad for this wonderful experience. It has broadened my perspective of the world and encouraged me to continue to do so in the future. I cannot wait to discover my next destination.

I heard about CISabroad through Franklin College's Global Education supervisor and the CIS alum at my college. I had several different programs to choose from, but I am very happy to be living in Italy with the support and kindness of CISabroad! I was very nervous about living and interning in Italy as I don't know the language and thought it would be difficult to communicate with the people around me. However, CISabroad has made sure I have had all the support I need to live in Rome and have the best experience possible. Living and interning it Rome has given me the chance to immerse myself in a new environment while also experiencing many aspects of Italian culture. This trip has fueled my passion for traveling and opened my eyes to the endless opportunities there are abroad. I have gained even more love for Europe and all of the wonderful, unique cultures it has to offer the rest of the world. This experience has given me the confidence to continue my travels and further my education of the cultures existing all around me. Going through this living experience abroad has made me feel better prepared to take on similar experiences in other parts of the world. I can confidently say that this experience is 100% worth the money and time! The only thing on my mind after my experience is "where can I go next?"

This internship experience has allowed me to see and experience Italian culture like I never would have been able to before. I have been able to immerse myself into life in Rome as more than a tourist. This internship has helped me to work towards new goals and develop myself professionally. The advisors from CISAbroad have worked with me every step of the way to make sure I understand and am prepared for everything that may come my way. Rome is an amazing city and I have been inspired by the people and the culture within it.

I came in with a very open mind and little expectations. The size of my program enabled me to meet my other group members and build relationships with them day one. Our on site coordinator was great, although we didn’t see her very much she periodically checked in and was accessible to us with no problems. Bond is by far the nicest university I’ve attended. Not only do they provide some of the best education, but the professors actually genuinely care about your education! They have some of the nicest facilities a university could ever have, they offer heaps of activities for students, and they make sure to include everyone. The location of Bond was really great too- easy to use public transportation and close enough to nightlife. Only thing I wish had been different is getting to know more locals, because I spent most of my time with Americans or other international students. I was lucky enough to have one Aussie roommate and she was amazing. She will forever be one of my closest and truest friends. If you like the nightlife scene and like the beach- this is the route for you! I couldn’t have imagined this trip going any better for me. I even booked a trip back already!

During my time I met many people and experienced a whole new way of life. One that I will hold with me and cherish but also learn from it as I bring it back home. I also learned that going abroad most of all is expensive,but you cannot put a value on an experience like this. If you are on the edge but don't know how you can make it, think about if you'll ever be able to have this experience again and don't be afraid to take new leaps and journeys. It pays itself off in the end. After all I not only went,I experienced this journey with my girlfriend who I then proposed to while there. So take that leap and take advantage of every second of the ride.