Program Reviews

I went into this thinking I would be attending French class maybe three days a week, without a schedule or anything. When I arrived, we had class Monday through Friday, alternating between half days and full days of all French. This really put a damper on my experience, as I felt like I didn't have much time to myself. What saved the trip were the excursions with the onsite director to several famous sites, as well as welcome and farewell dinners at fancy restaurants (le fromage et l'eau pour moi, merci). All the time spent on these excursions were the high points of my two and a half months abroad, not including my few solo trips outside of France which were also wonderful. If I could do it again, I wish I could have just done the excursions and spent the rest of the time traveling by myself (which isn't to say the education wasn't good--it was, but I didn't know ahead of time how much there would be).

When Europeans think of America, they think of Hollywood and New York. When Americans think of Europe, they think of Rome or Paris. Do you see the problem here? Many cities get overlooked, including one of Europe's finest: Prague.

My time in Prague was a complete dream, being more than I could have ever imagined. Moving alone across the world to a brand new city can make or break a trip, but Prague provided the warm welcome I needed to transition. It has everything from the fun and adventure to the safety and academics, making it a favorite among students and parents.

Prague's colorful Baroque buildings make a beautiful city filled with rich history. Our CIS group never tired of aimlessly walking around the city, and getting lost in its charming streets always seemed to be more of an adventure than a problem. There was always something to do, day or night, but often times we found that spending the day walking around was more fun than anything else. Prague is in the heart of Europe, which is advantageous for many reasons, easy and cheap traveling being the biggest benefit. I was able to travel to seven other countries due to the central location of the Czech Republic. I loved every experience I got, but at the end of the trip I was always excited to come back home to Prague, the city that held my heart.

Finally, the education we received was phenomenal. The school is ranked one of the top business schools in Europe, and it was an excellent experience. The professors were very helpful and accommodating, and the classes were insightful and useful. I enjoyed going to school and learning at their beautiful facility.

Overall, the experience was more than I could have ever dreamed. I expected a fun trip, but what I got was a lifetime of unforgettable friendships, experiences, and memories. I have already since been back to Prague and can hardly stay away again. I am always itching to go back, as Prague will always have my heart. If you get the chance, I hope you highly consider Prague. The city is waiting for you, and I promise it won't disappoint.

Not many students think of Prague when they're looking to study abroad but Prague is one of the best options out there for students who don't have as much money to spend in their study abroad experience. Prague is not only cheap living but also a fun and beautiful city. The architecture is mainly from the gothic time period and it's one of the few cities that have been able to preserve it for as long as they have. For students who are looking more for a lively social scene there is more clubs and bars than you can visit in the time you're there. I would also point out to future participants that Prague is centrally located which makes it easier and cheaper to get to most places in Europe. It is also very safe compared to other cities such as Paris or Barcelona that students typically go to study. Overall, my favorite memory from Prague was sitting at Letna Beer Gardens with my new best friends overlooking the city and realizing how sad we were to have to leave soon after that. Although that moment was sad it reminded me of everything I had learned and every person I had met and how lucky I was to be given that opportunity.

This impacted my life post program because I simply had seen how a very different culture lived their daily lives. Because of this I have become more empathetic and more understanding of other's hardships. But the way it affected me most was creating this part of me that wanted to experience the rest of the world, knowing that even after going to ten countries I had only scratched the surface.

Dear future travelers,
Picture where your life is right now. If you’re living comfortably but there’s still that little voice in the back of your head saying that something doesn’t feel “right,” I encourage you to listen to it. If you’re feeling frustrated, trapped or unhappy, I promise you that studying abroad in the Gold Coast will liberate you.
Before going abroad, I was an entirely different person. To be honest, I was quite unhappy and was convinced that I was suffering from depression. Leaving everything I knew behind wasn’t easy, especially the first few weeks, but it made me realize something that I’ll take with me for the rest of my life. It taught me that you can challenge everything you ever thought yourself to be and reinvent yourself. All the preconceptions I had about myself were wrong. Before Australia, I never would’ve imagined myself enjoying skydiving, getting certified as a scuba diver and learning to surf. I also adopted a whole new way of thinking through the Buddhist philosophy course I took at Bond Univerdity. I was inspired to begin practicing meditation and be more compassionate towards others. I shed all my negative ruminations and was able to become a more positive and emotionally balanced person. My experience left me with so many incredible memories, and I know that yours will too. Here’s my best advice I can give you as you plan your trip to the Gold Coast.

1. Develop a self care routine while undergoing culture shock. Culture shock and jet lag are both very real, and they can make you feel a bit off in the beginning. Be sure to connect with people from home, get rest, and do whatever it is that helps soothe you, whether it’s going for a run, watching Netflix or my personal favorite, meditation.

2. Challenge everything you think you know about yourself. Afraid of roller coasters when you were younger? Go to one of the many theme parks for a day and conquer that fear. Try new foods, explore and take part in the culture as much as possible.

3. Get to know the locals! While you’ll be meeting great people through your program, make sure to talk to the Australian and international students outside of the program. You’ll be surprised how friendly and open they are to getting to know you if you are willing to get to know them. While abroad I made friends with students from Australia, Brazil and Norway.

4. Choose your travel partners wisely. It’s easy to get excited and want to book trips with someone the first day you meet them, but before you plan anything, be sure you are compatible. Ask them what kinds of things they are looking to do while in a given location. Some people prefer sightseeing while others prefer to explore the clubs. Be sure you can live with them for a week. If you travel with the right people, you will have an amazing time.

5. Make it your own personal experience. Everyone’s experience will mean something different to them, and however you want to spend it is up to you. Just go out there explore, take pictures and videos and I recommend keeping a journal. Because at the end of the day nobody will share the same memories as you.

Your flights almost here, so it’s time for me to go. Just kick back and relax because it’s going to be a long flight, but I promise you it will be worth everything. Safe Travels.

Sincerely,
Holly
(Former CIS abroad student)

I have never been to Spain before and studying abroad there changed my life! I now recommend Barcelona for studies, to all of my friends! I also have met friends there who i am now connected with forever all over the world! I was super excited to see all that was offered in the program. My favorite memory would have to be the Beaches & clubs. The barcelona night life is what i lived for! It was always a fun time, and great experience. I would like to talk a bit about the class i took. I loved it and learned so much, and i loved my professor even more! The program really provides great professors as well as adequate schooling.

With the guidance of CISAbroad, I couldn't have asked for a better study abroad experience. The memories I made in southern Italy I will remember forever and hope to tell to my children and grandchildren of. CISAbroad walked me through all the steps of obtaining my study visa. They put up with my constant questions and worrying. Even while in Italy, I was able to meet up with an Italian adviser that took me to dinner and informed me of many Italian cultures and traditions. I couldn't have felt more comfortable being in a foreign environment with the staff of CISAbroad by my side. Sorrento was an amazing environment to thrive, meet new people, and try new things. I would recommended this experience to anyone and everyone.

I loved getting to leave the US for the first time and it was a great experience! I met really cool people, took new and interesting classes, experienced a new culture, and learned to live independently. I highly recommend studying abroad to anyone who gets the chance to because I could be the best part of your college experience. Also, the staff both who get you there and those who are with you on site are the kindest, most helpful people ever and they really care about you having a great time.

I studied abroad last semester in Barcelona, Spain and seriously could not have asked for a better experience thanks to CISabroad. I was recommended CISabroad over any other program by my school's Office of International Education because of the high regard students from the past decade had for their programs. I can confidently say that the team and program were by no means "just about the money." In fact, upon arriving we were each given a "cultural credit card" I hadn't heard of beforehand and were encouraged to use the money for any cultural experiences we otherwise would not have pursued. They didn't have to do that, and certainly wouldn't have if they were just about the profit. I ended up going on their Morocco excursion for that very reason, which is now one of my fondest memories abroad. Also they don't hold back at welcome/fairwell dinners, mentor meetings at cafes, or any of the many other complimentary dinners/events - always the best of the best. But what I appreciated most was how relational and helpful the on-site team was. I went into CISabroad's program not knowing a soul and they made the transition unbelievably easy for me. If the other programs are anything like CISabroad Barcelona, you can be sure to expect a team that genuinely desires for you to have a safe, fun, eye-opening, memorable, and life-changing experience. Since studying abroad, I have been a student advisor for study abroad and international education services and have led 7 individuals to pursue studying abroad through that very program. And boy, am I itching to go back!

I knew no one going into the experience. I traveled alone and didn’t meet anyone from the program until I got to Barcelona. I ended up becoming great friends with a lot of people and a lot of stay in touch through our groupme chat called “Carrer Ample Squad” - the street where some of us stayed. Personally I really enjoyed my internship experience. I worked with locals and really felt like I was contributing to their company and an proud to have gotten to know them. As recently as last week I was in touch with one of my old coworkers and reminded her that it had been a year since my first day there! The program and its staff was great. They provided events for us but also gave us a lot of space to do our own thing, they were awesome!

Through CIS, I was able to go to Thailand for a whole semester last Fall. I was so excited to go, but I had no idea how much fun I was actually going to have until I was home again in the states. My time there was beyond incredible, and it was truly the best experience of my life...I even got a tattoo to remember it while I was there! CIS was very helpful with everything, and having an advisor that lives nearby, that you can basically text/call at any hour, was very comforting. Our trips through CIS were also amazing. The floating market, the elephant sanctuary, and the Ko Chang island trip were amazing, and our advisor was very organized and helpful when scheduling trip dates/locations/times. I've now been home for about 5 months, and I would do anything to go back!