Program Reviews

Overall, I had an amazing experience traveling through the CIS Abroad program to Costa Rica. In my honest review though, my program was not very organized. They did do a great job preparing you and making you feel safe and having everything you needed to travel to a new country. However, when it came to planning trips and excursions, class organization, and an accurate description of the program application, they did very poor. First off the application did not give a good description of what excursions were included and not included and did not have an accurate syllabus online. It was very different from what we actually did and that left everyone taking the same class as me very frustrated and we had to work out all the issues together once we got there to still get our moneys worth of an experience. On the website it said that two excursions were included in the pay and that was wrong we only had one included and had to pay any other ones we wanted to do, and they were not cheap. The program coordinator was understanding and did try to help us work through these issues but it still showed disorganization and not much communication on their part. I still had an enjoyable experience after working through these issues and planning my own trips once I got there, but it was a hassle working through the issues that were not communicated on the website description of the program. This was also my first time traveling abroad and Costa Rica was an incredible place to visit. I loved all the people in my program and it was fun to get to know them better and people with a desire to travel like you. This trip made me want to travel more and gave me the confidence that I am able to do that on my own. I also learned that I love the vibrant, friendly culture of Latin America and can't wait to see more of it.

Traveling gives you everything you need but nothing you want. It answers your questions but not the ones you originally asked. I know reverse culture shock; I know it well and every time I arrive home from a major trip I start to doubt everything I know. I go through my closet and throw out clothes that I wouldn't wear abroad. I go to the grocery store and choose ingredients that remind me of the shelves in Spain. My circumstance was a little different than most of my travel companions. I never had the chance to study abroad in college. That was a luxury that I couldn't afford. Not at 21 anyway. I always wanted to live abroad. A boyfriend and I always joked about moving to Chile for a summer. I'd work at a coffee shop and learn Spanish. He would fix up his mom's house and we'd have the adventure of a lifetime. As the story goes, we broke it off and our plans of moving dissolved. Flash forward a year later, September 2017, just graduated college, bartending and still heartbroken. I knew I needed more. I just didn't know what of. More freedom, more adventure, more challenges? I googled my options, researched grad schools in London, volunteer programs in South America and after a week of contemplation I submitted my application for CISabroad's internship abroad program. Despite my excitement, my peers and community had mixed views and a lot of doubts about my moving to Spain, and they were not afraid to be verbal about it. No one understood the point of me spending money to work somewhere without pay, no one understood why I was leaving my very lucrative job bartending for an internship, after I already graduated. I didn't know how to communicate with them that I knew there was a void in my life and I needed a change. Those who were excited for me, told me they hope I meet a Spanish man, one I can marry and have a wonderful life with. I always replied, “That would be awesome, but honestly I’m not going to find a man, I’m going to find myself.” I never thought that statement would hold so much truth.

After three months, long walks through the gothic quarter, a job that reminded me that passion gets you farther than practicalness and copious amounts of tapas, I found what I was looking for. My life will never be the same post Spain, but I couldn't be more proud of my new-found self. I did it, I lived and worked abroad, I feel as though I can do almost anything. Of course, some days I long for café con leches in the mid-morning and vermuterías on every passing corner in Eixample. I wish all cities in Europe and the United States were as walkable as Barcelona; where the art, the love, the color of the city makes you want to stop in your tracks and just look up and take it all in. Barcelona will without a doubt be one of the best chapters of my life. But I am so excited to see what rivals it.

My advice to anyone thinking about traveling, studying abroad, working abroad etc. is, travel hurts, it pulls you a part, confuses you and convinces you to doubt everything you know. Slowly but surely you discover new pieces of yourself you never knew existed and eventually those parts of you (old and new) are put back together. You are forever changed, and as hard and stressful as it was, you come back home with the urge, the want, the need to do it all over again.

Reasons why I loved my experience with CISabroad:
1) The staff was really personal and kind.
-My advisor was Jackie Langdon and she made sure everything was great before arriving and personally introduced herself in person.
-All of the Onsite Staff made sure all of the students were safe, and mentally well. You can stop to talk with them at any time & If you want to get lunch together or need suggestions.
-Each student is also given a mentor.
2) A plethora of EVENTS INCLUDED!
I attended:
-Hikes
-Guided tours-Muesuems & Towns
-1-2 Catalan-Style Lunch/Dinners together
-Cooking Class
-Trips to Montserrat, Costa Brava, and Girona
3) ALWAYS Something to Do FOR FREE
-I was nervous because I didn't come with much money but CISabroad sent cultural activities for each week and many happened to be free.
-CISabroad helps you live like a local and that's something that you will always remember.

I will truly miss attending Barcelona SIS with CISabroad. Prior to this trip, I had never been out of United States, on a plane, or far from family and friends. I was nervous and excited because everything would be new territory, the staff ensured I would have an amazing time and answered any and all questions I had before arriving in Barcelona. The CISabroad staff made it very easy for me to be prepared and gave ample information and cultural sessions. Upon arriving in Barcelona the staff welcomed me and other students at the airport and instantly I felt like I belonged. The first week I became homesick but the staff, interns, and people in my program quickly made me aware of such an amazing experience I can have in a new place. I hope this helps someone!

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?"