CIS Abroad Reviews

I had serious issues with CIS Abroad’s predeparture segment. I felt as though our program director I’ll equipped us to properly prepare for the trip and the crucial steps to complete before leaving.

However I did THOROUGHLY enjoy my trip thanks entirely to our on-site director who went above and beyond to find us fun, immersive program excursions and events. He made sure that the trip was as enjoyable and broaden our horizons.

I had the most amazing experience studying abroad in Florence! From living 2 minutes away from the Ponte Vecchio, to beautiful walks along the Arno River to school, to making friends with local cafe workers, I wouldn’t change anything about my experience. I had the time and opportunity to visit 10 different countries, all of which were so different and unreal to explore! I was able to visit Budapest, Nuremberg, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, Dublin, Montreux, Athens, and many cities all over Italy. My travel buddies and I decided to take the path less traveled by and plan every bit of our own travel experiences. This was done by avoiding the many student-enticing travel companies that make cross country traveling “easier.” I found that planning my own trips has taught me so much about myself as a traveler and a person. I realize how resourceful and independent I can be! This experience has also made me a more confident individual and has inspired me to explore more of my home country, that I have so much more to see!

Going in to my semester, I was not really sure what to expected, and had all of the emotions of excitement and nervousness built up inside of me. Overall, I would say my semester blew my expectations out of the water. What made it so unique was just being able to compare my experiences and opportunities such as scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, visiting Thailand, hiking in New Zealand, etc. to those of my friends in Europe. In Australia, while it has some similarities to the US, there are so many different opportunities that I may never have again. Studying at Bond was also an eye opener because of the importance of education in Australia, and while there was time to travel and have fun, I definitely had to spend time studying and learned a lot. 11/10 recommend it.

Choosing to study abroad was a big choice, one that not many students decide to do, by making the decision to study abroad with CIS in Australia was one of the best choices I have ever made. If you are considering whether or not you want to study abroad or have decided but not sure where you want to go CIS is definitely there to help you make that decision. The small group of “guides” honestly made us feel so welcome and made the process of leaving home to cross the world a really smooth transition. A useful tip for those considering abroad is to just be open minded for everything; meeting new people, trying new foods, experience their culture and traditions! Being submerged in the country and what it offers was the best thing for me to experience the whole semester! Throughout the 5 months I had made some of the best memories with the friends I had made through CIS and I would not give it back for anything.

"Write a Review on your Study Abroad Experience for a chance to win a trip back overseas".
I rave about my trip abroad to almost everybody who will listen. So when I saw this opportunity on the CIS Abroad Instagram, I jumped at the idea of writing a review of my semester and how CIS abroad brilliantly accommodated me, and my friends also in this program with me. So, I guess I should start from the beginning...

Everybody always says how much studying abroad changes you. In fact, when I told my family and friends that I was going to Australia (which had been a goal two years in the making) I heard one or two things repeatedly. First one being, "Wow! It's going to have such a amazing impact on your life! Watch, you'll see", and the other set of people saying, "Meet yourself a nice Australian man!". So naturally, on the plane over I had such high expectations of things I was going to do, and the people I would meet in a few short hours. Even from when I was picked up at the airport, I knew that CIS Abroad staff in Australia and back home had my back. Jackie Chapman was one of those people. She made this group of college students really bond with each other. It was like we were all one big family.

The excursions planned for the first few days were probably one of my highlights of the whole trip. In just three short days we managed to see so much of beautiful Cairns, got to meet such amazing people, and got to be adventurous in multiple activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef (I ended up falling in love with scuba diving from this encounter) , holding Koalas, feeding kangaroos, embracing and learning about Aboriginal Australian people, and so much more!

The fun did not stop there! Throughout the semester students in the CIS Abroad program also had optional excursions such as hiking, and food meet-ups! Jackie was amazing at organizing us all and making sure that we knew that if we needed anything, that she would be there.

So, with my time coming to a close in Australia, I looked back on what all those people had said to me. Australia changed my life for the better. I found myself and watched myself grow and with all the travel that I did, grew a maturity that I did not have before. CIS Abroad assisted me with this change, and gave me the opportunity to open my eyes to the world of travel. I cannot thank CIS Abroad more, they made me realize that I love traveling, and I love living in Australia. In the next few years I plan to travel back and get back in touch with all the friends CIS abroad has helped me make.

As I got on the plane and looked behind me at Australia for the last time, I smiled and reminisced on the places I went to, the people I met, the experiences I had. My semester went better than I could ever imagine. I would 100000% recommend that others use CIS Abroad and travel the world to gain culture experiences and knowledge about other places besides the United States. If somebody I knew were to go on the exact same program I went on, my biggest piece of advice would be,
1. To take advantage of all the activities presented through CIS Abroad and Bond University, and
2. Really embrace your time in Australia- it goes by way too fast!

Thank you so much CIS Abroad for a amazing semester, and for changing my life for the better!

My experience was one of soul searching. This study abroad program not only gave me a great opportunity to go somewhere I have never been before but gave me the chance to be on my own truly for the first time and do things I never would do at home in the states. I was able to explore big cities, go to a soccer game and explore the mountains of Australia. I did all this on my own and in the states I would not do something like that. It gave me the chance to finally find who I was and what I wanted to be. I found out a lot about myself. I now know that I want to not only go New places but get to know the history, the culture and the people of the country or place I go to. I don’t care to go to the big attractions or tourist destinations. Overall this experience wasn’t about the trip, it was the knowledge I was able to learn from my classes, my new friends and the places I was able to go and experience. If I wouldn’t have been able to do this then I would have missed out on a great experience and be behind in my life and not able to understand who I truly am.

There are not enough words to describe how grateful I am to CIS Abroad for providing me the opportunity to intern in Sydney, Australia for 8 weeks this summer. I am just in the middle of the program now, and I am having the time of my life. Being able to see firsthand how Australian business is run, getting hands-on experience that will directly impact my future career, and having weekends to explore one of the most amazing cities in the world is something I will never forget or take for granted.

Even though I have been here such a short time, I have already learned a lot. I believe my patience has grown ten-fold, and I already considered myself a patient person before I came here. I have been given tasks that seemed daunting at first, but I stayed confident and was able to tackle them and feel proud of the work I did. I have learned the best ways to communicate with my supervisor. I had some difficulties adjusting when I first arrived in Sydney and was forced to either bring them up to my supervisor and my CIS Abroad advisor or suffer and stay quiet. I chose the former, and I am so happy I did. I learned how to best deal with conflict resolution, which tends to be difficult when it is your own issue you need assistance with. In the end, things could not have been better. Everyone worked to make sure I was comfortable but still being pushed, which I am so grateful for.
On a non-work related topic, the friendships you get to make through this program are invaluable. I have made the most incredible relationships with the students that arrived in Sydney at the same time as me, as well as the other international students and interns living in my apartment building. We have gone on many adventures together in our short time here, and we have quite a few more planned! It has made the adjustment process so smooth and wonderful to have people to relate to and spend time with. They serve as a distraction from homesickness, adventure buddies, and true friends I honestly believe I will cherish forever. They are each so genuine and caring, and I can't imagine how different my experience would be without them.

One of the tough parts about getting to Sydney from the States was the time zone change. I would recommend staying up as LATE as possible on your first day and then sleeping at night; no naps when you first arrive. This helped me adjust to the new time so much quicker than others I know. I also had some difficulty with flight cancellations and delays on my way from the States to Australia, but if it happens to you, stay calm! Everything works itself out, and the CIS Abroad staff made me feel so relaxed and at ease and made sure that I was fully caught up on things I missed and totally taken care of when I arrived. My on-site director even bought me breakfast and snacks and had them waiting for me in my room when I arrived at the accommodation in case I would be hungry (which I was, so I greatly appreciated her generosity)!

Another tip for navigating the city is just to explore! The Sunday before our first day of work, each of the interns I live with went our separate ways to try to find the best route to take to our job sites. I got very lost, but Google Maps is a lifesaver! Buses and trains are everywhere, and even if you feel lost, chances are that you aren't too far away from either where you need to be, or modes of transportation that can help get you there fast! Just be wary of how much you are spending on your Opal card, which is what Australians use for public transportation. It can get quite expensive! However, if you ride a bus or a train more than 8 times in a week, every ride after that is half priced! Which is a great deal, especially since it doesn't take too long to hit 8 rides.

The best thing I purchased here so far has been my phone plan. I chose to go with Vodafone, which is one of Australia’s largest phone companies. I was nervous that I would not be able to talk to my family regularly, whether because of international plan limitations or the crazy time difference, but that hasn’t been the case at all! I purchased a monthly prepaid phone plan that gave me 24 GB of data for only $35, and unlimited calls and texts within the country. I’ve been using my data to FaceTime my parents and friends back home! Its been almost a month, and I have plenty of data left before I need to repurchase the plan. My commute in the morning is about an hour and a half, and when it is 8am in Australia and I am getting on a train, it is 6pm the day before at home, which is the perfect time to call and touch base with my family. I have made this my daily routine, and it starts my day off in the best way. Don’t be nervous you won’t be able to contact home! There are EASY ways to make it happen, even if you don’t choose to make it a daily thing. I was terrified to not have much communication, but my worries were for nothing. Like I said, everything works out!!

As I said, I have only been in Sydney about 3 weeks now. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy exploring every chance I get! My favourite travel-related memory has to be the day we went to Palm Beach Wharf to take a ferry to the Basin. This was about a two-hour bus ride from Sydney, but talking and laughing with my friends helped make it feel short. We got to feed and play with wild wallabies when we were there, and it was insane to see how close they came to us and how friendly they were. I never imagined I would see a wallaby so close and in person! Palm Beach is also incredibly beautiful. I would definitely recommend going there if you ever come to Sydney. Another thing I look forward to every day is coming home and hearing about my friends’ days. Each of us is doing an internship that is in a different field, so there are always unique stories to be heard, funny things that happened in the office or on their commute, and what they are working on.

I can’t wait to use what I am learning at my internship in my future career and life in general. Its only been three weeks, and I feel more prepared to be in a career field than I ever have been before. I chose to do a general business administration/event planning internship, as I do not yet know what I want to do for a career in the future. This has opened my eyes to what it looks like to run a business and plan large events. Even though I came at the end of planning, I was able to dive in headfirst to help finalize details and plan my internship’s huge annual Ball that hosts over 500 guests! It was a doozy to work on, but I learned so much in such a short amount of time regarding what it takes to pull together such an extravagant night. It came together so beautifully, and I was so proud to have had even a small part in making it the success that it was.

If you are considering a trip with CIS Abroad, to anywhere in the world, DO IT! Don’t wait! This is a life-changing experience I would encourage anyone to look into. I am learning more about myself and growing, both personally and professionally, than I ever believe I would. I attribute this growth and knowledge directly to CIS Abroad and my wonderful supervisor at my internship. I have never been a very shy person, but I feel as though I have emerged from a shell I didn’t even realize I had. I am not afraid of these new adventures and challenges, but I am embracing them with everything in me. I was terrified that I would be incredibly homesick and not want to finish the 8 weeks, but I have been able to contact my family daily, which gives me the courage and determination to do my very best here and not feel like I need to be home just yet.

CIS Abroad has completely changed my life, and I am so thankful for the program they have put together. If I am presented another opportunity in the future, I would love to take another trip with the company. Travel has always been something I have been incredibly passionate about, but getting to experience life down under has made the fire in me burn even brighter. I want to see everything the world has to offer. Thank you, CIS Abroad, for reminding me that there is so much out there for me to see and experience, and thank you for letting me have a little piece of that here in Sydney. I am forever grateful for this experience. If you’re on the fence...don’t be. Take the plunge. The risk is entirely worth it. You will be a million times better for it, and I guarantee you will thank me later. ;)

Before I left for the semester abroad I thought the communication with the representative in the US could have been a lot stronger. However, when I landed in Australia the CIS team was SO welcoming and nice. To this day they still reach out and keep in touch. The programs that were planned for us were fun and informative. Choosing this program allowed me to meet so many people from both the United States and Australia and create relations and memories that I will always have.

This expirence was amazing! The ability to be at an actually australian university with local students really made the expirence authentic! It was a very eye opening expirence allowing me to learn about the past and present cultures and traditions.
Make sure you be yourself and spend as much time here or more than you do traveling, it makes the moments so much better and makes this place really feel like home!

I loved my experience with study abroad in Townsville QLD. The CIS staff are amazing and I loved my uni! Jackie and Tracy are the best! While I was here I broke my ankle, but they walked me through the insurance process no problem. Studying abroad is the best decision I’ve ever made and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would 10/10 recommend coming to Townsville as you will live as a local and be fully immersed into what it is like to live as an Australian.