Program Reviews

Studying abroad in Dublin was the best decision of my life. Deciding to study in Dublin wasn't an extensive decision- it was just something I knew I wanted to do. I didn't have "Irish" family (something you immediately learn to not say once you land in Ireland) and I'd never been to the country before- I just knew I wanted to go to Dublin. It felt right.

I knew my decision was right when I stepped off the plane in Dublin airport. The city is amazing and has an energy that can't be duplicated. The people are lovely, the city is beautiful, and has this strong sense of identity like no where else I've ever seen.
My favorite part of Dublin is the plethora of things to do, no matter you interest. A city based in such rich history- literary, sport, and historical history- there is so much going on in a place that has perfectly balanced old and new. Go to a book or music shop. Go to a cafe. Hungry? Go to one of the food or book markets. Want to stay outside? Go to Pheonix Park, the largest park in Europe. Want to go inside? Hit up the museums. They're everywhere, unique and interesting, and they are FREE. Go grab a pint and people watch. Go to Penneys. Just do it, even though you'll spend all your money. I met some of my best friends here, and we had some amazing, crazy adventures (30 Euro flight to the French Riviera? Okay!) but some of my favorite memories are just walking down Dame or O'Connell Street, and looking at everything- the people, the buildings, the buses. It's a beautiful city with so much to do, and everything is so accessible that it's impossible to have regrets.
Dublin is my favorite city in the world. Within days, it felt like home- partially due to my willingness to let it, but mostly due to the friendliness, style, and diversity of the city. If I could do the whole semester over again, I would- not to make any changes, but so I could relive it again! I miss this place and the people I met their every day. Slainte!

This was an incredible experience. I was able to travel through Morocco every weekend thanks to the structure of the program and the helpful staff. The excursions really added to the program. I went to the Sahara desert thanks to the help of the ISA staff members in planning the trip. The courses were serious, the teachers were very helpful, and I was able to learn a lot during my time in the classroom. The airport lost my luggage and had to travel to the next city to retrieve it when it arrived. One staff member was very helpful and helped me travel to Fes to retrieve my luggage. It was a program that I would recommend to an adventurous student looking for a safe experience in an Arabic speaking country.

I could sit here and write to you all day about how beautiful Valparaíso and Viña del Mar are, how good the food is, how my Spanish competency skyrocketed from being in an area with an unorthodox dialect, how relevant and informative my classes were, how great the nightlife is, how many friends and connections (Chilean and otherwise) I made, how awesome my host family is and how I still keep in touch with them... there are so many things I could say, but we'd be here all day. I think the biggest factor is how I still miss it every day, 3.5 years after spending 5 months there. I think of how hard it was to leave, how I could've easily spent another semester or year there if it were at all feasible, how my host mom had to console me by reminding me that I wasn't losing anything by leaving, that I had gained a family. Although I got very close to my host family and they were the highlight of my experience, I think of all the confidence I gained, all the memories I made, how strange it was that I gained a second home. I really felt like home in Chile... so much so that when I was able to sneak back to Viña for a week a year after I left, I had the same feeling of warmth and comfort that I got when I traveled back to my small town in eastern Kentucky from my college town of Lexington. A lot of that is due to Chile itself, but ISA was instrumental in me being as impacted as I was by my experience abroad. From the choice in classes and excursions, helpfulness and know-how of a staff that was genuinely interested in each and every student, the ISA office that was right across the street from the Casa Central of PUCV, down to even just how the program was planned all gave me the freedom and agency to really see Chile for what it was, with nothing logistically or administratively for me to worry about. Chile is phenomenal, ISA is phenomenal, and I would pack my bags and head back right this second if I was given the chance. I wholeheartedly believe anyone and everyone can find something about Chile to fall in love with. Go.

My time in BsAs with ISA was the most exhilarating and liberating months of my college career. I got to be independent and adventurous while ISA took care of all the details.

As a student at UB, I got to meet several other international students who shared similar interests. Making friends with expats was easy, but making friends with locals was even more fun. Especially because the nightlife in Buenos Aires is AWESOME.

ISA's tours include many cultural excursions that are both culturally significant and interesting for young travelers. We got to stay at a resort at Iguazu Falls and spend a few days soaking up the absolute paradise of that area. This was a really cool chance to meet other friends in the program and boat under the falls at the meeting of three countries: Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

ALSO: Argentinian food is savory and delicious. You will not be disappointed here.

BE WARNED: After a trip to BsAs, you'll catch a mad case of the travel bug and you'll never be able to get rid of it! :) <3

ISA's program in Lille was absolutely perfect for me. It was a summer program that allowed the option for a back to back 2 months, and I'm so happy that I stayed longer! By staying in Lille (vs. Paris for example) ingot to experience a non-tourist infected, beautiful city where I got to practice my French language so much! The locals are so sweet and Lille is a university town, so it was nice to immerse myself with the locals. One of my favorite memories is going out on the town during La fête de la musique, which is basically a holiday all across France where locals share music with their entire city outside every bar, restaurant, and main square within their city. Three of my friends and I hit the town traveling from bar to bar just hearing the music of the city we had come to love. The locals in Lille are just so talented and it was so humbling just to partake in a favorite holiday of theirs. We danced with locals our age, learned some new dance moves, and we're even asked to karaoke some American songs they were singing. It was a night full of fun, laughter, and friendship. I wouldn't trade my experience in Lille for anything; it taught me more than I could've ever dreamed of.

My year abroad in Prague was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. ISA created a program that let me explore both my new city and the country and continent around it, while supporting me both academically and throughout the process of moving to a new country. I loved Prague more than anything, soaking up all of the culture and history I could in the short nine months I was there. The classes I took through ISA were fun and challenging. My apartment was beautiful and right by a metro stop, so I was always able to hop on and go anywhere I wanted. The neighborhood I stayed in was far enough away from the main tourist center that only locals really hung out there, but so close that I could be in Wenceslas Square in five minutes by metro. The staff were fun and supportive, especially when I needed to get my student visa renewed, and we could always go to them for advice on what to do in the city or where to travel to. Bottom line, Prague is the best place in the world and I couldn't be happier that I decided to go through ISA.

My name is Bram Blackwell and I am a junior accounting major and I just finished up my semester abroad at The University of Economics in Prague, Czech Republic. This semester abroad I have traveled to 15 different countries, made some great new friends, and learned more skills and life lessons in 4 months than I ever imagined. Studying in Prague is rewarding and extremely challenging. Going to the local market and trying to buy groceries for my apartment proved to be one of my hardest tasks. Only about 1/5th of Czech people speak English and although I am taking language courses it can take 5-10 years to learn the Czech language. Every day is a new adventure in Prague. The people in Prague are full of surprises and still learning how to live without communist government. Many of the local students I have met still remember what it was like during the era when soviets forces controlled Czech lands. Learning about their lives and their parents helped me better understand the people of the Czech Republic. Even today most Czech people don’t smile in public and struggle to adapt to a democratic system. A typical week for me in Prague is usually very busy. The week starts with classes and a tram ride to the nearest Grocery store to buy some food for the week. Usually after my classes end on Tuesday and Wednesday I will go out and explore different areas of Prague. Prague seems like a fairytale land filled with medieval buildings all untouched by WWI and WWII. Most evenings my friends and I will get together to do something. Whether that is having a potluck, going to an AC Sparta soccer game, or taking paddle boats out on the Vltava river there never seems to be a lack of things to do during the week. For me the weekends meant travel time. On Thursday night I would pack for my next weekend trip. After traveling across Europe on trains, planes, and busses I have decided train travel is my favorite. My friends and I would all load up into a coach car close the door and be whisked away like we were off to Hogwarts for the weekend. Traveling for me was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to study abroad: I wanted to see as much of Europe as I could in my 4 months. I loved everywhere I traveled and all the experiences from climbing mountains to visiting some of the most famous cities in the world. Traveling on the weekends was exhausting, long travel days, sleeping in hostels, and walking up at least 10miles a day was the normal schedule during a weekend of travel. My goals: leave each city with no regrets, spend money of experiences not comfort, and most importantly see and try everything that city has to offer. As Sunday rolled around it was time to gather my things from the hostel and head back home to Prague. Everyone referred to Prague as “home” or “our city” so every weekend when I traveled as was just as excited to return home as I was to leave because I knew I had another week of brand new experiences ahead of me. The experiences I have had abroad are once in a lifetime opportunities and I truly feel studying abroad has been the best decision I have mad in my life. Even though it is sad to leave Europe, studying abroad has rekindled my passion for Indiana State, my academics, career path, and my involvement on campus and in the Networks program. Upon my return I hope to use the skills I have gained studying abroad to be the best Sycamore possible.

ISA was one of the best things I have ever done. The program directors were amazing and always willing to help with anything, whether it was with my Italian, hailing a taxi, or just being there to talk. I would 100% recomend this program!

The fisherman at the market glanced at me oddly when I asked if I could have the intestines of the mackerels he was gutting. “Es para mi clase de zoologia,” I explained. As I hung on for dear life trying to keep the bag of entrails from whacking passengers, the rollercoaster ride up the Valparaiso hills to the biology campus was an extra challenge that day. How worth it though! After three hours in the lab finding various parasites and observing them under the microscope followed by a two hour theoretical lecture, I had learned so much - not only about biology and Spanish, but also about the culture.

Choosing to study abroad in Costa Rica offers such a unique experience. While in Europe you have the chance to visit a multitude of countries, in Costa Rica you spend the time seeing the individual country itself. I learned to appreciate everything this place has to offer. I learned so much about the culture, the geography, the history, and the Spanish language. Every weekend was a new adventure. Not to mention, Costa Rica is "the happiest country in the world" and it showed through interactions with the locals. ISA's program made it super affordable and it was worth every penny.