Long Live France! I have this hanging on my wall to remind me of my best summer yet. Spending 5 weeks in France gave me the opportunity reach out of my comfort zone and fully immerse myself in a new culture. With teachers from France, Germany, and Britain, I was able to learn more about the world, the French language, and European Business. I believe the real learning came from the streets of Lille. There was one experience that I never could have planned for, and it changed the way I see the French culture. The FIFA World Cup is played every four years. This summer, the games began about two weeks after I had arrived in France. On June 15, France played Honduras and I saw the French come alive. Eating dinner at 9pm, gathering at restaurants, parks, and bars to watch the game. Screaming and shouting when a goal was scored. Eager and enthused fans storming the streets, as the game came to an end. I found myself drawn to the World Cup even after I got back home, but cheering for the French just wasn’t the same. It was only by chance the World Cup and my study abroad overlapped, but it changed my perspective on soccer, the World Cup, and the way I see the French Culture.
What would you improve about this program?
I think I would have enjoyed more free time while I was there.
If I could travel back I would spend a year in Korea.
Apr 1, 2015
As an Asian individual, I had to learn quickly how to say in Korean, "I am an American." I loved being in Korea. We lived in a dorm in the middle of a great busy neighborhood. Also a shout out to the great Seoul public transportation.
A quick summary of my day while at Konkuk University was get up, go to breakfast in the cafeteria, go to class, eat lunch with friends at the local restaurants near campus, eat dinner, attend English Conversation Club meeting, attend Korean Language class.
We usually found ourselves staying up til one. Seoul just has the effect on us to stay up late. Seoul is rarely quiet unless it's late at night. I love Seoul at night.
What would you improve about this program?
The academics could have been better. Some classes were changed from it being taught in English to Korean. I also felt that many of my classes didn't correspond well to my academics at home. But I was not too worried, it's important to be flexible when studying abroad.
The city of Buenos Aires has a lot to offer for students and travelers alike. There is always something to do whether its browsing shops in Palermo, roof top lunches, to taking part in cultural events. ISA offers excursions that truly make the experience one of a kind. We took a ferry to El Tigre and spent a day at a private island along El Rio De la Plata and we also visited one of the world's greatest destinations; Iguazu Falls. I recommend traveling through ISA because in any predicament, there will be somebody to assist you whether its on-site or via email (ISA headquarters is based out of Texas). Learning the Spanish language in Buenos Aires is truly an experience as well, you will develop a Porteno/a accent and have many opportunities to immerse yourself into the culture, which makes practicing the language easy and fun!
I attended the University of Belgrano for an entire semester as well as the language intensive month beforehand. I highly recommend the Spanish intensive month if you are wanting to learn Spanish. You spend time in class a few hours a day Monday-Friday.
The 5 months I spent in Buenos Aires, I ended up getting 19 credits to transfer back to my home university in Michigan. I was stressed about classes not being transferred back properly, but Belgrano works one on one with you to make sure there are not any issues!
The hardest thing for me was the change of diet. The majority of food consisted of red meat, bread, and potatoes. Although if you go in the summer- the fruit is amazing!
What would you improve about this program?
Sometimes organization-wise, the ISA on-site staff was not efficient.
I can't rave enough about my experience in Malaga. The city itself is the perfect intersection between a relaxing coastal town and a rich cultural hub. It has all of the history, art, food, and shopping you can find in a bustling big city, but the people are warm and welcoming like you'd expect in a smaller town. The best part is you can easily walk to almost anywhere you want if you are located centrally, but if not, public transportation is super reliable and easy to use. If I wasn't at the beach after class, one of my favorite things to do was to just talk a walk through the city center. Malaga is big enough to discover a cool new street or shop each time you venture out, but small enough to only be a short walk home. In the one month I was there, I saw at least 3 different types of festivals or events being held in the city, so there's no chance of running out of things to do.
Another perk of being in Malaga is how easy it is to travel around to close towns in that area of Spain, and there are some gems you'll want to hop over to on the weekend (Ronda, Marbella, anywhere along the Costa del Sol).
My experience with ISA was equally as great. Before I left for my trip, I was incredibly nervous to live with a host family for a whole month, but it was probably the best decision I could have made. It allowed me to immerse myself in the culture and language way more than I would have if I lived on my own. Soon after arriving in Malaga, we met our local ISA representatives who were very helpful and easy to talk to. At no point during my trip did I feel unsafe, and that was partly because the ISA reps were always so available and eager to assist us with any issues we had. Overall, an incredible experience; I highly recommend it!
The professors, the students, the ISA staff... everyone was incredibly warm and fun. I made lasting relationships with others in the program as well as local students. The professors really care about the exchange students and make every effort to make you feel included. My Spanish improved by leaps and bounds- I highly recommend ISA!
What would you improve about this program?
The more social events, the better, especially with local students as a means of facilitating those connections. Interaction with locals is definitely the best way to learn the language, and ISA should promote this as much as possible.
During my stay in Seville, I lived with a host mom who was amazing. She was the best cook I've ever met. I had classes everyday which were so fun. Everyday may seem like a lot but when you're in Spain, nothing gets you down. I met many Americans that are currently close friends. I walked and biked everywhere which was an awesome way to explore the city. My ISA program took me on many excursions that allowed me to see many parts of Spain for cheap. While there I went with a friend to Ibiza, Spain for a couple of days which was one of my favorite trips. Getting around the country is easy and fun, you just have to be flexible and calm. I would travel back there in a heart beat.
What would you improve about this program?
I would have liked to live closer to school but that is the only thing I would have changed.
I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain during the spring 2014 semester. I went through the study abroad program ISA (International Studies Abroad). ISA was so helpful in getting me situated in Spain and also in answering any questions that I had prior to leaving and while I was in Spain. Living in Spain was challenging at first because my Spanish was not very well. However, I lived in a host family (whom I LOVE) and they helped me SO much with my Spanish. It was incredible how much my language skills improved while I was over there. Also, my host family was so polite and nice and their home was very clean. They were a lot of fun and told my roommate and I all of the best places to go eat tapas!!
What would you improve about this program?
If I could change one thing, it would be the activities that ISA organized in Sevilla. There were random and it was fun to go to them, but sometimes they didn't feel very organized. Actually, it was only one instance but there was a planned activity and the instructor didn't show up so it had to be rescheduled and everyone was disappointed. But besides that one mishap, ISA is a really great program and very organized.
My study abroad experience in Barcelona through ISA changed my life entirely. When I was searching places to study abroad, I was trying to find a place that push my boundaries as well as having some elements that made me feel comfortable. I grew up in a small town, so I knew I wanted to try out a big city, which would make me feel very out of element. However, I knew I wanted to live somewhere that was a little like home, so it had to be on water. Barcelona, was the city I was looking for and more in that sense because it was a huge city, with water, beaches, and mountains.
Once I knew the location, I had to find a program. I was recommended to go through ISA from my brother's roommate, who said he had a great experience. I was already looking at other programs when he recommended ISA, so I had to make a couple lists comparing other programs. At the end, ISA had the most benefits with it's cost of the program. It was also one of the most reasonably priced with everything it included. Excursions to 3 different places, housing, and the readily available on-site staff made it a clear choice.
What would you improve about this program?
I would suggest that they offer more opportunities for study abroad students to get to know local students.
Studying abroad in Sevilla, España was the absolute highlight of my college career. I loved walking over Puente de Triana and watching the sun rise over the cathedral every morning, in addition to the heavenly scent of the azahar blossoms. Though my absolute favorite memory of studying in Sevilla was staying up for 26 hours to watch the processions during Semana Santa fueled solely by café con leche y churros con chocolate! The ISA program administration was fantastic! They made such an effort to create excursions and cultural experiences for an authentic Sevillan experience!
What would you improve about this program?
I would have liked more courses with locals as part of the program or at least with other internationals. It was a bit frustrating to take classes only with Americans.
This was my second time studying abroad with ISA and I was not disappointed! The location of the program was spectacular and offered many cultural and outdoor activities, so I spent most of my weekends exploring the island with Brazilians and other international students. The ISA staff were very helpful and made sure we were all placed in appropriate classes and living situations, and also motivated us to take advantage of our time abroad. My only disappointment was the class offerings. Because our group was so small, many of my first choices were canceled after I had already applied to the program and I had to settle for classes I was less interested in. Overall, though, studying and living with a host family in Floripa was a valuable and unforgettable experience!
What would you improve about this program?
I would offer more classes to international students.
