Program Reviews

I had the greatest experience while studying abroad in Bilbao, Spain. I met amazing people, practiced my Spanish and learned a lot. The city is gorgeous and close to the ocean and French border so there are lots of places close by to visit! The program offered excursions that allowed me to explore the Basque country which had a whole different language and culture that I was excited to learn more about. Ever since I've been back in the U.S. I have wanted to go back to Spain/Bilbao because I had such a nice time there and grew a lot as a person.

I stayed with a host family who were the nicest people and made me feel very welcome in their home. Almost a year later I still have contact with them! However I do know that other students in the program did not enjoy their host family as much as I did.

The best advice I could give to anyone studying abroad is to lean into the experience. Explore the city and try the activities it offers. Try the new food and talk to new people even if its only just in the program (the students are from all over the country). And most importantly utilize your time wisely. I was fortunate enough that I could travel to other cities in the country which meant I got to see a lot of different cities and try all sort of food (since each region has their own specialty). I even got to see a flamenco show in Seville where the art was created! My friends and I enjoyed the show so much we booked another show for the next day! Unfortunately, I was there for school and not just fun so I had homework. However, the travel time to the cities was an excellent time to complete my homework.

During my time in Cuba, I wanted to learn as much as I could and immerse myself in different aspects of Cuban culture. We had our traditional classes in the morning from 9 am to 12 pm in which I learned about the many revolutions that occurred throughout the Latin Americas. Before taking this class, in school I was taught briefly about these different revolutions that had taken place, but I never realized how much was left out of those lessons.

As a class, we read pieces of literature, watched films, and visited important monuments that gave us an in-depth perspective of the Latin American people’s struggles and fight against their oppressors. My most memorable moment from this class was visiting the National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana in which we looked at many different thought-provoking pieces of art including revolutionary pieces featuring famous writer and Cuban independence leader Jose Marti, a statue of the Cuban coat of arms made of raw materials, statues, and art depicting Afro- Cuban ways of life, and my personal favorite a giant cockroach with a human head. In my afternoons, after grabbing lunch we had our Cuban salsa class. It felt like more of a party than a class. Throughout the three weeks, we learned a series of different steps and their names. On the night of the final class, our teachers took us out to an actual salsa club that they like to go to by the Malecón and we all got to try out the moves that we had spent time learning as we danced the night away. My favorite class and experience in Cuba took place at night, this was the Cuban cuisine class. Our professor is an amazing cook and not only showed us how to make many traditional Cuban recipes but also explained their origin and traditions. We made many dishes such as arroz con pollo, albóndigas de carne en salsa criolla, garbanzos a la cubana, and ropa vieja. They were all so delicious and I appreciate her for letting us into her home and sharing her traditions with us.

Overall, my time in Cuba was amazing and I definitely have plans to visit again sometime in the future. I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to be exposed to and learn from a new community outside of my own. One of the things I will never forget from my time in Cuba was the sense of community and the pride the people held for their culture and history. Everyone there was very kind, not only to us but to each other as well, people would stop and have full conversations with one another as if they were old friends catching up. As someone who comes from a country that has more individualistic norms, it was different but welcoming once I got used to it and I found it would make my day a little lighter. I have gained many new perspectives that I will carry with me as I further pursue a career interest in public health.

*TLDR* No close airport, darn Americans, lovely vibe.
I enjoyed many things about my study abroad to Maastricht, however, there were several misconceptions I had going in, several of which I did not think to be of note until *after* I arrived. One MASSIVE one, despite all the marketing, Maastricht is not the "heart of Europe." In the US, traveling between countries is a long, expensive affair, with travel tickets costing hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. In Europe, this is not the same. I believed that the only way to feasibly get around was by train, and that any other method would have been far too expensive to be reasonable. This is WRONG, Ryanair is a budget airliner available in Europe which you can get tickets for as cheap as $35. I chose Maastricht partially because I thought I would need a train to get anywhere. However, Maastricht is not a major train station city, and the airport is not open to traveling to most locations until summer, meaning if you want to travel cross-country, getting a Ryan Air ticket is the best choice. However, again, because Maastricht is not a major city, you have to buy train tickets to travel several cities over to even begin your cross-country journey. Secondly, the WORST part of studying abroad, hands-down, were the other Americans. If you are used to living in a sorority/ fraternity setting, then you'll have no complaints, if you don't live in such a setting, buckle up. I had one night where the other Americans were blasting music until 4 AM, and then set off fireworks INSIDE the building, causing the fire alarms to wake everyone up. When I told the security who was responsible, those same frat guys claimed they did "nothing wrong" and that I snitched for "no reason." It could have been a bad bunch, but it was clear to me that many of the other attendants had never actually faced responsibility and consequences for their actions and acted entitled and therefore caused others grief. All of that being said, the city of Maastricht was utterly enchanting, and the few friends I did make, I will likely have for decades. The city was so easy to get lost in, and although I had become fairly familiar with the city by the end of my semester, it felt like I could have spent years there and still had more to find. Since Maastricht is smaller, the city has a much more intimate feel and people are more likely to be kind and warm. One example of this smaller city's warm and cozy setting was when I met an older woman named Betty. I helped carry her broken bike and she bought me bananas to share with her and taught me how to recycle properly and where to find the cheapest groceries. I will remember that interaction for the rest of my life, and I'm not sure I would have had that in a larger city. Overall, you have to make the most of your study abroad, and although the bus/ train ticket to the nearest airport is a bit of a hassle, Maastricht is a city that you can't help but love.

Studying abroad was quite honestly the best decision I've ever made! Upon deciding whether I COULD do it beforehand, I was truthfully scared. I'd always imagined this ridiculously expensive experience that would bring me nothing but stress and anxiety. However, upon learning about USAC and their Summer programs, I realized it was much more accessible than I'd ever imagined. Then, I took the leap and applied, and realized quickly that my Summer in London was the best Summer I've ever lived. USAC itself was amazing in keeping in contact, creating such a safe space that made me feel welcome and protected! Then there was just being in London; the city was MAGICAL and I made some amazing new friends! We ate, explored, travelled, and did so much more than I could have ever expected! By complete surprise, one friend and I even stumbled upon the LONDON PREMIERE of our favorite show, and we actually got invited into the red carpet where we could see and greet our favorite stars! THAT WAS AMAZING! Beyond that, we went to two concerts, spent a weekend in Paris, and had amazing evenings out in the city. Studying abroad was truthfully the best experience I've ever lived, and I'd give anything to live it again!

My time I spent abroad were some of the best weeks of my life. I met a lot of new people I can comfortably call great friends who I am still in touch with, the host family I stayed with was very supporting of my learning of Spanish and were very caring. They made me lunch and dinner and breakfast if I ever needed it and weren't stirct at all, letting me roam around and come and go as I please. The excursions done through the program were very insightful and interesting with lots of beautiful scenery. We took a trip to some "witches caves" which were very pretty and large. Overall, phenomenal experience and would recommend it to anyone!

My study abroad trip in Heredia, Costa Rica will forever be one of the best decisions I made during college. I decided to go on this trip because some of my sorority sisters went on it the previous year and couldn’t stop raving about it. On the trip, I got to immerse myself in Costa Rican culture. I met ticos (Costa Rican natives), developed better Spanish-speaking skills, and got to try all kinds of different foods. At the same time, I was also earning 7 credits towards my college transcript. The teachers were extremely patient and helpful when correcting my Spanish, and the campus is beautiful. I had to learn how to ride the bus everyday to campus, which was a meaningful experience in itself. My USAC advisors planned trips and activities for my group and I, including playing indoor soccer, roller-skating, going to the city, and exploring tropical rainforests. Overall, studying in Heredia, Costa Rica made me develop life skills and try new things that I wouldn’t have the chance to try anywhere else, making it a truly transformative experience. I recommend the Heredia, Costa Rica study abroad trip to anyone who wants to deepen their cultural understanding and have unforgettable experiences.

Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! It was my first time traveling solo internationally, and I have no regrets. I made countless new friends and experienced so many exciting things. Plus, I earned academic credit for my courses abroad. These are memories I’ll hold dear forever. I still keep in touch with everyone I met during my journey. This experience truly expanded my perspective and deepened my understanding of the world. Whatever program you choose, go for it! I promise, you won’t regret it!

My month in Prague was amazing and probably the best time of my life. I got to see so much cool stuff on my own and was provided so many unique experiences with USAC, like visiting a medieval mine, a huge fort, countless medieval churches, museums, and boat tour! I got to meet several awesome people and got to celebrate my 21st birthday in a Irish karaoke bar. I got to see museums of history I have always wanted to see (I even got to go into not one but two cold war bunkers!). Overall so much fun and has defiantly made me want to move there!

My study abroad experience in Nishinomiya, Japan, was incredibly fun and memorable! The location was perfect—Nishinomiya is a charming city with a great mix of urban convenience and traditional charm, plus easy access to Osaka, Kobe, and even Kyoto for weekend trips. The local food, especially okonomiyaki, was amazing, and the people were friendly. However, the program’s support was lacking. I had to find my own housing with minimal guidance, which was stressful, especially as a foreigner navigating Japan’s rental system. While I made it work, more resources or assistance would have been appreciated. The academics and cultural experiences were great, but better organization from the program would have made it even better. Still, I loved my time there and would recommend it—just be prepared to handle some things independently!

I had the best time ever in Alicante my spring semester of 2024. The city is walkable, beautiful, and has a million things to do! Great markets, beaches, people, and experiences. There’s also an international airport that made traveling much easier. Accommodations were amazing. The USAC staff was so supportive and there for anything we needed. I think the best thing that our USAC program did was in the first week of us being there. They didn’t give us an opportunity to be jet lagged or homesick. We went and explored the city and the school immediately. They showed us how to navigate the transportation of the city and fun activities to do. I would honestly recommend this city and this program to anyone.