Mixed Experience

Participating in the Forum-Nexus Study Abroad program was a mixed experience. While it provided some great travel opportunities and decent academic options, there were significant issues that made it difficult to fully enjoy the program.

One of the most glaring problems was the lack of diversity amongst students. The overwhelming majority of participants were from the southern United States, making it feel very insular. Additionally, there was a noticeable absence of people of colour, LGBTQ+ individuals, and politically progressive students. The program had a heavy presence of conservative, highly religious individuals: some of whom expressed extreme views, including transphobia, misogyny, racism, and homophobia. The experience of being told that “the devil plants a seed in queer people” was beyond unsettling.

One program leader did make an effort to ask me how they could work on diversifying the program, which I appreciated. However, the lack of action and the continued alienation of non-conservative students made it feel like more of a token inquiry rather than a real commitment to change.
The leadership of the program was inconsistent at best. While one of the leaders was available to take walks with a student who was struggling with personal conflicts, this support felt somewhat inappropriate. Furthermore, professionalism was lacking amongst some of the leaders. Three out of the four brought their spouses along, and while one spouse contributed a useful lecture in their field of expertise, the others felt like they were enjoying a vacation on our dime. It was frustrating to see our already high program fees seemingly subsidizing their expenses.

One of the lecturers was knowledgeable and engaging, but his temperamental outburst in France, directed at students because he was frustrated with someone outside of the program, was completely unprofessional. Students deserve respect, and this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.

Additionally, while the program staff provided some assistance with logistics like sightseeing recommendations, there were moments when help felt inconsistent. For example, when a student’s laptop broke, while a program leader did attempt to fix it, no one offered to assist this student in finding a repair shop in a foreign city.

The costs associated with sightseeing were another frustration. Despite the already high program price, we had to cover all entrance fees for attractions, making the trip significantly more expensive than initially advertised.

The professional visits were hit or miss. Some were relevant and insightful, but others, like a jewelry store visit, felt completely disconnected from our studies.

Despite these frustrations, there were positives. The hotels were generally high quality, the course options were good, and the locations we visited were stunning. I managed to make a couple of close friends who became my lifeline amongst the stifling conservatism of our group. The recommendations provided for sightseeing and local attractions were also helpful.

Forum-Nexus has the potential to be a great study abroad program, but it is plagued by serious issues in leadership, professionalism, and inclusivity. If the program wants to be truly global and welcoming, it needs to diversify its student body, ensure a professional and respectful environment, and provide more transparency on costs. Until then, I would caution students, especially those who are not conservative, religious, and/or American, to think twice before enrolling.