EVERYONE has a tie to London – Cool Program of the Week!

What makes London great? 8 million residents and 43 universities make London great. Add to that nearly 20 million tourists and EVERYONE has a tie to London. Jump start your career with an internship in London so you can have your epic story.  Go with CAPA and have “The Time of Your Life.”

Take a hop across the pond and you’ll see that CAPA’s London program will always remind you you’re somewhere new. Yes, you will be in an English-speaking country, but from afternoon tea breaks to the various cultures London is home to, you will be surrounded by a set of new experiences. Try your hand at learning some new vocabulary (“trousers” are “pants”, a “flat” is an “apartment”, and let’s not get started on “chips” and “fries”…) as you take the tube (subway) to class. London has always been a center for the arts, from everything to beloved bands like The Beatles to the writings of Virginia Woolf. Enjoy the inspiration that will surround you, and create some of your best work while you create some of your best memories.

The courses, internships, service learning, and cultural activities you’ll experience will be unlike anything you’ve known before. Our courses will challenge and inspire you to come up with new ideas and help change the world. The CAPA London Center is centrally located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in two Victorian townhouses, giving you an authentic feel of the city. The CAPA London staff are available to provide support as you adapt to a new culture, as well as a 24-hour emergency hotline.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/capa-the-global-education-network-london-study-or-intern-abroad

Abroad101 April 2017 Students of the Month

Abroad101 donates to study abroad fundraisers that are set up by hopeful students who hope to study abroad. Working together with GoEnnounce we choose a student mission to be highlighted and then award a donation to start off the fundraising efforts. March 2017 students winners tell us about their coming study abroad trips to France, Jordan, Ireland and New Zealand.

Alayne Chipman, our 120th Abroad101 Student of the Week winner is currently sophomore at the University of Idaho. With an outstanding 4.0 GPA, several honors, awards and distinctions while pursuing a double major, Alayne is now also hoping to study abroad at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

Alayne has always wanted to study in a foreign country, and to being immersed in a new and unknown culture. As an architecture and interior design major, Alayne’s long term goal is to join a preservation society and to renovate and restore old homes. She would also like to work with the building industry and make buildings more eco-friendly.  She is looking forward to getting out of her comfort zone and exploring new things while continuing to follow her passion in the design fields.

We wish Alayne all the best in New Zealand and hope that she will have a life changing experience there!

Learn more about Alayne’s mission here.


Congratulations goes to our 121st Abroad101 Student of the Week winner, Christopher Janiszewski, currently a sophomore at UNC Charlotte studying Computer Science.

One of Christopher’s goals in life is to photograph the world through his travels while making a living with his Computer Science Degree. Luckily for him, he has had a chance to travel to various places in Europe as well as the United States. Therefore now his ultimate dream is to one day being able to combine his passion for photography with his career in Computer Science.  He also hopes to have the opportunity to work and live overseas once he graduates from UNC Charlotte.

Chris was recently accepted to a Study Abroad program in Galway, Ireland with a program called International Studies Abroad.  Through this program, Christopher will be taking courses that focus on Irish history and culture as well as math classes. In addition the landscape of Ireland is quite fascinating and he’s looking forward to take photos to add to his portfolio. It is through this unique experience, gaining not only independence and confidence, but also a new perspective on culture and diversity, that Christopher hopes will expand his opportunities.

This study abroad program cost is expensive and even though Chris has been working at Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub in Uptown Charlotte, NC and he has applied for financial aid and scholarships, it still not enough to cover the total program cost and airfare to Ireland. He will use all the money that he raises to help him cover the program cost.

We wish Christopher all the best in Ireland!

To check out Christopher’s Mission and donate to his cause, click here!


 

Wade Farr, is our 122nd Abroad101 Student of the Week winner!

He is currently a junior attending Brigham Young University, majoring in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic. Wade’s family is from an Arabic speaking country which influenced his desire to learn this language. He fell in love with the language and culture of his fathers country and decided helping refugees was what he wanted to do. Working as an intern at a school district that had thousands of refugees, Wade was able to meet with the refugees, give them his support and listen to their stories. While not sure yet what career he wants to pursue, he knows that his goal is to help refugees get a better life. To help refugees, he is aware of the fact that he needs to learn the Arabic language and understand the Middle East culture, issues, and laws.

That is why he is very excited because he got the amazing opportunity to go Study Abroad in Amman, Jordan, for the fall semester of this year! He will be attending Al-Qasid Institute, which is a prestigious language school near the University of Amman. The program will include 2 hours of Arabic speaking with natives, studying Arabic under natives who teach Modern Standard Arabic and the Jordanian dialect, and experiencing the culture of Amman. In addition to this, he will also travel to Palestine/Israel for his last 3 weeks there to analyze the Israeli conflict and further his knowledge of the region.

Wade will use the money that he raises in this fundraiser to help cover his tuition fees and residence while attending the Al-Quasid Institute program.

We wish Wade all the best in his fundraising for Jordan and hope that he will have a life changing experience there!

To check out Wade’s Mission and donate to his cause, click here!


Congratulations to our 123rd Abroad 101 Student of the week Shelbie Koenitzer! Shelbie is currently a senior undergrad student at Michigan Technological University and has a goal of achieving a B.S. in Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship as well as an International French minor. That is a lot of studying! This trip will help her reach her goal of becoming truly fluent in French, which Shelbie hopes in turn becomes a useful tool in finding a job and working in an increasingly global business environment.

This opportunity is also a requirement for Shelbie’s minor, and with her strong passion for the French language as well as her desire to travel the world, she will defiantly make the most of the trip.  The program will be include two courses throughout her time abroad; one intensive French course and one business course relevant to her major.

The funds she raises through GoEnnounce will be put towards the program fee itself. The total program fee is $6,250 but she has covered $5000 already with help from her dad and scholarships, leaving her with $1,250 left to raise. We wish Shelbie all the best in France and hope that she will have a life changing experience there!

To check out Shelbie’s Mission and donate to her cause, click here!

 


The Abroad 101 Student of the Week initiative awards a student who created a Mission for a study abroad program on GoEnnounce with a donation to their fundraiser. Learn more about this partnership from Abroad101 CEO Mark Shay and GoEnnounce founder Melissa Davis here.

Stay tuned for our next Abroad101 Students of the Week!

Budapest with API – Abroad101’s Cool Study Abroad Program of the Week!

What’s the next study abroad Hotspot?  Could be Budapest!  Hungary’s largest city is considered by many to be one of the hidden treasures of Europe. It is a thriving city of modern bridges, cafes and markets amid an eclectic mix of architectural styles that reflect Budapest’s unique history.  It’s at the center of Central Europe, so travel with API and get there before everyone else does!

Budapest is considered by many to be one of the hidden treasures of Europe. It is a thriving city of modern bridges, cafes and markets amid an eclectic mix of architectural styles that reflect Budapest’s unique history. The Danube River splits the city of Budapest into its two halves, Buda and Pest. On the Buda side, Castle Hill, the Royal Palace and Old Town are sites not to be missed. Wait until darkness falls for a breathtaking view of the river with the lights of the seven bridges, the castle and the Parliament building reflected on the water. Pest is the political and economic heart of the city. Its main symbol is the Parliament, which is one of the most recognizable structures in Budapest. Visitors should explore the central market for anything from souvenirs to dinner, or visit one of Budapest’s renowned thermal baths.

API students who choose to study abroad in Budapest complete their classes within the International Study Programs (ISP) department of the Corvinus University of Budapest. Students can specialize in international business courses such as marketing, finance, and economics, or choose from a variety of humanities courses such as law, political science, psychology, and more. All courses, with the exception of Hungarian, are offered in English. All students who have not previously studied Hungarian are required to take a Hungarian language course. Students are automatically placed into a beginning level class. Students who have previously studied Hungarian should contact the API office. Language courses are taught in Hungarian and are worth 3 semester credits; all other courses are taught in English and are worth 1.5 to 3 semester credits. The courses are designed for American and other international students. Students who wish to take more than 15 semester credits may do so for an additional fee.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/api-academic-programs-international-budapest-cornivus-university-of-budapest

This week’s Abroad101 Cool Program is KEI Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand.

This week’s Cool Program is KEI Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand.  One student review title is  “The Thai of my life” as you immerse yourself in the modern, ancient and oh yes – the Thai food!  Another student who never was overseas talks about the friendly and helpful people.

Discover the traditional spices of Bangkok, Thailand as you float through the market and visit the golden temples. Then experience the energetic dominance of the modern city when you see the maze of skyscrapers pushing into the sky.

Study at Mahidol University International College (MUIC) where you will find a wide selection of major-specific, regional studies and general education courses that are taught in English! There are also internship and volunteer opportunities for qualified students.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/knowledge-exchange-institute-kei-bangkok-study-abroad-at-mahidol-university-international-colle

Master your Spanish with Abroad101’s Cool Program of the Week!

This weeks Cool Program comes from the Instituto Franklin, for 30 years a full immersive Spanish program outside Madrid.  Homestay gives you an extra push to master your Spanish and gives you a chance at some great home cooked meals.

The Study Abroad in Spain program offers an ample diversity of areas of study suited to every student. The program includes courses in Hispanic Studies, International Relations, Business Administration and International Business, Translation, Education, Journalism and Communication and Health Sciences.In addition to all these disciplines students can participate in a unique Internship Program and spend a full semester working in a company of their choice.

The Study Abroad in Spain program was established in 1987 with the mission of promoting academic collaboration between Spain and the US through specialized educational programs. It is specifically designed for international students who wish to pursue undergraduate studies in Spain.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/universidad-de-alcala-alcala-de-henares-spanish-studies-abroad-with-instituto-franklin

Study Abroad 101 Cool Program of the Week in Prague – UPCES is it!

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Prague is Dope! So says a recent review of the UPCES program which gets us to think, we should list this program as our Abroad101 Cool Program of the Week! Cool or Dope, being tied to the most famous of Czech universities and being located in a historic palace in Prague’s city center UPCES is IT!

prague-upces-reviewProminent scholars from Charles University teach UPCES courses in English. Course subjects include economics, international relations, sociology, history, political science, film, literature, philosophy, and Czech language. Students from a wide variety of majors and interests will greatly benefit from the UPCES academic experience.

UPCES students live in flats of their choosing with other students in the program. Flat choices are offered by the program and are located throughout the center section of Prague. Students do not just interact with the Czech people, but truly live amongst them in real Prague flats.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/upces-study-abroad-in-prague-cerge-ei-charles-university

5 Things You Need to Know Before You Go

Studying abroad shouldn’t be all that hard, you say to yourself. You’ve consulted with counselors who’ve given you plenty of answers, you’ve read up on all the brochures and program descriptions, you’ve studied program reviews from previous students and talked to study abroad alumni.

Although you can logically say to yourself that “you’re ready,” there still may be a tiny voice inside of you that is saying, “do you really?” The truth is, a lot will transpire during your study abroad trip. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are five things you need to know before you start a new stage of your life anew as a study abroad student.

airline-ticket

Buy Your Ticket in Advance

Your parents have probably been bugging you to purchase your plane ticket six or more months before you start your study abroad experience. While they’re aiming to give you peace of mind, buying a ticket   that much in advance isn’t the most economical decision. In fact, the best time to buy your ticket is in the three month range before your departure – this is when prices are at their lowest.

The plane trip to the country of your destination is when your adventure begins. Spring for either an aisle or window seat (depending on how close you want to be to the bathroom), watch movies galore on your personal TV screen and enjoy the not-so-bad plane food. Be excited!

Travel tip: Get instant notifications on low flight prices when you set up travel alerts on Airfare Watchdog or Kayak.com.

Choosing Your Place of Residence

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The study abroad program you signed up for will surely give you a choice as to where you could stay, anywhere from a dorm on a college campus to a shared apartment to a home stay. While you’ll have your pick of options, there is no right or wrong decision when choosing lodgings for your study abroad experience.

This said, if you’re looking to have the most immersive, fascinating experience possible, we highly recommend you push yourself out of your comfort zone and find lodgings that allows you to live with foreigners. Mingling with foreigners on a daily basis is a truly rewarding experience, and choosing instead to live in an isolated manner would just diminish your opportunities to know the culture better.

Travel tip: Talk your options over with your counselor months before you leave and pick the type of residence that is best suited to the experience you are looking for.

Cultural Sensitivity

cultural-sensitivity

You are responsible for your behavior when you are abroad for your studies. As you will be immersed in another culture and society, it is important that you take into account the local customs. This will influence the way you interact with local people, how you speak and the way you dress.

Your behavior, unbeknownst to you, may offend locals unnecessarily and invite bad treatment of not only yourself, but of the group of people you are traveling with. It’s important for visitors to practice cultural sensitivity throughout their trip.

Travel Tip: Learning how to carry on simple conversation in the local language will do a lot to surprise and please the locals. They’ll be much more open to you in appreciation of your efforts, which will enable them to help you more.

Bring Good Walking Shoes

sneakers

If you come from a culture where driving is the norm, like the United States, you may forget to take your trusty walking shoes to your study abroad destination.

The fact of the matter is, many countries are typically walking societies. You’ll be on your feet a lot longer than usual in these parts of the world, which is the idea if you are looking to take in all the cute little off-street spots of your study abroad destination. While high heels are fashionable, you simply won’t be able to cope with them along long city blocks or cobblestone streets. Spare your feet, lower back and general sanity by being sure to bring along a reliable pair of walking shoes.

Travel Tip: There’s no trade-off between style and comfort when it comes to shoes. Find shoes that are padded and durable yet stylish so that you can wear them during the day and night in your study abroad destination.

Your Toiletries Can Be Purchased Abroad

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It’s best to pack as light as possible when traveling across the world. Consider ditching your mainstay cologne for a new scent abroad. It will not be hard to find shampoos, soaps, make-up, laundry detergent, contact solution and other replacement toiletries abroad. However, if you’re the type who has a love for certain cosmetic brands, then spoil yourself and stock up on your precious brand name items for your journey.

Your mom and dad might be happy to spoil you in this regard and buy your essentials for you – this is a perk. However, the perk for buying your toiletries abroad is that some of these products might be considerably cheaper abroad. It’s your choice.

Travel Tip: Young women may have a problem finding quality feminine products abroad and should think of stocking up for the entire length of their stay overseas.

Guest Post by Sean Hopwood

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Sean Hopwood, MBA is founder and President of Day Translations, Inc., an online translation services provider, dedicated to the improvement of global communications. By helping both corporations and the individual, Day Translations provides a necessary service at the same time as developing opportunities for greater sympathy and understanding worldwide.

5 Reasons to Learn the Language Basics Before you Study Abroad

Group of happy students at their desks in college classroom

How do you prepare for a semester abroad? A lot of the details are taken care of for you – a place to stay, a place to study, and a group of people to share the experience with. You might even be set up with a language class once you arrive to learn some of the language. However, the language learning is better off started before you step foot out of the country. Here are some of the top benefits reported for studying the language of the country visited before leaving.

Softening the Culture Shock

Traveling to a new country brings a lot of change at one time. You will be in a new landscape with people speaking a different language. There will be new rules and norms for catching a cab, ordering food, and dressing. It can be a bit of a shock to have all of this change at one time. These first few days and weeks in this new country should be the experience of a lifetime and best spent without having to go through much of an adjustment period. Learning just the essentials of this new language can help reduce this shock quite a bit upon arrival. Learn how  greet others when you meet them and get familiar with the language you will be hearing all around you. You might even be able to pick up a word here and there.

Building Excitement

There are many aspects of studying abroad that are exciting. Being engulfed in the culture of a new country brings history, seeing museums and old buildings, hearing stories, meeting new people, and speaking the language of the country. A lot of this can be done before you ever step foot in that new country. Learning the language and practicing the basics with your friends is one way to not only get familiar with the language, but build the excitement of getting to use these new phrases with people in your country of study.

Offers a Stepping Stone

Hopefully in your time studying abroad, you will get familiar with the language and be able to have small conversations before you come home. Knowing the basics before you travel can help kickstart this learning of the language. Learn the basics before you go – greetings, ordering food, asking directions, and phrases that will help you learn more, such as “How do you say…? These basics will make it easier to get off the beaten path and adventure out on your own even from day one in this new country. As long as you know how to ask for directions, greet others and interact with employees in shops, you will be able to get around the towns easily.

Meeting New Friends

Time studying abroad is limited and it will be over before you know it. So there is no time to waste when it comes to meeting new people. Be able to introduce yourself and meet new people right away to ensure that you take full advantage of your time in this new country. Even if you can’t carry on the conversation past telling the other person where you are from, greeting others in their own language and putting forth an effort is, a lot of the time, enough to show that you are friendly and continue a friendship.

Safety

No matter how well your trip is planned, it is always best to steer on the safe side. What will you do if you find yourself separated from others you know and need to find your way back?  Or what if you lose your phone and wallet? Knowing the language will help you to find your way back and ask for help in locating your lost items or reporting them and getting back to where you need to be for additional help. For this look for phrases that teach both asking for directions and understanding the response – how do I get to, turn right, turn left, 3 miles.

You don’t have to learn the entire language or be fluent by any means. This will hopefully build over time while you are studying abroad. There are some tools that you can use to get this basic understanding of the language. Programs such as Duolingo, Fluent Forever and Rosetta Stone are meant more for learning the entire language long term. If you have a year or so before your trip, by all means, try these. But if you only have a few months to prepare for your trip, you can pick up a phrase book, like the one from Lonely Planet. The upside to this is that the book is small so you can pack it easily in your bag if needed as well. There are also online programs you can access to help study, such as flashcards for common phrases from The Tandem Traveler, or a three month program for travelers from Living Language. It can be difficult to figure out which phrases will be most useful while traveling when you don’t have a lot of time to pick up the language. These programs do that work for you.

Whatever you reason is, learn at least the 100 most common words and phrases for travelers. Time and again repeat travelers report that their experiences were so much better from travel where they studied the language first firsts trips where they dd not.

Guest Post by Lisa Sickman, MA, BCBA

lisa-sickmanLisa Sickman, MA, BCBA, is a behavior analyst and the Co-founder and Chief Learning Officer at The Tandem Traveler. The Tandem Traveler is an online company committed to teaching language to travelers for better cultural experiences abroad. 

SEA Semester takes a tall ship and turns it into our Abroad101 Cool Program of the Week

sea-semester-ocean-exploration

Student reviews often tell about forming close bonds with people while studying abroad and getting immersed in the subject of study.  This week’s Cool Program does both like no other – SEA Semester takes a tall ship and turns it into your entire education ecosphere.  Study the oceans on the ocean, learn to sail and become family with the 35 students, faculty and crew.  The reviews tell all – “Fair winds and following seas”

sea-semester-reviewSince 1971, SEA has been a leader in off-campus study focused on marine science, maritime culture, and environmental studies. Our SEA Semester study abroad programs challenge students intellectually and physically by combining the sailing adventure of a lifetime with study of the deep ocean and the interactions between humans and the sea.. We create environmentally literate leaders who are prepared to address the defining issue of the twenty-first century: the human impact on the environment. We look for motivated students of all majors who are passionate about learning, willing to seek out new challenges, and eager to become part of a unique learning community.

To learn more or apply to this program please visit:

https://www.studyabroad101.com/providers/sea-semester

Here’s How to Start a Remote Business While Studying Abroad

european countries - continent marked with flagsThe growing influence of the internet culture means that setting up a remote business these days is straightforward, even for students studying abroad. The road of students turned entrepreneurs is one that has been widely traveled and awash with many success stories. Here are important tips that can help as you start your remote business while studying abroad.

Create a plan

What kind of business are you looking to start? What are your goals? Are you looking at a business that you will continue when you return home or one that will only help you raise some cash for the duration of your study? How do you intend to manage the business in line with your studies? These are important points you need to address as you create your business. You will be the leader of the team so you have to be ready to take some responsibility on how communication will be handled, the delegation of tasks and how deadlines will be enforced. These are vital considerations for the success of your remote business.

Sort the legal requirements

Depending on where you are studying, you may be required to register your business before you can operate. This is especially true when you need a business account with financial institutions and when you are required to pay taxes. If you are operating a team based in international locations away from your study area and intend to use e-currency platforms to manage your finances, you may not need any registrations. It is still best to find out what the law says to avoid problems in future.

Decide on your staffing needs

How many people do you need to get your business functioning for the next 6 months at least? Clearly map out the roles. A good tip is to only focus on absolutely vital staff and consider giving dual roles to qualified individuals. An unnecessarily bloated workforce at the early stage can lead to a funding quagmire.

Hire the best hands

After you have worked out processes and goals, it is time to start looking for people that have the skills you are looking for. An important point to note with remote workers is to downplay cover letters, samples and interviews. Trial projects always work best. They allow you to see who has the right expertise for your company best.

Work with the right technology

There is no searching for tools that can help ensure better communication and optimal productive for your remote team. From communication software to file sharing and team monitoring software, there is technology to help you grow.

Communication is vital

Many remote teams break down after a while as a result of poor communication. This is why it is vital to have several communication lines for members of the team. Chat, phone and email are the more popular options but conference calls and social media communication should be explored.

Starting a remote business as a student abroad can be richly rewarding when approached correctly.