Alumni Interview with Mikayla Habina

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I have always wanted to travel. Ever since I was a little girl and One Direction was constantly playing in my earbuds, I couldn't stop thinking about traveling to Europe. Plus, I love love love anything to do with art and history.

Being from the US, things aren't very old here. But in Europe, things are older than I've ever imagined they could be. I was amazed at how much history there was simply just walking down the street.

I remember dreaming in my history and art classes about how much I wanted to actually see and look at the things that they were telling me about; and I actually got to. It was a dream come true.

Why did you choose CAPA the Global Education Network?

I figured for a Fine Arts and English major like myself, London was a perfect destination that had both of those elements. Plus, it has a Creative Arts Certificate program that included classes that were 100% perfect for me.

I took Modern Art in London which was one of my favorite classes taught by a really great professor, Ed Leeson, and he was so knowledgeable but also really personable and connected with me because he was an artist himself. He worked at some of the museums and gave us really great tours of the art museums in London. That was just one highlight of London.

What was your favorite part about London?

The museums! Gosh, the museums! The pure history and amazing stories that are there really is what made it so impactful for me. Plus, I also went over to Belfast, Rome, Milan, Florence, and Paris.

The museums in those cities are just absolutely breathtaking. When I tell you I broke down in tears at the sight of anything Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli, or anyone else, I am not exaggerating! It was truly a life-changing experience to be able to see those masterpieces in front of me. The architecture is also a HUGE plus.

What made your experience abroad extraordinary?

The four friends that I made on this trip are some of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. They are so down to earth, adventurous like me, and so caring and passionate about what they do.

They are very similar to me, which is why I think we all connected as a group so fast. In only one month, it kind of seemed like it was us five against the world. It was a great experience because we went out almost every day and created so many fun memories.

We tried so many different foods, drinks, went to restaurants and clubs, and went to museums and historical places and also did a lot of shopping. It was just the perfect experience. We all still talk to this day!

How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?

I had an issue with getting my medication from back home. I was totally out of my medication and Sheridan and Claire at CAPA London made sure I had my medication immediately. They made it seem like they really cared about me and my issue, and helped me get a doctor’s appointment, and paid for my medication because I had no extra money for it.

They set up the doctor’s appointment for me and also took me to the pharmacy and helped me pick it up. It was really extraordinary that they did that for me because otherwise, I would’ve had a very difficult time while in London.

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?

I truly have no regrets about my time abroad. Obviously, this semester was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was really devastating and heartbreaking that I had to cut my time short in Europe and also with my friends.

However, I accepted the fact that there was nothing we could do but go home and try and stay safe. Plus, I had an amazing time in the two months that I was there! I truly have no regrets about anything (except maybe money management, lol)!

Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.

A typical weekday of my study abroad was waking up, getting ready for school, eating some breakfast, and walking a short 10 minutes to the CAPA center. Then I would have my classes. 

Sometimes we would go out for a field trip, just depending on the day and the class. Then I would go home and relax for a bit, and my friends would be texting me about what we wanted to do that night. We usually went out to Spoons for drinks and dinner.

On the weekends, I’d wake up nice and early and usually go to a museum or historical spot, sometimes alone or with one or two of my friends, and then we would all meet up later in the evening for shopping or to go to Spoons for drinks and dinner!

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?

My free time was either super calm or extremely crazy! I usually liked to go shopping or out to eat with my friends, or we would all go out to go sightseeing or to a museum. But one of my favorite experiences was when my friends and I went to the nightclub Heaven two nights in a row! We stayed until 4 o’clock in the morning on both nights. It was so much fun, I would highly recommend it. It’s dancing and listening to music with your friends! It’s such an incredible experience.

What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?

In London, I stayed in a flat with 5 other CAPA girls. It was really nice. We mostly always got along, but people from different areas don’t always get along, and that’s perfectly fine! We all ended up liking and getting to know each other in the end though.

When we went to Paris with CAPA we had a hotel room which was nice, and then when my friends and I went to Italy we stayed in hostels. I stayed in a hostel in Belfast by myself. I really enjoy hostels, they’re a fun experience!

What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?

One thing you should know is that this is going to be so much different than anything you’ve ever done before. Plus, know that everything is super fluid, and things may change! I wish I would’ve known that going in.

I definitely didn’t expect a global pandemic to happen, but when things changed like how they did, I wish I would’ve been more prepared! Also, you are going to experience A LOT of independence. A lot more than normal… your parents, friends, and family are across the ocean, and you are totally alone over here!

But, know that you’re actually not alone, because you’ll be making amazing friends really soon, plus, CAPA staff is always there for you too!

Would you recommend CAPA to others? Why?

Absolutely! At my school, I was and am the first and only person to have used CAPA and studied abroad in recent years. I want more people to experience the amazing things that I did because it’s truly life-changing in all aspects.

Meeting new people, making memories, learning independence, and learning new things all come with studying abroad. Plus, the things you’ll learn and see over in Europe is an entirely different world than it is in the United States. CAPA made sure that everything was going well with their students up until the end.

What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?

The biggest benefit of studying abroad is definitely the memories that you’re going to make. That includes the classes you’ll take, which are one of a kind and really great because of the city that you’re in, the people that you’ll meet, classmates and others, and the places you’re going to go. 

You’re going to learn how to become an independent person living in an international city, which is very different from learning independence back home in the states at your home university.

Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?

I miss London every single day that I am back home. It sounds sad, I know, but I miss aspects of everyday life I had when I was there that I no longer have here. One day, I know, I’m going to study for my master’s degree over in London. It feels like my second home—I even got a tattoo of the London skyline!

Now that I’m back home, I know what independence means. I also am grateful for everything that I have because I know that things are not always 100% set in stone. The study abroad program changed the outlook I have on everything because I know that things in life are not always perfect, but we have to try and make them the best that we can.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

Meaningful travel means going somewhere to learn something about yourself and how it connects to the environment that you’re in. Traveling to a vacation town can be fun to get away from everything for a week, but have you really learned anything from it?

I think that the best kind of travel is going somewhere you want to go, learning things about that place, and figuring out how those things impact you. I think that when you learn about a place and those things can find a way into your heart, that is the most meaningful.