Alumni Interview with Olivia Pincombe

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I love to explore different cultures, but I probably would not have ever studied abroad if not for the program iXperience offered.

Why did you choose your iXperience?

I happened upon the program in an email, and was initially interested in the opportunity to study in South Africa. After realizing that there was a digital design course offered in Berlin - which is the career path I hope to follow, though not offered as a major at my university - I knew it was meant to be and applied immediately.

What was your favorite part about Berlin, Germany?

I loved everything about Berlin. I especially loved the vibe of the city and the food, but I really just enjoyed the culture overall.

What made your experience abroad extraordinary?

I think what made it special was the friends I made in the program - we were lucky to have a small class of all girls, and we all got super close and did everything together. One of my partners in a project and later in the internship became one of my closest friends, and we continued hanging out and staying in touch after leaving Berlin.

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

There were no local staff, but the staff that came with us from iXperience were incredible and so fun. They were definitely helpful and available and safety or comfort was never a question because they made that a huge priority, allowing us to focus on fun and learning.

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

I probably would have spent more time early on in the program exploring and doing new things - I spent a lot of the (very little) downtime we had in the first weeks hanging out by myself in my apartment to relax, but in hindsight I would have gotten out into the city more. Once I got more comfortable and started enjoying all the city had to offer in terms of sights, experiences, and nightlife, I wished I had put myself into those spaces sooner so I could have had more time to enjoy them.

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

I would wake up and get ready for class, eat a quick breakfast if I had time or pick up a pastry and coffee at one of the many bakeries lining the streets on my way to Ahoy! Berlin - the workspace we had class at - which was about a five-minute walk away or less from our apartments. Class was from 9pm to 1pm, at some point during a break most of us would get coffee and lunch from the café in Ahoy!, which we all loved and bonded over. Afterwards we would return to our apartments, sometimes take a quick 20-minute to one-hour break, or go straight into training in a design program by our TAs for a couple hours, after which we would usually gather with a few other students in the program to do something fun out in the city if we didn't have too much work for the following day.

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?

I loved trying new restaurants and cuisines with friends in the program - we ended up finding a pizza spot and Vietnamese restaurant that were our favorites, and we went there to hang out and eat together all the time. I loved getting to know the other students in the program, and food and sharing a meal is always a great way to bond.

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

Student apartments - I loved that I had my own room, and had everything that I needed besides a washer and dryer right within my room. The rooms had their own kitchen and bathroom and a ton of storage space for clothes, but I think the best of all was how aesthetically beautiful the rooms were.

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

Definitely be prepared to spend a lot of money, because the food around you is so great you're going to want to try a lot of restaurants and cafés, but it gets pricey.

Would you recommend iXperience to others? Why?

Yes, 100 percent - for the overall experience, but particularly for me for the content of our courses, through which I learned some of the most valuable practical and career skills ever thus far in my education.

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

Learning about a new culture is always a good thing to do, especially while you are young and able to get around more easily - it's just eye opening to really think about and live like people do in other parts of the world, and be able to take that with you when you return home.

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

I definitely feel more mature after travelling abroad, which was one of my goals going into the program. I feel more accomplished, successful, and worldly overall, and it's a good feeling. I think I'm more confident in myself overall, and the practice of making new friends and getting used to a new environment quickly has definitely positively impacted me.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

It means letting yourself mold into the society and culture you are entering, really being open minded and observant, and not just living in a way you're used to in a new context. When you travel meaningfully, you should learn more about the culture than tourists would because you are acting and behaving like the people in that culture as much as you can, and learning by doing. You are mindful and considerate of their culture, and after leaving you are able to pick out particularities of that culture that you may have even obtained yourself by habit.