What inspired you to go abroad?
I decided to study abroad when I was at a point where I was getting bored with the routine nature of college and stuck in a rut. I felt the need to be challenged and to step outside of my comfort zone. I googled "study abroad" and found Forum-Nexus.
Why did you choose Forum-Nexus?
I chose Forum-Nexus because it has a multi-country program. It was my first time leaving the country so I wanted to make the most of my time by seeing as many places as I could.
What was your favorite part about traveling with Forum-Nexus?
Forum-Nexus goes to several different places, so I would have to say of those my favorite stop was Chamonix, France. We visited a lot of cities during our time in Europe, but Chamonix is a small town in between two of the tallest Mountains in the Swiss Alps. It was so quaint and had beautiful views.
What made your experience abroad unique?
My experience abroad was unique because of the friends I made on the trip. Within the first few days I had bonded with a group of 10 or so people. We were inseparable and did everything together. It was so fun to come together with strangers from all over the US and the world, and explore Europe together. I still keep in regular contact with the friends I made with Forum-Nexus.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The Forum-Nexus staff really make the program what it is. They all travel with the students so you always have their support along the way. They are there to answer your questions before you leave and they guide you through the program as well.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
I really had a perfect experience, so I don't really wish I had done anything differently. However, I do know a that some people wished they had budgeted better on the trip. It is easy to spend your money on things like souvenirs, going out to eat, etc., but those are not really necessary to your experience.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
Typically on weekdays, we took classes in the mornings from around 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and then in the afternoons we would go as a group on a professional or cultural visit. Some afternoons were free for us to do our own sightseeing as well.
Weekends were free for students to do independent travels and often students would travel together to nearby countries, but the program also had alternative optional fun things planned for those who chose not to go somewhere independently. One day a week was usually spent traveling to our next destination.
What did you enjoy doing on your free time?
In my free time I would often wander the city. I would pop in and out of shops, grab some food, see some of the famous site, take pictures, and just hang out with the other students. On a few of the free weekends, I went to other destinations with other students in my program, such as London and Santorini.
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
The hotels we stayed in were four and five stars. We always got a free breakfast buffet and access to gyms, pools, etc. I enjoyed being able to pick our roommates in each city we went to. This allowed us to mix it up and meet new people every week or if we bonded well with one person we could stay with them the whole time.
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
Because you're only on the program for about five weeks, you really have to make the most of your time. It's a fast pace program, but there is a lot of free time you can use to get out and see the cities. It's exhausting but worth it!
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Studying abroad with Forum-Nexus really kickstarted the rest of my life. You get to college and you start to experience this freedom and independence by making choices for yourself, handling money, scheduling classes, making career choices, etc. Then as soon as you start to get comfortable with all that, studying abroad takes that to the next step, throwing you into a new country and culture to figure out those same things all over again.
While abroad, you start to see more options for potential career paths, you may be inspired to learn a foreign language, you may network with someone who becomes a great future connection, you can put it on your resume help to stand out to future employers—it really just kickstarts you into the rest of your life.
Would you recommend Forum-Nexus to others? Why?
I would absolutely recommend Forum-Nexus to every student. They have classes for all majors so everyone can partake. It was the best decision I have ever made and I made so many friends, memories, and learned so much along the way. I have also caught the travel bug, so I know I will continue to travel for the rest of my life.
