ISA (International Studies Abroad)

Seoul is such a unique city filled with so many interesting and different neighborhoods. I particularly enjoyed Hongdae and Itaewon because of the nightlife and food. Hongdae was full of fashion and young college students which I enjoyed because I lived in a quieter and more residential neighborhood. I loved Itaewon because it reminded me of home. The area is filled with ex-pats, particularly Americans because it is where the US military base is located. Because of this, Itaewon has tons of American restaurants and bars. My favorite restaurant there was called Route 66 and it had $1 pizza slices and trivia on Thursday nights. I really enjoyed being able to go someplace that was filled with other Americans whenever I was missing home. Overall, South Korea has something to offer for everyone such as bustling city life, surfing on the coast, and hiking into the clouds. I definitely recommend studying abroad here!

I absolutely adored my time in Limerick. The university is a wonderful, fun, gorgeous place. The accommodation is clean and very comfortable and integrates you with Irish students - which is such a huge positive! IFSA-Butler provides great support before, during, and even after the program. I actually went back to Ireland a few years later and needed to leave my luggage in Dublin for a day and they let me use their office! The trips they took us on were fun and educational and a great opportunity to meet others.

Studying abroad with a provider like ISA is great for students who need that little extra boost of support to get abroad. Their staff is lovely and kind and want to make you feel like you're at home and comfortable.

COURSES: Take classes that are fun and exciting that you wouldn't be able to get at your home campus. I studied Cultural Psychology, Gardens of Love, Italian Language, and Wine Appreciation. Yes, all of them transferred back to my home campus at BHSU with a little creativity!

EXPLORE: Purchasing a bicycle was the best way for me to experience as much of Florence as I could. I was able to seek out the roads less traveled on the outskirts of the city center. This is also an important hobby to me back home, so it was an important way for me to feel like I could enjoy my hobbies, get outside of the city center, and work off all that food I was eating.

HOMESTAYS: Although you will make life-long friends with the other American students, try to avoid spending all your time with other study abroad students in your program. It is important to step outside your comfort zone and meet local friends. They will be the ones to help you grow in your language abilities, experience true cultural activities, and enjoy some of the best local eats. Homestays are the perfect way to set yourself up for success. Some of my best memories were at my home with my Italian family.

SAFETY: Florence is a superb city for safety and wellness as a first-time independent traveler. Just be sure to watch your alcohol intake and be responsible. Many of the new students want to enjoy drinking legally for the first time, and it was a little scary to see some of the situations intoxicated students put themselves in. It's always important to be alert and cognizant. Also, remember that as visitors, we are ambassadors of our home countries. Represent yourself and your country well.

FOOD: The food scene is absolutely incredible. I ate and learned to cook some of the best food of my life in Florence. Regional ingredients based on history and geography of the people is such an important aspect to understanding culture. Parmesan, pesto, chianti, fresh olive oil, prosciutto, truffles, balsamic... are you kidding me?!?!

My semester in Athens, Greece was the best time of my life. It is a beautiful country that has everything you could imagine, from the snow covered mountains, to the sandy beaches, to the bustling city, and ancient ruins around every corner. My favorite thing to learn about in history class was always the Greek gods and goddesses, so visiting their ancient temples was like an out of world experience for me. My ISA advisors were some of the kindest people I know and made a real effort to expose the students to their culture. The food was incredible and I could probably eat gyros for the rest of my life. My classes was a great mix of American and Greek students, where we could often debate about our ways of life. The thing I will value the most is the lifelong friendships that I have made. I still talk to my friends often and meeting them gives me a new excuse to travel more often to see them.

Studying abroad ignited my hunger and passion for traveling, and it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life! While studying in Seville, Spain for a semester with ISA I made new friends that I connected with, traveled with, and am still in contact with. Studying abroad for a semester allowed me to travel around Europe and to Africa for a total of 9 countries! The classes that I took at the University of Seville, a historic and enchanting building, were fun and challenging. I had the opportunity to practice my Spanish in my classes, with my host mom, with ISA staff, at the store, at restaurants, and with local friends I made. My host mom was amazing and a fantastic cook! My roommate was very friendly, and we each had our own room. I always felt safe, comfortable, and welcome in my house though at times the temperature was a bit different than I would have preferred (air/heating is not used as frequently to save energy). I was very happy with my choice to study in Seville because it was big enough to have lots of options for restaurants, activities, and modes of transportation, but I did not feel that it was unsafe or I was overwhelmed by the size at all. It was also very sunny in Seville, something I couldn't get enough of! I was also very satisfied with my choice to study abroad with ISA! They were very helpful and offered insightful information throughout all stages of the program. The staff on site were incredibly personable and made the excursions a lot of fun! I would definitely consider traveling with them again!