Czech Out Prague for a Semester

While I miss New York City dearly, leaving Fordham for one semester to studying and travel around Europe can outweigh the homesick feelings. For my spring semester of my junior year I am living, studying and working in Prague, Czech Republic. Before I left, I worked with Fordham’s ISAP team (International Study Abroad) and my advisers to find the perfect program for me.

Me saying "Na shledanou" to my mom at the airport

Like many other students at Fordham (36%) I choose to broaden my cultural, educational, and social norms by spending a semester abroad However, when colleges limit the programs they offer or accept credit from, studying abroad and still receiving enough credit to graduate on time can be difficult. I found this to be the opposite at Fordham.

All I had to do was choose my city and Fordham helped me take care of the rest. While in Prague, as a part of the CIEE Communications, New Media and Journalism program, I all of my courses pertain to my Communications and Media Studies major. Starting Monday I will even begin and internship at a Czech media company!

view from my CIEE school at Vysehrad Fortress

So while anytime away from Fordham causes me to miss my “Ramily,” I am looking forward to all of the new experiences, people and cultures I will “Czech” out while abroad!  

Prague's famous Charles Bridge

Where in the World Do I Study Abroad?

So you have decided to spend a semester out of the country and you couldn’t be more thrilled! 

You were sold at the idea of experiencing a new culture and meeting new people, not to mention
trying all of the amazing food. But up until now you have only been able to describe where you
want to go in generic terms like, “Somewhere in Europe” or “Somewhere where they speak
Spanish.” So now that you’ve realized that those two qualifications constitutes hundreds of
countries you become completely overwhelmed and have even thought about nixing the whole
thing…

Before you make a huge mistake out of sheer frustration and apathy, know that tons of people are
willing to help you make this decision!

Prepare to be Advised…ISAP (International Study Abroad Office) offers online resource and
personal advising sessions solely to help you sort things out. Don’t forget that most academic
departments have specific advisors ready to help you find the right place and program based on
your major.

An ISAP map of all the different Study Abroad options 

Peer to Peer…If you want the most honest details about the best and (the worst) of study abroad
programs go directly to those who have experienced them first hand. Also, as an environment
full of students with international backgrounds, Fordham is the perfect place to find a classmate
who can recommend a country that they know better than anyone else that could be perfect for
you!

Just Google it…And if you aren’t feeling like making the trip to the basement of Walsh
Library or talking to anyone who isn’t your roommate, then check out what the web has to offer.
Apart from ISAP’s website, tons of other online resources like Buzzfeed and Huffington Post
offer quizzes and articles about study abroad experiences.

Buzzfeed never fails with life's greatest questions

Blog Post By: Caroline Dunn

Fordham Rams in France

Going into my last semester at Fordham, I have looked back at all of the great experiences I have had during my time here.  One of the biggest decisions I made while being at Fordham was going abroad the spring semester of my junior year.  It took a lot of planning, but with the help of Fordham’s International Study Abroad Programs I was able to have an amazing time abroad. 

The first decision I had to make was deciding where to go.  I ended up in Paris after researching various programs and discussing all of my options during meetings in ISAP.  The office was really helpful and provided a lot of information on picking classes, obtaining a visa, and choosing a program.  I chose Academic Programs Abroad (APA) and would be taking all of my classes in French and living with a host family. 

I arrived in Paris in January and was abroad until June. I can’t believe it has already been a year since I left! It was an amazing experience.  Living with a host family and talking classes in French was a lot of hard work at times, but I feel like I was able to learn so much.  Paris was a great city to explore for the semester.  I felt prepared to take on another city after having explored New York City for a few years. 

Fordham friends and I at Abbey Road in London

In addition to Paris, I was able to travel around France and Europe visiting other friends who were also abroad at the time.  I visited Fordham friends in London, a friend from home in Florence, and met friends for a weekend in Barcelona.  It was an incredible experience to see so many different cities, museums, and eat tons of delicious foods.  It was sad to miss out on a semester of Fordham activities, but I am so glad that I was able to make study abroad a part of my Fordham experience!  

Studying Abroad in Italy!

This past semester (Fall 2014) I was lucky enough to have the experience of a lifetime and study abroad! I spent some of the most amazing months of my life studying and living in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy.  I had taken Italian language classes for all four semesters of both my freshman and sophomores years at Fordham so Italy was an obvious choice in my case!

The process of studying abroad began in the Fall of my sophomore year, I set up a meeting with an advisor in Fordham's study abroad office (ISAP) to discuss all of my options.  I knew that I wanted to go to Italy but I was not sure what program or what city I wanted to be in.  This meeting was extremely helpful, the advisor showed me how to use ISAP's website in order to discover the numerous programs Fordham has agreements with all over the world. I soon found the Syracuse Florence program and quickly applied and soon after got confirmation that I would soon be embarking on the trip of a lifetime.  ISAP helped me tremendously in the months leading up to my departure with countless things, such as pre-departure meetings, helping to pick classes that would transfer, and general questions about absolutely anything regarding my future home or program.

                                                                               Florence is beautiful! 

I left for Italy on September 1st and was soon in Florence, definitely nervous and jet lagged, but also very ready to see what the city had to offer! I soon moved in with my host family, all students in the Syracuse Florence program live with host families except for Architecture students.  I could not have asked for a better family, they welcomed me in as one of their own and included me in their daily life.  I never felt uncomfortable or like I was intruding, I definitely believe that living with a host family helped me tremendously when it came to immersing myself into the culture and becoming comfortable with the language.                                          After a long hike in the beautiful Cinque Terre! 

During my time in Florence I took five classes at Syracuse's campus, an old villa on the outskirts of town that is absolutely beautiful. When I wasn't in class I took full advantage of the cheap and numerous travel options that Europe has to offer.  I got the amazing opportunity to travel to so many new places. I went all throughout Italy, traveling both North and South, to places like Sicily, Ferrara, Venice, Parma, Torino, and Cinque Terre.  I also got the opportunity to travel throughout Europe on many occasions.  Outside of Italy I was lucky enough to travel to Budapest, Vienna, Poland, Prague, London, and Copenhagen!

Some friends and I in Prague 

I would not trade my abroad experience for anything and I am so happy I got the chance to travel the world and truly experience another culture as amazing as the one I found in Florence! Fordham ISAP was extremely helpful in all aspects of the process not only before my departure but also while I was abroad and upon my return in terms of getting all transfer credits.

For further information on Fordham numerous study abroad programs you can visit ISAP's website at: http://www.fordham.edu/studyabroad

Abroad in Australia

A great part of the Fordham experience is studying abroad. I recently returned from Sydney, Australia where I spent the semester exploring a new culture and city on the other side of the world. Deciding to study abroad wasn’t an easy decision. The process began my sophomore year when I met with an International & Study Abroad Program (ISAP) advisor. The ISAP office has programs all over the world available for fall, spring, and summer semesters. Students travel to Europe, Central America, South Africa, and many more unbelievable places. I didn’t know much about Australia but after researching a few programs and cities I decided to apply to the IFSA-Butler program in Sydney, Australia. Fordham’s ISAP office connected my information to the program that directly enrolled me into the Australian university system. IFSA-Butler was a great program that sponsored many events throughout the semester including a rugby game, hiking in the Blue Mountains, and a weekend with a host family in the country.

I flew out of BWI airport on July 15^th and was soon enrolled at the University of Sydney in the heart of Australia’s largest city. My experience at Sydney Uni was completely different than Fordham. I attended class with Aussies and the university was home to 50,000 students. I took courses in Australian history, international politics, and Australian media. Outside of the classroom I explored the city and incredible beaches that are some of the most famous in the world.

Whitsunday Islands

For Spring Break I traveled the coast of Queensland from Brisbane to Cairns. During this 10-day adventure I white-water rafted in crocodile filled waters, bungee jumped in the Daintree rainforest, and went scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef. On weekends I visited various other places around the country including Melbourne, Darwin, and the Outback. I explored islands in Fiji and mountains in New Zealand. During the 5 months I lived in Sydney I was completely immersed in the Australian lifestyle. It was an experience I will never forget and am so thankful for. Through Fordham’s ISAP office there are so many opportunities to explore the world and studying abroad was one of the best decisions I have made during my time at Fordham.

Ben Lomond Hike in Queenstown, NZ

For more information on Fordham International & Study Abroad Programs visit: 

http://www.fordham.edu/info/20917/study_abroad