Hello

My Study Abroad Experience: Isabella Bazante

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Where and when did you study abroad/off-campus?   

Hi! I’m Isabella, a rising senior at Questrom. I studied abroad in Auckland, New Zealand for my Spring semester of Junior year.

What did you do for your internship and what kinds of projects were you assigned (if you had one)?

I was a part of the Management Internship Program, which involved taking a total of 3 classes and having an internship. The first couple of months, I took the required BU New Zealand Culture class along with a Marketing class at the University of Auckland. Afterwards, I took another Marketing class and had an internship at Loop Media NZ. Loop is an entertainment producer and an agent for artists and public figures. Some of my tasks included arranging accommodation and flights, filing legal documents, and booking venues. I also coordinated and collaborated with artists, venues, and event sponsors through emails and phone calls to organize the logistics for events.

What surprised you most about your time abroad/off-campus?

I was surprised by the big music culture there is in New Zealand. Before traveling to New Zealand, I didn’t look into what kind of music was typical there. I focused more on the nature and travel destinations in my pre-research. Yet, working at Loop exposed me to a lot of music events and allowed me to see another element of the Kiwi culture. Talk to the coordinators, your classmates, boss and co-workers to find out what music events are going on. Facebook is also a good way to discover upcoming events.

What are two things you learned from your time abroad/off-campus that you may not have learned otherwise?

One of the main things I learned while abroad was how to plan trips. In order to have a successful, worry-free trip, thorough planning is key. This includes things like renting a car, booking hostels, and researching activities. (Tip: it’s usually cheaper to book directly through the hostel’s website or by calling them, rather than using general booking websites).

What was the hardest part of your experience?

One of the difficulties for me was the time difference, since there’s a big time difference between the East Coast and Auckland. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to talk to my friends and family as much as I wanted. But this was solved by planning ahead by deciding on times and dates that worked best for us to talk on the phone (via Whatsapp) or video call (Whatsapp, Facetime, Skype).

Are there any hidden gems that your classmates should check out?

Hidden gems: Lake Marian in the South Island; Raglan in the North Island; Cable Bay Vineyard in Waiheke (not so hidden); New Chums Beach on the Coromandel.

What are your best tips for those planning to study where you did?

Auckland Tips: Explore surrounding neighborhoods (Ponsonby, Parnell, etc). Go to an All Blacks game (sign up to their email list so that you get notifications). Try surfing. Take advantage of the weekends to travel, even if you just do day trips. If you go to Milford Sound, the earliest Jucy Cruise is a good price and includes breakfast. Look up free or cheap stuff on campus – example: there’s $5 vegetarian food on Wednesdays organized by The Veda Club.

General Tips: Before going abroad, look up the places you want to visit while you’re there. Reach out to anyone you know who has been to your abroad destination (they’ll probably be glad to help). Don’t over pack. Go to class! It’s a good way to meet locals, especially if you’re at a local campus. Try to join clubs on campus. Don’t spend your money on unnecessary things – traveling is better J Walk as much as possible. Talk to store clerks, Uber drivers, professors, classmates.

My Study Abroad Experience: Karla Carruitero

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Where and when did you study abroad/off-campus?  

I studied abroad in Sydney, Australia Spring 2018.

What did you do for your internship and what kinds of projects were you assigned (if you had one)?

I was a marketing intern for Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific. If you’re familiar with Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, or even TLC, then you know what “product” I was working with! As a marketing intern, I was rotated amongst different departments – communications, digital, creative services, media planning, and programming. While I had several different tasks depending on what team I was on, a few examples of things I did were:

  • I created a press release for Mama June Season 2 premiere
  • I inputted show ratings for several channels
  • I pitched a commercial that would integrate Mazda and Discovery’s sports channel – Eurosport

What are two things you learned from your time abroad/off-campus that you may not have learned otherwise?

  1. I learned how to be more adventurous! Being abroad means taking advantage of the little time you have in that new city. Rather than always saying no, I had to have an open mind to trying new experiences.
  2. Time management! The idea of travelling within Australia was always a must-do for me. I had to be able to balance classes with my weekend outings. All of my classes released project and essay deadlines on the first day of class, so planning ahead was crucial.

What surprised you most about your time abroad/off-campus?

I was most surprised as to how I could be so far away from home, but not feel that distant at all. The staff is awesome and the friends you meet end up making in Sydney feel like home. You also get to know the city incredibly well, especially when you start your internship and you have to commute there every day.

What was the hardest part of your experience?

The hardest part of my experience was budgeting. It’s easy to want to do everything, mostly because it feels like everyone else is doing so much, but staying level-headed about expenses is most important. My advice to everyone is to save up big-time before the semester begins!

What was the best part of your experience?

Being able to travel was the best part. I was able to go to different cities within Australia, but also Thailand and Indonesia. Seeing new cultures and meeting new people was wonderful. I have many pictures and videos that I know I will cherish forever.

What are your best tips for those planning to study where you did?

Do all the coastal walks! They’re beautiful and a great time. You typically start off the semester with a cohort Bondi to Coogee walk, but make sure to do one at the Royal National Park and the Spit to Manly coastal walk. The views are incredible; it really makes you feel like there’s no place more beautiful than Australia.

Are there any hidden gems that your classmates should check out?

Get good food in Newtown! I’m Peruvian, so I looked for some Hispanic food and found great arepas at La Reina Queen of Venezuela Arepas in Newtown. Also, swim in the Olympic pool and then walk a few minutes to get to the Sydney Harbor Bridge – you’ll get amazing skyline views. But probably one of the coolest experiences I had was in Tasmania. It’s a 2-hour flight and worth your time if you like outdoorsy stuff — such a magical place.

My Study Abroad Experience: Jimmy Perez

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Where and when did you study abroad/off-campus?

I studied abroad in Madrid during Spring 2018 at la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Also, I did an internship during my stay at a travel agency and was primarily involved in financially planning all the agency’s trips for the fall and early winter.

What are two things you learned from your time abroad/off-campus that you may not have learned otherwise?

The two biggest learning takeaways from my study abroad experience is learning about my ancestry and how to better adapt to a multi-cultural society.

What surprised you most about your time abroad/off-campus?

What most surprised while I was abroad is how better Spanish society is compared to American society in their accessibilities for disabled and elderly people.

What was the hardest part of your experience?

The hardest part of the experience is balancing the internship with school work.

What was the best part of your experience?

The best part of the experience is how far I was away from home, but it felt like that was home.

What are your best tips for those planning to study where you did?

The best tips I can offer are be wise when choosing classes, try as many new things as you can, and travel as much as you can because that type of learning is something you cannot get in a classroom.

Are there any hidden gems that your classmates should check out?

Hidden gems, to eat: el senador, artesanos 1902, casa hortensia, plaza olavide, plaza santa ana, ornella; go out: marieta, perrachica, radio rooftop, josealfredo, macera.