Paragliding over Lucerne, Switzerland

Author: Katie Parker | Major: Broadcast Journalism | Semester: Summer 2023

I grew up in a town of 300 people, so I’ve spent a lot of time imagining what it would be like to see the world – this summer, I got to do just that. In less than 70 days I saw 14 countries and 30+ cities – and most importantly – got the public transportation routes down pat. While not all my traveling was spent alone, a majority of it was. The summer of 2023 taught me that I’m more than capable of things that used to seem out of reach.

Why CIMBA?

I was looking for a study abroad experience that gave me a sense of local culture, strong connections with my classmates and authentic experiences from week to week. CIMBA was able to check all of those boxes and then some. If you would have asked me to write out my best case scenario for studying abroad before I left for the program, it would have fallen short compared to the experience I was blessed enough to have. The program exceeded any expectations I had by a long shot, it was everything I could’ve hoped for and more.

I didn’t know anyone coming into my study and I walked away with one of the best groups of friends I’ve ever been apart of. I took two years of Italian at the University of Arkansas, but I had never been able to immerse myself into the language like I was able to at CIMBA. Through my courses I was able to challenge myself and put my resources to the test.

Vienna, Austria

Another interesting thing about CIMBA, is that the instructor staff is blended with professors from all over the U.S. as well as professors from all over Italy. I was able to learn from a doctorate professor at West Virginia University as well as a local Italian professor. This learning environment allowed me to have two parallel learning experiences, learning the Italian education system while comparing it to the United States’! One time our class field trip was to go to a café and order gelato in Italian! It was super sweet.

And if you’re not already convinced to apply for CIMBA, this program offers different cooking classes from pizza to pasta, daily field trips, real-world learning activities, weekly travel opportunities, and plenty of other ways to feel right at home.

During my time at CIMBA I was able to explore the local Italian countryside, Vienna, Budapest, Rome, Florence, and Venice. Each week we had a half-day on Thursday which would kick off the travel weekends. Some people had their weekends planned before the program began, but I would recommend waiting until you get to campus. You never know who you’re gonna meet and where y’all will decide to go!

I walked into the program with an open-mind and half the fun was waking up each Monday knowing that spontaneity would land me in a different country by the weekend!

Swimming in Southern Croatia

When CIMBA ended, I decided to do a bit of traveling on my own. This was common among the program participants, but some people went home after it wrapped, which is fine too! Post-program I was able to travel to 10 more countries! In that time I got to paraglide over Switzerland, sit on a swing that flew over the city of Amsterdam, take a sailboat up to coast of Croatia, try a countless new foods, learn basic language in each country and meet people I never would have had the chance to know!

My top travel tips:

• Pack LIGHT — You will be so thankful you did this. You’ll want room for souvenirs, it’s hard to travel with a ton of luggage, and you never really need as much as you think.
• Learn a couple phrases in different languages — Before you travel to a new country pick up a few basic words/phrases to help you out. “Hello/Goodbye,” “thank you,” “Directions, please,” all of these terms can go a long way when communicating with locals. And plus, it’s respectful and they’ll appreciate your effort!
• Try new things! — I don’t regret a single new thing I tried while abroad. From trying new foods, experiencing the locals favorite pastimes, and much more… this was the best way to learn about the culture!

Time for my awards:

• Best Food: Germany
• Best Scenery: Switzerland
• Best Community: Spain
• Most Unique city: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Best Overall: Croatia

Take the chance and travel! You will learn so much about the world and even more about yourself. Whether you go alone or with friends, you will meet so many people and walk away with so many new experiences. Your time abroad will shape your perspective for the rest of your life!