Author: Harrison McMechen | Major: Finance and Marketing | Semester: Summer 2025
Me in front of La Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain.
I always wanted to study abroad. I did not have a specific country in mind or a big reason why, I just knew I wanted to get out of my normal routine and experience something different. A few of my fraternity brothers had done CIMBA the year before and recommended it to me and some of our other friends. They said it had a good mix of school and travel, so we looked into it and decided to go for it.
CIMBA is in a small Italian town called Paderno del Grappa, surrounded by mountains and quiet countryside. I flew into Venice a few days early on May 16 to explore and get settled with one of my friends. The program ran from May 19 to June 13, and afterward I traveled with a few friends who met me in Europe. I flew home from Vienna on June 20.
Academically, I took two classes with Arkansas professors, which made the transition easier. The first was International Marketing with Sara Grace. We spent the class learning how marketing strategies change across cultures. For our group project, we picked an American product and figured out how to launch it in Italy. We chose the Newair countertop ice maker. Ice is not a big part of Italian culture, you rarely see it in restaurants or homes, so we had to completely rethink how to market it. We tied it to the tradition of aperitivo, where Italians gather for drinks and snacks before dinner, and pitched the ice maker as a way to elevate those moments at home and make them feel luxurious.
My second class was The Global Consumer with Molly Rapert. The entire course focused on China. We studied how the government works, its role in business and consumer behavior, and how China is expanding its global influence. I walked in knowing almost nothing and left with a way better understanding of how the country operates. We looked at topics like censorship, the belt road initiative, surveillance, and how Chinese tech is shaping global markets. It was one of the most eye-opening classes I have ever taken.
Outside of class, we had weekends to explore, and one of the craziest experiences happened in Paris. We went during the Champions League Final, the biggest soccer match in Europe. PSG was playing Inter Milan in the final, which was being held in Munich. We planned to watch from a small bar, but when we got there, the whole street was packed. People were crowded around TVs outside restaurants and shouting nonstop.
Once the game started, things went off the rails. PSG dominated and won 5 to 0. After the match, we made our way to the Champs-Élysées and saw total chaos. Fireworks, looting, cars on fire, people everywhere. The government had sent out thousands of police, but it still felt completely out of control. We got hit with tear gas multiple times and had to weave through backstreets to get out of the area. What stood out to me was how the unrest felt bigger than just a soccer game. You could tell a lot of people were angry about more than just the match. There was tension in the air, tied to social and political issues happening in the city. It was like something out of a movie. We eventually made it back, and on the way, we passed crowds still partying in the streets and saw the Eiffel Tower lit up in PSG’s colors. It was insane, but also something I will never forget.
If you are thinking about studying abroad, my advice is simple. Just do it. It might feel expensive or stressful to plan, but the experience is worth every bit of it. You learn a lot, meet great people, and get to see the world in a way most people never do. It gives you stories, confidence, and something to set you apart on your resume and in interviews. CIMBA was one of the best decisions I have made in college. I learned a ton, saw places I never thought I would, and made memories I will have forever. If you are even a little curious, go for it. You will not regret it.