CAPA WORLD

Yes, CAPA global cities are bursting with people from around the globe and are inevitably busy places. They're also home to some pretty amazing quieter spaces too that give the introverts among us a chance to recharge and perhaps discover another, more peaceful, side of a bustling metropolis. We recommend picking up a copy of a book called Quiet Barcelona by Siobhan Wall before you go. It’s packed full of ideas, but here are 10 of our personal favorite ways to recharge in the city.

In her last post, Mariah reflects on her decision to study abroad and how her experience eventually turned out. She also shares some advice and explains why you should not be scared to think and do things outside the box.

Marianne Zarzar is an official CAPA blogger, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance major at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in Sydney.

In today's post, Marianne reflects on her study abroad and internship experience in Sydney, what she misses about it, and tips on how to handle coming back home and maintaining relationships.

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I never knew it was possible to miss a place this much. Coming back home was filled with mixed feelings. Even though I am happy to be back, I have missed Australia and all the friendships and connections I made throughout my study abroad experience. I have been back home for a couple of weeks now, and the most random things still remind me of Australia. I have also started noticing some of the slight differences between Australia and the US in terms of how we do certain things a bit differently here. For example, the tiny space between bathroom stalls here in the US are huge compared to the ones in Australia, but I had never noticed until I came back. Also, I got so used to walking on the opposite side of the street, which actually makes a lot of sense to me, that I still do it even after having been back for a while.

Having been an exchange student before, I somewhat knew what to expect when coming back. I knew for example that almost no one will be as interested in hearing about your overseas experience as you are in telling them. This is not to mean that they won’t be excited for you, but this experience will impact you so much that you will be able to talk about it forever.

Kelly is an official CAPA blogger, sharing her story on CAPA World. A Journalism major at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London.

In today's post, Kelly reflects on her time studying and interning abroad in London and shares encouragement and advice on how to make this your best decision yet.

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If you’re having doubts about studying abroad or it has barely crossed your mind, look no further for advice than what I’m about to tell you.

Deciding to study abroad was quite possibly the best decision I’ve ever made. When I got into the CAPA London program to study and intern abroad, my dad asked me if I really wanted to do this. I was offended at the question and honestly teared up for a second at the thought of not going. That question did make me have second thoughts for a moment, though. I suppose that if I didn’t go, I wouldn’t know what I missed. But now that I’ve spent the best months of my life studying and interning in London (yes, I know—it’s a very cliche thing to say), I wouldn’t take it back for the world.

Nora Callahan is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. An International Affairs and Math major at Northeastern University, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In her last post, Nora reflects on her time abroad, why she was enthusiastic to document her experience, and how she got to know Buenos Aires better by being in the present—thanks to a broken phone.

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The first concrete challenge I encountered happened right as our first week in Buenos Aires was wrapping up. It’s embarrassing to admit, even though I wasn’t alone in this, but my phone broke. It was dropped in the rain and when my host family heard that...they said to put it in rice for a week in case it was the water. I was skeptical and thought that a week was a little excessive, but I really wasn’t in any position to turn down potentially phone-saving advice. So, I spent my second week in this foreign city without my regular trusty iPhone. What’s an American millennial abroad to do?

The streets of Buenos Aires on film.

I actually really enjoyed the experience. I planned ahead with friends and ran into different people for some unplanned meetups on a few occasions. I used a, now very-well-loved, paper map of the city to get around and checked the time on whatever clock was in sight, thinking, “If I’ve left and am on my way, I will get there when I get there.” A cell phone will not change that.

Kelly is an official CAPA blogger, sharing her story on CAPA World. A Journalism major at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London.

In this week's post, Kelly shares what it's like to keep in touch with friends and family in the US and the apps she uses to bridge the gap.

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No matter where you go—whether it’s a state away or a completely different time zone away—there’s a good chance you’ll want to keep in touch with someone you left behind. You could be going on vacation, leaving for college, moving for a job, or chasing an adventure. When you’re studying abroad for four months in a completely different time zone, it can be a little trickier to keep in touch with those you care about from back home. It’s definitely doable, though.

I’m not much of a homebody, so going places for extended periods of time doesn’t tend to prompt homesickness. That being said, I haven't kept in touch with my family that much, maybe once a month or so. But I do keep in contact with two of my best friends every day. I often speak to my family over the phone using it as usual or using WhatsApp’s calling feature. WhatsApp is a messaging app owned by Facebook that you can download to keep in contact with people. A lot of people use it for talking to others overseas.

Marianne is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance major at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in Sydney this semester.

In this week's post, Marianne discusses how she made the decision to study abroad and why Sydney is the right city for her.

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I still cannot believe I made it to Sydney! I wake up every day and feel excited about having been given this amazing opportunity to not only visit Sydney, but also be able to complete an internship and experience the Australian workplace.

This is one of the first pictures I took once I arrived in Sydney. T
his is the view with my back toward the Sydney Opera House.

A lot of people I have talked with have told me that they had planned to study abroad in Sydney for a long time, which wasn’t really the case for me. I knew I wanted to study abroad, but I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. I went to an international school during my senior year of high school, which gave me the opportunity to interact with people from countries I didn’t even know existed. That experience has made me want to travel more and learn about other cultures. Despite knowing I wanted to study abroad, I waited until the last minute to apply to this program, and it wasn’t until that moment that I decided to specifically apply to come to Sydney. I say this not to encourage people to make last-minute decisions, like I did, but rather to reassure you that if you are still undecided about where to go, or if you should study abroad at all, you can still do it and have time to decide. Use all the resources available to you! I talked with my parents, academic advisor, and friends before deciding, which definitely helped.

Brandon is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Political Science major at Clark University, he is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In this week's post, Brandon gives us a look at his experience with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). If you have any questions, please consult your CAPA Admissions Advisor or Program Manager.

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Although it may seem boring and unnecessary, I would like to devote this blog to the task of registering with the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service (INIS).

The INIS homepage for appointments.

As a non-EU student, you need to get a visa in order to stay in Ireland legally. When you first arrive at Dublin Airport, you will walk up to the INIS immigration officer behind his window and explain that you’re not a tourist but a student looking to study in Ireland for the course of the semester. The officer might ask to see your documentation proving that you are indeed studying at Griffith College, but will most certainly stamp your passport. This stamp has a date on it that shows what is officially known as your “permission to remain.”

Kristopher (also known as Kip) is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Finance major at University of Colorado - Boulder, he is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In his last post, Kristopher looks back on his study abroad and shares simple ways to quickly integrate with life in Florence.

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Thanks Kip!

See more of Kristopher's journey in Florence.

You’ve been waiting to travel to a different country for the longest time, and that moment has finally come. You know this is a journey you’ve been working up to. From city to city and state to state, your travel experiences have been accumulating for your first major trip overseas for your study abroad. While there may be similar aspects to the type of travel you’ve accomplished back home, getting on your first international flight will be quite the experience.

1. Be Prepared

Start your preparations early on--both mentally and packing-wise. Whether you’re an experienced or last-minute packer, it helps to go through 1 or 2 rounds of asking yourself whether you really need what you’re packing. Keep all your important documents together in a safe and handy manner. Unsure about the airport you’ll be stopping over and arriving at? Do some research to see what amenities are available during your travel.