Study Abroad

Abigail Grenier

Salamanca, Spain (AIFS Abroad in Salamanca)
Class of 2024
Major(s): Accounting, Business Analytics
Minor(s): Spanish

Studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain, was one of my best experiences to date. When applying to travel overseas for the summer, I was unsure if I wanted to go or just liked the idea of going. The reality of me leaving the United States for a whole month and being an eight-plus hour flight away from all of my family and, frankly, anyone I knew, didn’t entirely hit me until I landed in Madrid. I had never been this far away from home for so long by myself. Even though I knew another student from Fairfield that was a part of the same program, I had never met her and felt incredibly alone. However, all of that changed the minute I met my señora, the woman who was kindly hosting me for the month. Although there was a huge language barrier because at the time I spoke very little Spanish and a lot of English, and Tere, spoke no English and only Spanish, she made me feel right at home. She explained that she had hosted students through AIFS for many years and loved doing it. The food that my señora made was exquisite and so different from any meals I have had here in the United States. Not only did I enhance my Spanish speaking skills, but I also enhanced my knowledge of Spanish culture. After all, there is only so much one can learn in the classroom.

While studying in Spain, I met so many different people from all over the world such as Dubai, France, Belgium, other parts of the USA, and more. We all shared a desire to learn more Spanish and more about the Spanish culture which is what brought us all together. In our classes at the University of Salamanca, we could only speak in Spanish because that was mainly the most common language. Granted, many people spoke a bit of English, but not everyone! Many of the people I met in my courses quickly became my close friends. After class would end, we would go out to lunch or to various popular locations in Salamanca at night.
The classes at the University of Salamanca are tailored to you and your knowledge. Before getting your class assignments, you take a placement test, which directs you at the appropriate level based on your performance. I could not have been happier with my classes, for all of the lessons I took were perfect for me. While I was always learning new things, I understood what was going on (which is one of the essential qualities to have in classes, in my opinion).

Studying abroad and being “on my own” for five weeks in a foreign country was life-changing for me. Although it was such a short time, I am dying to go back. I learned so much about myself, my language learning skills, the Spanish culture, and the other surrounding countries I visited. If you are even remotely thinking of studying abroad during the summer in Salamanca, I could not encourage you more to go – it is so worth it!

Madison Giofredda

Maastricht, Netherlands (Maastricht University)
Class of 2024

I studied abroad at Maastricht University in The Netherlands through the Dolan Nominated Semester Abroad Program. It was definitely a bit hard to adjust to being abroad and away from my friends at Fairfield, but after the first two weeks things started to get better. The guesthouse is a great central location to live in. There are surprisingly a lot of Americans on my floor. I have made a few friends within the guesthouse, but most of my friends have come from ESN (Erasmus Student Network). They run a bunch of events and trips to meet people and I joined their marketing committee as a board member. Because of this, most of my friends are permanent students (mostly German and Dutch) who study here for all three years. My experience in Maastricht was wonderful. It is a beautiful city with a mix of both local and international students. There is always something going on within the city, but it is also centrally located in Europe so you can always catch a train to visit other major cities.

Callie Hunnewell

Madrid, Spain (Universidad Pontificia Comillas)
Class of 2023

My semester experience in Madrid with Universidad Pontificia Comillas was truly incredible. Leaving the US to move to Spain for four months was daunting, but the excitement set in once we touched down at the Madrid airport. The metro here is AMAZING, so easy to use, and very clean. From our area, traveling around is pretty easy and there are so many fun restaurants and bars that we can walk to, or take the metro easily. Spain is so much cheaper than the US which has been a nice surprise.. A whole breakfast for 5 euros!

Moving here, I knew very little Spanish beforehand, but I’ve been able to grow my language knowledge and communication skills a lot since being here! It's such an amazing and very different experience living in a community surrounded by a new language and culture. It has also been SO fun meeting other international students which have helped make the adjustment go so well!

The coolest part about classes here is that you are sitting in a room with people from all over the world. I have classes with students from Australia, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Canada, France, Argentina, Spain, Austria, etc. It really is so international which is so cool because you get to learn about people’s experiences from all over. Our university (Comillas) offered a buddy program where a Spanish student could be paired up with an international student to make the transition easier. My buddy is so nice & fun, & has been super helpful!

I can’t say enough about my study abroad experience! I made memories that will last a forever!

Isabella Poschmann

Florence, Italy (FUA)
Class of 2023
Major(s): Business Analytics, International Business
Minor(s): Anthropology

My name is Isabella Poschmann and I’m a part of the class of 2023. My majors are business analytics and international business and my minor is anthropology. In the spring of 2022, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, at Florence University of the Arts (FUA). While I was admittedly a little nervous before going abroad, I am so glad I got out of my comfort zone and took this opportunity because it truly was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I would recommend this location to any Fairfield University student because not only does FUA offer a plethora of interesting courses that fulfill Magis Core requirements, there are also a bunch of courses that fulfill your major requirements like art history, communication, english, finance, history, Italian, international business, fashion marketing, hospitality and more! FUA’s classes utilize the city of Florence itself, as many of the classes require walking tours of the city and center around Florence’s history and cultural landmarks. You really come to appreciate every corner of your city and it truly becomes your home.

I would be remiss to talk about Italy and not mention the cuisine! As you can imagine, Florence is home to a gazillion gelato shops, pizzerias, paninotecas, and just overall incredible restaurants. The shop owners are so welcoming to all the visiting students that before you know it they treat you like family. It is amazing! Florence offers countless opportunities for world-class food at your very fingertips.

Overall, studying in Florence has easily been the highlight of my academic career and I cannot recommend it enough. If you choose this location, you will undoubtedly have the time of your life as you will make new friends, try new foods, experience new cultures and create the best memories!

Sophia Moise

Galway, Ireland (University of Galway)
Class of 2023
Major(s): Mathematics, Nursing

When I studied abroad in Galway, Ireland I had the time of my life. I had the opportunity to meet so many new people and experience so many new things. When I went abroad, it was not my first time in Ireland, but it was everything I remembered plus more. It is so hard to summarize my experience abroad in only a few sentences, but here goes: I would not trade my time spent abroad for anything in this world. When it came time to fly home, I didn’t want to leave. I made so many new friends with people such as my Irish neighbors, American students studying abroad from other universities, and even the Irish students in my classes. I even had the chance to visit Letterkenny, Ireland all the way up in County Donegal because one of my friends in my Math class invited me to stay with their family for a few days. I travelled all over Ireland while I was there including Dublin, Cork, Cobh, Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, Glendalough, the Aran Islands, Galway (of course), and so many more places. I was able to do things I had never done before (like ride a horse, hike Diamond Hill, and hold a baby lamb!), and I was able to see so much of the world I hadn’t previously. Some of my favorite things were when I went to a Hurling match and a Gaelic Football match, or watching the games in a pub with my friends! I made some lifelong friends while I was studying in Galway, and I hope I get to go back soon!

Shannon Malone

Barcelona, Spain (IQS)
Class of 2023
Major(s): Accounting, Business Analytics
Minor(s): Business Law, Ethics

Academic Reason I Chose Barcelona:
Through the nomination-only program in the Dolan School of Business, this program fit my minors perfectly. I was able to take classes abroad in business analytics, business ethics, and religion. Furthermore, an international internship rounded out a fulfilling semester abroad.

Living in Barcelona & Programming:
The city is absolutely incredible! From the historic streets of the Gothic Quarter to Gaudi’s masterpieces scattered throughout the city, there’s no other place like it. The programming offered as well enabled us to learn more about the city we were living in for the semester. An FC Barcelona game, a cooking class, walking tours, and even a weekend trip to the south of Spain – the program covered it all, and allowed me to meet some of my best friends by attending all these events. Furthermore, the city itself had multiple festivals during the semester that we attended. Festes de Santa Eulalia (a weekend full of cultural performances and a fire parade) in February, Carnaval in March (parades and fireworks), and Día de Sant Jordi (combination of Valentine’s Day and World Book Day) were just a few of the local celebrations I was able to partake in!

Kyle Klaschka

Galway, Ireland
Major(s): Biomedical Engineering
Minor(s): Mathematics, Health Studies

What led you to study abroad?
I have a passion for traveling and I knew going into Fairfield as a freshman that I wanted to study abroad. I was aware that engineers typically studied in Ireland, so I researched the school and discovered it is a top biomedical engineering school. From then on I knew Ireland was where I wanted to spend my abroad experience and today I consider this to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

My highlight moment
My highlight moment in Galway was in the end when NUI Galway held its annual Christmas celebration. All the students attended class in their Christmas attire and the overall mood of the student body was very cheerful. The night was then started off with a city-sponsored parade through town which was followed by a small, but very fun, pub crawl with the students, still dressed I their Christmas attire. Everyone in town was in such a great mood and the pubs played along with the theme as well. Christmas music was everywhere, and the streets were lit up with lights all the way down.

Has my experience prepared for life at Fairfield?
After my experience abroad, I would consider myself more culturally aware in the world. In other words, I have gained a greater appreciation for the other cultures around me and I have become more aware of the cultural diversity even within the United States. This has helped me bring a different perspective into the classroom as we discuss topics relating to history, religion, and philosophy.

Jessica Castillo

Aix-en-Provence, France
Major(s): International Studies and Politics
Minor(s): French, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and Peace & Justice Studies

What led you to study abroad?
I wanted to study abroad in France as a way to certify my level of French and get a cultural introduction to Europe, France, and the Francophonie. As a French minor, this introduction and semester of language practice was extremely important.

What activities did you participate in while abroad (i.e. internships, service, etc.)? 
I had an internship abroad and this internship was extremely illuminating to the workings of a small foreign non-profit organization and was extremely helpful in securing my summer 2019 internship in another non-profit in Washington, D.C.

What was your highlight moment during your time abroad?
The highlight moment for me during my time abroad was getting to travel to Rome and attend Mass with the Pope during Easter.

How has Study Abroad prepared you for life after Fairfield?
Study Abroad has prepared me for life after Fairfield by allowing me to become extremely confident in my own skills and it fostered my independence, giving me the courage to live in a city were I don't necessarily live near people I know.