Sacha Paolucci, Study Abroad semester at Bentley, USA

Studying abroad means being ready to discover a new world by meeting new people, living in a different culture and most importantly by living on your own in a completely new environment.

Vesalius College offers many attractive destinations in every part of the world; each with the ability to leave its mark on your future and each enabling you to explore new and exciting opportunities.

I chose to go to Bentley University which is located in Boston Massachusetts. I wanted to study in the U.S., not only because I love the culture and the warmth of the people, but because of the excellent reputation of American Colleges/Universities with respect to quality of instruction.

The Bentley University campus is exactly like you see in movies; it is very big, modern and amazing in every way. I was astonished the first day I arrived on campus by how helpful and kind everyone was and by how well the program was organized. We started off with a special Welcome dinner with all the study abroad students and some Bentley students. On the following day, every study abroad student met his or her buddy, a voluntary Bentley student.

Our buddies were there to assist us with any questions throughout the semester. I had a great buddy who became a very good friend; he showed me around Boston, invited me to his place to meet his family and we partied a lot together.

During my semester abroad, I traveled throughout the United States; I went on a road trip through California for two weeks during spring break and also visited such places as Las Vegas, Texas, Washington, Vermont, Canada (which is a five hour drive from Boston) and many others.

At Bentley, I made many friends with whom I became very close. This kind of exchange semester gives you a unique opportunity to network both on a professional and personal level, which is very important for any major from Vesalius College. Students are given the opportunity experience life in a foreign country during their College years which is very helpful for the future. Having studied 6-12 months abroad demonstrates to future employers a sense of maturity, a willingness and readiness to travel, and the ability to adapt to new situations/environments. These are factors that could be pivotal in the acceptance or rejection of a job application.

All pictures courtesy of Sacha Paolucci