Maddy Layton

Now that I have made it back home and am settled in, I would like to write my final reflections of this whole study abroad experience.

I am here to be honest about money to give you all a good idea of how much this program costs and how you could go about paying for your study abroad experience. One reason why many people back at my university choose to not study abroad is because the cost is so high. I agree with that it’s a lot of money, but beyond worth it. Here is how I financed my trip.

Students here aren’t known for their planning or time management abilities. That’s why I’d like to inform you on what not to do as well how you can be a better traveler than the Spring 2022 CIMBA group. Don’t get me wrong, we know how to have a good time. It’s just getting to our destination in first place that is the problem.

If you are thinking about studying in Paderno del Grappa you may be wondering what is there to do in this town that you have never heard of before. Most students leave almost every weekend, but at least once or twice one is bound to stay in PDG. I am here to tell you what one can do when staying back in this quaint village, whether it be a weekday or a weekend.

One of the biggest challenges here at CIMBA is balancing school life with fun and travel. People travel basically every weekend or if people stay in PDG (Paderno del Grappa) they travel to local towns nearby. You will not do homework on the weekends! Do not think that you will, if anything the most I have done on the weekends is during the train ride to wherever we decided to go.

Venice is a must see and should be at the top of your list. This was my first trip and the whole CIMBA group went. It’s close enough to Paderno del Grappa to feel comfortable, but at the same time a whole different world. Florence was also amazing. It had more to offer than Venice, so it was a good third trip. I also highly recommend going there.

It now has been five days since arriving in Paderno del Grappa, Italy. I have already experienced and learned so much. Now that I know some do’s and don’ts of what to pack as well as how to better prepare I have some very important advice to share with any future CIMBA students who may be reading this blog.

It’s Friday, January 7th and I have exactly nine days before leaving on my first flight next Sunday. Some things I have been doing to prepare include a lot of shopping on Amazon and taking advantage of post-Christmas sales, spending lots of time with friends and family, trip planning, and making a vision board.