Study Abroad Blog

Meet Felicia, Study Abroad Consultant

by Felicia Potter

Where are you from?
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What's your sign?
Sagittarius.

How long have you been with AmeriSpan?
Almost 1.5 years.

Meet Donna

By Donna Van Buren Where are you from? East Norriton, PA (otherwise know as Norristown) What's your sign? Libra How long have you been with AmeriSpan? Almost 1 year! What are your current favorites? Books: Any book written by Jody Picoult, the Bangkok 8 series, Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kafka on the Shore, Running with Scissors and Dry, and Chuck Klosterman's books. Movies: Classic favorites include The Outsiders, Pretty in Pink, 16 Candles, Mighty Ducks 2 & 3, Empire Records, and Newsies. Music: I don't really have a favorite; I am pretty open to listening to anything. I have even begun to appreciate country. And of course, I am reviving my childhood love for New Kids on the Block What do you do in your spare time? TV, read, travel, hang out with friends, and shop! What is your favorite place in the world and why? Pai, Thailand. It's a small village in the northwestern region of Thailand that is just starting to get attention from tourists. It's a great place to start outdoor adventures. I love it because of the small guesthouse I stay at. It's down a quite dirt road and all of the rooms are private bungalows with nothing inside but a mattress, a mosquito net, and a light bulb. Each comes with a hammock on the front porch. If you are lucky, you can get one right on the river. It is the best place to relax after long travels or just to get away from the big cities. What is your favorite food? It's a tie between my grandmother's baked ziti and som tum (papaya salad) and fried chicken from Ms. Ming in Bangkok. What is your favorite drink? Banana fruit shakes What is your favorite time of year? Fall. I love when the leaves begin to change and there is that slight chill in the air. Plus, I have my birthday to look forward to.

Meet Sharon

By Sharon Rhode, Director of Educational Outreach When I was a kid, I truly believed I would never leave my neighborhood. Somehow, along the way, I have traveled to a dozen countries on four continents, studied half-a-dozen languages, worked for half-a-dozen international exchange organizations and had done graduate work in Intercultural Management at the School for International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro, VT. Who knew? It's become my passion to share the delights of study abroad and language learning with others. One of the things I like best about AmeriSpan is that there's something for everyone here…teens, families, college students, young professionals and adults of every age and stage…I just spoke with a 70-year-old who wants to go to Italy! Here are some of my top international experiences: I worked as the Coordinadora de Programas Internacionales at the US/Uruguayan Bi-national Center in Montevideo, Uruguay for the better part of two years, and got to travel throughout the Southern Cone, from the amazing Iguazu Falls (if you're anywhere near it you must go!) to –- almost –- the end of the earth, Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in the world. Highlight? The pinguinos en sus nidos (penguin babies in their nests)! Earlier, I spent a Summer Abroad in Florence, Italy, followed by four months of travel through Europe. Highlight? Visiting my exchange sister in Nancy, France. Also fun was running through my English and French and finally arriving at Spanish to ask directions in Israel –- from a soldier who had come from Argentina! Choosing to work in international educational exchange and cross-cultural training allows me to encourage others to have their own international adventures. Because for me, best of all, is working with international students, scholars, exchange visitors, au pairs, business people, and everyday travelers arranging programs that take folks out of their neighborhoods and into the world!

Meet Ria

By Ria Capone Where are you from? I was born in Philadelphia and my family moved to North-Eastern Pennsylvania when I was 3. They moved to Scranton, you know, home of "The Office." Well I'm not actually from Scranton; I lived 10 miles north. I use Scranton as a reference point because no one knows where Pittston is and that show is hilarious (more season 1 & 2 than the later.) What's your sign? Gemini, apparently I am “two-faced” or I have split personalities. I don't really see it but I guess you should ask my fellow colleagues. :-) Kidding. How long have you been with AmeriSpan? Almost a year! What are your current favorites? Books: Haruki Murakami is spectacular! Kafka on the Shore is by far one of the most amazing novels I've read. Let's see…I just finished reading Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon Sugar – Pretty odd, I'm into it. Another is The Araboolies of Liberty Street, I read it a lot as a kid; a very fine story. Movies: Suicide Club, Harold and Maude, Clueless, Alice in Wonderland, Me You and Everyone We Know Music: Bjork, Tujiko Noriko, Red House Painters, Electrelane... What do you do in your spare time? Estudio Espanol en el centro de la ciudad y hablo con mi gato en ingles! I also enjoy eating and then talking about what I ate. Brunch is my favorite pastime; I try to eat brunch at a different place every weekend. Maybe I have too much spare time.. I do like other things such as reading and spending time with good people. What is your favorite place in the world and why? So far in my travels, I've fell in love with 2 places: Tokyo, Japan and Guanajuato, Mexico; Both quite opposite from each other. I had a blast in Tokyo, really. What a great place to be, fascinating and life changing. Guanajuato is just a place that I've never felt happier. The whole vibe was energetic yet easygoing. It has a great nightlife too, some really interesting places to hang out and its gorgeous! What is your favorite meal? A HUGE burrito filled of cheese, veggie meat, refried beans, sour cream, and all the other essential burrito fillings. Yum. I also enjoy huge bowls of miso-ramen or udon noodles. What is your favorite drink? Ginger Beer What is your favorite time of year? That time of the year when Philadelphia starts to get warm and the whole city seems to change. Everything opens up and people go out and have more fun. And it's the time I actually get on a bike.

Meet Lorena

by Lorena Freese Where are you from? I was born in Chile, have a German and Chilean nationality and grew up in Spain. What's your sign? Scorpio. How long have you been with AmeriSpan? 1 year and 3 months. What are your current favorites? Books: Travel Guides Movies: Independent productions Music: Rock What do you do in your spare time? Travel, museums, cinema, bars and restaurants with friends. What is your favorite place in the world? I don't know all the places in the world yet, but I love Chile because of the diversity: desert, mountains, lakes, rivers, sea, ice and my family is there! What is your favorite food? Seafood. What is your favorite drink? Fresh fruit juices. What is your favorite time of the year? Spring. If you were stranded on a desert island, what five things would you have to have and why? A friend to share my experiences with A lighter to make fire A tent to protect myself from weather conditions A map of the island A cell phone if there was a network!

Meet Pablo

by Pablo Dominguez Where are you from? Madrid, Spain. What's your sign? Scorpio. How long have you been with AmeriSpan? 3 months. What are your current favorites? Books:"Amor en tiempos de colera" Movies: The Island Music: Spanish Music What do you do in your spare time? Listen to music, go to the gym... What is your favorite place in the world? Spain. What is your favorite food? Paella. What is your favorite drink? Sangria. What is your favorite time of the year? Summer. If you were stranded on a desert island, what things would you have to have? Soccer ball, books, lighter, my Spanish soccer t-shirt.

Meet Julie

By Julie L. Where are you from? Born in Philadelphia, raised in southeastern PA, USA. How long have you been with AmeriSpan? 7 months. What are your current favorites? Books: Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith by Gina B. Nahai Movies: Terrible 80's comedies pre-1990. (Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Coneheads, etc.) Music: Poppy and melodic indie electronic music, indie rock, funk/soul, some hip-hop, and old pop/classic rock. What do you do in your spare time? Go on bike rides, read, illustrate/design, sketch, travel, spend time with friends/family, go dancing. What is your favorite place in the world and why? My favorite cities that I've visited are San Francisco, Paris, Nice, Munich, and Stockholm, because they were clean, friendly, and have so much to offer in the areas of art and music. What is your favorite food? Indian vegetarian food. What is your favorite drink? Non-alcoholic: limeade Alcoholic: any fruity cocktail What is your favorite time of year? Spring, summer, and Halloween. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five things would you have to have and why? 1. Company 2. Pens and paper for drawing. 3. Food and water, for survival 4. Internet access, for averting boredom 5. My Ipod!

Meet Alexa

by Alexa Boyce Where are you from? Though born in Middlesex, New Jersey (no comments, please J), I spent 19 of my 23 years just outside of Detroit, MI. What's your sign? Aries--I'm VERY superstitious about my horoscope! How long have you been with AmeriSpan? Since March of 2006. What are your current favorites? Books: I just joined a book club with my roommate, so hopefully this list will be getting a lot longer. For starters: Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins and Brett Easton Ellis are my favourite authors, so pretty much anything by them. Also: The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea, Guevara (Yes, a biography of Che written by Paco Ignacio Taibo II, an author of some…interesting novels I read in one of my many Latin American literature classes in college), Absolut: Biography of a Bottle (because I was a marketing major, I am OBSESSED with the Absolut ads). There are so many more but I get the feeling I can't do the list justice here. Movies: I love movies that are so terrible that they're hilarious. I highly recommend Don't Go in the Woods as possibly the worst '70s horror flick ever. Literally, the killer was a wooden spear-toting Viking who had amazingly good aim, as a 2" thick spear could send heads flying all over the woods. Cemetery Man was recently recommended to me by my brother-in-law. This is a mid-'90s Italian/French film starring Rupert Everitt, whose job is to kill the dead bodies in the cemetery after they re-awaken. As far as movies that are good because they are, well, good, I highly recommend Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Four Rooms, Jackie Brown (Yes, I am a Tarantino fan), and 24 hours on Craigslist. Music: I hate this question because I can't possibly list even a slightly comprehensive list. I love local bands, but I am more knowledgeable of local Detroit bands thanks to my good friends back home. Philly has a pretty good music scene as well. Currently on my iPod: Tally Hall, Duenow, Sublime, Goldfinger, Billie Holliday, Johnny Cash and Spacehog. What do you do in your spare time? Aside from the above-mentioned passions, I am still in the "infatuation stage" with this city so I like to do almost anything as long as it's here: Walk around, go to museums, concerts, festivals, cafes, bars, restaurants… Oh yeah, and read, watch movies and listen to music. What is your favorite place in the world and why? Though my worldly travels are quite modest in comparison with most of my colleagues (hopefully not for long!), so far my favorite place ever is the back patio of my host family's apartment in Marbella, Spain. I used to get up early, which is extremely rare if you know me, just to sit and look out over the Mediterranean in one direction and a majestic purple mountain in the other. Plus, the people I met on the Costa del Sol were so laid back and fun. It is just an amazingly relaxing place to be. What is your favorite food? I like to try new things, though I was a vegetarian until recently so strange meat still kind of freaks me out. My favorite food in the world is Greek food, because I grew up on Greektown takeout! Spanikopita, Falafel, Baklava, Tdzadziki sauce, Feta salad…. mmmmm I love it! What is your favorite drink? I survive on mostly water, coffee and tea. Though possibly the most delicious thing ever is this tea I had in Chinatown in San Francisco- White Jasmine Dragon Pearl tea. Smells like perfume and tastes like heaven. What is your favorite time of year? In Michigan it's springtime, because there is nothing better than the relief you feel after the 5-month sunless deep freeze is over. Here, though, I really enjoy the fall as well because it's really rainy! If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five things would you have to have and why? * Something to read. Ok, Lots of things to read. * iPod/Radio/Other music-making device. * Friends and family- to keep me company, and protect me from bears. You know, the tropical bears. * Burt's Bee's lip balm. I'm like a walking advertisement for them. * Some sort of unlimited source of food. I'm a city girl- I would die in the wilderness!

Meet John

I think I speak for everyone here when I say TGIF because it's been a looooong week. I hope that this weekend is as lengthy as everyone needs it to be, and hey, if two days is enough for you, I applaud your efficiency with your free time. Our final "Meet AmeriSpan" entry for the week is all about John. He's the President and Co-founder of AmeriSpan, and he's the most recognizable because he's the only guy here. To sum John up in a few words, I'd say he's committed, focused and maybe a little crazy for the amount of time he can sit in front of a computer. I'll stop before I get fired... Anyway, have a great weekend!

Where are you from?
Born near Detroit on August 8, 1963

What's your sign?
Leo - Anne-Marie and I are both born on the same day.

How long have you been with AmeriSpan?
Since it was called Study Programs and its office was in a one bedroom apartment. Feb 1993, Mar 1993 was incorporated as AmeriSpan. Still remember desperately cleaning the apartment when one of our first clients and her father wanted to stop by "the office" in May 1993.

What are your current favorites?
Books: Guerilla Marketing ~ Jay Conrad Levinson, Hawke ~ Ted Bell, Jitterbug Perfume ~ Tom Robbins
Music: In the car it is WIP Sports Radio. The Darkness, old Oasis, early Prince but usually whatever my wife is listening to.
Television: The Shield, Boston Legal, Best Week Ever, Saturday Night Live and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
Movies: Good Will Hunting, Silverado (favorite western, yes, I like Westerns - thanks dad) The Sixth Sense, The Lord of the Rings (don't tell my wife!!!)
Sports: Flyers - hockey is my favorite sport. Season tickets. Phillies, usually listen to every game and as usually my heart is broken. Like the Philly Fan Misery index here.

What do you do in your spare time?
What spare time? I work 15+ hours/day. I read about current events and follow the local sports teams. Like to travel - obviously...

What is your favorite place in the world and why?
Has to be Philadelphia. A big city where you know everyone. Iguazu Falls is the best natural wonder I have seen. Inca Ruins in Machu Picchu, Peru is the coolest man-made thing and Saquerema, Brazil has the best beaches I've seen...great body surfing

What is your favorite food?
Spaghetti as evidenced by my waistline. I love eating at my in-laws' who were born Italian and usually have two full kitchens in their house. Opt for Chinese and Indian takeout often, but I really miss the following three things from Michigan:
- Pink Peppermint Ice Cream (found at Stroh's Ice Cream Parlor in Birmingham, Michigan)
- WinSchueler's Cheese spread and crackers
- Vernors soda, especially when I'm sick

What is your favorite drink?
Lemonade. Yuengling Lager

What is your favorite time of year?
Fall - usually get to travel and relax a bit after busy high season. I like the cooler temperatures but still not too cold yet.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five things would you have to have and why?
I don't need much...

• Stuff to read
• A comfortable chair to lounge
• Marina (my wife) - she makes me laugh and "gets" me
• Access to the sports scores - at least baseball and hockey - I'm addicted to sports.
• A fan if it is hot

Travel Abroad Advisor : Meet Beth

Happy Tuesday! We hope that everyone's return to the daily grind hasn't been too difficult. With the start of school, it's only a matter of time before the weather really begins to get cooler and the leaves begin changing color. Our “Meet AmeriSpan” spotlight is on Beth today. She's the one to call if you need anything regarding our study abroad or teen programs, though she generally has the answer to any question you may have (as I have learned plenty of times!) Beth is funny and sweet and quite the snappy dresser, and she has a real eye for typos so beware, friends who write comments and guest bloggers. Well, I should be signing off. Have a great day!

Where are you from?
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and bred in Philadelphia, PA

What's your sign?
I am the tenacious and witty Capricorn.

How long have you been with AmeriSpan?
Going on five years....

What are your current favorites?
Books: The Time Travelers Wife, The Sun Also Rises, and every book by Nicholas Sparks
Music: Big Elton John fan, also enjoy disco, classical, jazz..you name it. I have a very eclectic taste in music.
Television: Recently I got hooked on the Bravo show Blow Out, I really like The Amazing Race, Will and Grace and of course Sex and the City.

What do you do in your spare time?
I love to read, plan and cook dinner with my boyfriend, shop, check out new restaurants and areas of interests, happy hours with girlfriends

What is your favorite place in the world and why?
Philadelphia because it is home

What is your favorite food?
Cheese, all types of cheese

What is your favorite drink?
Red wine

What is your favorite time of year?
I love the change of seasons because you get to have it all, but I most prefer Fall. The air is crisp, skies are clear blue and the ever changing color of the tree leaves is pretty spectacular.

Sprachreisen & Sprachschulen

Sprachreisen & Sprachschulen means language journeys and language schools. We have launched a German language version of our website to better assist our German speaking clients. In the future we hope to introduce sites in Dutch (Talenreizen) and in Swedish (Språkresor)

German version: www.amerispan.de Swedish version: www.amerispan.se Dutch version: www.amerispan.nl