Name: Michael Regina

Program: Semester Exchange at Arnhem Business School

Michael Regina, COM student in Arnhem City Centre

Hello to everyone interested or contemplating the study abroad program offered at UNCW. My name is Michael Regina and I am a junior currently studying at HAN University in the wonderful city of Arnhem located about an hour east of Amsterdam, Netherlands. People ask me all the time why I decided to study abroad for a semester and I usually go into a long explanation that takes too long, so let me shorten it into three words: Opportunity, Experience, Memories!

Traveling to another country, let alone another continent, is an opportunity of a lifetime. I am almost 35 years old and departed a career in order to attain my degree, but I also knew that school would afford me the rare opportunity to take an adventure like no other. In the business world it is important to recognize opportunities and take advantage of them before they slip through your fingers never to be given to you again. Don’t let this one pass you by.

                      Student area at Arnhem University                                       Michael's travels              

What about my experiences while in Arnhem? That is a difficult question to answer in a testimonial but I will give it a shot. Whatever you think it is, it is not…and whatever you want it to be, it will be. Traveling abroad is not what you read in the books or what friends tell you. The experience is truly what you make of it. Not having friends or family with me while I studied here was probably the best thing to happen to me because I was truly able to be myself from the beginning. I have made dozens, if not hundreds of new friends, from countries all over the world. Because Arnhem is centrally located in Europe, the ability to travel cheaply and frequently is there for the taking. I have already visited Germany, Belgium, Italy and parts of the Netherlands. I also have trips planned for Prague, Paris, Rome, London and multiple cities in Spain. What makes these trips special is not just the locations but the fact that each trip is with groups of eight or more people each time. I even went on a trip to the north of Holland with over twenty people of which only two were Americans. As for Arnhem itself, public transportation is cheap and well developed. The city is flat so many people ride bikes everywhere and the center of town does not allow motorized vehicles which makes for a more inviting experience. The adventures I have had on my bike with my friends could fill a book on its own.

I have made friends that I will never forget and unforgettable memories to remember them by for the rest of my life. I constantly write in a blog about the most amazing experiences so when I return I can revisit every moment. I have also taken hundreds, if not thousands of pictures, to share with my family and friends so they can experience my adventures in a way that would not normally be possible.

Michael and Friends

HAN University is a great school to attend because most of the Dutch population speaks fluid English.  The initial fear of not knowing the language can be cast aside, allowing you to enjoy the experiences from the outset. Most of the student population at this school are international, so the people you meet are in similar situations which makes for a more inviting and pleasurable time. The classes are engaging and the teachers promote class participation and group work in a way that I have not been exposed to at home. All the projects and assignments are geared towards learning in a setting that parallels what you might be dealing with in the business world once you graduate. The best part of attending here is the schedule. Don’t let the extra month of school here fool you because they build in many breaks and the contact time in class is less then what a full class load at home would be, allowing you the opportunity to experience the different cultures and people more fully.

I urge you not to let this chance pass you by and to grab a hold of this opportunity. Your life will be changed forever and your views and opinions of other cultures will be pleasantly different as you will discover that the more we think we are different the more we actually the same.

~Michael Regina, Communication Studies Major

Swansea  Australia  Netherlands  Austria  Spain  Italy

For a complete listing of all the programs available to you, visit the Office of International Programs website or on campus in Westside Hall.