The Bali Effect

Fatme Faour is an AUS marketing student who went on the one-week AICHE Study Tour to Indonesia in January 2020. She shares her experience in this blog post.

Fatme Faour in Indonesia

Bali, my dream getaway that turned into a reality. Not only was it my first time traveling alone but it was also the most amazing experience of my life. One of the few things that made it so memorable were the people that were there and how well we all got along together. Even though the only person I knew on the trip was my sister, all the students on the trip made me forget that. Every day was a day that I’ll never forget.

The study tour group

During the tour, we made academic outings to Unilever, the University of Indonesia, and a chocolate factory. All of these spots were highly insightful. The people at Unilever shed light on their supply chain, how they treat their employees and customers, and so on. Then, at the university, we got to see the beautiful campus, its facilities, and the exchange programs offered there. We also got to know the kindest students and their faculty. Moreover, the chocolate factory was both educational as well as entertaining, since they had us make and decorate our very own bars of chocolate.

Now, even though the trip and its locations were quite educational, we also had the chance to partake in various thrilling and adrenaline-pumping activities - which, in my opinion, are the best kinds of activities to have, particularly when going out with a group of people. Most of these activities were on my bucket list, such as holding a snake, going rafting, doing an ATV bike ride, visiting a monkey forest, going on the Bali swing, riding elephants and so on. My personal favorites were definitely rafting and the ATV bike rides because I got to enjoy them with such a fun group of people.

I would most definitely recommend study tours to anyone who is able to travel abroad. It is unquestionably the experience of a lifetime; at least it was for me. When I look back at my time in Indonesia and Bali, the idea that I was a part of that still seems so crazy to me - especially since my decision to end up going was not only last minute, but also pure coincidence!

Yara Al-Jitan's Unique Semester Abroad at Colchester, England

Yara Al-Jitan

When Yara Al-Jitan landed in Colchester, England, for her Fall 2019 study abroad at the University of Essex, it wasn't quite what she expected. Colchester was extremely different from the UAE; it's a small, quaint town populated with tiny houses and no buildings. But Yara soon began to realize that she didn't need to be in a bustling city to have a great study abroad experience.

Yara, an international relations major, had her concerns before she left for her study abroad: "I was so scared, because I knew I’d have to leave my family and my friends and be on my own. It was [also] kind of exciting, but honestly, the thought of being away from my little brother for so long - super scary! So I just tried to block that thought out, and it worked! I think I’d give that piece of advice: don’t think about it too much."

She also had some expectations for her semester abroad. Yara says she had an image of study abroad from movies, websites and pictures - that it would be fast-paced and chock-full of experiencing new things and going to glamorous places.

However, Colchester was a different type of study abroad destination. "I feel like it was good because I slowly started to realize that I don’t have to do that to have a good study abroad experience. There's so much more I could do. So I used that time to just sit down and reflect on my own, and as surprising as it sounds, I reconnected with my religion, my people, and myself. I think I’ve also become a lot more independent. I grew a lot, I’ve learned so much, and I’m just able to handle myself no matter what's thrown at me."

The University of Essex also has a lot of historic and cultural importance, which made it fascinating to the international relations major. "The university was a space for minorities to speak up. Nelson Mandela once visited there. It was really nice to be there, because you can feel how politically active everyone is," she said. "I was able to open dialogues and talk openly and constructively about issues that are very important to me as an international relations major. It helped me understand what I want to do and where I want to go in the future."

Yara concludes that the best part of her experience was the personal growth she experienced. To any prospective study abroad students, she says, "Just go on your own terms, have no expectations, and make of it everything you can. It doesn't have to be what other people say it has to be."


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist