Meet the Spring 2019 CGE Student Team

The Center for Global Education can help you answer your questions about travel courses, international internships, where to study abroad, how the application process works, and much more. Who can help you with these questions? Our student team have experience and knowledge from their journeys whether it was a semester abroad, travel course, or an international internship. When you walk into our office, you will be greeted by either a Peer Advisor, Graduate Assistant, or Student Assistant who you can talk with about your questions and concerns. Whether you are just beginning to have interest in an international experience, or you are currently in the middle of completing the application process, our student team is here to help you along the way. To learn a little more about their experiences abroad, we would like to introduce our Spring 2019 student team!

Peer Advisors

Aaron Chen – peer40@chapman.edu
Where did you study abroad? Hong Kong
Fun Fact? I met Michelle Obama.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? I got to visit Vietnam, Singapore, Osaka, Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei.
What is one tip for studying abroad? Find a way to sleep on the airplane flights!

Alexis Sanchez- peer33@chapman.edu
Where did you study abroad? Granada, Spain
Fun Fact? My first time flying solo was the 11-hour flight I took to get to Europe!
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Watching the sunset in Florence, Italy with 15 people from my study abroad program. We did not know we were all going to be in the same city at the same time until we got there!
What is one tip for studying abroad? Don’t spend all your money in the first few weeks. Save your money for those cheap RyanAir flights!

Allie Farmer- peer36@chapman.edu
Where did you study abroad? Melbourne, Australia Internship; Prague, Czech Republic Semester Abroad; London and Paris Travel Course
Fun Fact? I want to live and work abroad after graduation.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Walking through the snow in Paris with my friends Griff, Lou and Diana. It was pure magic.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Decide to go abroad even if it scares you!

Jake Halbakken- peer35@chapman.edu
Where did you study abroad? Anglo American University in Prague
Fun Fact? I traveled to 21 countries during my semester abroad!
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? My favorite memory from my time is Prague was waking up every morning right in the city center and seeing the view of the Prague Castle in the horizon.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: My tip if you are studying abroad in Europe is to find a balance of spending time in your host city, and traveling other cities across the continent.

Michaela Foisy- peer38@chapman.edu
Where did you study abroad? Rome, Italy
Fun Fact? I have only traveled on airplanes to leave the country and come back to the country (and plenty in Europe) but never taken a flight to simply just another state.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? My favorite memory abroad, while in Rome, would be an evening pretty early in the semester when my friends in the program and I went to very traditional Italian five course meal with true locals. My friend in the program had studied abroad before and had a close friend from Italy so we figured bringing the two worlds of vastly different people together for a group of around 20 people for dinner would be quite interesting. The evening was full of food and laughs (and very loud ‘talking’ due to just how projected Italian voices can be.) It was one of my favorite moments abroad because I really felt immersed with the culture and how they appreciate and value their food and relationships they build with other people in each meal.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Be open to learning new things and soaking up every bit of the place and culture you are present in and surrounded by.

Ryan Ireland- peer37@chapman.edu
Where You Studied Abroad: City, University of London & Feng Chia University (Taiwan)
Fun Fact? I have been to 26 countries!
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Don’t waste time watching Netflix and sitting in your dorm. Spend as much time as possible doing stuff you can’t do at home.

Val Park- peer39@chapman.edu
Where You Studied Abroad: Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand
Fun Fact? I can speak 4 languages but unfortunately, Thai is not one of them.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? My favorite memory is the weekend trip my mom and I took to the Phi Phi Islands when she was visiting me in Thailand. We got to relax by the beach, go island hopping, and snorkel next to the fish. It was really an amazing opportunity to experience a wonderful place with a wonderful person.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Go study abroad with an open mind. It is the perfect opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and let anything happen.

Graduate Assistants

Emily Brogan-Freitas- cgestu24@chapman.edu
Where You Studied Abroad: London, England
Fun Fact? My dog is allergic to humans.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Traveling to Eastern Europe for two weeks.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Make a budget and stick to it!

Mark Hansberry- cgestu23@chapman.edu
Where You Studied Abroad: University of Limerick in Limerick, Ireland
Fun Fact? My dad lived in Dublin, Ireland for a year as a kid.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Exploring the Slieve League Mountain Range with friends and finding a tower overlooking the ocean.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Look up where the closet market is to your living situation before you go.

Megan Norris- cgestu25@chapman.edu
Where You Studied Abroad: Salamanca, Spain
Fun Fact? I’ve never eaten a pop tart.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Speaking Spanish every day, travelling to Morocco, and getting coffee/tapas in the main plaza of Salamanca.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Embrace the hard days. Culture shock is real, and not every day is going to be as perfect as other people’s travel photos lead you to believe. On those days where you miss home, get out and find somewhere new to explore, meet up with a friend, or go on a walk around the city. You’ll be surprised how much you learn about yourself and grow on those hard days!

Student Assistants

Bryan Realpe- cgestu18@chapman.edu
 Where You Studied Abroad: Anglo-American University in Prague, Czech Republic
Fun Fact? I went to a music concert in six different countries
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Visiting different cities and getting lost in them with my friends. Also getting to try the endless delicious foods everywhere we travelled.
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Don’t book your travel plans far in advance but make sure to at least have an idea of which places you want to visit. Reach out of your comfort zone and do some solo trips, you may end up meeting new lifelong friends!

Kaelee Esposo- cgestu26@chapman.edu
Where You Studied Abroad: Seoul, South Korea
Fun Fact? I went to Korea a month early to volunteer at a language center in the countryside of Korea for a month before my semester started which was such an amazing experience.
What was your favorite memory while studying abroad? Bonding with others through good food and music!
One Tip for Studying Abroad: Be okay with doing things alone! It can be a little intimidating being in a foreign county, especially if you’re alone, but don’t hold back on experiences just because you’d have to go alone. Of course, bring a friend if you can but if you can’t, own it!