Student Stories
Travel is a thrill. It’s an adventure. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime memory in the making.
Going to France opened my eyes to the world and made me realize I wanted to travel with my job. I am willing to relocate anywhere for work now because of this trip. This year I leave for Germany for a year for a dual-degree study abroad program between Illinois State University and the University of Paderborn in Paderborn, Germany. If it wasn’t for my ACIS trip, I’d have no clue where I would be today or what I would be doing. This trip jump-started my college career. If I could do it again, I certainly would. I would recommend this for anybody.”
ALLIE, ACIS Participant
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Student Spotlight
Nick’s Costa Rican Adventure
We’re shining a spotlight on Nick, who traveled on an ACIS trip to Costa Rica. What did he think about his adventure abroad? Find out in this exclusive interview!
Read more on the BlogScholarship Winners
Grand Prize Winner: “The Road to Reinvention”
By Lina G., Massachusetts
Artist Statement: “The Road to Reinvention” is a film focusing on travel’s ability to push people beyond the boundaries of their comfort zones, introducing them to entirely new and enthralling cultures. Engaging with unfamiliar customs and traditions broadens ones perspective and allows people to gain appreciation for the beautiful differences we find in each other. When you return back to the comfortable cradle of home, all of your new meaningful connections get tucked under your pillow, resonating with you and shaping your sense of identity.
Runner Up: “Popping the Bubble”
By Audrey B., California
Artist Statement: Over the past few years, I’ve experienced a lot of changes in my life and have had to adapt accordingly, going far outside my comfort zone. My piece is an essay that encapsulates my experience, as well as how I overcame my hesitancy to try new things. Accompanying my essay are background shots I filmed myself of the two places I call home: one of which I’ve been for most of my life and one I only recently started to adapt to.
Runner Up: “Linger”
Logan P., Idaho
Artist Statement: In my life, stepping outside my comfort zone has left an impact I carry with appreciation. The top portion presents the culture, food, architecture and human connection I’ve experienced through traveling and the bottom represents how I have able to carry these experience that have left a lingering impact on me.
Runner Up: “Unknown Land”
Karissa M., Illinois
Artist Statement: My poem, “Unknown Land,” relates to the topic of “Outside Your Comfort Zone” by describing a person, myself, being trapped in their comfort zone, Chicago, where they feel “everything but comfort,” seeking and dreaming of an unknown land where they will be able to explore and live without being bound by the expectations of the people around them in their “comfort zone”. The blackout poem on the right side then shows the person who feels alone in their dreams that they are not alone in this search for a true comfort zone where they can be free in their own solitude.
Runner Up: “Stepping Onto Your Own Path”
By Hannah K., Michigan
Artist Statement: This depiction of a kid stepping into the unknown and taking a risk in order to find something great. It also represents me stepping out of my comfort zone and experiencing new things that will change me and impact my life for the better.
Runner Up: “My Two Passions: Connecting to the World Through Travel and Dance”
By Lia D., Massachusetts
Artist Statement: My piece is about how my two passions, dance and travel, connect us to all cultures. Dance is more than just movement: It is an act of courage. Every time you step onto that stage you step out of your comfort zone. Movement, whether through dance or travel, is what truly connects us all.
Student Spotlight
Johnny Vrba
Johnny Vrba, a high school senior from Illinois, traveled with his classmates to France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany. We interviewed Johnny about his experience traveling to Europe, what it was like making new friends and how his tour manager, Jerome, completely made his experience what it was.
Read more on the BlogStudent Videos
#Tag Along
Get a taste for what’s really happening on tour. Browse recent participants’ photos and posts by visiting instagram.com/acistours. Then when you travel, tag along with us on Twitter or Instagram using #ACISTours. You may even see yourself here one day!
