FIU goes abroad for the summer


For some students, summer is about getting some R&R until fall comes around. Others have to take summer classes. And a few take it a step further and study abroad. FIU Goes Abroad will follow students on their study abroad trips around the globe and showcase their journey using their photos, videos and gifs.

“To see with our own eyes the many things that we thought we’d only see on TV or the Internet is just so surreal.”

Meet Shalisha and Shonda Witherspoon. Shalisha and Shonda do everything together: they dress the same; they have the same major (Information Technology with a minor in Japanese language and literature); they have the same love for anime; and they even sometimes blink at the same time. To put the cherry on top, they’re identical twins.

With several scholarships from the Fund for Education Abroad, Gilman, Fu Foundation and FIU’s Office of Study Abroad, the sisters were able to go on a study abroad trip to the place they’ve been dreaming about since childhood: Japan. While in the island nation, they will take language and culture courses.

Shalisha and Shonda arrived Friday, May 16, in Kyoto, Japan, and immediately explored the countryside. They went with a friend on a 4-hour trek to visit some incredible Kyoto sites. Here are their first impressions:

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Kiyomizu-dera, located in the Higashiyama (Southern hills)

“The surrounding area was so natural and serene, that it’s hard to imagine something like that near a modern and bustling city.”

Yasaka shrine

“The shrine was beautiful, of course, but what was interesting is that we saw a wedding party there!”

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To share your study abroad experience on social, post on your Instagram and/or Twitter feed with the hashtag #FIUGoesAbroad so we can share your journey!

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