Connor Sirk

Hi! My name is Connor Sirk, I am from Atlanta, Georgia in the United States and I am currently a Marketing & Finance Double Major at the University of Cincinnati. 

Why did you choose the TBS Summer School?

Going into the summer before my last academic year at college, I had still never traveled outside of North America. As someone deeply interested in people, history, and culture, I knew it was something I always wanted to do. I knew how great my University’s study abroad program was and that it offered many opportunities to study in many different places.

After a thorough look through all the options, I concluded that TBS Education was not just the best program but would fit me perfectly! As someone who had never been abroad, I was nervous about going to a foreign country with a different language, but once I read that all TBS Education staff and students spoke English, it helped ease my mind. Also, I loved the fact that it was only three weeks in each city. It made it seem a lot more manageable on the front end. (However, now that the six weeks are coming to a close, I wish I could stay longer.)

And finally, the classes that were made available to us, seemed very interesting to me. I’m taking classes that I enjoy, and the classroom dynamic is much more different (and better) than what I’m used to in America. It’s not just reading out of a textbook. All of these reasons combined were how I knew that TBS Education was the right choice for me. 

What motivated you the most to come to Barcelona?

Barcelona is one of the most famous cities in the world, and I knew for the longest time that if I ever came to Europe, it would be one of my first stops. Everything from the people, to the food, to the architecture, history, and beautiful land, Barcelona absolutely has it all. Never did I think I would get the opportunity to live here for three weeks and in those three weeks, I spent my days doing everything imaginable. I had lots of great beach days and hikes, I went shopping a lot, and I got to see some really cool stuff that I never thought I would ever get to see. Barcelona is one of the most well-rounded cities I have ever been to and just has so much to offer everyone who visits, no matter what your interests are. 

What activity did you like the most?

The TBS Education activity I liked the most was the boat ride that they booked for us. It was very kind of them to do that for their students, and we all greatly appreciated it. The boat ride was a lot of fun, and I got to spend time with the entire student body at once outside of the classroom, which hasn’t happened much yet. I got to see Barcelona from the water, which gives you a whole new perspective on the city and it was beautiful. We also got to swim miles offshore in the Mediterranean Sea, a memory I will never forget. All around, that boat ride was one of the best experiences of my life and I am very grateful that TBS Education set that up for us. However, the segway tour and the trip to Sitges were also amazing!!

What module have you studied during the program?

In Toulouse, I studied Search Engine Optimization and International Human Resource Management, and in Barcelona, I studied Fashion & Luxury Goods Marking and Social Media Marketing. 

What did you like the most about the Summer School classes?

What I liked most about my summer school classes was how different the dynamic was in the classroom from any class I have taken in America. I am so used to reading out of a textbook and doing homework every night, and just listening to my professors preach in class for hours, but in TBS Education, the classes were a lot more interactive, very hands-on, and more lively. Only about half of the classes are lectures, and even in those lectures, the professors are more engaging and try to get us to understand the material on a personal level by trying to get us to relate to it. Knowing myself and the way that I learned was the best possible way to get a good grasp of the main concepts. I wish more classes that I took at my university were structured this way. 

Why would you recommend other students to come to TBS Summer School?

I would recommend TBS Summer School to all students looking to gain an entirely new perspective on learning. I have learned just as much, if not more, outside the classroom than I did inside. This has been one of my most uniquely amazing experiences, and I will undoubtedly remember it forever. I am beyond glad that I decided to come to TBS Education for the summer.

I am leaving TBS Education on top of my credits for my University a new passion for traveling, a whole expanded perspective on the world, and with lifelong friends and memories that I will not soon forget. Getting to travel the world at such a young age, yet still old enough to appreciate everything, is a rare opportunity that very very few people will ever get to experience. Doing it while taking classes, having structured activities, interacting with people from all over the world, and for a relatively cheap price was a no-brainer. If given the opportunity, I would undoubtedly do it all over again, but since I can’t, I will strongly recommend TBS to anyone looking to have the same great experience.