Module 3: European Experience – Page 5

Kevin Taylor Anderson, PhD

Kevin has a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and is a Lecturer in Media, Culture, and Visual Methods at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Kevin was fortunate to begin traveling at an early age with his family, climbing the pyramids of Teotihuacan in Mexico, surfing in Hawaii, and snorkeling in the Caribbean. This travel bug set him on his career as an anthropologist and ethnographic filmmaker where his work has taken him to Ireland, Italy, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Japan, and Australia. Kevin also founded the Western Massachusetts hiking club, Trail Wobblers, and he reviews films on the Web for Film Autopsy. In addition to hiking and travel, Kevin loves scuba diving, all things aquatic, and is a sushi enthusiast. His heroes are Basho, Amelia Earhart, and Jacques Cousteau.

Jeanna Brady, CISabroad Scotland Site Director

Jeanna was born overlooking Loch Ness and grew up in the Highlands of Scotland on the West Coast. She studied in Edinburgh, and after earning a science degree, went on to work as a local and central government officer, often giving lectures to undergraduates in local universities.

“My family has a strong Scottish heritage on one side one Clan MacDougall ( who once owned and controlled vast lands in the West of Scotland, the Clan now ‘impoverished’ nobility ) and on the other a lineage of Cuthberts going back to St. Cuthbert ( whose legacy still influences society today). My Celtic roots give my family our language, music, fun, compassion and culture which continue to this day. Learning and education has been a strong influence in the family over generations.

Like many Scots I enjoy the fantastic landscape here, from great sailing in the West, to off-road motorcycle and skiing in the Highland. The rivers and lochs are second to none for a range of leisure and sports.

I have been fortunate to travel, and love many parts of our world and Europe; however, I choose to reside in Edinburgh for many reasons, including the wonderful architecture, history, the people, the arts , theater, restaurants, pubs, writing, thinking and learning that flourishes here.

I delight in meeting visitors to our city and country, and share with them the real Scottish experience.”

John Hayes, CISabroad Ireland Site Director

John was born and raised in Ireland. He grew up on a dairy farm in Tipperary before heading to college. He studied at the National University of Ireland, Galway and University of Limerick. John adores travelling and has lived and worked in five different European countries. He has taught in Spain, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom, worked on farms in The Netherlands and has led study abroad programs in the British Isles and Austria. John believes both International education and travel are essential in today’s world and is on hand to help smooth our participants’ path whilst abroad.

John is married to Anja. 15 years and counting! Together they have a teen (Nathan 14) and tween (Lauren 12). When John isn’t dealing with teen v tween friction and angst he loves watching westerns, war films and watching/tweeting about sports. He’s completely crazy about almost all sports and promises to take participants to see a match of one kind or another.

CISabroad London Onsite Staff

CISabroad London Site Director

Linda Hallbäck, (rhymes with deck and Czech but she’s Swedish) was born and raised in Skanör, Sweden, but has spent the past sixteen years studying and working in the United States, Australia, and Italy. An international student for more than seven years, she holds a Masters in International Relations from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and a Bachelors degree in History and Political Science from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia.

Most of her professional experience is within the field of Student Development, but she has also spent more than six years directing a travel program aimed at offering American study abroad students abundant travel opportunities throughout Europe and beyond. As a result, Linda has traveled extensively, visiting more than 60 countries across the globe.

The last eight years, Linda has called Florence, Italy her home where she has worked within the field of international education, specifically with American study abroad students. In her spare time, she enjoys to read and write and is an avid runner and coffee drinker.

Student Affairs and Internships Coordinator: Anna Bermani

Anna holds a B.A. in English and German from Ca’Foscari University of Venice. The Italian village where she was born was never enough for her and from a young age she decided she wanted to see the world and meet a lot of people from different cultures. Fascinated by foreign languages and traveling she first studied abroad in London when she was in high school and then at Humboldt Universität in Berlin a few years after. New York City holds a special place in her heart, ever since she was an intern at the Italian Cultural Institute there. After volunteering and working for the not-for-profit association AFS Intercultural Program helping hundreds of high school students enroll and prepare for their experience abroad, she moved to London and focused on working with university students. She loves musicals, fashion, drinking green tea, studying Korean and backpacking throughout Southeast Asia.

CISabroad Barcelona Onsite Staff

Marta received a BA in French and English Translation and Interpretation and a MA in Communication Management from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). Marta started traveling around Europe in motorway with her parents at the age of five and she has not stopped ever since. She has had the chance to study abroad twice, in France and in Belgium, and she has also worked abroad in Ecuador for 6 months. She currently lives in the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona and among her favorite activities are cooking, learning new languages, reading thriller books and planning her next adventure.

Travel Tip: “Be open to try the local food! Let a local Catalan or Spanish friend pick some options for you and get ready to be amazed and discover new flavors. If you ask me, go for the seafood ‘fideuá’. You will have a good laugh learning how to open the shrimps!”