Café Abroad, a tool for students

studying abroad, is sparking the

interest of universities all over the

world.

Café Abroad consists of both an

online magazine, cafeabroad.com,

and a print magazine called Café

Abroad InPRINT distributed at 300

universities.

Caroline Renzulli, a Villanova

student studying in Barcelona,

has been working for the Web site

throughout her time abroad.

After taking an interest in the

company, Villanova’s study abroad

office worked to get students involved

with it, leading to Renzulli’s

position on the Web site staff.

Café Abroad publishes articles

written by staff members, as well

as information about cities all over

the world.

Subscribers to cafeabroad.com

can access information about entertainment,

sightseeing, nightlife

and dining.

Both the Web site and Café

Abroad InPRINT are geared toward

college students.

Renzulli is a regional representative

responsible for Barcelona.

“Me and Amanda, another college

student living in Barcelona,

are responsible for promoting Café

Abroad in the city, creating a city

guide for Barcelona, posting events

on the Web site, and we also have

the opportunity to review all the

places we go and write articles for

the magazine and the Web site,”

Renzulli said.

The regional staffs are responsible

for maintaining the Web site

and creating the city guides, but all

members of Café Abroad can write

reviews.

One of the most important and

rewarding parts of Renzulli’s job,

she said, has been promoting the

Web site among students both at

Villanova and elsewhere.

Café Abroad gives students the

opportunity to exchange experiences

and tips with their peers, as opposed

to reading about cities in guidebooks

written by professionals who have no

idea what students are looking for.

“It’s people our own age giving

us advice on what to do and where

to go,” Renzulli said. “It’s so much

better than flipping through the brochures or magazines that are normally available to us.”

Both the Web site and Café

Abroad InPRINT are expanding, in

hopes of reaching as many student

communities as possible.

“We plan to expand to 500 schools

by the end of the year,” Café Abroad’s

co-developer Dan Schwartzman

said.