Fiebe Cuvelier and Maud De Craemer are two students visiting from VIVES University in Belgium for a six-week externship program in the School of Communications Sciences and Disorders. The students arrived for their externship on January 22 and will depart March 1. Cuvelier and De Craemer spoke about their experience at UCF and working at Aphasia House.
How did you find out about the externship program at UCF?
Fiebe Cuvelier: We have a few externships to choose from back home to other countries and places here in the U.S., but the population (adults) that is here is what drew us. They are more receptive and appreciative of what we do.
Maud De Craemer: When we came to UCF, we already knew what our population would be. Aphasia House is something we don’t have in Belgium yet.
What has been your overall impression/experience here at UCF?
FC: People are really kind here. And UCF is huge; it’s like a huge city.
MDC: Everyone says “hi” and asks how you are doing today and they are really interested in what you have to say. When we say that we are from Belgium, they are really impressed. Even though UCF is huge, I don’t feel like it’s too big. You can find our own way, your own path here.
What has been your experience working at Aphasia House?
FC: In Belgium, we don’t have such intensive programs like this, so that is something that I’d love to take back to Belgium with me.
MDC: It’s nice that you have more supervision when you start here. And the school is very involved in your education along the way. We see the results from the patients we work with during the six weeks and everyone is very supportive.
