Before I graduated college I spent a semester on exchange in Hawaii! Most folks these days choose to go abroad to Paris or Italy, but I chose to choose a state which was even farther away than Europe from my little state of Rhode Island. Hawaii has everything you benefit from overseas like a different culture, beautiful surroundings, and a unique language, but with benefits like using the US Dollar and not worrying about visas or consulates. I studied at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu, and even the campus is amazing, with Palm Trees, fish ponds, and Hawaiian cultural centers, it is its own little island in the big city of Honolulu. Just a 10 minute busride up into the mountians gets you to Manoa Falls, a short hike through a bamboo forest to a huge waterfall in the lush Hawaiian rainforest. The bus in itself, is amazing. Literally called "The Bus" it runs all over the entire island of 'Oahu and you can buy discounted passes just for students. Take it down to Waikiki for shopping or dining, or over to the North Shore for surfing and sunbathing. There are hostels all over Hawaii too that cater to the budget needs of students in a market driven at family vacations and honeymooners. There are also a few YMCA's where you can rent a room for a night, or even a month. UH runs tons of trips at budget prices to the other islands. When I was there I traveled to Kauai, Maui, and the big island of Hawaii. Renting a car on 'Oahu is also pretty cheap and you don't have to be 25 like in most places. You can drive around the whole island and go beach hopping, or drive up to Ka'a'awa Valley on the windward side where you can camp, ride horses, or ATV around, and get that great view that you always see on TV, for this is where they film the show "Lost"!!! Don't forget to grab a Shave Ice on the North Shore and stop at the surfshops. Check out the movie "Blue Crush" and you will see the North Shore town of Haliewa, the biggest town on the North Shore. Once up there you can take a glider ride over the ocean or go Skydiving. Check out the Banzai pipeline and Sunset Beach. There are Lunch Trucks everywhere serving up local Hawaiian Favorites for cheap! You can do Hawaii on a budget, and have a great time. STA Travel can book you cheap flights with your ISIC card, and find you some cool accomodations that fit your budget, and even arrange that rental car for you before you take off. So when it comes time to sign up for study abroad this year, definatly don't rule out National Student Exchange in Hawaii, you really will be emerged in a completely different culture, one that is full of art, history, and natural beauty.