Students studying abroad next semester can now connect with friends, get a job and keep up with the news without leaving their desk, "escritorio" or "scrivania."

Café Abroad, a social networking and newsmagazine Web site, was unveiled Monday and allows students studying abroad in the same city to network with peers.

"It's going to allow students to meet other students while abroad," said Mark Travers, co-founder and creative director for the site. "Students seem to be excited about the idea."

Dan Schwartzman, co-founder of the site and a 2005 Penn State graduate, was also instrumental in creating the Web site and acts as communications director. Schwartzman also worked at the Daily Collegian when he was a student.

"We're aiming to have 30,000 kids [sign up] within the first two months," Schwartzman said.

The idea came to both Travers and Schwartzman in the summer of 2006 while they both worked as newspaper reporters in New Jersey.

While the Web site may draw comparisons to Facebook.com or MySpace.com, Schwartzman said Café Abroad is not looking to compete with either of the two.

The networking side of cafeabroad.com will allow students to post pictures, send messages, create groups, write reviews of local concerts and entertainment events and rate venues.

"You can actually network with people before you study abroad," Schwartzman said.

Lisa Marvin (senior-marketing), who will be studying abroad in Brisbane, Australia, next spring, said she thinks the Web site has potential.

"I think it's a really good idea," Marvin said. "It could be really cool."

Marvin also said she liked the idea of the calendar section, which allows students to see what events are taking place in the city they are in.

"It will make it much easier to find out what's going on," Marvin said.

The other part of the site runs as a newsmagazine, where students are able to write stories about their experiences abroad.

"We want to keep the façade of a newsmagazine," Travers said.

Cafeabroad.com offers paid internships for students interested in working as travel journalists and regional managers. Students will be responsible for posting and maintaining a calendar of events for the city they're studying in as well as having to sell advertisements to local businesses.

"It's an outlet for students to make money while abroad," Travers said.