Adelante Equine Study Abroad Past Review

By (Colorado State University) - abroad from 05/20/2018 to 06/16/2018 with

Adelante: Edinburgh - Equine Summer Program in Scotland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about being independent. I've always thought of myself as an independent person, but living alone in another country throws you right into adulthood, and I'm very grateful for the experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I thought the courses would be way more rigorous, but I did enjoy them and their instructors.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everyone at Oatridge was extremely welcoming, and I had nothing but amazing experiences living here.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was exactly what I expected it to be. Nothing fancy, just a normal dorm room, but we got cleaning services daily and once a week then would change your sheets and towels.

* Food:

In retrospect, the food wasn't bad. It reminded me of normal dorm food. However, I found the lack of options frustrating. We often only got to choose from 2 options, and for dinner it was common for one option to be completely gone not even 10 minutes into dinner. If we didn't like either options, we often would just pick at our side dishes, which never fully filled us up.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I had a really fun time watching and interacting with the locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had a minor foot injury during the program, and I thought that the barn staff handled it extremely well. They always made sure that I was alright and had everything I needed as I dealt with the injury.

* Safety:

They take safety very seriously here, and overall there were no safety concerns.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Overall, I had an amazing time during the program. I fell in love with Scotland and the culture here, and hopefully I can return someday!

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I was easily able to live off of a student budget. The biggest issue for me was always making sure I had exact change for buses/laundry, but I was always able to make it work.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $100, if that.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make sure you have plenty of coins when in other countries, because they value them much more than Americans do!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Culture
  • Exploring
  • Visiting barns and the races
* What could be improved?
  • Rigor of the riding
  • Rigor of the classwork
  • Food
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How fast your time abroad goes, and that you need to cherish every day you're there.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'