Unforgettable Semester Past Review
By Megan Thurman (Oklahoma State University - Stillwater) - abroad from 02/06/2017 to 05/25/2017 with
AIFS: Salzburg - University of Salzburg
It was a semester to remember. The traveling I was able to do was amazing, learning new cultures was incredible as well as living in a different culture for four months. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience that I will cherish forever!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses taken in Salzburg were excellent and the courses offered were interesting and useful while abroad. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in St. Sebastian in Salzburg, Austria and it was the most ideal living situation of them all! The building was right on one of the main streets of town and the staff at the accommodation were great. |
| * Food: |
In Salzburg there is German (Austrian) food of course but Salzburg has many other food options. Eating and experiencing new types of food was not an issue while abroad. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
AIFS gave us insurance cards for the time that we were in Europe, although I personally never had to go to the doctor, I have heard from others in my program in Salzburg that using the insurance provided was not an issue. |
| * Safety: |
AIFS was always there if we needed anything and on the weekends we were given a number to call if we had any issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
AIFS was helpful but not over the top. They always responded to emails in a timely manner. It was helpful to have an advisor here in the U.S as well as an AIFS person in Salzburg to help with housing, orientation, transcripts/classes and excursions. Overall a wonderful experience! |
Finances
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* 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) |
It really depends on the person and what they are wanting to do while abroad. Traveling does add up but I got a Eurorail so that was a cost that was paid for long before I left to study. Meals is a personal thing, if you want to cook then it is cheaper but eating out adds up. It is definitely doable to stick to a budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $300 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you see something you like when you are traveling or an activity that looks cool, by it/do it. It is a once and a lifetime event so might as well buy it/do it while you are there because later down the road you will probably regret it. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Practice! The only way to get better is to practice speaking with others. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew more German going into my time abroad. I think knowing some of the language is very helpful and will enable you to be able to communicate easier and more effectively. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
