Unforgettable Experience Past Review
By Rachel Light (Michigan State University) - abroad from 06/15/2017 to 07/20/2017 with
American College of Thessaloniki (ACT): Thessaloniki - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a lot about what it was like to live and learn in a different culture. It was very worthwhile and I don't think that I would have enjoyed it as much anywhere else!
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 were laid back, but this was nice considering the number of other things that we all wanted to do with our free time. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Orientation was very helpful and all of the on-campus staff was very helpful whenever I needed them! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The cleaning service was very nice, and my roommate and I got along well for the most part. The apartment complex was a little old and it only had one working washing machine for most of the trip - which was difficult with so many people. |
| * Food: |
The Greek food in general is to die for, and something I will never forget! However, there was a lot less that was paid for than what we had all expected. Aside from that, it was cheap for the most part, and you could find healthy options in many places. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The locals were friendly for the most part, and the 'Greek language crash course' at orientation was very helpful! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had any health issues, but from what i was told, it was good. |
| * Safety: |
We were all warned about pick-pocketing at orientation and the reality of it did take place for some people. I was lucky enough to not experience this, but it is definitely something to be concerned about. Other than that, there was no crime and I felt very safe and comfortable walking around at most hours of the night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The program length was perfect, the course load was ideal, and the people that I met only made the experience better. |
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) |
I had never lived on my own before - in an apartment. For this reason, it was a little more difficult to keep the cost of living down because I hadn't had much experience cooking and such. There was always a supermarket i could go to and there was always cheap, but good food available. Items for the kitchen and bathroom were generally inexpensive as well. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Only take out so much money at a time and try to keep yourself to a set amount of money each week. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? |
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 that I knew a bit more of the language before going on this program, but that is something that we can do on our own! |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
