Edinburgh and Europe: An Experience of Exploration, Wonder, and Personal Growth Past Review
By Rachael D (Philosophy., Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/10/2013 to 05/24/2013 with
Arcadia: Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh
I learned how to adapt to a new city with new customs, new slang, new everything. I learned the strength of internal motivation for independent study and exploration. I came to appreciate the American educational system by experiencing that of Edinburgh. I learned about America through global eyes. I overcame unforeseen challenges on my own, and gained greater patience and finesse. I tested the strength of my relationships and learned that the greatest ones can withstand and even grow despite thousands of miles of separation. This experience was amazing and most definitely worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Great classes, emphasis on independent learning and initiative, a lot of reading, not many opportunities for cooperation with other students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
On-site administrators available for assistance when necessary. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was in a good location and my roommates were very nice. |
| * Food: |
Not on a meal plan so I cooked a lot. Not a lot of produce cheaply available. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One had to make an effort to integrate with the local culture, but was easy to make friends, join in local customs, go out, and learn/experience Scottish heritage. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a few major health problems while studying abroad, and my program helped by encouraging me to sign up for NHS quickly. National Health Service was free, easily accessible, and generally helped me with getting to the right doctors, finding treatment, and dealing with my problems. Response could be slow, but overall very helpful and easy. The process was hard to get used to however, as it was necessary to visit the GP before seeing a specialist of any kind for a referral. |
| * Safety: |
Edinburgh felt like a very safe city. I lived near the Meadows, a park I was told was not safe to venture into alone at night as a female, so I avoided going alone after 10pm. An unfortunate event occurred the night before I left, when a woman's dead body was found in the hedges near my building. Despite that one incident, I felt very safe throughout my entire experience. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 was difficult to live on a student budget because a big part of immersing oneself in the culture is going out and partaking in events. These both cost money, as does traveling, another huge aspect of studying abroad. The food and clothing were also more expensive than I expected. It took some time to adjust my budget so I could live comfortably. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $120 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't take taxis if possible. Use budget airlines like Easyjet to travel, don't check luggage, and travel with friends so you can stay cheaply in hostels. When you do travel, look up how to explore the city for free, as there are plenty of amazing things to do for no money at all all around Europe. Also pack some food if possible (like cereal or bread) so you can make your own meals for breakfast and lunch and just go out for one meal. Buy food in bulk that lasts a while so you go food shopping less often. If you go out, drink beforehand so you don't spend all your money on alcohol. Don't waste money shopping for clothes (as much fun as it is to shop) because it will be difficult to get back home in your luggage and you'll most likely give most of it away so you don't have to pay overweight charges at the airport on your way home. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | That no matter what, nothing can really prepare you for studying abroad, and even though the beginning is difficult, it is an amazing experience and worth getting through the initial difficulties. |
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. |
