Whiskey and tartan are really cool. Past Review

By (Theatre, Art History, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 09/02/2013 to 12/21/2013 with

Arcadia: Glasgow - University of Glasgow

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to immerse myself in other cultures, travel by myself and drink whiskey without choking. I learned how to survive near-constant rain and wind, and I learned how to make connections with new people quickly. It was definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Arcadia was awesome, but the international office at the University of Glasgow was not too helpful, msostly due to being understaffed.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I would not recommend Murano Street Student Village. The facilities themselves are nice, but it's very far from campus and is a largely freshman dorm. I lived with 11 freshmen, which was extremely unpleasant.

* Food:

There's a lot of good food near campus, but on campus dining wasn't anything special.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program helped me register for healthcare, which was free even for international students. I had back spasms unexectedly and went to the campus health center for walk in hours, was seen promptly and given an injection of pain killer and a prescription for further pain relief if needed. It was all free.

* Safety:

Guns are all but illegal in Scotland, I never felt at risk and nobody I knew had any trouble either. There are wild foxes throughout the city, but they aren't hostile.

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

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)

You have to buy all your own food, the university doesn't include any meal plan in the tuition.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably $100-$150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't take cabs, cook for yourself. All the dorms have kitchens.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Travel
  • Classes
  • Host family stay at beginning
* What could be improved?
  • Registration process
  • Dormitory sign up clarity
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How far Murano dorm was from campus and what the registration process would be like. It would have helped to send in request forms etc earlier. Not on the UT or Arcadia side, but on the University of Glasgow side.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!