Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I was enriched culturally and professionally in an international aspect. Past Review

By (Finance and Financial Management Services., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 05/07/2012 to 06/04/2012 with

Brigham Young University: Traveling - Europe and Latin America Business Study Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was completely worthwhile. I learned that I love learning about new cultures and the rich history of the world. I learned best business practices on a global scale and how those practices must adapt to meet the culture and traditions of each individual country.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I enjoyed visiting with companies throughout Latin America and Europe. We were required to write small reports on each company we visited about the things we learned, what surprised us, what challenges are the companies facing locally and globally, etc...

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We stayed in nice hotels and hostels. It was an adventure and I have no complaints about housing.

* Food:

Trying new foods was exciting to me! It was also one of the most expensive parts of the trip. A lot of the food wasn't included in the Study Abroad price.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We had the unique blessing of visiting members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world. They helped us significantly to enjoy the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We had classes beforehand about taking good care of our health, including instruction on water, street vendors, etc...

* Safety:

Parts of South America, especially Brazil, are still very dangerous yet improving. Simply staying in groups and in "safe" areas as outlined by our program director kept us safe.

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)

I enjoyed eating good food while traveling so I spent more money but it's definitely manageable to spend $100/week. Not to mention my love for gelatto...

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150-200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Pack light! Flying internationally is a pretty penny. The less bags you have and the lighter they are could save you hundreds of dollars.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

About 90% of the students spoke Spanish or Portuguese because we served LDS missions. The program encouraged us to become part of the culture through language use but you didn't have to convince us, we love speaking these languages!

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Fluent
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Watch/listen to media in your study abroad language. Find volunteer opportunities to use your language (translate at the hospital, food shelters, etc...). Or just straight up buy language education materials.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved meeting the people of each country.
  • Getting a taste for culture/business on an international scale.
  • Being away from home which helped me to grow and open my mind to new possibilities.
* What could be improved?
  • The business visits could have been tailored a little more towards our learning objectives.
  • More disclosure of the cost of food that wasn't included in the program price.
  • The business visits in Argentina were weaker than the rest of the countries.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had done better at making a lasting impression with the business leaders we met, and left with them a business card of mine.