Chaotically Practical Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/11/2017 to 01/25/2018 with
CIEE: Brussels - Advanced Liberal Arts
I certainly learned how to live practically and how to deal with disaster. For some unknown reason nothing at all ran smoothly or well. Whenever (by which I mean nearly every single time) I had important, specific, or simple tasks to complete, I was met with innumerable road blocks. For instance, I was not registered in classes at ULB until the end of November, despite the dozens of emails I sent and forms I filled out (on time, as it may be important to note). Also, in the beginning of the semester I did not receive the documents necessary to get a transportation card or to register in the city. At times, I hated it, that absolutely nothing was working out, that perhaps my academic career was at risk, that I was not gaining all that I could out of an experience abroad. Through everything, I had to learn to be persistent, patient and proactive. Otherwise, I learned an incredible amount outside of my comfortable environment at Wellesley. Taking on an internship, and with increased responsibility that comes with living immersed in a foreign country, I feel like I gained invaluable experience and time to think and understand myself now, and in the future. I was able to understand more the professional world and the innumerable and diverse opportunities available to me through Wellesley and otherwise. I was able to gain more comfort using a foreign language, and grasp the distinct, and often seemingly minute, philosophical or ideological cultural differences that effect every-day life in all sorts of shades and colors. I found myself plopped in a different context, and perhaps when I scrutinized all of it, I was able to recognize the simplest things in foreign, complex, terrifying and beautiful ways. Of course it was worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Well, the program was certainly rigorous by nature-- I was taking mainstream classes in French with other native French-speaking students. Half of my courses at the university were also masters level courses, and I took a 300-level Russian language course with a professor who spoke only Russian and French. The material was very interesting and relevant, and naturally I learned quite a lot and my brain expanded quite a bit. Additionally, Université Libre de Bruxelles was structured very differently from any other sort of institution I grew used to in the US. For most of my courses, I did not have so many assignments throughout the course of the semester, but one final exam that comprised 100% of my final exam. Because of this I had to rearrange learning habits I had compiled and systematized over the years, and instead focus genuinely and in a new way on memorizing, and learning absolutely all of the information by heart. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
In continuation of the comments above (concerning academic rigor, etc): However, I felt a distinct lack of guidance, resources or anything of the sort to help me understand the University's process, its cultural and situational or natural differences, etc. CIEE had on site 2 interns who were very sincere and helpful. They would respond in a very helpful manner when asked by myself or another one of the students, BUT I felt very unprepared BEFORE timely and weighty situations arose. For example, in terms of choosing classes at ULB, I was left, to my unfortunate surprise, without essential or basic knowledge on either how to complete the process or what to expect. Aside from classes and very briefly, the on-site administrators are very kind and sincere, and do well their jobs, but I never felt, when I went to the director for help, that she was entirely on my side. Over the course of the semester, I felt very bare, without "backup", and sort of, left out to dry. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
The couple with whom I lived in Brussels were incredibly kind and gave me excellent advice. The process was very simple and easy, only just a bugger when it came to sending my receipts manually to the insurance for each step. I did not need to get any additional vaccines and there were no prevalent health issues in Brussels. Weirdly enough, when it came to missing one day of the CIEE core course, the professor and resident director were unusually, and perhaps unfairly strict with the processes. One MUST see a doctor, pay for the doctor and bring a doctors note to class, no matter what. A fellow student was suffering extreme symptoms of her menstrual cycle one day, and was given a very hard time for weeks about getting this excused by a doctor. She confided to me that she felt very uncomfortable with the entire situation and didn't know what to do. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Since I am amidst my final exams, but wont have time between my exams and the start of my second semester, I do not have enough time to write all of my thoughts that might comprise a full and comprehensive review of my chaotic study abroad experience. It was filled with ups and downs. Academically, I felt as though I did not get at all what I expected, or what I believed was promised. Almost none of the courses that were suggested online through CIEE were available to take, and the CIEE core course was unconventional and thus got in the way of numerous courses I wished to take at the university. I did not receive, as I would say after the fact, any good advice as to which sort of classes would match a student like me--with my academic background and level of French. In the end the academic situation forced me to change my Major aspirations dramatically. Feeling a lack of warning and support in the sense of completing the exams for my classes, I have never had such a difficult time. I have never been so stressed, and felt such an awful feeling in my gut. As such an international city with so many languages, I was not able to improve or practice my french as much as I had hoped. These are some of the main reasons I would not choose CIEE again. However, I was extremely grateful I was able to take a Russian Language course at the University in French, and for the Internship opportunity provided to me. |
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) |
Living in a foreign country for the first time made it difficult for me to understand immediately how to get the most for my money. This, in addition to all the extra expenses for a foreigner (fee to register in the city, visa fees, erasmus student activity fees, traveling to and from the city/country) rendered finances a bit tight. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $170 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Have a strict plan in place BEFORE reaching the country, by doing research. |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 211 |
| 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? | Immerse yourself in ALL you do-- read in the language, socialize in the language, study sources for school in the language, and even, if you can, listen to music in the language! If your friends want to speak to you in English, or your native language, put your foot down! Haha |
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 I knew more clearly which classes would be available, and what to expect when choosing courses |
