From Budapest With Love Past Review

By (Economics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/31/2012 to 05/18/2012 with

CIEE: Budapest - Business + European Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Very worthwhile! I gained independence, confidence, an open-mind, and memories I will cherish for a lifetime.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were pretty laid back and not as challenging/ demanding as those in my home institution. I found that the CIEE classes demanded more work and were more engaging than the ISP (International Study Program) classes taken directly from the univesity

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

LOVED them!!!!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Dormintory housing- trust me, it is better than apartment housing! You meet tons of people this way! The dorms are clean. The kitchen are big. It was great to be surrounded by friends constantly. Only concern is that there is limited privacy because you are usually in a double or a triple.

* Food:

The food in Budapest is amazing! If you're a vegetarian you may have a hard time, but there are options avaliable. I even learned how to make chicken paprika from our Hungarian teacher and took the recipe back with me to the US :)

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Hungarians are very nice! I found that I spent most of the time with the Americans in my program (naturally..), but if you do make an effort it is very possible to make friends with Hungarians and other international students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had a health issue abroad personally, but one guy in my program had to go to the hospital. The staff was very concerned about our health and quick to address these concerns.

* Safety:

There are pickpocketers, so be careful. For the most part, you are 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)

Budapest is not on the euro yet (thank goodness). For Americans, your dollar goes a long way in terms of forints. I found it very easy to live and my money went a long way. Drinks are cheap :)!

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50-100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget on how much you want to spent on food, personal expenses, etc. Be realistic. Also, if you are going to travel, we wary that some countries are extremely expensive for a student compared to Budapest so plan accordingly and set money aside for that.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
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? Hungarian is hard, but not impossible. I wish I had used it more. My advice would be to practice when you can- with the grocery store clerk, with the waiter at a restaurant, Hungarian friends, etc...

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • The people in my program
  • The program directors
  • The most amazing city that I dare call another home: Budapest
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew more Hungarian as a basis.