Holycrapitwasawesome! Past Review

By (Government, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 08/31/2011 to 05/19/2012 with

CIEE: St. Petersburg - Russian Area Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Hell yes it was worthwhile!

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Remember that the quality of the food depends on your host family and had nothing to do with the CIEE program.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Had to get an AIDS test and some shots before I left... no big deal. As for the healthcare system in Russia; I had no need for it.

* Safety:

Safety is boredom. Danger is excitement. In Russia, those who are looking for victims operate by the rules of the jungle: if you show weakness you are asking to be victimized. Refrain from stumbling home in a drunken stupor at 2 in the morning and and don't keep your laptop in a backpack that can easily be unzipped while in a crowed metro. Also remember that Russia is not a litigious society and they don't know what OSHA is... for that I would like to thank them.

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)

Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT put a credit/ATM card in your sock while celebrating your birthday in a dance club. Getting these things replaced while in Russia is a B*TCH. Other than that, nearly everything except for clothing is cheap in Russia.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Russia is still a cash society. Leave your cards at home and carry tons of change on you.

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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 trips
  • The trips
  • The trips... and your home city is awesome.
* What could be improved?
  • More snow next time please
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That conducting essential business with your home bank after losing your ATM card is very, very, very difficult.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.