Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Unforgettable! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/18/2018 to 12/15/2018 with

DIS Stockholm Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I absolutely loved living abroad. I feel as though I've become more independent and have a greater understanding of the world and my place in it. I met lots of interesting people and made great friends. I completely fell in love with Stockholm and am incredibly grateful for the semester.

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.

I really enjoyed my courses and professors. I thought professors found an appropriate amount of work to assign to still challenge us while giving us time to explore Stockholm.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Loved the location and dorm overall but felt I was poorly matched with my roommate.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I really enjoyed this program but if I were to study abroad again I think I would challenge myself to do a language immersion program.

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)

It varied by week, definitely ways to live on a budget but challenging when there are so many places to travel/museums to visit/things to try etc.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? On average I spent about $250 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan out meals, cook when you can, save up before you go

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? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Use when you order food, check out at a store, on public transportation

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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 city
  • The courses offered
* What could be improved?
  • I can't think of anything off the top of my head!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To save more money before we go abroad!

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Human Trafficking and the Sex Trade
Course Department: Political Science, International Relations
Instructor: Polina Smiragina
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course gave a very good overview of human trafficking and the efforts being done on the part of many countries to combat this horrible phenomenon. The field trips we took (ECPAT and Council on the Baltic Sea States) as well as the guest lecturers were enriching and added great value to the course. I appreciated that we were assessed in a variety of ways - papers, projects, presentations, and debate.
Credit Transfer Issues: No