Hard Work, Little Guidance, Fulfilling experience supplemented by great beer Past Review

By A student (PSYCHOLOGY., Clark University - Worcester) - abroad from 02/04/2014 to 06/01/2014 with

EuroScholars: Leuven - Leuven University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I definitely gained some academic insight because of my psych research project, but honestly most of what I learned during my semester abroad was how to understand who I am during a tough, different experience such as study abroad. I learned a lot about myself and simply gained some great life experiences. It was worthwhile overall.

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 know that EuroScholars is supposed to be an independent program, but sometimes my professors were pretty much completely unavailable for help and I think the communication between the EuroScholars coordinators and my professors/advisors was poor to non-existent at times. The work itself was interesting and fulfilling, but I would have liked more guidance at times.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	EuroScholars administrators were helpful and usually available to meet if I needed any assistance.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I was very close to the city center, so I was close to a great part of town. The people I lived with were great.
* Food:	Belgian food is great. No issues.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Because of how independent the program is, it was hard at first to become integrated into the culture and a particular friend group. Eventually, everything worked out fine and I made some friends and formed some good relationships.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	No issues.
* Safety:	Leuven is incredibly 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)	Belgium is super expensive, but I think it worked out well once I got the hang of where to buy what, etc.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	100 euros, ish
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Find the cheap bars, because drinks can be expensive.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* 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?	Met amazing people, both local and international Learned about independent psych research Great Beer and Belgian culture
* What could be improved?	Too independent at times with little guidance Not enough communication between administrators and profs Professors should be better trained and screened for potential EuroScholars students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Studying abroad is way more difficult than advertised. Things happen that are not always ideal, but you deal with them and you prevail.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	The Low Countries at the Crossroads of European History
Course Department:	Erasmus History
Instructor:	Professor Marion Huibrechts
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Great course. Interesting, informative, challenging, but had the necessary support systems to succeed.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not as of yet.