Becoming more educated about different cultures Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign) for

Forum-Nexus: Ultimate Summer in Europe - 9 Cities in 1 Month

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about Europe, when I first landed in Spain, I was completely clueless about Europe's society, economy or culture. After being there a month and classes we took, I learned a lot and now know more about the European Union.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was reasonable and was related to the countries we were visiting. The work that we were given allowed me to understand the country and their society better.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Administration was always there when I needed them, more than I would have expected. I had a serious eye problem while I was in Greece and one of the directors walked with me to the nearest hospital in the middle of the night just so I could get treatment. The program size was about 100 kids but the directors were able to handle everyone effectively.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The hotels were all high class hotels and I never had a problem with any of them.

* Food:

We were provided breakfast which was a variety of food and was delicious.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There are just way too many memories to mention but we went everywhere, my favorite place was Acropolis in Athens. It was very cool and we all did the hike up the mountain together as a group which was a lot of fun.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I had an eye problem, and their multiple first aid kits with us at all times and the directors had stronger medication as well. When nothing worked, one of the directors walked with me to the hospital in the middle of the night.

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)

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Traveling to different countries
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I think this program is amazing, they have so much to offer! I tell all my friends that they have to look into Forum-nexus. I learned a lot about the European culture and was able to see how different life in Europe was compared to the United States. I think the student that would benefit the most is someone that has a passion for world travel and wants to learn about different European cities from a traveler's point of view as well as a student's perspective.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to European Union

Course Department: BUS 372
Instructor: Brian Butler
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was an interesting class, I was able to follow the material very well. The class related directly to the cities we were visiting, especially since we were learning about the European Union. Brian was always prepared for class and was extremely educated in this field. I participated more in this class than I have in my US institution because the class was very interesting.
Credit Transfer Issues: My credits did transfer to my school. I would definitely suggest taking this class because I learned about the European Union and what state it currently is in which allows me to have more knowledge of world events and not be a "typical American".