Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Forum-Nexus was a great experience! Past Review

By (Pennsylvania State University - University Park) - abroad from 06/21/2012 to 07/21/2012 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Different cultures have different values and beliefs. This will be seen in the first day of classes and you will continue to notice differences as you interact with more people on the trip. Yes, this trip was definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Ramon Llull University in Barcelona and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan
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 classes and work were the appropriate amount for a study abroad trip. We received a lot of information about international IQ and still had time to enjoy the cities we were visiting.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Some of the hotels in certain cities could have been nicer, but the hotels in Athens, Geneva, and Rhodes were extremely nice and more than made up for these hotels. All of the hotels were safe and liveable, so there were no problems.

* Food:

Breakfast was included nearly every morning and they were all pretty good. We were responsible for finding our own lunches and dinners but the teachers and hotel staff always provided us with places to go.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Forum-Nexus did a great job with integrating all of the students with the culture of each city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues but when people did have emergency health issues on the bus, they were taken care of immediately.

* Safety:

Some hotels were far out of the city, but if you always stay in groups, I never felt unsafe. If I did, I know I could always discuss this with one of the professors and they would help me be more comfortable.

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)

This is all personal preference, based on how much money you want to spend on the trip and where you want to eat. I felt that if I was in Europe, I should take advantage of that and do as much as possible.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes

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

We learned Greek, which was highly encouraged during the time we spent in Greece.

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Free-time to explore countries
  • Classes were the appropriate level of difficulty
  • Friends I made
* What could be improved?
  • Organization, although this is hard with so many people
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You will be traveling A LOT, so it is important to try to pack as light as possible and use rolling suitcases. You will be living out of your suitcase for 4+ weeks, so it is difficult and very tiring, but definitely worth it!

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.