Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Phenomenal Past Review

By (SUNY - Albany) - abroad from 06/06/2016 to 08/06/2016 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I definitely learned how to organize my time and money more. My social skills were incredibly impacted because of the fact I went on this program without knowing anyone. It forced me to come out of my comfort zone. I learned about the cultures of the different cities we visited, my love for travelling grew tremendously after this program.

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 classes were fantastic. They challenged you to think and learn about international activities, but not too much to take you away from the free time you desire.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

great

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied in all of the places we stayed. We were provided with great hotels and services.

* Food:

Breakfast was included, everything else was on my own. I was able to eat in a different restaurant every night and try a lot of new foods, which was incredible.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Being able to walk around the cities and visit famous

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally did not have any healthcare issues, but someone on the program did and it was handled immediately and efficiently.

* Safety:

You just have to be aware of your personal items getting stolen.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I absolutely loved this program. I loved meeting all new people and creating friendships that would last. Class time we space out pretty well, they were early in the morning and would finish by noon, depending on which class you decide to take. The early classes would allow you to have the rest of the days to yourself, except for days when there were professional visits.

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 was challenging budgeting money. I spent most of my money on food and souvenirs.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? around $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? The biggest issue was not realizing how much money I spent during the first week abroad. Future students should set a weekly budget for food and personal expenses.

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

It was highly encourage to use the basic words. During class we were taught some of the basic words of the language and it was highly recommended to use them.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish is my second language and I took Italian for about 5 years
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • friendly staff
  • the amount of freedom that was allowed
  • the amount of cities traveled to
* What could be improved?
  • more food provided
  • class/ professional visit organization
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? My main concern was my money budget.

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.