Austria: Best experience of my life! The happiest I've been while in college. Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/15/2018 to 05/12/2018 with
IES Abroad: Vienna - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I learned what I was capable of in terms of independence and dealing with major problems without having knowledge of a country or language. I had to go to the hospital in Switzerland where they spoke only French, I had to navigate transportation in Hungary and Slovakia and Denmark, etc. countries where I didn't speak the language, and I had to deal with filing a police report in England. After doing all of these things with no help and no other resources than the ones I had on hand, I feel confident that I can deal with any problem that arises in the US.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were not as rigorous as my home institution, but the way that they used the city of Vienna as a classroom as well made it a very enriching educational experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They made sure to respond to maintenance requests and personal problems promptly, even accompanying me on a hospital visit. The administration was very hands on and welcoming to students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was gorgeous and in a good location, and when appliances were broken they were typically fixed within a day or two. |
| * Food: |
I prepared my own food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
They were kind because I spoke German, but other than that I had very limited interactions with local Viennese people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Very easily accessible, they took me in a taxi which they paid for to the ER, remained with me while I was checked out, helped me fill out my insurance claims, and also allowed me time off from classes to recover. It was a much smoother process than receiving healthcare in America. There were no prevalent issues. |
| * Safety: |
Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world, and I never felt unsafe even coming home late at night on public transportation. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I absolutely fell in love with Vienna, the culture and the food and the city itself. I loved the friends I made, and its location in central/eastern Europe allowed me to travel all over. |
Finances
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* 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) |
By preparing my own food, I was able to travel extensively. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There are many student discounts for travel, hostels and cheap airlines make traveling very accessible, and preparing your own food saves a lot. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
They encouraged us to have language buddies and use it as much as possible outside the classroom. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | German 231 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Immersion works. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Go for a year, not just one semester. |
