An Experience of a Lifetime Past Review
By Charlie B (Biomedical Sciences, General., Bridgewater State College) - abroad from 02/02/2012 to 08/20/2012 with
ISA Study Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand
I gained a new perspective and had an amazing time while I was over there. It was absolutely worthwile.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
There are lots of great places to eat around the MUIC campus and at around 35baht per meal it's easy on the budget. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The program had pretty good insurance and there is a free clinic for MUIC students very close to the school, but I had some serious problems with healthcare in Thailand. When I came down with Viral Meningitis my Doctor at the Phaya Thai II hospital diagnosed me with food poisoning despite the fact I had no symptoms that would suggest that. Luckily I was pretty positive of what I had and I got him to run a blood test, it came back positive for Viral Meningitis and I got my treatment. Be careful with the small clinics they tend not to be that strict about hygiene and they may be very behind the times as far as treatments go. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
As long as you stick to Thai food, split taxis/take the bus, and don't spend every night in Bangkok partying you should be fine on a low budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | If you really need to you could get by with about $40 a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Use the public transportation it's super cheap, avoid fancy restaurants the food in the small restaurants is usually better and 10 times cheaper, and don't party every night. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | High School Spanish |
| 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? | Take the Thai Language & Culture course it's mainly focused on speaking. Take what you learn from the class and try it out on the street. |
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? | 10+ |
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? | I wish I knew that the VIP bus is really not what it sounds like. 18 hours stuck between two hippies that refused to bathe in a tropical country ranks as one of the most miserable times of my life. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
