"Who Spilt My Beeer?" A Narrative by C. P. Heraty Past Review

By (Accounting, Illinois State University) for

Salzburg College: Semester Study Abroad in Austria

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was definitely manageable but no joke. They divided the semester in two and had a 2 week break for travel in the middle.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I had no problems and thought that the staff at Salzburg College were superb

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

SO GOOD!!!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

IT was great i really got to get into the mind of some of the locals down there. I went to oktoberfest, went canyoning, visited Amsterdam. It was a pretty dank trip. Now that i think of it writing this is making miss it. Dam it

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Salzburg is probably the safest city on the planet. I saw like one bum there and never saw a fight.Healthcare was good so i hear, i wouldnt know because i didnt have any problems

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? If i wasnt traveling it would be like 20 euros, if i was traveling it would be like 300 euros. Pretty expensive.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Um, anticipate major traveling costs if thats what you want to do. Always have beer money.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

To use it everywhere you go. In many places the locals will speak better english than you will their language. So i highly advise trying to learn there language.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My Teachers
  • My Enemies
  • My Friends
* What could be improved?
  • More Coffee
  • Kangaroos
  • Cheaper Beer
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Go in there with an open mind and open heart, experience everything like it will be your last time, like it wont be there when you come back. Maybe i didn't live it up to my full potential,maybe I left Europe leaving a few good men in the dust. Maybe I broke a few hearts along the way. I guess the truth is that I'm a bad person. But, that's gonna change - I'm going to change. This is the last of that sort of thing. Now I'm cleaning up and I'm moving on, going straight and choosing life. I'm looking forward to it already. I'm gonna be just like you. The job, the family, the fukking big television. The washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electric tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortgage, starter home, leisure wear, luggage, three piece suite, DIY, game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine to five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption, clearing gutters, getting by, looking ahead, the day you die.