Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great Program for people who actually want to learn. Past Review

By (University of Hartford) - abroad from 01/05/2017 to 04/19/2017 with

Semester at Sea Study Abroad: Make the World Your Campus

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Humans are very scary without internet for 4 months.

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.

This year we had fascinating faculties and professors! Myself had course professors from China, US, Middle East, and England. They are all wonderful professors with tremendous skills and knowledge. The ship have limited access of internet, made it almost impossible to do research during sail. The library have a lots of extra informational books.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Semester At Sea Field Programs are all way too expensive, I did the same trip by myself without SAS saved me 50% the cost.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The cruiser is deign to host rich old German people, such a waste to give to ungrateful young American college students.

* Food:

I got food poisoning on the ship.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Gives me the glance of the world. But I believe I need more time to stay inside one country to understand it more. Not just 6 days with a quick tour trip.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Got food poisoning, gave me antibiotic, allergic to antibiotic, almost had a seizure. import cheap medication from India, charge it twice as much to give it to the patient.

* Safety:

Asked the Chief of Security on the ship, "What's our method to deal with Pirates?" "We have water holes and some knifes from the kitchen."

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

I will defiantly do again, because I want to know as many people as I could all over the world.

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)

If you don't have rich parents or you are not really smart to get some scholarship, Semester At Sea will not be a ideal Study Abroad Program for you.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? In country, there is no way you don't spend at least $200 in port.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Prepare foreign currency before you depart will save you alot of transaction fee. Also use Uber, because Uber don't need transaction fee. Stay in hostels in countries, cheap, fun, and meet more friends.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
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? I can speak 5 languages :)
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Learn some basic greeting for any country you visit always will help you because you are showing respect to the locals where they will happy to help you when you need help.

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
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?
  • Hotel Ship
  • Great Professors
  • Smart International Students
* What could be improved?
  • Budgeting
  • Field Program Planning
  • Improve Internet Access
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Travel cost too much money.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

US-China relations since 1800
Course Department: History
Instructor: Prof. Xie Tao, Prof. John Israel
Instruction Language: English, Chinese
Comments: A Co-op course taught by both China and US professors is as unbiased as it could get! 10/10
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

US Foreign Policy
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Prof. Mara Karlin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Prof. Mara was recently retire from Department of Defense, having a top policy maker in Department of Defense teaching us US Foreign Policy is once in a life time chance! 11/10 will do it again.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Reading without Borders
Course Department: English
Instructor: Prof. Greg Mason
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Ability to read literature from all over the world and share it to everyone in class especially the literature that created by the place you going to visit! Best English Course EVER.
Credit Transfer Issues: