Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Learned how to move in Vietnam Past Review

By (Stephen F. Austin State University) - abroad from 06/03/2018 to 07/03/2018 with

Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA): Government in Vietnam

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained knowledge about how things work in Vietnam, mostly bargaining and how much things are worth there.

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 class while it was not the main focus was concise with the information and I feel that I learned a lot of what I would've learned in a regular classroom

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The host there was excellent, he was nice, kind, and extremely hard working. He would arrange our lunch to be dropped off everyday and always had tea and fresh fruit there for us. One of a kind person.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our housing in Saigon was nice and clean, I had to walk up a lot of stairs which wasn't always the greatest, but helped me burn the food calories.

* Food:

The lunch provided was good most days, would have liked if there was a little more diversity in the choices of food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I feel like we were not able to talk to many Vietnamese people about their lives, would have loved to even be taught a little about Vietnamese culture from our guide so that we could better communicate.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I never felt in danger, while walking around the city. There was always lighting on the street, and all the people I saw were extremely nice.

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? $800
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Take it easy the first week, because you will quickly run out of money

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Food
  • People
  • Host
* What could be improved?
  • More integration with Vietnamese
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That in Saigon I would be in charge of arranging most touristy things

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.