Learning to Love and Serve. BYU in Iasi Past Review
By A student (Kinesiology and Exercise Science., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 09/11/2012 to 11/30/2012 with
Study Abroad Programs in Romania
I learned that I can and need to serve. I learned that interacting with people allows you to love, learn and grow. It was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The area that I needed most academic support was with the language, but due to difficult circumstances, that was not available to our group during the internship. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Mario did a lot for us and I am grateful for that, I just wish there had been more interaction. We would have benefited greatly from increased contact with her. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My only complaints were lack of internet (it worked out, it just would have been nice to know before going that I wouldn't have it...) and the random fees we were not warned that we would have. |
| * Food: |
Ingredients were easily accessible and that was wonderful...I didn't love all of the food but hey, that's normal in a foreign country yeah? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt comfortable with local culture. We had Romanian friends and we participated in local activities. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick during the internship and although I never had to use the hospitals, I was led to get the appropriate medication. And then I finally got better! What a relief! |
| * Safety: |
BE AWARE!! Iasi really wasn't a scary place, but you did have to be aware of your surroundings. I felt like the pre internship class made Iasi sound scarier than it really was. I felt comfortable in the city if I had to go someplace quickly on my own (as long as my roommates knew where). There were times when we were followed or yelled at by drunks. In those situations, just be smart. Ignore them. Go to a more populated area. Don't go in sketchy parts of town alone, especially at night. |
| 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) |
If you split groceries with roommates, you could spend as little as $25 on food per week. What made it tricky was the utilities and rent. They ended up being a lot and we didn't really have warning. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | If you average rent and utilities into it, then about $120 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Yes, prepare for surprise expenses. They come for each group and it's no fun. Just know that bills are going to be randomly higher. |
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? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Find someone to talk with. There are plenty of past interns or past missionaries who I'm sure would love to speak some Romanian with you! Speak it...that's the best way to learn it. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | That utilities would be a lot of money, I would have loved to start learning about the kids earlier... |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
