Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Awe-Inspiring, Thought-Provoking and Mind-Blowing GREEN Program Past Review

By (Community, Environment and Development, Pennsylvania State University - University Park) - abroad from 05/14/2014 to 05/23/2014 with

The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience abroad made me delve deeper into myself while being in a unique place. I gained more direction with my career goals and also learned about connecting with a huge group of people based on one common similarity. I learned about putting myself out there and taking chances, which has been worthwhile as I have reflected back on my experience in the United States. The GREEN Program pushes its students to push personal boundaries and challenge themselves to achieve new heights.

Review Photos

The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad Photo The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad Photo The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad Photo

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Money-saving while abroad is all about creativity. You have to be creative in your endeavors to find different food or housing options and never rule anything out by external appearance. Some of the best food abroad is in the places where you least expect it and it also tends to be cheaper.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?
  • Adventure. The program does not hesitate to allow its participants to dive into the most adventurous circumstances and learn about themselves along the way.
  • World View. The program gave me a much broader perspective on how we're living in the United States and how that may be much different from another country. Additionally, you have to be open-minded to all kinds of different people on your trip to help achieve things together.
  • Self Discovery. The GREEN program emphasizes the point of reflecting back on your experiences to better yourself. We often put away our phones to simply think about where we were, or who we were with and how we were affecting the environment and people around us.
* What could be improved?
  • I struggle to think of a single thing that could really be improved for this program besides the food at some accomodations.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? There were certain parts of the program that I could have taken a bit more of a risk to do. I wish I had known how rewarding challenging yourself can truly be, because the GREEN Program offers so many opportunities for students to push themselves to new boundaries.

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 Adventurer
The 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.