Everything is possible when you put your mind to it Past Review

By Monica Naranjo (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/26/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

University of Manchester: Manchester - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

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

The world is a beautiful place. I learned a lot about geography. I met people from countries I did not know they exist. I learned a lot about different cultures and learned about social issues that affect other parts of the world. I am now more aware of the role that the United States plays in the world and how the decisions that are taken in this country affect many other countries.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I enjoyed the academic experience in this university. It was very different from the academic rigor of my home university. Instead of having excessive amount of readings, we had to critically analyze each of the readings and come prepared to class. This helped me understand the topics learned much better while having time to read other material recommended by the professors.
* 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?	While I was abroad I was very ill. I suffer from chronic back pain and I got very little medical attention or support from the university. It was not until the last week of classes that I could not stand the pain any longer and I was unable to walk that I decided to go to the emergency room where the doctors told me that I could have gotten physical therapy for free if I had been registered with a General Practitioner. I wish I had been told this by the Disability Services staff at the University of Manchester. I spoke to them about my health issues on several occasions and I got very little help from them.
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No My semester abroad was full of up and downs. I had a great time in most of my classes. I think the academic rigor in the University of Manchester is excellent and the environment at this university is fantastic. People are very friendly, and I got to meet people from many different places and learn tons about the world. If I were to do it all over again, I would choose more carefully the city where I would study, and while I think the university was really good, I do think that the services provided for people with disabilities is not adequate, so I had a difficult time throughout the semester

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?	40 pounds

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students 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?	the opportunities to be involved in the community the lectures given by leaders of the community the diversity of this university
* What could be improved?	services provided
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had known health care is free even for international students

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 Networker An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Gender, War, and Militarism
Course Department:	Politics
Instructor:	Cristina Masters
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was amazing. The professor is very knowledgeable, fun, and easy to approach. This class was a three-hours lecture each week, but the time went by very quickly. In every class, we did projects with other students, which allowed us to know other students and understand other people's points of views. The material learned in this class was extremely interesting and each class we had time to discuss the material learned and share knowledge and concerns. Since the professor was so compassionate and open to all of us, we learned a lot from her and from the students in this class. For this class, we did not have any exams. We had to do two critical reviews, a group poster, and a final essay, which counted 60% of the class.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Leadership in Action
Course Department:	UCOL
Instructor:	Mark Batey
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I loved this course. We were lectured by different leaders of the community who talked about social and environmental topics that affected the city of Manchester. All the lecturers were very knowledgeable and passionate about their topics which made the course very interesting. We also had the opportunity to work with other students throughout the semester to complete an e-project, which helped me meet other people and challenged us to work together successfully.
Credit Transfer Issues: