Four Country Capstone: Showing Us How Many People Are in Our World Past Review

By (Elementary Education, University of Northern Iowa) for

University of Northern Iowa: UNI Capstone in Four Countries

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained understanding of how Americans are viewed by people who are from different cultures. I am now aware that even though I am a different nationality there are several things that makes me similar to someone of a different culture.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I wouldn't recommend the Marco Polo Hostel for future groups. It was loud on our floor, the beds were made but did not look clean and the area did not leave me feeling comfortable.

* Food:

The meals included in the set price we paid were worth it. The meal i enjoyed the most was the traditional Greek meal.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

During the stay in Romania there were several activities planned by Romanian students which was a pleasant surprise. They did a great job, put a lot of though into the activities and were fun to be around. I enjoyed the sites that we saw such as the monasteries in Greece and the Botanical Garden in Romania. In my personal opinion there were far to many museums. From the chatter among the group a lot of other people seemed to agree. It was frustrating to not be interested in a required field trip or event and then find it wasn't included in the price like we were told. It would have been more fun for more of us to do more activities that the locals partake in in the different countries rather than be in a museum.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt safe in every area except for the area surrounding the Marco Polo Hostel. The area surrounding the hostel did not even come close to the beauty of Budapest that we saw while on the tour bus in Budapest.

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)

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Any student could benefit from this trip it just depends what kind of attitude they have about the trip. If they go in with a positive attitude they will get a lot out of the experience. I'm glad I decided to study abroad and see so many different countries because I never knew how big the world is and how many people there are.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Technology and Society

Course Department: CAP:140 61
Instructor: Kathy Zeman
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was informative and made you think. It was a useful class for out outreach project we did in Pata Rat, a local town. Professor Zeman was well prepared and you could tell she had experience and interest in the class and its content.
Credit Transfer Issues: