A Beautiful Scare Past Review
By A student (University of Southern Indiana) - abroad from 08/05/2017 to 08/24/2017 with
USI: London, Paris, & Amsterdam - Art & Design
I have greatly underestimated how different our cultures are. It was a very worthwhile experience.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I went without knowing how to speak French besides the normal, "hello"/ "Do you have a moment?" / "Thank you". I would highly recommend knowing more of the countries language. Also, it is best to keep in mind that the sites are indeed beautiful, but during a time where there are a large amount of immigration, it is best to keep your hands on your purse or wallet at all times. We were warned by various people about Pick-pocketers. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our tour guide was outstanding, he was hilarious and always there for us when we needed him. If I was to ever go international again I would want Armon again! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Overall, I thought it was wonderful. In France, I was a bit worried since we didn't have any heating or A.C. However, it was quite nice. |
| * Food: |
The food was amazing, but at the same time, hard for me to take in. I have at least a dozen allergies and not knowing the language made it very hard for me to recognize what was in everything. Also, the price on some foods seemed very expensive, but I think this is due to staying in the touristy areas. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have anything happen to me that required hospitalization. However, in France, I had an awful allergic reaction which gave me food poisoning. |
| * Safety: |
In London and Amsterdam it was wonderful, I felt quite at home. However, in France, I had a scare. After I got food poisoning, I stumbled back to our housing arrangements and took a wrong turn. There were some men calling and following me. I was crying and accidentally bumped into someone who spoke broken English who was my age. He lead me back to my apartment safely. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring all the money you will need on the trip first. You can cash it back in at a later time when you are in the states. ATMs in other countries will gouge you for money in the transferring process. |
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 |
In France, if we could, always speak French. In Amsterdam, it was okay if we did not speak Dutch. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 1 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
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? | Have everyone in a wifi zone download Google Translate. You can download the countries language you will be visiting and through the camera it will translate whatever language it is to English. |
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. |
