Great Past Review

By (University of Massachusetts Amherst / UMass) - abroad from 01/14/2018 to 05/12/2018 with

Webster University: Athens - Odyssey in Athens

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to travel alone. It was worthwhile my experience.

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.

The courses were not very hard which was nice because most students were traveling a lot. The courses were not the most organized though, which became frustrating at times.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Dina was AMAZING, but the housing administration needs work. The only way this will come to be though, is if the main Webster campus helps out Webster Athens financially. Because there is no financial help, the Athens campus is left with a small budget to work with. As a result of this, many students had negative experiences with housing. If this was fixed, there would be more students coming to the program in my opinion because their experiences would be SO much better with better housing.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was poor. The apartments are very old and a lot of things don't work. Then the school didn't have enough financial funds to fix the apartment problems, which is ridiculous with the amount of money paid to live there. Roommate pairing needs to be improved on with a roommate questionnaire.

* 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? No

I think other programs might offer more, especially with housing.

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? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Put aside your money and only allow yourself to use a certain amount each week.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? A.P. Spanish
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Professors
* What could be improved?
  • Housing
  • Housing
  • Housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Clearer instructions on how to get your visa. The city of Athens is kind of dirty.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.