A College Must! Past Review
By Richelle (University of Hartford) - abroad from 09/07/2017 to 12/21/2017 with
AIFS: Athens - American College of Greece
Studying abroad was most definitely worthwhile. I wish I did it sooner so I could have spent a year abroad. This has been the best experience of my college career by far. I have always traveled internationally and lived outside the US for a good chunk of my childhood. I have learned to appreciate other cultures more than I already did prior to this experience. Through solo trips, I have also learned that I am much more independent than I thought.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a couple and it became uncomfortable very quickly. |
| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
AIFS has amazing staff who go out of their way to provide help when necessary. The staff also ensures that students go out and spend time with one another while being engaged and learning about the local culture. |
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) |
I traveled to a different country or island every weekend and truly didn't go over budget. It helped that AIFS provided us with debit cards that were meant for food but could be used for anything. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about 20 euro a week on groceries. Other than that all I paid for was transportation which was no more than 5-10 euro a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Find local farmers markets! |
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 |
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| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Use the language in your day to day life while abroad. Locals are happy and more than willing when they notice you are making an effort to immerse yourself in their culture. |
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? | I wish I knew my class schedule prior to arrival, which has nothing to do with the program provider, but the school itself. |
