The best experience I could ask for! Past Review
By Conor J (St. Mary's College of Maryland) - abroad from 09/15/2014 to 12/15/2014 with
AIFS: Salzburg - University of Salzburg
This was an extremely worthwhile experience. I learned a lot about myself through the experience. I did not do any travel before this trip on my own, but I was able to travel and have an amazing time during study abroad. Study abroad also allowed me to see tons of cultures and meet many new people to share and compare experiences.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses were the right amount of work for studying abroad. You can take care of the work during the week and have time to travel on the weekend. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program admin was amazing. They were extremely supportive all the way through the study abroad process. If you had any problems arise during your stay abroad they were always there to help you. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I chose the home stay option. I felt that this was the best way to experience the culture and get a real feel for Austrian living. |
| * Food: |
The food in Austria was very tasty. I really enjoyed the German cuisine. Also, it wasn't extremely expensive so you could live on a budget. As part of the AIFS program students receive a 250 euro for food per month which was helpful. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
AIFS provided many different cultural excursions in and around Salzburg which was great for experiencing the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick once while I was abroad and my program director worked with me to get a doctors appointment set up to make sure I was okay. After the appointment she followed up to ensure I received everything I needed to get better. My experience with the healthcare system abroad did not seem too different than at home, because I had the program director help me through the process. |
| * Safety: |
The city felt quite safe, even later at night, when walking around. I never had any issues with people harassing me as I was walking around the street which was nice. |
| 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) |
AIFS provided us with a 250 euro debit card for food for the month which made it easy to budget for food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | DO YOUR OWN GROCERY SHOPPING! I found this was the best way to save money. Eating out adds up quickly, whereas if you get food from the store it is much easier to save and budget your money. |
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? | Live in a home stay. If you choose this option you can interact with the host family and practice your language skills. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | Overall, I felt quite prepared going into the program AIFS is quite helpful with getting you the information you need beforehand. Once you get to the country you have the tools to be successful. |
