fun, interesting and eye opening Past Review
By Christopher B (International/Global Studies., Towson University) for
AIFS: St. Petersburg - Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
YES, in addition to language knowleadge I have gained experience living, working and studying in another country. It has certainly affected my cultural awareness and future plans. I am considering returning at least to visit possibly stay there
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload itself was less then what I am used to at an american university. the grading system is on a 1 to 5 scale 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. The teaching methods were different as well but also different depending on the teacher as well. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
strenghts were the programs excursions and the great staff of the program, weaknesses were limited structure |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
very little vegetarian foods, quality was good, food takes a little getting used to but its delicious |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
we would go on excursions every week to major palaces and churches to canal rides, and excursions to Finland and estonia as well |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
the area where the university is located isnt the best part of town but i didnt encounter any issues, the tap water is unsafe to drink so you must purchase water. |
| 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? | clothing is very expensive in st petersburg, food and drink is relatively cheap |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 200 level course |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I could pratice the language with friends, teachers and most other people. I needed to use the host language in everyday interactions. Most people did not speak english. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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