The most incredible and enriching experience of my life. Past Review
By Judi J (University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire) - abroad from 02/03/2014 to 06/06/2014 with
American College of Thessaloniki (ACT): Thessaloniki - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
There is nothing I have ever done that I would deem more worthwhile than studying abroad. Not only did I learn so much about a different culture, I also learned so much about myself and what I'm capable of doing out in a country on my own.
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. |
It was a very enriching and immersing experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Efi was absolutely amazing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It would have been nicer living in a building with only students abroad. It was always a little hard keeping quiet with big groups and worrying about disturbing the Greek tennants |
| * Food: |
Greek food was amazing. Though, some sort of meal plan would have been nice for at school. We always took care of food on our own. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very. Our apartment building was right in the middle of the city. We walked out our front door and straight into the Greek culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had to go to a hospital myself, but I accompanied a friend who did. It was very easily accesible. One of our advisors came with to help make the interactions easier. They were on top of everything. Though I didn't have to go to a hospital, I still had an allergic reaction on a group trip and they were very attentive and even stopped the entire bus at a pharmacy to get me antihistamines. There were no prevalent health issues that required vaccines, though there were a few that were recommended to have. |
| * Safety: |
Very safe. I never once felt like my safety was compromised. It's a great city and everyone is very friendly. The only problems that arose were if someone lost their wallet or phone, but we don't suspect that these were stolen, just simply lost. |
| 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) |
I'd say 3.5. I definitely struggled with money a little bit. The fact that the currency is different, makes it a little bit harder to manage a budget, and being abroad you're always tempted to indulge more. Especially when it comes to extra travelling. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I'd say I spent anywhere between $50-$200 a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan out all the trips you want to do and how much they will cost, leaving extra money just in case of emergencies, and then plan out your weekly budget from there. |
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 |
It was very encouraged. To interact with the locals most times you had to know greek. Or know someone who knew Greek. It was naturally reinforced in every day life. |
| 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 in actual Modern Greek. |
| 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? | Just interact with people from the country. It begins to come natural when you use it regularly. |
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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| 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? | A lot about the Residency Permit application and how much that would cost. As well as more information on creating a bank account and why it was so important. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
