Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

SAY YES TO THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE Past Review

By (Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 06/28/2019 to 07/21/2019 with

API (Academic Programs International): Lisbon - Study Abroad in Portugal

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
To be independent and not afraid too try new things. I loved getting to travel and the experience grew me as a whole.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There was a language and culture barrier that made it harder for good grades. We did a group project and some of the people in our group, would not listen and almost made our entire group fail the course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

We loved our resident director Carlos! He was a super great guy and was very helpful in our time in Lisboa

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had my own apartment basically with a shared kitchen. only complaint would be how many parties there were on my floor and how loud they got. UHUB Alvalade was awesome!

* Food:

I could find something I liked everywhere. But Portuguese food tends to be fish.. I'm not the biggest fan.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I feel like I fit in, except for my language barrier. I loved being there.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

It was accessible, cheap and good!

* Safety:

Lisboa's main "safety concern" would be pick pocketing. I think someone tried to pickpocket my backpack but the zippers were weird so I felt it and looked at him, and ran away. I didn't even feel unsafe then.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I love Lisbon, but after about 3 weeks of being there I was ready to explore more, and we were pretty bound to where we were and had done all the cool things the internet had shown us. But. I would love to go back and visit. I want to go somewhere that I can travel around more.

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)

We had to pay for our food there, so I spent a little more than the normal person studying abroad. Overall for a month of being there I spent about $800 USD. From medical to souvenirs, to fun things, to food.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook if you can! If you go somewhere like a museum or castle tell them you are a student, you can get a discount.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • Traveling
  • How easy it was to go
  • Cost
* What could be improved?
  • Teachers
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Lisbon is a city full of people who like to party and they don't eat til late.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.