Great city, Program could be improved Past Review

By (Northwestern University) - abroad from 09/12/2016 to 12/08/2016 with

Arcadia: Athens - Arcadia in Greece

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile and made me more independent.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

lots of work, but mostly busy work

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Had a health emergency in Athens (hospitalization) and the clinic to which the school sent me was clean, sophisticated, and English speaking. The school required insurance plan covered the whole cost.

* Safety:

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

For the cost, the program should have offered 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 70 euros

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • class trips
  • nice apartment
* What could be improved?
  • more administrative organization
  • less busy work
  • more feedback from professors
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The program is pretty small and insular. The syllabi are not exact to what the classes will be. There are several weekend trips.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Athens on Site

Course Department:
Instructor: Stavros
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The absolute best class offered by the program and the best way to learn about Athens
Credit Transfer Issues: