Perfect program to get a foot in door of the IR field December 25, 2023
By Anaya N (International and Global Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/23/2023 to 12/11/2023 with
Boston University: Geneva - Internship Program
I really gained a new perspective on where I want to settle down in the future. Living in Europe made me realize how flawed certain systems in the US are (transportation, healthcare, homelessness, etc).
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was a little difficult to balance academics with everything else but the professors were pretty understanding. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Cooked all my own food, barely went out to restaurants. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was pretty hard to feel integrated with the local culture especially considering the language barrier and living with only Americans. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had one experience at a clinic and it was pretty easy. Was prescribed medicine that I bought at a pharmacy. |
| * Safety: |
Walked alone in the dark a few times, didn't feel unsafe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I loved Geneva, but I didn't like certain aspects of the program and the scheduling. |
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 basically only spent money on food and travel and limited other expenses. However, it was still very expensive, especially considering I had no income. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150-200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You're going to end up spending way more than you think. Start saving very early. |
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 |
The whole program was in English. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Eavesdrop on conversations and see how much you can understand. Keep a list of new words and phrases that you get introduced to. |
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? | 0 |
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? | It's easy to get unmotivated in regards to academics when abroad. |
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. |
