An Experience I'll Never Forget: The Time Where I found I was English at Heart Past Review
By A student (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 07/01/2012 to 08/25/2012 with
Brigham Young University: Cambridge University Programme
This was my first time being abroad and it really opened my eyes to see other cultures and how people live. This program made me push myself academically, spiritually, and emotionally. At first, with how much I was paying, I was unsure if this program was going to be worthwhile. It was SO worth my time and money! I became a better person and got to know so many different and great people. Cambridge became a second home to me, and I'm actually planning on going back with my husband for his MBA. I would go on this program again in a heartbeat - this will be one of my fondest memories.
Review Photos
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. |
I loved being able to experience a different way of learning. In some ways it was more difficult than what I was used to, but it made it a lot more fun to learn about the subject. I was initially very worried about the intensity of the classes, but because of how much I enjoyed learning there, I did not find that intensity. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was very friendly and helpful, especially if you ran into any problems with your courses. They planned fun events and activities that helped me get to know other students. The only issue was that I felt we had some misguided information. The administration would tell us we had access to certain things in the different colleges, but then the college porters would tell us that was wrong. Sometimes I felt as if we were not always welcome there and that it was apparent that they were not going to treat us like we were actually students there. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely loved my housing situation. I was lucky enough to stay in Pembroke College. I was close to everything and was able to easy get to my different classes. Sharing a bathroom was not that bad, although I wish we had a sink in our room. My housing made the experience that more enriched. |
| * Food: |
The food provided by the college dining hall was decent. There were times were I found hair in my salad or in my pasta. I got tired of that food pretty fast and ended up eating at the CUS or Pembroke cafe most of the time. Overall, the food was good, and always fun to get local food from Sainbury. Also, the formal halls at Pembroke had THE BEST food. I always looked forward to what was going to be served. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated into the culture. By living in the college, I was in the middle of the town and always walking through the city center. I knew my way around and enjoyed exploring places. By the second month I had quite a few people ask me for directions. If only I had an accent, then I would have felt completely like a local. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe during this program. Late at night I would never walk alone and always had people around me. I never felt like I was in any danger and that I was in a very safe place. |
| 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 was able to handle my money pretty easily. For necessity, I bought food every week, and kept it at a decent price. But, because I wanted to try new places to eat, or buy souvenirs, I spent extra money that I could have saved. However, I don't regret spending that extra money - it helped me to explore and feel more like a local. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $60 a week - including extra food and souvenirs. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You are going to want to get as involved as possible, and that sometimes costs money. This is a once in a lifetime experience and you should enjoy every bit of it. That being said, expect to spend a lot more money than what your advisors tell you that you will spend. Everyone I talked to spent a lot more than what the "average" was. There are unexpected things you have to replace, need more food, etc. that make you spend more. Things are just more expensive there. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | I wish I would have known that classes were not going to be as difficult as I expected. I really worried about my classes at first, but once I found I had a lot of freedom with them, I enjoyed my time there and ended up getting really good grades. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
