Study Abroad in Vienna: I'm now comfortable outside of my comfort zone. Past Review
By Stephanie H (Global Business, University of Redlands) - abroad from 02/28/2013 to 06/30/2013 with
Central College Abroad: Study Abroad in Vienna, Austria
I learned the language which was the most important, I learned quite a bit about myself, I mean, I had a lot of time alone in a foreign country to reflect, I learned a lot about the culture here and learned the value of this sort of experience. All was worth while.
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. |
I took two courses at the University of Vienna which were extremely challenging. There were in English but the system is very different and I was definitely not used to the style however the courses at Central College were all challenging but they were all completely manageable. I would dare to say I have learned far more than I thought I would. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The women who ran the program were some of the nicest women I have ever met. When things were difficult I had people I could talk to and it was more than helpful. It truly felt like a family. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was extremely unsatisfied with my roommate however it was my fault. I knew we could swap roommates if we didn't see eye-to-eye but was scared I would end up with someone even worse so I didnt do it. It was partly my fault but the roommate was awful. However the room was fine and the dorm was fine. |
| * Food: |
The food is what you make of it, there are opportunities to eat cheap and there are opportunities to eat well but you just have to make it yourself. There is also a cafeteria-like building, it is far away from home so it's not worth eating there too often but the food is great there. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I got out and met some people but I found it difficult to make friends with a lot of Austrians. I probably could have tried harder to make more Austrian friends but I did truly enjoy my time here and to definitely have a feel of the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Never once did I feel unsafe, even coming home alone late at night there was never an issue. Kids around the ages of 10 will also ride the subways to school alone. Safety isnt an issue in Vienna. |
| 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) |
If you want to eat healthier you should expect to spend a bit on food but all and all it was very manageable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably a little under 100, maybe around 70-80 but if you want to have a good weekend it's sometimes harder to manage a strict budget. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Get a Billa Vorteilskarte, it's free and saves you money. |
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 |
I used the language every day. |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | German 301 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Get out of your room. If you dont feel like leaving your room just do it anyways, talk to people, join a couch surfing group in the area and meet the austrians that come to the meetings (it's not as sketchy as it sounds, you dont have to house people, you just meet up with people in the area, it's actually really cool) but my point it, dont stay inside. Also, watch movies in the language, it helps tremendously. |
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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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? | Austrians go home for the weekends. |
