Strasbourg: Beautiful but Far Away Past Review

By Benjamin D (Environmental Science., Colby-Sawyer College) for

CEPA Foundation: Strasbourg - EU Studies Semester Abroad Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Somehow I figured out that I didn't want to work in the business field while abroad and have instead changed to Environmental Science. That is one positive impact it has had on my life.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Living at the chateau was wonderful, but it was too far away from the city. There were nice walking trails around the park there, but everything else was too far away. Also, it was not a French cultural immersion at all. The people working at the chateau all spoke German and I didn't really expect that. I wanted to be around more French people.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	Having meals prepared four nights a week was very nice. Also on one of the nights where food was not prepared we would volunteer to cook a dinner for the group. 2 people would choose a week and cook a meal for that week. It all worked out very well for food. For the first month+ going out and spending 3+ hours on dinner was tough to balance that with school work.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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?	On average, about 40-50 Euros per week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	If you go to Amsterdam be careful with your money. It's easy to spend a lot there. Also, make sure you set aside $300-500 for unforeseen expenses.