Beers in Belgium Past Review
By A student (Communication and Media Studies, University of Hartford) - abroad from 01/05/2015 to 05/17/2015 with
CIEE: Brussels - Business, Communications and Culture
America is not as great as it may seem
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I loved it so much and I am so happy I did it with CIEE. However, I wish I did not have so much visa issues and went to the program late. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved them so much! They made the transition so much easier for me and when I started to run low on money they provided me with a temporary on-site loan. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I did a homestay! It was the best experience abroad for me. It was nice to have dinner every night and talk about our days and they even let me nanny for a week with their extended family kids who live out in the country side of Belgium |
| * Food: |
I loved everything about the food. I thankfully did not gain weight because I joined a gym while abroad. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Felt more welcome there then America |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not attend any of the healthcare system because I was scared of the cost. I did a ton of colds and stuffy nose over there. |
| * Safety: |
I felt really safe there I was never worried about it and it was honestly a great feeling. |
| 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) |
It was really hard for me. I did not have that much money and while abroad my both my parents lost their jobs. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go abroad with at-least $2000. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Basic French in Middle School |
| 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? | Practice and use it all the time |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | N/A |
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. |
