Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Health and travel in thailand Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/15/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

CIEE: Khon Kaen - Community Public Health

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned all about Thai culture as well as my ability to cope with being in a different community.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Actual class time was very introductory and I did not learn a lot but the real valuable experience was getting to interact with community members and do real-world research with them.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* 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? Yes

While not always the most challenging course work, I learned a lot about Thai culture and really enjoyed getting to live and work with members of the community.

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? 40
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat local food

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? n/a
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? Talk to people in the community!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Site visits
  • Community vistis
  • opportunity to travel
* What could be improved?
  • Housing
  • Course curriculum
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I really really like western food and missed it a lot while 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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Community Public Health
Course Department:
Instructor: Anthony Kuster
Instruction Language: English
Comments: We learned how to conduct research in the community which allowed us to better interact with community members.
Credit Transfer Issues: n/a
Course Name/Rating:

Public Health Management
Course Department:
Instructor: John F Smith
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very introductory. Field trips were excellent.
Credit Transfer Issues: n/a
Course Name/Rating:

Beginning Thai
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Thai
Comments: Very challenging and learned way more thai than I thought I would
Credit Transfer Issues: n/a
Course Name/Rating:

Public Health Field Practicum
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: challenging and very rewarding getting to research and design an intervention in the community.
Credit Transfer Issues: n/a