Bad experience Past Review

By (University of Illinois - Chicago) - abroad from 09/05/2015 to 12/19/2015 with

CIEE: Lisbon - Language and Culture

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Not enough Portuguese instruction for me but otherwise an awesome program

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

* 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?

n/a

* 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? around 35 euros
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat lunch at school, it's a good deal

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

Insufficient language instruction despite the name of the program

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Food they bought us
  • Staff was nice
* What could be improved?
  • More language
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it wasn't as language intensive as I had hoped.