Russia: No Where Like It Past Review
By C.J. R (International Studies and Russian, Trinity University) for
CIEE: St. Petersburg - Russian Area Studies
I would not mind living and working in St. Petersburg for a short time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Language classes were appropriate in workload and content. However, electives were somewhat easy and at times, not very engaging. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Caring but somewhat disorganized. Did not handle critical situations very well. However, the staff was friendly and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I love my host family. I will never forget them. |
| * Food: |
I was always provided with food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Great field trips. I will never forget our train travel through Moscow and Kiev. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Of course, Russia can be dangerous. But, the program was very helpful in providing tips how to avoid danger. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring more than you need. Cash is very important. Prepare for foreign transaction fees. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Living with a host family that only spoke Russian was the most helpful way to learn Russian. Also, my grammar and conversation teachers only spoke Russian. However, you must be committed to learning the language. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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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? | A student who truly wants to be immersed into the Russian way of life will benefit most from this program. |
