Rollercoaster Experience Led to Personal Growth and Discovery Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/21/2016 to 01/21/2017 with

CIEE: Uppsala - Arts and Sciences

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

I grew a lot in terms of my ability to be independent and to have to tackle new and challenging situations on my own. I was able to travel a lot which was an amazing experience. I also got to meet many other students not just from Sweden but from all around the world which led to many meaningful connections and friendships.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

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:	There was no dining plan. There was a shared kitchen and I cooked all of my meals.
* 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 I'm not sure that going with CIEE really added that much to my abroad experience, I did love living and studying in Uppsala, and would definitely do that again.

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?	$100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Sweden is very expensive, so be careful budgeting. Look for the sales in the supermarkets, and if you're going to go out to eat go out at lunch because it's less expensive than dinner.

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?	Never took a Swedish language course prior to departure
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students 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?	Being able to travel Living in the city of Uppsala Meeting new people and making friends with students from aroudn the world
* What could be improved?	On site support was nonexistent at times. Academics were really hit or miss Program leaders didn't do much to address expectations before departure.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had a better sense of just how independent I would have to be. While I enjoyed not having to constantly check in with my program leaders, I was expecting there to be a little more onsite support, and for the most part it felt somewhat disorganized and unreliable. I also didn't realize how expensive Sweden is. Living on a student budget is difficult but is definitely doable especially as you get to know more locals who give suggestions about where to go to get the least expensive things.

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 Urbanite A 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Astrophysics
Course Department:	Physics
Instructor:	Oflson
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Life and Time of the Dinosaurs
Course Department:	Palentology
Instructor:	Michael Streng
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Basic Swedish I
Course Department:	Swedish
Instructor:	Lisa
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Considerations for the Effective Teaching of Physics
Course Department:	Physics
Instructor:	Cedric Linder
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: