Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fun time exploring Europe Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/18/2018 to 12/15/2018 with

DIS Stockholm Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes it was worthwhile. Interesting to live in a different society for a while.

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.

Students from other universities found the Stockholm program to be more rigorous than I did. The courses were interesting and the professors engaging, but the workload was not excessive.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I did not like having a roommate - It is extremely uncommon for Swedish people to have roommates.

* Food:

Expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I lived with Swedes but mostly hung out with Americans.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues and cannot comment.

* Safety:

Sweden is safe as can be.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

They encouraged travel and understood the foreign study purpose of having new experiences.

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? $150-$200

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? Spanish 201
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Swedish people all speak English and do not want to speak to you in broken Swedish.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?
  • Travel opportunities with and without the program.
  • The location - Stockholm
* What could be improved?
  • Language programs
  • More interactions with Swedes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing

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:

The Vikings
Course Department:
Instructor: Kim Berqvist
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Slightly dull lectures but the professor is knowledgable and a good guy. Fair course load and grades.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Swedish Politics and Society
Course Department:
Instructor: Steve Turner
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very interesting course. Slightly more abstract than I would have preferred, but it was a good course on Sweden's political climate.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Swedish Language and Culture
Course Department:
Instructor: Elizabeth
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Took this course because I had to for Middlebury. It is a complete waste of time. 4 months is not long enough to learn a language, so not much is expected of students. The professor is nice but in a bad situation.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

European Security Dilemmas and Intelligence
Course Department:
Instructor: Steve Turner
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good course. The professor focuses it on his idea of security issues, mostly immigration. Took a fantastic trip to Berlin, and another good one to Gothenburg.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Terrorism
Course Department:
Instructor: Hans Bruhn
Instruction Language:
Comments: Fantastic course. Taught by an expert in the field, it is a very intimate discussion of the causes and responses to terrorism. Course load is one long paper and presentation on a specific terrorism issue of the student's choosing.
Credit Transfer Issues: