Shaping yourself one country at a time. Past Review
By erin.stpierre.7 (Film Production, Emerson College) - abroad from 01/19/2012 to 04/17/2012 with
Emerson College: Kasteel Well: The Netherlands
I learned a lot about myself and I gained more of an open outlook on other cultures. It was completely worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Having European professors was a fantastic experience. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was fantastic and extremely helpful. They knew everyone on campus. Everything from student events to class excursions ran very smoothly. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
You're living in a castle. Enough said. |
| * Food: |
The food was great. It was local and "home-cooked." I missed American beef though. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our online class and excursion to Amsterdam really built us a foundation for immersing ourselves into the local culture. The town we were located in was very welcoming. I loved the Dutch people and the Netherlands by the end. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The staff calls and makes doctor's appointments for you. |
| * Safety: |
The town of Well is extremely safe. The local store owners become familiar with your face as do some of the townspeople. It's a very quaint place. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
You wouldn't spend much during the week, mostly just on the weekends when you were travelling. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Start saving up immediately. Put away some money from every paycheck because it adds up. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
|
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We had optional classes for French, not Dutch. However, they did teach us some basics and encouraged us to use them. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would've planned a monthly budget, that way I could've spent more money comfortably. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
