Life Changing Experience in the Wonderful World of Coffee and Cinnamon Buns Past Review
By Renee N (Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech) - abroad from 08/21/2015 to 01/09/2016 with
EuroScholars: Stockholm - Karolinska Insitutet
I have always been incredibly shy, but my time in Sweden definitely taught me to be open and outgoing. I also learned invaluable research techniques in the laboratory where I worked, which I cannot wait to use again here in the States.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I absolutely loved my time abroad, and I would (and have, for that matter) recommend it highly to anyone thinking about participating in the program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My room was very nice, and the location was close to the Solna campus of the Harolinska Institutet, with public transportation close by, making not only my daily commute but exploration of the city possible and easy! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I cannot express how much I loved my time abroad. I met so many amazing people from all over the world, traveled to so many places I had only ever dreamed of visiting, and just had a fantastic time. If I could rate my experience any higher, I would. |
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) |
I believe Sweden is an expensive country, and what I would normally use for rent here in Lubbock was used for food and other expenses while I was there. Things such as produce and fresh meat were much more expensive in Stockholm, which was hard to get used to. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | One thing that everyone wants to be able to do while abroad is travel. I would definitely recommend spending a little less on food and whatnot per week (buy things like fruits and vegetables to make easy, quick meals, instead of buying two steaks every week - and DEFINITELY stay away from frozen meals, because they can get expensive very fast!) so you can set aside some money for visiting other cities and countries. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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? | I knew absolutely no Swedish before I went to Stockholm. |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Well, most people in Sweden speak excellent English, so it wasn't...necessary for me to become fluent in Swedish, I guess (I'm sorry if that sounds a little pretentious!). But I did still try to retain the basic skills I aquired ,and I would recommend using the native language for small conversations as places like grocery stores and restaurants. It did help me understand Swedish better, to say the least. Also, the app Duolingo is an amazing tool that really helped me learn the language even after my course had ended! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | I wish I had known that I would have such a great time so the months leading up to it weren't filled with anxiety! So, my advice would be to stay open minded and try new things at every chance you get! |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
