Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

7 Cities in 4 Weeks: An Experience of a Lifetime! Past Review

By (Communication/PR, Robert Morris University) - abroad from 06/19/2012 to 07/20/2012 with

Forum-Nexus: Ultimate Summer in Europe - 7 Cities in 1 Month

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained so much from studying abroad with Forum-Nexus, it's hard to put it into words. I gained cultural intelligence and experience, I gained lifelong friends and colleagues, and I gained personal enrichment in leadership, communication skills, and problem-solving. It was extremely worthwhile and I would recommend it to anyone!

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: While on the program, we attended the host universities of the IQS School of Management at Ramon Llull University in Barcelona, IGS in Paris, and the Catholic University of Milan. Otherwise classes were held in the hotel conference rooms.
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.

Studying abroad with Forum-Nexus was extremely educational in the classroom but outside as well. The content of the courses included information I would never have studied at my home university and it was great to have so many diverse students in the classroom.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We had the opportunity to stay at many different hotels in the various cities and each was very unique. Overall, the accommodations were great!

* Food:

There was so much to experience in terms of food in each country! Each student chose what they wanted to eat and when, but breakfast was always offered by the hotels.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved the fact that we traveled to so many different countries, cities, and cultures. I feel that Forum-Nexus helped me make the most of my study abroad experience and I am so thankful for the culture that I was able to learn both from the other students but also from our surroundings.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The administrators made sure everyone was taken care of with health cards and would have been willing to assist anyone with medical care, although no incidents occurred.

* Safety:

Every city around the world has certain dangers, but I felt completely safe at all times during my time studying abroad with Forum-Nexus. I remained mindful of my surroundings and acted responsibly in each of the cities we visited, which is what I would recommend and then there will be no problems!

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)

It really depends on how much money you are willing to spend. There are always more affordable options for food and social or cultural activities, but if you want to splurge on something, be prepared to do so. Breakfast was included in the program cost but otherwise students could make their own decisions. I ended up sticking fairly closely to the budget I set for myself.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Pay attention to how much money you are spending and you should be fine!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Traveling to so many places
  • The different people and students I met
  • The culture and languages of each country
* What could be improved?
  • Distributing information to students the same way each day
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing! It was an incredible experience and exceeded every expectation I had.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!