I Would Rather Have Not Gone to Belgium Past Review

By Mandy L (Agronomy, Anonymous University) for

Ghent University / UGent: Ghent - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

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

Research was a lot of fun, but I really experienced an uncaring attitude from the student housing. I learned a lot about international development, but most of my classes were not taught well or even orginized. I just learned that the Dutch way of life and community just aren't right for me and my personality. They are not the warm and open type that makes international transitions easy. Bicycles are rentable, but there is a long waiting list at some times during the year. My Research was very valuable, and if I could have just done that, I would probably have been fine. Great rock climbing club.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Everything here isn't very structured. Statistics lectures are useless and WAY too theorhetical. They expect us to find groups, but the Dutch speaking students formed their own groups, and even when you say you need a group on the internet and ask people in class, they already have groups/ignore your post. I had a paper required that the only requirement was it be in English. I am not a huge fan of the American structure in the system, but we are so structured from so young, that going to no structure has a lot of a learning curve to it.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	They were very nice in the Facility of Bioscience Engineering, easy to talk to. But the four hour window that the international programs are not enough for people who are in class at that time.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I had housing with a private person who turned out to be a whack job control freak who kicked me out at 1130 PM after threatening to call the cops. Student housing said they had opening starting on the 15th of May, but then they revoked it and sent me a list of unaffordable options (without an apology for telling me they had spaces). There are two youth hostels in town that are often full, so I spent 10 nights sleeping on the floor. There is no emergency net. I found a friend of a friend who had a reasonable place. But I didn't need to buy many things
* Food:	Student dining is GREAT! though the opening hours on my campus were just for lunch.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	i don't think that the Erasmus program offered any very good programs through the semester. I had a field trip for courses which were nice, but there wasn't much.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	This is a really safe city, I am really confident that the city is safe if you are smart.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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)