Unforgettable experience in an amazing country. Past Review

By Lauren S (Drake University) - abroad from 01/16/2015 to 06/07/2015 with

IFSA: Cardiff - University of Cardiff

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

I learned how to be adaptable and open-minded to much more than what I was previously accustomed to. I am very much a planner and throughout my time in Wales and other countries around Europe, I learned how to take each moment by themselves and adapt to the new cultures and languages that I was surrounded by, without having to spend hours on the internet before hand making sure I knew everything I could possibly know for any given situation.

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.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Cardiff is such a unique and often overlooked city and I'm very happy that I got to experience it without any pre-established expectations. Wales is an amazing place to live and study with incredible people and amazing scenery.

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)	Wales is a very affordable country with many inexpensive options for everything from food shopping to countryside tours.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$40
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Plan out the major things you want to do, and if possible, make those purchases early so you have a better understanding of what the rest of your expenditures should do to fit into your budget. So plan things like plane tickets or event tickets out ahead of time so you can really map out the big purchase and accommodate accordingly.

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?	None
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?	Just take a class that matches your skill level and go for it. I had absolutely no experience with Welsh so I just took an introductory class and it was a great way to just get a basic experience with the language, which was an excellent way to really begin to understand the culture.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students
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?	The school was excellent The excursions were incredibly fun I met some amazing people.
* What could be improved?	Maybe some more planned excursions with the people from other programs
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I would have known how fast time would go and to spend more time exploring as much of Wales as I possibly could.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Wales and the Welsh Language
Course Department:	Welsh
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Emglish/Welsh
Comments:	This was a great course to introduce some basics about Welsh Culture and a brief introduction to the Welsh language. It provided sufficient challenge and was very fun. We got to go on a field trip to the Welsh National Assembly and have a question and answer session with the Welsh First Minister.
Credit Transfer Issues: