Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

So much fun in such a short amount of time! Past Review

By (University of Colorado - Colorado Springs) - abroad from 05/15/2018 to 06/05/2018 with

International Business Seminars: Summer Europe

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a great deal about international relations when it comes to european to european business, as well as european to american business practices. More than I could ever learn in the classroom.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

For the undergraduate program the academic rigor was very light. We were required to right a follow up on our seminar as a whole. The write was quite easy to get through.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Each of the 4 administrators that accompanied our group during the seminar were great people to work with. They made sure to help with any questions that students had during the duration of the seminar. Admins were professional while also being somewhat close with the students to create a better experience overall.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Every hotel that we stayed at was exceptional!

* Food:

Food all around Europe was amazing, there wasn't a single restaurant that was disappointing. IBS also offered two meals that were already part of the itinerary at an amazing family owned restaurant, as well as a family owned B&B.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Little time was spent within each of the countries, so integration was quite hard since relationships were not really made

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

N/A

* Safety:

Each of the cities felt very safe in every sense.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The businesses that we were able to meet with allowed for a diverse understanding of international and regional business models and views. Because of this the entire seminar was well rounded, it allowed for almost every student to have some sort of connection with the companies.

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)

In total I spent half of what I originally thought I would due to my prior experience in Europe.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 300/week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? -Buy 1-2 1liter bottles and refill at hotels and carry around since water is beyond expensive all across europe -Keep notes on how much you spend each day when it comes to food and other trinkets that you'll most likely buy -Try to eat smaller meals throughout the day in order to keep yourself from spending large amounts of money in restaurants

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

They encouraged the students to at least make an attempt in order to show respect to the country we were in

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? College level 2 German
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? Either buy a language book for the countries or look on the web for common tourist phrases

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The company worked with an amazing transport company who definitely made the trip a great deal of fun
  • Being able to use the transportation system all around europe
  • Eating european food once again
* What could be improved?
  • A broader recommendation list of restaurants
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How much I spent, I would've bought a couple more things to bring back for friends and family.

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 Adventurer
The 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.