I'd do it all again Past Review
By stephanie N (Management Information Systems, California State University - Long Beach) - abroad from 02/05/2012 to 06/23/2012 with
ISA Study Abroad in Suva, Fiji
I learned to be much more outgoing and am more willing to try new things. I also learned that I don't need certain things in life that I though made me happy such as designer purses, spending lots of money, etc. I learned to be happy with what I have and that I don't want to live in excess. I also learned to be very patient and easy going. It's incredible what a semester abroad can do, I wish I could have stayed longer. It was the best decision I have ever made.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
our resident coordinator was awesome, she was so kind and helped us with whatever we had trouble with. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
the housing was great for the most part, I was able to have my own bathroom and bedroom with a shared living room, there were some problems with air conditioning at times as well as roaches, but not too bad. |
| * Food: |
limited choices because of the high prices of certain products, and also if you don't know how to cook, you should definitely learn, otherwise you will be eating the same thing over and over again. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
With the orientation week we were introduced into the culture and also had a village stay that was amazing. Also I was able to get involved in the culture at the university. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
i never had a problem, but one of my friends did and it was not dealt with well at all. When calling they were hung up on 3 times and finally they just had to wave their own cab down. Once they got to the hospital everything was fine. |
| * Safety: |
Just make sure you always have someone with you. It's always safer that way. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Traveling, movies, grocery shopping, all were pretty cheap. Having an academic and social life were both very affordable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | stay in hostels opposed to hotels, use your student ID to get local discounts |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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 knew more information about international calling, my family at home couldn't call often because the price was so high. They weren't familiar with different phone cards that may be cheaper to use and things like that. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
