Tere, Tartu! Past Review
By Rosie M (History, Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne / IPFW) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 12/22/2015 with
ISEP Direct: Tartu - Study Abroad at University of Tartu
Overall experience and exposure to different cultures, not only Estonian, but from other international students as well (Czech, Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, German, etc...) was priceless. Staying in Estonia specifically taught me a lot about current events in north-eastern Europe, especially on concerns involving Russia and Putin, in a closer way than I could have ever gotten in the US.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very basic, only "hang-out" space was inside flats and very close to the bedrooms, very hard to find quiet space to sleep or study if a dorm mate and friends over. |
| * Food: |
Struggled to find gluten-free options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't need any emergency care or to visit a doctor, but pharmacies had everything I needed in terms of vitamins/remedies and more basic health care needs. |
| * Safety: |
Worst thing that happened was two different protest rallies yelling at each other across the river, police handled it peacefully. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
I did have a lot of support from my parents who were willing to fund trips and housing, so I may not be the best judge of this. Most groceries were relatively cheap, but imports like certain fruits were surprisingly expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Around 150 Euros. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Just about every student and professor knew English, as did most everyone around the city under the age of 30. Learning Estonian was encouraged, but definitely not necessary. |
| 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? | Second-year French, no Estonian |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | If you want to learn a new language, put yourselves in situations were you will have to use it, or else you forget everything. |
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? |
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? | It's going to be harder than you think, but still completely worth it. It's okay to be homesick, it's okay to cry about it, and it's okay to call home. People will be friendlier and more understanding than you think (most of the time), and they will want to help when things get rough. |
