Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Adventures in Southeastern Europe Past Review

By (Linguistics, Truman State University) - abroad from 08/31/2015 to 12/22/2015 with

ISEP Exchange: Blagoevgrad - Exchange Program at American University in Bulgaria

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile, and I learned a lot from getting to know another culture and people from all over the world.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Not very helpful, I had to figure out a lot of stuff on my own and many of the university employees did not speak English well, if at all.

* 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? No

I didn't love the university itself, especially the administration.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Depending on how often I went out, $20 or so.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • Friends
  • Relatively easy classes
  • Living in a dorm with other students
* What could be improved?
  • Administration
  • Orientation for exchange students
  • Cafeteria food
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That there wouldn't be much support for exchange students from the host university.

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.