Bulgaria is one of the cheapest countries in Europe, everyone speaks English Past Review
By Michelle Z (Global Studies, Nebraska Wesleyan University) for
ISEP Exchange: Blagoevgrad - Exchange Program at American University in Bulgaria
It was worthwhile. It's hard to summarize up everything you learned, but I definitely found it valuable! I would highly encourage anyone who is considering study abroad to take this opportunity! It will truly be a great experience!
Personal Information
The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My classes were all manageable, a couple of them were very challenging because they were upper level. The rest were pretty easy. I learned as much outside classroom by meeting new people, traveling as I did in school. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I think the program was good. I would recommend it. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a room with two Bulgarian girls. <br /><br /> I was very satisfied. It was better than the dorm I stayed in my freshman year in my home university. |
* Food: |
Restaruants were great, cheap and delicious. School cafeteria sucked. It always had the same stuff and they sold for high prices too. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was very good. There was always something going on and it was very easy to meet, make new friends. I enjoyed the social part very much. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
Student health was excellent. There's a health center at school and is free to students. I felt safe in Bulgaria, even when I was out traveling on my own, walking late at night by myself. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Roughly three or four hundred, depending on how much you travel. |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There weren't really any unanticipated expenses. Bulgaria is one of the cheapest countries in Europe, it should be very afforable. |
Language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
Language acquisition improvement? |
I used English all the time, I didn't go to Bulgaria to learn Bulgarian |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Go ahead and do it. |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
International Trade |
Course Department: | Economics |
Instructor: | |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The course was okay. It wasn't very challenging. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | no |
Course Name/Rating: |
History of European Integration |
Course Department: | History |
Instructor: | |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The easiest course I had. Not challenging at all. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | no |
Course Name/Rating: |
European Politics |
Course Department: | European Studies |
Instructor: | |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The most challenging course I took. The instructor taught at Harvard, very strict. It gave me a lot of stress but I learned a lot from it. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | no |
Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Political Philosophy |
Course Department: | Political Science |
Instructor: | |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The course was fine. I really liked the professor, he has a very heavy Italian accent. But it was a great course. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | no |
Course Name/Rating: |
Intermediate French |
Course Department: | Modern Language |
Instructor: | |
Instruction Language: | French |
Comments: | A very challenging course for me because the instructor didn't speak much English, and my French was not good enough to understand everything in French. But I worked hard and it turned out okay. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | no |