Absurdly Hard Redemptive Will Never Forget For Better or Worse Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/05/2019 to 12/08/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained incredible time management as well as writing skills. I also gained a huge amount of resilience and self-confidence.

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

* 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?

The healthcare was easily accessible if you knew the unspoken rules. You will be seen by a doctor promptly only if you emphasize that your need is urgent. I, for example, had an ongoing respiratory infection that was not improving. I wanted to see a general practitioner, but when I called they said that the next available appointment was next week. I did not feel comfortable waiting a week given how my cough was disrupting my work/overall enjoyment of life. Fiona, who deals with these sort of things at the program, told me that I should call and lay it on. I called and said I was having difficulty breathing. I had an appointment that afternoon. Do not expect the General Practitioner to ask important/sensitive/perceptive questions about your health. It is a 10 minute appointment and they are busy. Come in on a mission, with concerns, history, and questions for further treatment if possible.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I think that I did not consider that I may have preferred a program that was more focused on fun/cultural immersion than academic rigor.

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? Around 200$
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan to spend more than you think you will. Book travel way ahead of time.

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

  • 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?
  • Amazing instruction
* What could be improved?
  • Integration with local students, decrease pressure/level of stress
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Writing two essays every week sounds a lot easier than it is.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Milton Tutorial

Course Department: English
Instructor: Edwina Christie
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Incredibly knowledgeable and well-prepared instructor. The course was challenging but Edwina was interested in my engagement with the material and my ability to demonstrate individual thought more than anything. I participated in class more often than I would at my home institution, of course, because it was a one-on-one tutorial.
Credit Transfer Issues: I haven't attempted to transfer credits upon returning to my home institution but I don't think there will be any issues
Course Name/Rating:

Narrative

Course Department: English
Instructor: Rebecca Gowers
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very challenging. Rebecca offered writing advice that I will use for the rest of my life. We went through a story I had written each week sentence-by-sentence. Assessment was based off of accumulative performance and effort rather than meeting certain standards etc.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/a
Course Name/Rating:

Research Course

Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Sarah Griffin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Incredibly challenging but Sarah was always super supportive and provided me with lots of help on my research essay. Participated in class less often than I would have at my home institution because of the nature of the class (4 week research course, 4 hours of meeting time to be divided per student preference over that time period)
Credit Transfer Issues: I know another student who used this course for a CW credit and didn't have much difficulty doing so.
Course Name/Rating:

The Inklings

Course Department: English
Instructor: Julie Dresvina
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course could have included more class discussion. I found that it wasn't super challenging, but it did make use of the location (Oxford) and offer relevant field trips. The teach was always knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in this class about as often as I would have at my home institution. I was assessed on my participation throughout the course and a final 4000 word paper written in the last three days of the program.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/a