Best Time of My Life Past Review
By David D (History And Political Science, Illinois State University) - abroad from 09/02/2012 to 12/14/2012 with
Salzburg College: Semester Study Abroad in Austria
Self-reliance, budgeting, open-mindedness, and how to get out of my comfort zone!
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? |
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| * Food: |
Out of this World, I love me some roast pork and sauerkraut! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Everyone in Salzburg is really friendly! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safest place on Earth, never felt threatened for a minute. |
| 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) |
Salzburg is a very expensive place to live. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | around $125, but that includes a few beers at the pub! Minus alcohol and just bare minimums, 50 dollars a week is doable, but highly unlikely. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you're going to use the bus a lot, just buy a monthly pass, it's worth it. Also, beers in pubs range from 4-5 euro, so watch out! Also, use the Bayern ticket if you go to Munich or wherever, it's the best deal around. I would highly recommend going to Budapest and Prague; they were two of my favorite places and very cheap. |
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 |
We were encouraged to use German, but almost everyone speak some english, so it was a losing battle. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had completed intermediate spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | Most everyone speaks English. |
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.' |
