Choral Singing and Study Abroad Past Review
By Sadie (Voice and Opera., Samford University) for
Samford University: Paris—A Cappella Choir
I gained worldly knowledge about music, singing, cathedrals, foreign languages, dealing with foreign people. In the professional singing world, traveling like this is a must sometimes and I look forward to getting acquainted with the performing world in my lifetime, which will hopefully mean more travel abroad, for which I feel I am well prepared. This trip was truly a jewel and a blessing. I cannot say enough good things about it. Dean Hopkins and Dr. Banks were so incredibly helpful. If anything ever went wrong Dean Hopkins had his iphone and he was constantly updating a blog about the trip, which everyone's parents were reading, including mine! Completely a huge responsibility on his part. I cannot say enough good things about what Dr. Hopkins did for this tour, behind the scenes and in front of us. I can't pretend to know all that he did, but he was instrumental in planning and carrying out many of the administrative things for this trip, and I am ever grateful. This trip was truly a life-changing, once in a lifetime experience and I regret nothing!
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Summer 2009 |
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 |
It was expertly planned and wonderfully arranged. I could not have enjoyed it more. It truly was the trip experience of a lifetime |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Hotels in Paris, Chartre, Florence, Rome... <br /><br /> Everywhere we stayed was beautiful and high quality |
| * Food: |
We got real tastes of every country to which we went, and got more than our share of excellent meals. The last meal we had was an incredible 5-star dining experience at a famous restaurant in Rome that provided opera as entertainment, truly something we all enjoyed to the fullest! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We got so much valuable information for life-living on this trip. I got to walk around Paris for almost an entire day with a male friend of mine, and we had the best time we could've ever had. We walked to the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and many other places. It was a totally different experience getting away from the rest of the group and being just 2 people walking around a city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Since this was a choral singing trip, illness was definitely going to be an issue. It was helped beautifully and I can't really think of anyone who had to stay behind because of illness. We all stayed well rested and hydrated. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I would say $600, about. I went to Europe so I had no qualms about spending money on things that I wanted or food experiences I know I might never have again. Everything was completely worth it and I do not regret a single penny I spent. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I was definitely informed of everything. How many meals I'd have to buy on my own, and Dean Hopkins was kind enough to inform us of about how much money we'd like to have in cash on our person at all times because of certain situations, and about how much money we should bring on the trip for museums, etc. (extra things the trip didn't cover, and that were optional during our free time). Myself and 2 other girls literally ran through the Louvre in 25 minutes in Paris just so we could see the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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? | Always on a study abroad trip there is a lot of walking. Get lots of sleep and stay hydrated. It's exciting being in a foreign country, but the experience is lost if you're too tired or sick and can't go out anywhere. Water bottles are available for purchase EVERYWHERE, and (especially because I'm a vocalist) they are vital to your survival as a tourist. Learning is everything, we do it every day in life, and opportunities like this USUALLY come around once in a lifetime. I've been so fortunate and blessed to have been on several life-changing trips with the A Cappella Choir, and being in this ensemble will definitely challenge you, but the rewards we reap are SO GREAT and far beyond any hardships you think we could endure as an ensemble and as people. |
