Best Four Months of my Life!! June 26, 2024
By Jessica P (Environmental Studies, Franklin & Marshall College) - abroad from 02/18/2024 to 05/29/2024 with
SIT Study Abroad: Iceland - Climate Change and the Arctic
I learned that I can be more independent than I originally thought. This program really encouraged you to navigate issues on your own which taught me a lot of important skills. It taught me what aspects in life are really important to me and gave me more of an idea of what I want my future to look like. It was 100% worthwhile, no question about it.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Not an incredibly academically intense program compared to the typical rigor of my home university, but I learned an incredible amount and was definitely challenged during the ISP period. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I absolutely adored the admin for my cohort. So enthusiastic and supportive. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved every place I stayed, particularly my homestay. |
| * Food: |
The food was overall very enjoyable. I'm vegetarian so I had slightly less options, but it was surprisingly easy to find food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Icelanders were super open and accepting of us, especially in the smaller communities we visited such as Isafjordur, Djupivogur, and Grimsey. I was able to pick up on very very basic Icelandic. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't personally have any health issues on my program, but I know others in my cohort who had minor issues experienced no problems receiving care. |
| * Safety: |
I felt more safe in Iceland than I have ever felt in the states. The only place where safety was ever emphasized was in Reykjavik, but even for a city I felt very safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would literally change nothing about my experience. Of course it wasn't perfect (nothing is) but everything that happened is what made the experience so special. |
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) |
We received a stipend for personal expenses that was incredibly easy to stick to if you cooked most of your meals. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $10-$20 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | 0 |
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? | Don't overpack! I wore the same few things all the time. Save room in your suitcase for all the souvenirs you will bring home. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
