A GREAT city with not-so-great academic excitement August 08, 2023
By A student (International Relations, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/05/2023 to 07/17/2023 with
SIT Study Abroad: Switzerland - International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy (Summer)
It was worthwhile because I learned a lot about what I want and don't want out of the place I love, the place I work, and the people I am around.
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. |
The course felt introductory because each topic was covered only once for 3 hours. Maybe lowerclassmen felt more challenged. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Seemed thrown together and cared less about by faculty compared to semester version of the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Language proficiency not taken seriously into account for host family matching. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would do a longer summer program, 6 weeks was a weird in between of a semester and a vacation. |
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) |
Food is expensive! Lunch stipend can be hard to stay under, especially with no weekend money provided. I also had to add to my breakfast. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 500 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The weekend trips and gifts can easily blow your budget. Try day trips instead of staying over since SwissPass is free. |
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 |
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| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | no french classes, only spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | That at least one semester of French should be required because unlike other places that speak English along with another language, people in Switzerland stick to their French. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
