Alnwick: The Opportunity of a Lifetime Past Review
By Alice M (Travel And Tourism, St. Cloud State University) for
St. Cloud State University: Alnwick - St. Cloud in England
Yes! I learned things about myself, made some new friends, and got to experience a whole new culture. There is nothing like actually LIVING in another culture. I feel that this program is very unique. I got to live in castle and experience small town life in northern England. Being just a tourist I never would have gotten the same experience.
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. |
The British professors graded us harder than the American professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I felt that overall, the program was great. There were definitely issues with the food that needed resolving but our program director did the best that he could given the circumstances. I feel we learned a lot about England through our British courses and also just everyday life. I think the program was a good size. My expectations were definitely met. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We lived in a castle which was a lot of fun, especially to tell others about. I felt the living arrangements roommate-wise were very good. We filled out questionnaires and I feel I was placed with the right people. The living conditions were not the best though. The mattress was unbearable. The furniture was in a sad state. Our room had really high ceilings which needed to be de-cobwebbed pretty badly (there was no possible way we could do this on our own). Our room also had no desks and no mirror. I could see how the desks wouldn't have fit but there should have been at least one small mirror (I think every other room had one). It was really nice having a sink in the room though. Despite the furniture /mattress issues, I had a lot of fun with my roommates. |
| * Food: |
There were many, many issues with the food. I knew it was going to be different so that wasn't the issue. The quality was not good. It would have been nice to have a menu the whole time (we only had one part of the time) and to maybe have some say in what we got to eat. We went through multiple chefs. There was no consistency. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made pretty good friends with my roommates, we would talk every night and that was always fun. The London field trip was fun; it was definitely different than small-town living. The Lake District was absolutely beautiful! I loved Edinburgh; it was definitely a city but it wasn't overwhelming. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in the castle and also in the town itself. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I'm not really sure but I would budget for at least 100 pounds a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat the food in the castle that you are already paying for. Bring more then you think you will need. The pound doesn't exactly convert in our favor so when buying things think about how much it would be in dollars and if you really want to spend that much. At the same time though, don't restrict yourself too much, splurge a little. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Do it! You will not regret it! You must be open to new experiences and stepping outside your comfort zone. |
