An Academic Adventure Past Review
By A student (HISTORY., St. Mary's College of Maryland) - abroad from 06/06/2012 to 06/28/2012 with
St. Mary's College of Maryland: Athens - Greece Study Tour: Athletes, Actors and Sages
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I brought back a tangible set of memories from Greece. Beyond that, I can remember the feeling of the sun on my skin,and the heat in my mouth, but also the cool feel of marble tiles and the lights on ruins. Mostly what I learned was that I really did choose an amazing dream years ago, because living it was just as wonderful as imagining it.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
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: |
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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? |
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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 20-30 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Souvlaki in Greece can be as cheap as one euro, in almost every village, so take advantage of that. People generally take pity on a student who claims not to have the money to pay full price. Just a phrase or word in Greek will instantly endear you to the Greeks.It doesn't even have to be good Greek. This will usually lead to a discount. Make friends with the owners of your favorite shops or restaurants. If you return, they may offer discounts just for you. Don't be in a rush. Always be respectful.Other tourists may bustle and scream, but you must never disrespect your host country. Respect and kindness will "pay" off in the end. |
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 |
Not only was it encouraged to use the language, but it was made fun. Every new word was a new bridge between us and the people around us. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Ancient Greek, Level 2 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Imagine yourself in a situation with Greek speaking people and use the vocabulary you want to teach yourself. Any new word can become a strong memory with just a little applied imagination. Write notes to yourself using what you know. For instance, if you wanted to write down a reminder, use all the words you know in the sentence. The ones you don't, you can look up later. Watch your favorite movies dubbed over in Greek. Because you already know the script well, you will be able to pick out the lines based off of educated guesses and the occasional homophone. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | It's really not as scary as people will tell you. |
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