UMass in Lisbon- A unique, affordable, memorable adventure! Past Review

By Marielena D (Political Science, European Studies, University of Florida) - abroad from 06/11/2012 to 08/05/2012 with

Study Abroad Programs in Portugal

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained confidence in myself and a lot of memories. I had fun nights with my friends, learned so much about the city and the country, ate some amazing new foods, went sightseeing to some major spots in the country and had so many resources to pursue my research during the program!

Review Photos

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here:	Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão, Lisboa, Portugal
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The courses were appropriately challenging for the short time frame. The class times were long but broken up with many fun field trips that were full of information and guest lectures.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The staff at the college, the Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, were super friendly! All of the students in the program actually became very close to our program coordinator and she would travel with us around the country!
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	We had the privilege of staying at the Lisbonaire Hotel. It was 2 years old this past summer (summer 2012) so it was very new and clean! The service was great, a lot of our students befriended the staff at the front, and the location was perfect! We were in the nicer part of town with good shopping, had access to electric trolley cars to get to school, had easy access to the metro lines, and were a short walk away from the student nightlife or the cultural parts of town- museums and theaters.
* Food:	I am Portuguese so I already liked the food, but all of my friends say it's the one thing they miss the most from being in Portugal!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	We participated so much with the local culture during our field trips or even in our day to day activities. We (the students) would all go out to hang out with other international students since we were so close to the center of the student nightlife. It was rewarding to meet other American students or Portuguese students outside of the university environment and get a local view of Lisbon.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	While no major health problems occurred to any of the students in the program or to me, we had the best options available in the case of any emergency. I never felt unsafe.
* Safety:	Our professor/program coordinator Dr. Michael Baum made sure to check up on us as if we were family. I knew I could always count on him or the university program coordinator in case of any emergencies. And when I went out or spent some time in the town, I always went with friends and felt completely safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	I actually ended up living under my budget and saving enough money to buy some nice things for friends before leaving!
* Was housing included in your program cost?	Yes
* Was food included in your program cost?	No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Less than 100 euros, so about 100 dollars per week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Food is so cheap in Europe- take advantage of that! Also, the metro is a wonderful tool for getting around- or the bus system. Paying for taxis was an expense I didn't need because I learned how to navigate around the city at cheap prices.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Hotel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students Other
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The classes and professors The friends I made and places I visited The confidence I gained in myself
* What could be improved?	Absolutely nothing! Everything was affordable and satisfying.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Get connected and use the university's connections as soon as possible, because the summer goes by so fast! Complete as much reading as possible ahead of time to make the most of the city.

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 Networker An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	PSC393- Portugal and the EU: The Political Economy of EU Integration
Course Department:	Political Science
Instructor:	Dr. Michael Baum
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The professor made sure to include a lot of educational field trips. That really made the class so much more enjoyable. We soaked up a lot of adventure in Portugal, dealt with class topics in real life and really mixed with the Portuguese public! Also, the professor was so knowledgeable in his field and encouraged a lot of discussion in the class.
Credit Transfer Issues:	None whatsoever,

Course Name/Rating:	PSC394- The Politics of European Integration
Course Department:	Political Science
Instructor:	Dr. Antonio Soares
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	What I really appreciated about this class was the way the professor handled the lectures. He was so informative on the topic of EU economic integration, and he was able to reach across the various levels of past EU knowledge in the class. Students that had had no experience with anything EU-related to students that had had classes on the EU all understood his lectures and got something out of the course. Also, he conveyed the information in a calm, relaxed way with a lot of humor as well. He was a very enjoyable professor.
Credit Transfer Issues:	None whatsoever.