Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Heart expanding and mind blowing! BYU in Iasi Past Review

By (Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 04/25/2012 to 07/19/2012 with

Study Abroad Programs in Romania

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became more confident in myself and my ability to serve and do hard things. It was the most worthwhile thing I have ever done.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Mario is the best! :)

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our particular apartment was old and had a few problems, but provided a very Romanian experience.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Working with locals and attending the local congregation helped us integrate with the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any personal experiences with the healthcare, thank goodness! There were certain vaccines recommended but not required, which I am glad I got.

* Safety:

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)

The high ratio of lei to dollars (3.5 lei to 1 dollar) made it very easy to live cheaply.

* Was housing included in your program cost? No
* 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? $30/week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat out less to save money, and shop at the outdoor market for groceries.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? Flang (Romanian) 100R
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? Listen to the language as much as you can, and try to distinguish specific words even if you don't understand those words. Then you can ask, "What does ____ mean?"

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • I loved working with my kids in the orphanage and in the hospital! I still miss those kids and "make plans" to go back. Being with them has changed who I am and who I want to be.
* What could be improved?
  • It would be really nice if there were less academic requirements. The many papers detracted from the experience.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More Romanian! Haha. I wish I had known that it would be the hardest and most exhausting thing I had ever done, but I don't think I could have really understood how hard or how exhausting beforehand.