Nottingham is very similar to Binghamton - boring Past Review
By Ryan U (Physics., SUNY - Binghamton) for
SUNY Binghamton: Nottingham - Exchange & Study Abroad Program at University of Nottingham
It wasn't what I was expecting, but I grew a lot as a person through it, which is what I really wanted. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone and opened me up to other kinds of personalities, lifestyles and how America is viewed from the outside. It made me more attached to my home.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
You learn depending on how much time you put in. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Infrastructure is unorganized and often unhelpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Old crappy building just off campus. No living room, kitchen was small, one bathroom for 5 guys. <br /><br /> Nothing good to say. |
| * Food: |
British food isn't very good. Not having a car, I had to walk to the grocery store, which meant I could only buy so much as I could carry. |
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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: |
I got very sick when I first got to England. The HTH Worldwide insurance you sigh up for will give you a handful of places in your city you can go, but they may be very far away, difficult or expensive to find, and may not actually be covered under HTH. Nottingham has free health coverage for its students, but only if you are going to be there for more than 6 months. Therefore, exchange students have to pay. I had to pay 30 pounds for my doctors appointment, and then ten more for the antibiotics. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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? | Depends on how much you do. I went out maybe once a week and occasionally out to dinner/lunch. Buying food for yourself can be cheap. Under a hundred dollars a week if you are being cheap. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you are playing sports: gym membership, jerseys and referees cost money. If you are in an apartment, you have to buy bedding, kitchenware and stuff for the bathroom. If you are going out, get drunk before because drinks will be expensive wherever you go. If you are traveling, plan it out beforehand. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Everything about the city and university is very similar to Binghamton. If you are going to go, live in a dorm. Otherwise, you will not make many friends, not get involved with the culture, and just be bored most of the time. |
