See All Do All Past Review
By Taylor W (Accounting and Related Services., SUNY - College at Geneseo) - abroad from 06/08/2014 to 07/14/2014 with
SUNY Geneseo: Traveling - Mediterranean Roots Summer Program
This program gave me more than I could have ever asked for. It allowed me to visit three different countries as well as numerous different cities and places within each country. Not only did we learn every lesson through hands on methods but we also were given days to relax and explore the culture for ourselves. I learned more within my 6 weeks abroad than I could ever learn within a single semester or even a whole year. You learn unique lessons being abroad and away from what you are use to that you can not learn in a classroom in America.
Review Photos
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. |
With this program you are able to learn about the the ancient civilizations but visit nearly all of the sites you read about allowing for a hands on learning unlike any other program. |
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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? |
Every place we stayed was beautiful, sanitary, and had wifi so we were always able to contact our families. You could tell that our professor had been perfecting this program for years and every place we went was so welcoming and accommodating. |
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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) |
The places we went were commonly very popular and therefore you had to pay the tourist prices but Geneseo made this very clear before the trip and I was able to save plenty. Although I spent a lot of money it was well worth the food and experiences that came with it. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The days you spend in cities where you have an apartment with a kitchen do grocery shopping with the group you are staying with a split the costs. A few nights the group in my apartment made awesome fresh dinners for only 2 euros each by using the grocery stores and local markets. Do not eat out every meal because it'll add up quick and be careful in overly priced places such as airports and bus stops. |
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 |
Most of the places we went everyone spoke some english and generally communication was not a huge issue. Also, going to three different countries in 6 weeks did not allow for us to learn the language very well because we were never there long enough. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | AP Spanish |
| 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? | If a student is doing the same program as me they should not worry about the language barrier. |
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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| 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? |
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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? | How to pack properly and I wish I had studied the material more prior to the trip so that I could have understood what I was seeing to a greater extent. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
