The GREEN Program was one of the Best decisions of my life! Past Review
By Angela W (Chemical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology) - abroad from 01/03/2016 to 01/10/2016 with
The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad
I learned a little about the specific engineering technologies but more importantly I learned about the possibilities for the world and changed my mentality on clean energy life in general.
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. |
Lectures were detailed and the plant tours were complementary giving students a picture of what the theory looks like in application. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our program guides were incredible! They exposed us to a lot in a short time period and worked with us to be more okay with leaving our comfort zones. It was hard at first, but so worth it once you made the choice to just go with what they had planned. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The hostels were nice. I liked being grouped together so we made friends and bonded long after the planned activities for the day. |
| * Food: |
The food was better than I expected considering I am a fairly picky eater. Definitely different than home, but still tasty. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had several outings into Reykjavik to interact with the local people as well as other tourists. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Medical assistance was provided promptly when needed. The guides were well versed in first aid. The country as a whole seemed very healthy so no extra vaccines were needed. |
| * Safety: |
As long as students use common sense and watch where they walk there shouldn't be any safety problems. Guides promoted pushing your limits a little, but not to unsafe conditions. |
| 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) |
I did not need much money once in Iceland. The trip cost was a little higher than a student would like to pay, but it included everything and accommodations were of good quality. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
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 |
We were encouraged to use basic words several times a year, but we only learned a few words. Many people in Iceland are fluent in English so the language difference did not inhibit interaction. |
| 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? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | I wish I had known a little more about the people I would be with so I wasn't as stressed beforehand. |
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. |
