AU Abroad in Brussels: The Ultimate EU Experience Past Review
By sara e (International Relations and Affairs., Tufts University) for
Université catholique de Louvain: Louvain-La-Neuve - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
YES
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
our professor and guest lecturers were absolutely wonderful, but by far the best educational opportunity you receive through this program is the opportunity to visit various international organizations such as NATO, SHAPE, the Serbian foreign ministry, the American Mission to Brussels, etc.... |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The director of this program (also the main professor) has been running this program for over 20 years and in the opinion of the students on this program could not have done a better job planning all aspects of the trip, from food stipend distribution to travel planning to course organization. He is an American-educated academic who acquired Belgian citizenship upon moving to the country and as such is knowledgeable about both countries and systems. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
|
| * Food: |
|
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
|
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * 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) |
|
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | unsure |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | graduate-level French literature course |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I personally used French in my homestay, but there was a wide range of placement (some families were e.g. british, italian). Once a week conversation group met ("Living in French" class) to help with daily interactions, depending on level. In Brussels, level of English speaking varies widely. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | definitely choose this program if you are interested in having an internship and learning an absurd amount about the EU and its institutions. students who get as much as they can out of their experience would benefit best from this program. |
