Best Experience of my Life! Past Review
By Sarah (University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 01/06/2017 to 06/03/2017 with
University of Birmingham: Birmingham - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I made great friends with international and local students, traveled to tons of different countries and also all over England, and learned about history, culture, travel, etc. It was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
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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
I would choose the same program, not for the classes (because the whole signing up for classes process was very stressful and confusing and the classes themselves weren't up to par), but for the experience. I made some awesome friends, traveled so many cool places, and learned A LOT! |
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? | $40 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go to Aldi or order Tesco Click and Collect for groceries. Don't go with the meal plan! The meal plan is 50 pounds a week, and you can definitely get groceries for way cheaper than 50 pounds a week. Also, the 50 pounds really only gets you maybe two meals a day at the dining hall. The only other expense I had was taking the train into the city center or ubers to wherever I needed to go- that wasn't too expensive. Everything utilities-wise was included in the student apartment overall price. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | England is cold. It's not Maine-cold; it's a different type of cold. It's a wet/damp cold that really never leaves. Bring your winter coat! Also, it gets dark so early! I also wish I understood how the classes worked differently from the US and knew more about the whole class system. Usually your only grade is a final or final paper. Classes tend to meet only once a week, and there is sometimes a recitation on top of that. There isn't a ton of class time. |
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. |
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