From the US to the Netherlands and Germany and Back Again! Past Review
By A student (Religion/Religious Studies., University of California - Riverside) - abroad from 07/28/2012 to 08/25/2013 with
University of California EAP (UCEAP): Faculty Led - Religion, Secularism, & Civil Societies
I gained a lot of self-confidence--I'm far more comfortable traveling, even if I'm not going so far. I made friends with pretty much everyone in our group, and we still keep in contact and meet up from time to time. I learned a great deal about what I can do as a physically disabled student and how to pay attention to when my body says to take it a little slower. Without sounding too trite, I found out I'm capable of quite a bit more than most people (or even I) thought. I also learned (the hard way) that I shouldn't always be a such a people-pleaser--I have just as much right to express an opinion as anyone else I'm traveling with and shouldn't always give up what I want to do in order to keep everyone happy. It was a good lesson to learn.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I really enjoyed the hands-on learning process. If there was something to see and do, we saw it and did it. I don't know that I really took any down-time; although we had some time built in, if the faculty leader suggested an extra trip, I jumped at the chance--or even came up with related things to do myself. Our faculty leader and her program assistant knew the areas we visited and spoke the languages, so with their abilities and connections, we had opportunities to really enhance our classroom learning. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We didn't have a program administration as such, since we didn't have a host country as such. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was thrilled with where we stayed in each country. Very comfortable and close to major transportation. |
| * Food: |
The food was amazing--our faculty leader and program assistant knew so many great places to eat, and there were lots of other spots we just kind of stumbled upon (like the hole-in-the-wall pho place or burrito joint in Berlin). If you're willing to try anything and everything, the sky's the limit in terms of food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt out of place because I wasn't proficient in Dutch or German. I picked it up a little, but not enough to feel super-comfortable. I did get the hang of local travel and customs, but language was a major impediment at times. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I only needed the standard vaccines to go, and there weren't any major health issues in any of the countries. I personally didn't get sick enough to require medical attention, but all the over-the-counter stuff any of us needed (cough drops, Ace wraps, etc.) was easy to get at pharmacies wherever we went. |
| * Safety: |
I felt pretty safe for the most part, but then again, I used good travel practices in regard to, among other things, being aware of my surroundings, caution on public transportation, staying in well-traveled areas, and being careful with money and personal belongings. |
| 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) |
Because costs weren't always incorporated into our fees paid, there were often other costs. Food was a big one, but most of us figured out how to eat inexpensively. Still, Europe is far more expensive than the US. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $125 or so, more if I wasn't careful or if I wanted to splurge on a museum ticket or on souvenirs. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Figure out what you're willing to splurge on and save elsewhere. You don't have to go out and party all the time--remember, alcohol is expensive. I saved a lot of money by not partying, but I splurged on good food. And even then, I didn't go all-out all the time; there were places where I could get breakfast or lunch for relatively little cash. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | 0 |
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'd been more language-proficient. I also wish I'd known how difficult it was for me to get health clearances. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
