An Unforgettable Experience Past Review
By Christina Jiang (Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/28/2019 to 12/22/2019 with
University of Minnesota: MSID - International Development in Thailand
Studying abroad helped me learn more about who I am, and it also helped me practice my cultural awareness skills. It was a very worthwhile experience, and I highly recommend it.
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 enjoyed the program a lot because of how welcoming and kind all the staff and professors were. However, due to the fast pacing of the program's academic phase, I felt like I was unable to really enjoy being in Thailand and explore Thai culture because I was so busy with schoolwork all the time. |
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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: |
The food was amazing, and the program offered free lunch on Mondays during the academic phase that was absolutely delicious. |
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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? |
The program directors were very organized about bringing students to be registered at the local hospital and taking them to get the necessary JE vaccine (and even helped them obtain rabies vaccines as well as per individual requests). |
| * Safety: |
Thailand, overall, felt very safe and everyone involved with the program made a concerted effort to ensure that all students were comfortable. Some advice for future students would be to leave the street dogs along. They will bite. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I had a wonderful time in Thailand over the course of the semester. The staff were very accommodating, and would always be available outside of regular working hours to help with our needs. The professors were also highly intelligent, and it was evident that they cared for every single one of their students. |
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? | $20 |
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 |
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| 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? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Spend time not only speaking to your Thai teachers, but also with your host families and with each other. You can only get better at speaking and understanding the language if you practice. |
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? | This program is not lying when they say that it is very academically intensive. Be prepared to be writing long papers every other week. But, also, know that you'll be experiencing things that you can't find anywhere else in the world, and that you'll see a new side of both Thailand and Asia that will make you want to come back in the future. |
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! |
