The Most memorable 2 weeks Past Review
By Julia B (Psychology, University of Northern Iowa) for
University of Northern Iowa: Capstone in England and Ireland
From this trip, I learned that not only are all Americans different, but everyone in the world is very different. It was amazing to see a different culture from my own and experience it firsthand. I also learned that even though I had a great time abroad, I love the country I live in and wouldn't want to live in a different one. If I have the chance (meaning money) to go abroad again, I will definitely take 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. |
Almost all of the workload was done before the trip, which was nice. The professor was a great guy and he incorporated the class materials with what we did everyday abroad. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I did not take classes through the host country. Everything was through UNI. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
although the hostels were always in decent parts of the city, they were always very small and not good quality. the hardest part about staying in a hostel was sharing a bathroom with the whole floor, usually with a shower that barely leaked water. |
| * Food: |
some of the food was really good but most of it was the same type of thing, like french fries or salad. i definitely missed American food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
i had a great time going out with some of my fellow students and exploring the towns to experience what their culture was like and not just their academic aspects. me and 4 other girls went to the broadway musical Wicked in London and that's an amazing experience I'll never forget. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
One of the hostels we stayed in had just finished remodeling the rooms and it was definitely a safety hazard for us. The rooms were just painted and the fumes were almost suffocating. The floors weren't finished and had nails sticking out in areas. While at this hostel, me and my 4 roommates all became sick. |
| 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) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who is prepared to handle the cost. Ireland was the most beautiful place I've ever seen and if I can go back some day, I will. You haven't seen true nature until you see the countryside of Ireland. London was also a great city. Although its too big for me, it was still very exciting. The only thing I regret about this trip is not saving enough money to be able to go the whole two weeks without worrying if I'd have enough to make it. |
