The trip of a lifetime! Past Review
By A student (University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 06/05/2016 to 06/25/2016 with
University of Northern Iowa: Capstone in Greece
I learned a lot about myself. I was always shy and didn't like to get out of my comfort zone, but being in a foreign country forced me out of that zone almost always.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned so much more than I thought I would. It is a very rigorous course, which I would've liked to have known before signing up, but I wouldn't change a thing! |
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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? |
The hotels were all very nice. I wish that wifi was more available at the hotels for contacting my family back home. Some hotels didn't have wifi for free to do that. |
| * Food: |
All the food was great and I was glad that sometimes they just brought us all out the same food so we could try authentic meals, and sometimes they had a buffet so we could pick. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
At the beginning, I felt like a tourist, but by the end, I could communicate with the locals and felt more integrated. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe. The most "unsafe" I felt was when the gypsy children stood by us and were looking to steal from us. Our professors had told us about this prior to the trip, so we were able to handle the situation. |
| 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) |
We had the impression that it would be cheaper than it actually was, so I ended up spending a lot more money than I had originally planned on. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $450 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan on sitting down for lunch each day, which usually costs between 6-12 euros. If you want any sort of drink, add on 3-8 euros (alcoholic beverages are closer to 8). There aren't many places to pick up food for 3 or 4 euros, so don't expect it every day. You will need to add on another 10 euros for all the water you will be purchasing since some of the water is not that great for you. |
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 |
We were encouraged to use the few words we knew a lot. The more we tried, the nicer the locals were to us. Sometimes our professors would ask us simple questions in Greek. |
| 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? | They prep you for the few words you need to know, as well as the alphabet and a conversation before the trip. You don't need to practice much! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | They stress safety and make you feel like you won't be safe. I was worrying, but I never felt like I wasn't safe at any of the cities. |
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. |
