University of Sussex (UK): Because of studying abroad I don't see America in the same way Past Review

By Carol G (Media And Cultural Studies, University of California - Riverside) for

University of Sussex: Brighton - International Summer School

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

From my program I gained the quality of seeking to learn about subjects not only from an American perspective, but also the importance of learning subjects from a foreign perspective. Studying abroad impacted my cultural awareness by showing me that people in different countries value different things for different reasons and this thus impacts their lives in different ways, thus expanding my definition of what's important in life. This trip changed my future plans because, because of it I now plan to work in the UK and have begun applying for jobs there and hope to move there in a few months.

Review Photos

University of Sussex: Brighton - International Summer School Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I felt that the workload was reasonable for a four week class, I did not feel overwhelmed but I also did not feel like I was not challenged. The grading system was a bit confusing but one there I just had to ask around to find out how to translate the grades I was given there into the American grading scale. The teaching method I felt was somewhat different but due to having a lot of oral presentations and having to do presentations myself I felt that the teaching wasn't as radical as I might have expected. The differences in the educational system between the host university and the American university I felt were the grading scale and the amount of information that was covered in the short amount of four weeks, but being a summer session I think the breadth of information was to be expected.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I don't feel the program had any weaknesses. I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and felt like everything went smoothly.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	Since I either cooked or ate out I advice that students who study abroad learn to cook before they leave their home country. If the student does not know how to cook the time abroad will be very expensive, since eating out for all meals is not very cheap. As to where to eat in Brighton I have no one specific place that I would advice, it was a delight to try different restaurants everyday and discover new favorites as I went along.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	With the class I took (British theater) we went on many field trips to different theaters in England and this was one of the best experiences because you don't only get to have an enriching cultural experience but you also get to experience a certain kind of culture trait and participate among activities that local citizens practice often.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I felt very safe through out my whole stay in the UK and at the University of Sussex
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	I spent 350 American dollars per week and found this to be sufficient for food, entertainment and school necessities. I was living on a budget I had carefully planned before hand.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Travel expenses were more that I thought. Before I arrived in the UK I didn't know how much I would want to travel exactly and how much train tickets cost from one city to another, so once I was there was when I realized that even though getting around is quite simple it can also be quite expensive. Especially train tickets and the different systems of bus fare that one city has compared to another.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	N/A
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The Cultural enrichment The dramatic difference that I found there compared to the my daily life in the U.S. Having the opportunity to meet and talk with people from another country
* What could be improved?	nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I would highly advice any student to study abroad, because studying abroad will open your eyes to so many new kinds on lifestyle outside of your usual comfort zone, which is a wonderful thing because at the end of it all you will realize how much bigger the world is and how many more opportunities are out there once you graduate.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	British Theatre
Course Department:	IS087
Instructor:	Faynia Williams
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I found this course to be enlightening because from day one I learned so much about British theater, I also found the course to be very interesting because professor Williams was so well informed in her field that I felt that I could ask her anything and she had the answer. I also enjoyed this course very much because Professor Williams took the class on various field trips which allowed us to have that much more of an experience with the subject matter and which also allowed us to not only have a theoretical understanding of the subject but also a practical one. Overall I would highly recommend British Theater with Professor Williams to any student seeking an enriching course at the University of Sussex for the summer.
Credit Transfer Issues:	no credit transfer issues

Course Name/Rating:	British Cinema
Course Department:	IS099
Instructor:	Faynia Williams
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Having Professor Williams for a second time in the summer was wonderful. She is a very strong lecturer with vast amounts of knowledge. This is probably the reason I enjoyed having her as an instructor twice. I felt that Professor Williams was always eager to teach us and was always well prepared and full of new knowledge to present in every lecture. This course taught me to see cinema in a different way and to appreciate the variety of film that can be found outside of the American industry. Another thing that I took away from this course was the ability to compare and contrast American cinema to British cinema, which I feel is a very vital component of my major and which has therefore made me a stronger student. Overall this class was a very enjoyable and informative course, I would highly advice any student who is a film or media major to invest their summer at the University of Sussex under Professor William's tutelage and take this course.
Credit Transfer Issues:	none whatsoever.