Zagreb, Croatia: Long hours, a hole in the pocket, and totally worth it. Past Review
By Vincent D (Art Education/Studio Art, Indiana University of Pennsylvania) for
University of Zagreb: Zagreb - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Mostly a global perspective. And some new friends. That last part is a double edged sword, though.
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. |
The workload was not overly high, however, the tools and materials available were restricted, and often required paperwork. The classical academic system was very different, and certainly useful to have experienced at least once. Divisions between media traditions seemed strong, and crossovers were rare. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our coordinator was very helpful, but seemed overworked. Because many of the departments are not closely associated, there was a lot of paperwork that took a long time to complete. It simply wasn't as efficient as any of the systems I've previously experienced. However, what needed to get done was done. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very safe neighborhood, industrial aesthetic. It was within walking distance of one club, but far from the academy. The tram system worked well enough to get there, though. The dorms themselves weren't stellar, but they were for the most part clean and safe. |
| * Food: |
Food in the cafeteria is government supplemented and so very cheap for the quantity, but very hit or miss on taste and nutrition. Some days it was very pleasing, and other days not. I spent a lot of money on kebab, so good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program arranged a couple of good field trips to see local sights. But the best trips are planned among a small group of students, usually for a weekend. Hands down, travel was the most important part of the trip. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
No incidents to speak of. |
| 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
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| 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? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Most young people spoke English, but everyday purchases often required a light grasp of the proper phrases. I practiced the language with my peers on a daily basis, mostly just learning new words or grammar, but it is a very difficult language to learn. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Travel as much as possible. Will yourself to go in to studio the next day. Experience everything you can before you leave. |
