ISA Brussels gave me memories I will remember for the rest of my life! Past Review
By Nikkita F (International Business., Trinity University) for
Vesalius College: Brussels - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
100% YES.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved ISA. They had an office next door to Vesalius College in which we were invited to hang out in and do homework. The program director, Sabine, was amazing and so helpful and attentive to our every needs. She also provided coffee and little snacks for us in the office, so it was a wonderful way to see other kids in the program even during school. We could also always get ahold of Sabine this way. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I absolutely love Belgian food, its so rich and delicious! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I loved all the ISA excursions; especially the trip to the Ardennes and Dinant. We got to learn so much history about Belgium! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Belgium, I was never afraid to travel alone. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | approximately 50-70 euros a week (however, I traveled almost every weekend therefore I naturally spent more money than others who did not travel) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make a budget. You never realize how much you spend until its too late. The first few weeks are the hardest because the whole city is new and there is so much to try, that was when most students spend loads of money. Beware of the first 2 weeks. |
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? |
My host family and basically all of Brussels, everyone speaks French and although you can get by without knowing very much French it is a huge benefit to know more than the basics. I felt like my French improved drastically. |
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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