<p>D1 is in Europe (Switzerland) this semester. It seems to be going well. She is an intern at a UN organization and taking classes. She is having a great experience, but I do not get the impression that it is extremely intellectually challenging or a life changing experience. (Any more than any experience is.)</p>
<p>D2 wants to go abroad in the fall. She is very interested in programs in Africa, which has some more appropriate studies for her major, Environmental Studies. This does seem like a more life changing experience from the little research I’ve done. Of course, I think there is more personal risk than being in Switzerland. Her school will not allow students to attend programs in countries w/ US travel restrictions (Kenya for instance).</p>
<p>Anyone have any Africa experiences? Oregon101, care to elaborate?</p>
<p>My daughter did the Temple Rome program several years ago as she is finishing grad school now. It is one of the oldest study abroad programs and she had an outstanding experience with two studio classes, two art history classes and Italian. I am not certain about whether or not they offer ceramics. Syracuse University does have a studio art program in Florence. My daughter found she actually preferred Rome to Florence. It is a city and apart from the Vatican and the Coliseum actually has less tourists. She did travel to Florence and throughout Italy, some on class trips and we did pay extra fees for hotels and transportation. She lived in student housing-small apts, 3 to an apt with small kitchen, conveniently located to classes on subway or bus or walking, right near the Vatican. I would recommend looking into Temple Rome. It is very professionally run. Some of the art faculty are permanently in Rome, others spend semesters there apart from Temple/Tyler.</p>
<p>my daughter did fall semester in Buenos Aires. Loved, loved it! She lived in an apartment with an older woman right downtown. She had to learn a different dialect of Spanish but she caught on quickly. She had a friend who was in a bush camp in Kenya. Very different experience- but she too had a wonderful time.</p>
<p>Dd spent 5 months in Santiago, Chile through IES, but took most of her classes directly at the Catolica u there. She really liked it, but felt she could have just direct enrolled as an international student at the Catolica. (which would have saved us money if she was fullpay at her U. As we have F.A., it didn’t matter.) She also spent a semester at a very good U in Turkey.</p>
<p>dg5052,
DD is currently in Florence at FUA but is not an art major; she is taking liberal arts courses for her major and minors. She knew upfront that all her course credits are accepted at her school. She is pleased with the level of support in the program.</p>
<p>Our son is currently in Rio (will be there a total of about 8 months), living in an apartment he shares with a grad student. Other than telling us that his classes are extremely hard (engineering), he hasn’t talked too much about school. Most of his emphasis was on his social life, which needless to say he loved, but was no surprise. Recently, however, he got an internship position with a local engineering consulting firm which has really brought this experience to the next level. He works in the office of one of their clients (20-30 hours/week), has been sent to training classes on the week-end, plays on a soccer team with fellow employees, and has just been asked to be on a small corporate team for an upcoming 5k race so has started training for that. He is struggling to balance the demands of classes and work and is impatient to graduate (expected in May). Whatever happens after graduation, this opportunity couldn’t be more life changing.</p>
<p>He also did two language immersion programs n earlier summers (Lima for Spanish after freshman year) and northern Brazil after sophomore year to learn Portuguese. Both programs were excellent and used family stays. </p>
<p>I had an internship with the U.S. State Department in Mauretania when I was in grad school. If we had it to do over, we would have tried to combine jobs for S1 with the language training he took during his first two summers.</p>
<p>our son was in Berlin…a fabulous city for college students…you can go out every night of the week without breaking the bank, food costs are reasonable and the art and design scene is world class. He was placed extremely well in a fine German speaking family…and we have already hosted them in the USA. He attended a German college and was in complete immersion…with a few of his college’s friends scattered in other homes to meet up with for a sense of support. He said that students housed together in other cities he visited from the same college never ventured out enough and relied too much on each other so their experiences were more “touristy.” He really admired his teachers greatly. One of his recommendations is to immerse yourself not only in language but in place. He did not spend every weekend traveling in Europe…only did three or four outings, and only one out of Germany. Our son is the great grandson of German immigrants, so it was quite interesting to see his affinity for this culture.</p>
<p>Son did a semester in his sophmore year at one of Australia’s top universities. The trip featured tough academics (he ended up with A’s) and a spring break trip to New Zealand. Even played American Football over there. The university was a bit too far from the city, but overall I think he enjoyed the experiance plus learned the value of his home university (smaller class size, profs, etc.).</p>
<p>My son is in Budapest now and loves it. He said that several of the students were in it last semester and loved it so much they came back for another semester. He would have preferred going in the spring, as they get a week vacation during the program (which doesn’t happen in the fall), but due to required courses at his home university he couldn’t do it. He lives in an apartment in the city center with another student in the program and is only 2 blocks from the Danube. He spent a long weekend in Prague, is going to Vienna soon, and is staying in Europe for 2 weeks after the program ends to do more travelling.</p>
<p>martharap – S1 is looking at going next fall – his home school is on the quarter system, so attending in the fall means he only misses one quarter instead of two (which would be myuch tougher on his schedule). I will PM you!</p>
<p>S1 graduated in 4.5 years and spent his last semester in Thailand. He had an excellent experience. It worked out well to study abroad at the end of his college studies instead of during his junior year. He was able to travel most weekends. For housing, he lived in a studio apartment in a building where a good number of students in the program also lived. One unexpected benefit is he realized what an excellent education he received from his university in the US.</p>
<p>Quality varies hugely overseas (as in the USA) but you are not faced with draconian drinking ages and in most cases much more liberal societies.</p>
<p>Really interesting thread! D1 has been going back and forth about whether she wants to do a study abroad. Because of the requirements of her particular program, she could only do a summer thing, and she is just not sure it’s worth the money.</p>
<p>Study abroad was something D1 had always planned on doing. She did start planning it from freshman year, as far as with course requirements for her major(s). She also made sure it is her junior fall rather than spring because of on campus interviews for junior summer internship.</p>
<p>meant to mention before that my son’s terrific semester abroad…which was very substantive in the classroom…was cheaper than a semester at his university even when factoring in buying airplane ticket plus new backpack, coat, shoes, etc</p>
<p>DH spent a spring term (grad school) in architecture in Italy. He had a great time and did alot of traveling. The arch grad students had a pretty heavy academic load AND they left the villa and traveled about 3- day a week…From stories I have heard they greatly enjoyed it but language learning was only enough to get by as tourists…the experience as archt students was about enrichment and for many of those grad students it was the first time abroad…and “they didn’t want to waste all their time in class” Eurailpasses were valuable assets</p>
<p>I spent a summer term in France between Jr and Sr yr. Coursework was ridiculously easy. We’d meet for a few hours each morning, and had afternoons/weekends off. We were housed with families and although I had french from 6th gr - 8th gr, 2 yrs in hs, and 2 yrs in college…I was absolutely not prepared. I think I earned an A and B for doing little. Again, the Eurail pass was an asset.</p>
<p>All that is to say–if its about language learning…Amer students tend to hang together, party together, and speak english together…and unless they are focused to really mingle and pratice the language with local students–(beyond bars) they miss alot.
DH and I (and our kids) learned far more about cuture, language etc when we lived in Italy for a yr. DH and I were in language school, our fam lived in a small house, and we had to handle life all in a new culture/language…our DC were in the local school (all italian/no english) We saw Amer students arrive for their spring term --they hung out together except when frequenting bars. Students can have a very “fringe” cultural experience.</p>
<p>Saying all this to sum up studying abroad can be expensive. What the student wants to gain, and how the program is truly run will make all the difference…between whether it was a “fluffy” vacation experience or a real value…kwim? Depending on the cultural adjustment–US- to Europe is easy…but US to Rabat (we have been there too) is very different, as would be US- to Japan or US to Dakar. I would be all for paying for my DC to go to Raabt, Dakar, or japan to really stretch and grow. While we/they are experienced in travel to some pretty challenging places, if it was useful for their career and life, we’d send them.</p>
<p>In the last few yrs my niece spent a semester in Florence–yes there was class–but it was really a party/vacation…she also spent a semester in France…same thing. Languages were a strong part of her academic curriculum…she didn’t have to pay her way so it was all fun…(wish it had been me ;o) )</p>
<p>Contrasting that, a friend’s daughter spent a full yr abroad as a high school student in a very challenging curriculum … it is a national program that requires testing to get in…its very costly…she was in Spain…living with a family and her spanish is now VERY strong. She grew alot in her academics–everything was taught in spanish…and she grew in independence etc…and she is now at NYU.</p>
<p>D is currently at University of Edinburgh (Scotland) through Butler U’s study abroad program. I can’t say enough great things about her experience. For us, it hasn’t been any more expensive than her home school, even with the plane fare. </p>
<p>The classes are interesting for her, since they are from a different perspective (social science courses). She lives in a flat, which she loves … since her own school requires her to live in a dorm. She is enjoying cooking her own meals. She has been traveling a lot … all over Scotland, plus Dublin, York, Milan, Rome, Amsterdam, & Brussels. She has made some wonderful friends. Everything has been just great.</p>
<p>She isn’t real keen on the fact that grades are based on a paper & a test … but she’s on top of her studies, so she isn’t too worried. The cool thing is that she didn’t have to buy books - strange, but they don’t have textbooks in her classes. She hits the library with a suggested reading list.</p>
<p>S did a semester abroad junior year in Madrid. He stayed with a family who rented out two rooms to students from his school so he was with another student from his home college. The family spoke no English and it was a wonderful experience which pushed my son’s language abilities. One of the highlights of the semester was the classes - his college has a small campus in Madrid and the classes were small (as opposed to his classes here) and very high quality. He particularly liked Madrid because it is not touristy and there are few English speaking individuals.</p>