Where to study abroad?

[socalcoolhunter]

I'm trying to figure out where I should study abroad for a semester next year. I'd love to go to Italy, but I don't know the language and cost is definitely an issue. My Spanish, all though rusty, could be re-learned in a matter of days so I was considering Spain, which I went to for a month or so 5 years ago. On that note it seems like the majority of south america would be very cost effective. I was told you can live like a king in most of the continent due to the dollar being worth a ton there... just curious to hear so traveled/experienced peoples thoughts.

Currently dropping my cash into the normal vices; denim, alcohol, sneakers, LPs...so I'm going to stop spending and start saving.

[englandmj7]

One of my friends barely spoke any spanish and was also poor (in the college student sense). He studied in Peru and absolutely loved it, so much that he stayed a year. He had a Peruvian girlfriend and said he used to spend every weekend drinking beer and swimming in the Amazon..........

[plongin]

I honestly feel that the language barrier should not be a major factor when it comes to deciding the location for a semester abroad. I mean, firstly you're gonna be there for only a semester, and in fact, I'd rather go to a country where I haven't been before than to pick a place because i kinda know the language and ive been there before some time ago.

[englandmj7]

I honestly feel that the language barrier should not be a major factor when it comes to deciding the location for a semester abroad. I mean, firstly you're gonna be there for only a semester, and in fact, I'd rather go to a country where I haven't been before than to pick a place because i kinda know the language and ive been there before some time ago.

Problem is that alot of schools are pretty strict on a language mastery requirement. For instance, at my uni, they would send you to Italy or Germany, etc. even if you couldn't speak a word of the language, but if you wanted to go to our program in Spain, they required that you had at least two years of Spanish-language education....sucks.

[plongin]

Problem is that alot of schools are pretty strict on a language mastery requirement. For instance, at my uni, they would send you to Italy or Germany, etc. even if you couldn't speak a word of the language, but if you wanted to go to our program in Spain, they required that you had at least two years of Spanish-language education....sucks.

oh i didn't know that....most of the schools in my region just let you go where ever, as in, throw you into the deep end even though u can't speak the language.

[seraphim]

london london london london london london london

London

[superdupersang]

just in time for the european leg of the sufu meet, which will be london.

right?

[englandmj7]

and cost is definitely an issue.

london london london london london london london

London

?????

......

[Pogi]

Australia!

If I had a choice, either Paris, Munich or Tokyo.

[bigsteve101]

copenhagen...expensive but shopping is awesome!

[jdat]

what are you studying?

if you want to spend a semester goofing off abroad that won't be a decisive factor but if you want to get something good out of it you should define what your major and interests are ( apart from denim )

[socalcoolhunter]

Yah I'd like to get something out of my studying abroad, I'm not interested in taking a huge course load though. I want to absorb the culture and lifestyle of where ever I go. I'm not that into school...more interested in music, movies, business/marketing, art, clothes, culture. So far school has been a means to an end to travel and gain new experiences, that and party.

[qwertyuiop5]

speaking from a business perspective, china

speaking from a personal interest perspective, china

also pretty cheap for what youre lookin to do there

[Kasper]

Yah I'd like to get something out of my studying abroad, I'm not interested in taking a huge course load though. I want to absorb the culture and lifestyle of where ever I go. I'm not that into school...more interested in music, movies, business/marketing, art, clothes, culture. So far school has been a means to an end to travel and gain new experiences, that and party.

first step is to check with your uni how they grade they classes you'll do abroad. if you are lucky (like i was), you'll have only a pass or fail mention in your transcripts and so the classes you'll take abroad won't affect your GPA, so basically, you only have to pass. i did one semester in norway and the most teachers there didn't fail any students so i went to about 12 classes for the whole semester, which means that i had a lot of time to do some other stuff. Most north american schools are very generous on how they grade classes done on exchange (cause of different grading system and culture, they would have too much problems otherwise) so you shouldn't have to care too much about classes.

generally speaking, european universities have longer semesters, but with tons of holidays (i had 2 and a half week for easter in Norway...) so the work load is not as hard. a couple friends of mine went on exchange to south america and loved it (Argentina, Chile, Brasil, Costa Rice and Mexico, well not south america, but you get the point). cost of living was extremely cheap, so they had the chance to do load of traveling, going out, etc. the only problem i can foresee is that if you go to the southern hemisphere, the schools calender is quite different from america and going for only a semester can be a little difficult (all my friends went for a year). other than that, spain is really fun and not that expensive (alcohol is pretty almost free there ) so it could be really for you.

[notesee]

I did study abroad in the Netherlands, to be exact a suburb 15 minutes outside of Amsterdam called Leiden. I was there for a summer semester.

The Euro to dollar rate is an issue, but even on a college budget I was able to have a good time and even do a little shopping. Alcohol and weed are cheap there, but eating out can be pricey.

Plus, there is not much of a language barrier because most of the people in that country speak English well too.

[ninjapie]

I did study abroad in the Netherlands, to be exact a suburb 15 minutes outside of Amsterdam called Leiden. I was there for a summer semester.

The Euro to dollar rate is an issue, but even on a college budget I was able to have a good time and even do a little shopping. Alcohol and weed are cheap there, but eating out can be pricey.

Plus, there is not much of a language barrier because most of the people in that country speak English well too.

Leiden is a town, actually, not a suburb.

[mswill_i_am]

i heard australia was a lot of fun and really a very cool place...

[dcrevolution40]

I went to australia and new zealand for 4 weeks a couple of years ago. Illest countries in existance.

[englandmj7]

Leiden is a town, actually, not a suburb.

In the US and many other countries, the term "suburb" can encompass an entirely separate town. For instance, Artesia is a suburb of Los Angeles, but it is also a town.

Grammar lesson of the day..............

[ninjapie]

In the US and many other countries, the term "suburb" can encompass an entirely separate town. For instance, Artesia is a suburb of Los Angeles, but it is also a town.

Grammar lesson of the day..............

Does this also apply when Leiden is considered as a agglomeration itself?

[lightinaugust]

london london london london london london london

London

london......................

[Tisswat]

Ninjapie is right. Calling Leiden a suburb of Amsterdam is like calling Boston, Philly or Pittsburg a suburb of NYC. If anything it would be a suburb of Den Haag, not Amsterdam. But saying that would be an insult to Leiden - a town that has been around since the Romans and officially a city since the year 1266.

Anyways.. to the topicstarter, if you're considering studying in the Netherlands, why not go for Amsterdam. For a few obvious and numerous not so obvious reasons.