Demographics 1 Gender: 2 Study/Intern Abroad Location: 3 Home University: 4 Abroad University/Company: 5 Duration: Pre-departure 1a Did you receive any pre-departure training (language training, cross cultural training, etc)?: 1b What were they and how helpful were they?: 2a Did your host country require a student or visitor’s visa?: 2b Did you experience any difficulties acquiring this visa?: 3 How did you search for/book your flight (ex’s student universe, sta travel, kayak, etc), and would you recommend it to fellow travelers: Program 1 Did you use a third party organization to coordinate your trip (Such as USAC or CIEE)?: 1b If yes, which company and how was your experience with them?: 2 Did you have classes with local students?: 3 How seriously did the students in your program treat the academic aspects of “study” abroad?: 4 Did you have any trouble being credited for your courses while studying abroad and how can other students avoid those issues?: 5 Did your program offer you any stipends or scholarship opportunities?: Living Arrangements 1 What were your living arrangement options and what did you choose?: 2 How did your living arrangements affect your experience and would you make the same choice again? If not, what would you change?: Life Aborad 1 What is the best question someone from your host country asked you about the US?: 2 What is the biggest personal “deal-breaker” about your host country or city? (example: if you won’t eat pork you should definitely never study abroad in western china because there is no way to avoid it, even if you have excellent language skills): 3 What local holidays did you celebrate and how?: 4 How did you handle exercising while abroad?: 5 Were you able to obtain birth control abroad? If yes, what types and how challenging was it?: 6 How did you obtain your prescription medication while abroad? Would you use this method again?: 7a Did you ever have to contact the police?: 7b Do you have any advice for dealing with local authorities?: 8 What was the biggest rip off?: Food-Drink-Fun 1 What was the nightlife like? Were there any local hot spots that should not be missed or some that you would recommend avoiding at all costs? Why?: 2 What was your favorite restaurant?: 3 What was your least favorite food?: 4a Does your former host country have a famous dish?: 4b What was it, and did you try it? (ex. escargot in Paris, or a Moroccan lamb tagine): Getting Around 1 How reliable and easy to understand were the local forms of transportation and which forms (bus, tram, train etc) would you most recommend?: 2 Did you have any major problems with local transportation? (ex’s costs, union strikes, protests, closing times, etc): 3 Did you travel internationally to other countries while abroad and what tips/advice would you give students wishing to do the same?: 4 Did you use any subsidized or low expense local travel deals/programs in the area you studied and what was your experience with them (ex’s Ryan air and wiz air in Europe, the Eurorail, etc) : Relationships 1a Did you attempt a long distance relationship while you were studying abroad?: 1b Did it work out? Why/ why not?: 2 Did you date any fellow study-abroaders?: 3a Did you date a local?: 3b What is your advice for engaging in romantic relationships in your host country?: Home Life 1 What social networking medium did you utilize while abroad (msn, skype, facebook)? How did it work out for you? For your friends and family?: 2 How did you keep your family “in the loop” (phone calls, blog, emails)? Would you use this method again? : 3 What did you miss the most from the US?: 4 What would you have loved to receive in a care package?: 5 What items did you take with you that you could not have lived without and what did you forget to pack that you most missed?: Budget 1 How did you handle your finances while in your host country (ie: American bank, local bank, travelers checks)? Did it work well for you? If you could make the decision again would you do anything different?: 2 How much money do you think you spent per week?: 3 How much money did you spend (including travel) over the course of your study abroad experience?: Advice 1 What souvenirs do you wish you had brought home with you? : 2 What did you think was a rip off but now wish you would have indulged in?: 3 What is the best piece of advice you got before studying abroad?: 4 What information or advice do you wish you had received before going abroad?: 5 What is your take on romance and study abroad in general?: 6 What food should someone visiting your host country not miss out on?: 7 What is your advice for celebrating American holidays abroad?: 8 What are the best ways to ship things from/ to your host country?:
