Demographics
1 Gender: Female Male
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)?: Yes No
1b What were they and how helpful were they?:
2a Did your host country require a student or visitor’s visa?: Yes No
2b Did you experience any difficulties acquiring this visa?: Yes No
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)?: Yes No
1b If yes, which company and how was your experience with them?:
2 Did you have classes with local students?: Yes No
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?: Yes No
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?: Yes No
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?: Yes No
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?: Yes No
1b Did it work out? Why/ why not?:
2 Did you date any fellow study-abroaders?: Yes No
3a Did you date a local?: Yes No
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?: