Program Reviews

To this day I think about my experience abroad in Rome, Italy. Italy is an amazing country and Rome is an even more amazing city. Rome being such a big city, it is the perfect blend of a city life with mix of culture. Being a city girl, I felt this blend was perfect for my personality. There is so much to see and so much to do that I feel like I wasn't able to do everything in those four months. The architecture to the monuments to the Church's. But by no means was is all fun and games. Of course there is a lot of adjusting to do whether it may be to become more familiar with the Italian culture to learning directions so you won't get lost. The hardest part I had to deal with was the academic program. I am used to rigorous classes but a few classes that this program conducted were unrealistically difficult. I was stressed out a lot which didn't make my experience of being away from home for the first tim the best. Other than that though everything else was amazing. The fresh food, the open air markets at campo di fiori, the amazing flea market at the flaminio market and the night life. The city is truly beautiful from the many piazza's like piazza navona which is my favorite to the spanish steps. I truly enjoyed my time in Rome and I wish to someday live their again. It will always be a dream of mine but until then I am attempting to be fluent in Italian to better navigate myself!

Good program. Don't go expecting to be in a peaceful environment. It takes time to find those places, such as the parks and whatnot, but go there prepared! Rome is no joke.. and neither is the program. The streets are loud and chaotic, and the streets are filled, filled, filllleed with tourist. Schoolwork is pretty hard, but professors are amazing and know what they're talking about. Urban history was a good class, and if you want to learn 10 pages of notes a day from a teacher who knows her stuff top to bottom, take ancient roman civilization. Nightlife is great if you like to go out! And just as somebody said before me, don't get stuck at home on your laptop watching and keeping up with your tv shows. NOT WORTH IT. Go out and have fun, explore, and do everything at least once.. twice if you can! Eat molto gelato, pizza, and enjoy the wine! Do as much as you can and if you're ever debating between going out or staying in... I mean you're only in Italy at this time and age once.. I'm sure you can figure that one out! Caio! :)

Honestly, the academic portion of the program was rough, especially if you're not an art (history) major. I struggled a little bit in the beginning because one of the art classes's discussions was always about the Bible (duh!). But I have ZERO background in biblical figures, stories, etc. so I felt like I was taking two classes in one: Renaissance art and Christianity 101.
But if you can manage your time and get your work done early, you have PLENTY of time to have fun and go out and explore.

Some of my roommates who ended up struggling a lot (and not getting great grades) were the ones that procrastinate like they do at home, watch TV shows online for hours and finish up hw last minute, even morning of. That's fine, if you don't care to go out at night or whatever.

But honestly, you're in ROME. You're ABROAD. Once in a life time opportunity, I'm not gonna spend my time sitting in the apartment watching hours of tv shows. I'm gonna get my sh*t done so I have more free time.

Aside of the amazing sites IN Rome, it's so nice that it's relatively close to everything: Greece, Spain, France, Germany, Northern Italy, Southern Italy (Sicily too).

overall, I LOVED the program.

But the biggest thing I think is HOW YOU USE YOUR TIME.

Rome is a amazing place to study. The key word in this last sentence is STUDY. If you are serious about academics and actually want to learn something, this is a great program for you. If you want to study abroad to just have fun, this might not be a good program for you. It was amazing learning Christianity at the Vatican, having class at the monuments that I only read about in text books back home. This program is a unique one but also a very rigorous one. They did give us two full weeks of vacation during the program, but because of on site classes on weekends, it made it hard to get away. It was overall a great experience and would recommend it to any history buff.

As the headline implies, the EAP Study Abroad program in Rome is no joke. The staff here upholds a very high academic standard, including rigorous coursework and a rather strict attendance policy. I don't encourage students who can't commit to the schoolwork to apply.

However, as someone who takes joy in learning about history (especially a history as captivating as Rome's), the courses really enriched my experience. My Urban History class, for example, made even walking the Roman streets, thrilling; it sometimes dropped me into this dream state where the past was present and antiquity was suddenly all around me. It made living in Rome feel romantic and fantastical, which is really the kind of experience all travelers should seek.

Getting more into the logistics of the thing, the staff was helpful and friendly; always offering up advice on sights to see, cafes to visit, and gelato you just couldn't miss out on. I chose to stay in a private apartment and so they placed me in this sweet, little 4th floor apartment in the Monti district, a scant 10 minutes away from the Colosseum. Though the school was 40 minutes away on foot (about 20 by bus), the walk was always something to look forward to.

All in all, the program was incredibly worth every iota of thought and drop of effort I put into any of the coursework. And I can't recommend this program enough to anyone who's looking for their studies to supplement their life abroad!

To begin with, I should stress what an amazing city Berlin is. Even with an unorganized program I had an amazing time, improved my German and met friends I've stayed in close contact with. Berlin has the best of all worlds, great night life, food, overall laid back vibe, and youth culture not to mention a great music and arts scene.

Nevertheless, the University of California's program, "Education Abroad Program" was a nightmare. Not only was the head of the program dictatorial, but the housing was off the map of Berlin proper, not to mention unsafe and unsanitary. While the classes were interesting and taught by knowledgeable professors, the courses were housed in an off campus, isolated, all-exchange student environment, so we rarely interacted with German students.

While the schedule was well adjusted for students so they could travel and experience the culture of Berlin (no class Friday) it was hard to get into the classes you wanted. The workload was certainly manageable, although some teacher's accents were impossible to understand. The German language courses were also very fast paced and often left most of the learning to outside class.

Although there were field trips, they were clearly focused on the director of the program's interests - none related to art, music or popular culture. Although certain amenities were convenient, such as a museum pass and subway pass, there was very little encouragement to engage with the German public.

Overall, I would recommend Berlin as a site to study abroad over all others, because there is something for everyone, and while it is easy to improve your language skills they are by no means a prerequisite. In addition, it was easy for me to get a job bar tending once a week and to meet interesting people around the city, hence there are many cool things that are easily accessible to foreigners. In that same vein, I would not recommend this program, because while it does enable you to study in an amazing country, there are many more interesting programs that are better run and more interested in making sure you have the best experience ever!

Hi Everyone!

My name is Monette, and I'm here to tell you a little bit about my experience this summer in Beijing, China. :)

I traveled to Beijing through the UCEAP program(University of California Education Abroad Program), a 6-week summer intensive language program. It was the funnest and most memorable summer I have ever had! And if I could do it again, I would, without a moment's hesitation.

To tell you a little about the program, the UCEAP summer intensive language program is held at Beijing Normal University, a quaint, clean university located in a great location(Haidian, Xicheng Area) of Beijing. The location is awesome because it is in close proximity to convenient public transportation and many cute and authentic Chinese restaurants and shops. Just less than one block outside of the campus are located tons of restaurants(many of which have fun, outdoor seating and barbecue which is popular among locals during the summer), as well as a long "Xiao Chi Jie" or street filled with fresh and traditional Chinese snacks, foods, and market stands selling authentic Chinese specialties from all over China. The culture around the school is very Chinese, the locals everywhere are friendly and always eager to engage you in conversation! I even became good friends with the cleaning ladies at the school's dormitory! All of this makes BNU a great place to dive into and experience the local culture!

The dormitories at BNU are decent. I shared a room and private bathroom with one roommate, and we had our own TV and internet! The best thing about it was that the room and bathroom were cleaned daily by the cleaning maids. I stayed at Lanhui Gongyu, which is located conveniently near an on-campus grocery store where any daily necessities can be bought, ranging from hygiene products, tissues, yogurt, and even underwear! (by the way, the yogurt in China is a must-try! They come in many distinct flavors such as Hong Zao(Chinese Red Date) that cannot be found outside of China!, the traditional Lao Beijing Suannai(drinkable yogurt available in clay jars, sold in many stores surrounding the school), and this delicious drinkable peach-flavor yogurt with oatmeal in it(sounds strange but is actually really good)).

The school itself has several cafeterias as well, a bowl of bean paste noodles(Zha Jiang Mian) can come out to be less than 2 RMB, around 30 cents, making the cafeterias awesome places for saving money. What's even better is that this is the hub where you can meet many friendly Chinese college students, I made some of my local friends in the cafeterias just by sitting next to random students and striking up conversations with them.

If cafeteria food bores you, that is not a problem! As mentioned earlier, not even one block outside of the school are located many different food stands and restaurants. And if you are not in the mood for Chinese food, there is a McDonalds located on campus, as well as a cute, Chicago-style pizza restaurant!

A walk or bus-ride away will take you to historical sites such as the old Hutongs(Chinese courtyard homes and alleyways), the Forbidden Temple, The Summer Palace, and the Great Wall, to name a few. Other worth-while and nearby locations are Sanlituan and Wudaokou, where many students enjoy a lively nightlife and trendy shopping.

The UCEAP staff are fun and always available for assistance. For example, I once broke out in hives during my stay there. The staff instructed me as to where to see a doctor(the school itself has its own clinic, and within a two-block radius are located two other reputable hospitals), as well as the medicines and questions I should ask the doctor about. I never once felt unsafe or lost. They were always there to provide the best advice and care!

As for the academics at the school, BNU is known for its Chinese language program. The faculty are experienced, patient and engaging. My teacher had taught at the school for over 40 years and always brought interesting stories about his travels and Chinese culture and tradition to class to incorporate with his lessons! Each student as well is provided with his/her personal tutor, usually a grad student at the school. The tutor is also a great way to get connected with the local student population at the school, as well as provide a lot of out-of-the-classroom help with schoolwork and studying!

The best part about learning Chinese here is not only the great faculty, interesting textbooks(the first lesson of my textbook was Aiqing or Romance), and helpful tutors, but also the great Chinese-speaking environment to immerse in. You can literally spend everyday only speaking and listening to Chinese if you wanted to.
I should also mention the campus! The campus itself is cute. There are tree-lined streets which provide great shade and scenery, especially during the hot, muggy summers. There is plenty of activity and hubbub going about campus daily, even at night. You can take a stroll around campus at 11 o'clock at night and still see tons of cute old couples walking around campus with their grandkids and dogs, as well as tons of young, strapping men playing basketball in the school's outdoor courts. Yes, the school and surrounding area are always filled with locals and the excitement of Chinese culture! It is also very safe. There were many moments where I walked around unaccompanied at night, something that I cannot do here in the States!

Most importantly, I should mention the people I met at BNU. Everyone from the faculty, staff, and local students to my fellow study abroad students made my experience all the more worth-while. The great friends I made during this program will always be a part of the fond memories I have of Beijing, and I know you will meet some awesome people when you go as well! Through these friends, I was able to have great companionship to share in my adventures around the city. I know you will have the same great experiences as well!

So, if you get the chance, study abroad in Beijing through UCEAP! The education you receive there is so worthwhile(my and my fellow study abroad students' Chinese improved incredibly), and the units transfer directly and can be applied towards graduation(I received 8 units). Also, the food, the people, and the culture are something that I will always hold dear in my heart. I wish you a happy travel! If you have any questions about the program, feel free to contact me! :)