USAC Reviews

Studying abroad with USAC is a good experience for first time travelers. If you are well-traveled it seems like they baby-sit you to much. The program advisor was an adorable racist man. Bangolare, India I would give a 10/10. USAC I would give a solid 4/10. The classes very very good and intuitive, but the rest of the program was not my favorite. But if you seek out things to do, you will not be disappointed.

Costa Rica was a unknown culture to me and many of my colleagues. What many may think as just being another Latino culture, it truly has a unique ethos of its own. You will find affable locals to practice your Spanish and beautiful sunsets on the beach. Eat delicious food, go for a swim in the ocean, and learn some Spanish.

Lüneburg is a beautiful town with tons of medieval charm. It's small, but has easy access to larger cities like Hannover and Hamburg. One of my favorite things about this program is that student IDs give you access to the regional train within Lower Saxony for free - just watch out which train you catch to Lübeck because if you take the wrong one, you'll get a pretty hefty fine.

The classes were intense and involved a good amount of work outside of class. Not exactly what you want when you study abroad, but my German improved so much as a result. The professors were great and the classes small enough for a good amount of one-on-one time.

The buddy system is helpful - it's an easy way to befriend a local and get a little more cultural insight. I still occasionally speak with my buddy. We also met other international students (mostly USAC), which I didn't expect since I went for a summer session. The staff made us aware of on-campus activities and student organizations we could join as well.

The group I went with is still friends and we try to schedule reunions.

I was India for a year through USAC. My experience of the country was amazing and it certainty made a huge impact in my life. Some of my closest friends in my life were made there and I learned quite a bit. India never has a dull day. There is so much life and energy. The culture is so immense and the people there are proud to show it. From my time in India I cannot recall I time were I had felt unsafe. The only negative aspect in terms of safety I could clearly remember was living with females who had felt uncomfortable from interactions with males but for the most part had a great time. If I was to travel abroad to India knowing the USAC program in India I would have taken a different route. Christ University is a nice school but the students in the program are all put in the same rooms with each other and are segregated from the rest of the Indian/International students. This does make it hard to socialize when you have no one else in your class other than the people you live with. In terms of housing you cannot have guests which is another truly negative aspect in terms of socializing. The program refused to let me shift locations. The program also over charges you for many different expenses. Such as housing, tours, and even picking you up from the airport. Its about a fifteen dollar taxi ride when the program will charge you fifty dollars per person. India is an extremely affordable country, everything is cheaper than you think. My advice would be to do research on your own, this will save you heaps of money.

My experience in costa rica was unforgettable. Everyday I woke up to a fresh breakfast shared with my host family and walked along the beach to school. I interacted with the locals and became a part of the town.

My experience with USAC program in Heredia, Costa Rica was overall great. I think the program lacked plan Bs when it came to group trips. It was also evident that they focused a lot more on the semester program which was noticeable when I studied there for a summer program. The staff was very friendly, my host family was amazing, and the social life was great. Overall, it was a life changing experience and I would definitely go back.

I will start this review off with the stereotypical: This trip was the greatest decision of my life and it changed my life. When I went on this trip, it was the summer after my freshman year, I had never done anything as spectacular as studying abroad and I was scared to death to leave the country. I can tell you though, if you agree with any of those things: Thailand is perfect for you.

It took about a week until I was completely comfortable navigating the city and walking around by myself.

"BUT WAIT STRANGER! My professors and parents say use the buddy system all the time" - You right now.

Yes, I agree. Don't walk around the city on your own at night or on your first day in the country, but Chiang Mai is overwhelmingly safe. I never once was afraid of pick pockets or getting mugged. I brought a lot of security items to hide money, I only ever used them when I went to the currency exchange bank when I had a lot of cash on me. Besides that, I would spend days off or time between classes walking around downtown, exploring the old city, or planning weekend get-aways around the country.

There was little to no language barrier while I was in Chiang Mai. Most Thai people apologized to me that their English wasn't better, which made me feel guilty because I barely spoke any Thai. The only time we had trouble with the language was far outside of the city and in the more rural areas we visited. We could communicate through hand motions and other things though.

Food was never an issue. Thai food is VERY spicy and not everyone was a fan of it, however, there were Italian places, burger places, and many more. So no fear for those with weak stomachs.

Some random pieces of advice I would give to someone going to Thailand:

Don't pack too many clothes and DO NOT buy your school uniform in the states. Everything is really cheap in Thailand and we got the chance to go to the university store and buy dress shirts.

Barter the price for everything at places you can barter. If you don't like the price WALK AWAY. Most people will chase you down the street and lower the price to what you want.

TRAVEL! A group of friends and I went to Pai which is about 4 hours north of Chiang Mai. We got to go around rural Thailand and see natural waterfalls, hot springs, and canyons, which were all absolutely incredible. Others went to Phuket in the south which is white beach sands and clear water, which is also beautiful. Spending a day in Bangkok is also worth the trip. The bottom line is don't spend the WHOLE time in Chiang Mai, go out and see the country!

Studying abroad was the best experience for learning a new language. The time I spent in Costa Rica was the best time of my life! I encourage anyone who wants to travel to Costa Rica to do so through USAC and in Puntarenas to get the best cultural experience possible!!

Studying abroad in general offers a great experience where you are given the opportunity to focus on yourself and learn who you truly are. While I was in puntarenas my schedule was fairly consistent. Most days I was done with class by noon and I had the opportunity to travel, live with locals and participate in their events. After class I usually went home to eat and take a nap before heading to the beach or gym for the afternoon. Weekends I traveled with my surfing class to Jaco, and learned to surf.

Originally, I thought I was going to Europe to study abroad. Last minute, I decided to make the decision to move to Costa Rica instead. From the first day I arrived, I KNEW I had made the right decision. The months I spent down in Puntarenas, and traveling Central America, were some of the best of my entire life. My only complaint is that I can't get back down there to visit sooner.