Ever wondered what it’s like to pack your bags and live in another country for a few months? That’s exactly what these Canes did through the Study Abroad programs at the University of Miami. Meet Matthew, Erin, Jason, and Tiffany, four UM students who took the leap, boarded a plane, and embraced the adventure of a lifetime. They shared their stories with us (some even checked in while still abroad!), answering our burning questions about what it’s really like to study in a different part of the world. Let’s see what they had to say.
Which study abroad program did you participate in?
UM Grand Tour of Europe.
What was the residence situation like?
The program lasted three weeks and took place in different cities, so we stayed in a hotel in each city. There were about 12 students and 2 faculty members, so we split into groups of 2 for the rooms.
Was there a language barrier, and if so, how did you manage it?
Not much of one for the students as most people spoke enough English. The faculty also knew a little of the host language and we also had a liaison who could communicate for us if needed.
How much freedom do you have?
We only had evenings to ourselves and usually one free day per city.
What do you do in your spare time?
I usually got food with classmates, and we walked around to explore independently. The rest was recovering from the busy day.
What were your classes like?
All of our classes were on-site/in the field. We walked around with journals and took notes or sketched while our professor lectured.
Which study abroad program did you participate in?
UPrague!
What was the residence situation like?
We live in a a “Kolej” which is like a college/student dormitory, I live in a 2 bed/ 1 bath, I have my own room and share my dorm with my roommate Adriana who is also from UM! We have a shared kitchen on each floor of the college as well as a private kitchen for just students in my program. We get breakfast provided Monday through Friday which is also a really nice feature of our residence. We have a shared laundry room just for our program as well. We are located in a beautiful suburb of Prague and we are only a single 15 minute tram ride from the main University building.
Was there a language barrier, and if so, how did you manage it?
I would say we are lucky here in Prague as most people do speak English. However I have found that the 2 week Czech language intensive we did at the beginning of our program has been so beneficial. I feel that I have a strong reservoir of Czech knowledge that helps me get by and makes living in Prague even easier, thanks to the intensive course. It feels really nice to have some understanding of the language and gave me so much more context of the environment I was in.
How much freedom do you have?
I have so much freedom here in Prague. Firstly the public transport system here is so great, you can get to anywhere you need without the reliance of a car. Prague is considered one of the safest cities in Europe and I would absolutely agree. At no point during my time in Prague have I felt unsafe, the culture here is very respectful, usually quite calm and people really look out for each other. Our schedules here are very different to back in the US so I find I usually have a lot of freedom to go explore.
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I love to explore the other neighbourhoods of Prague, find the best food deals and check out the latest museums. Prague is full of old castles, cathedrals, and monuments. It is such a beautiful city and there are endless things to do here. It is also so centrally located in Europe making it really easy to access and travel to other countries/cities on the weekend.
What were your classes like?
Whilst abroad I am mainly taking my cognate classes. These are small classes consisting of other students within my program, and are eastern- and Central European-based classes. For example, two of the classes I am taking is the “Interpretation of European Fairytales” and “Czech Humour and Culture”. They are super interesting and definitely very unique to other classes I have taken in the past. A lot of these classes only run once or twice a week which is also quite different in comparison to my previous semesters, but allows for more independent time and study.
Which study abroad program did you participate in?
ULatin America!
What was the residence situation like?
I had homestays and lived with a family in Santiago, Chile, and I had a shared apartment with another study abroad student in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Was there a language barrier, and if so, how did you manage it?
I had taken Spanish in middle school, high school, and at the University of Miami. I would say I felt prepared to live in several Spanish-speaking countries, however, there are regional differences in local dialects to consider.
How much freedom do you have?
I felt extremely free all throughout my time abroad.
What do you do in your spare time?
I enjoy different things in the city, such as museums, bookstores, cafés, as well as taking strolls throughout the streets. I love walking and seeing things firsthand, and it allows me to appreciate small things about the neighborhood I am living in.
What were your classes like?
My classes were extremely easy and allowed me to take field trips and immerse myself to learn about the culture I was in.
Which study abroad program did you participate in?
UGalapagos!
What was the residence situation like?
My cohort all stayed with host families so I had my own bedroom and bathroom in my host family's house.
Was there a language barrier, and if so, how did you manage it?
The language spoken on the island is primarily Spanish which definitely was a barrier for me. As my host family only spoke Spanish, I overcame the barrier by having conversations with them. Also, for my first class, I interviewed fishermen in Spanish so I quickly picked up understanding the language and speaking in basic conversations.
How much freedom do you have?
Classes were held Monday-Friday starting at 9am and ending anywhere between 1pm and 5pm. Therefore, on weekends and weeknights I had total freedom.
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I often surfed with my classmates and locals, enjoyed the beach, went snorkeling, or hiking.
What were your classes like?
We had 5 classes that were two weeks each. They were very field intensive, so classes on a day to day basis were a hybrid of lecture, presentations, and field work. The field work included snorkeling and hiking. We even took field trips on the weekend to conduct research for classes.
Itching to explore where UM students can study? Want to know if your financial aid follows you while abroad (psst... it does!)? Want to learn the difference between UPrograms and other types of study abroad experiences? Find more at studyabroad.miami.edu.
