SeleCting My Abroad City

1. There was minimal culture shock: while all the locals speak Dutch, a majority of the population spoke English making it easy to order in restaurants, ask for directions, and recommendations.

2. Amsterdam is a very healthy and clean city, almost everyone rides bikes around the city since it is so accessible. Watch out when you're crossing the street!

3. The Metro and Tram were very accessible, easy to use, and cheap. Since it is so popular to use these means of transportation locals are happy to help you navigate your stop.

4. Amsterdam is full of so many shops, from luxury goods to small, hidden gems.

5. Amsterdam is simply just such a beautiful city and so unique. There are beautiful canals that flow through the city with boats constantly passing by.

6. The bars are endless in Amsterdam and there are many apps such as "RA Guide" which tells you where the raves are every night. The music is a mix of EDM and techo and you're bound to meet very cool people from all around the world in this city.

7. The city is filled with amazing tourist attractions such as the Anne Frank House, the Rijks Museum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Royal Palace, the Red Light District, etc…

1. Tourist attractions get booked up way in advance so if you're hoping to see something make sure it's booked well ahead of time!

2. Since Amsterdam is such a small city it can feel landlocked at times, especially because besides tourist attractions the only other activities in Amsterdam are pretty much just eating and shopping.

3. There is usually a lingering smell of weed and cigarettes throughout the city since it is very popular to smoke in Amsterdam. Something to be mindful of if you have respiratory issues!

Lila Zacks - University of Miami | 2 week summer program 2023

Sara Shepetin - WashU | Spring 2023

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1. The weather stays pretty warm throughout the fall semester, even in December.

2. Barcelona is known to have some of the best clubs and bars in the world and this is definitely true!

3. Compared to other cities Barcelona is pretty cheap.

4. All the locals pretty much spoke English even if you try to speak Spanish to them they know if you're American and they will speak in English.

5. The UPF program is pretty easy and most classes do not have mandatory attendance and there is typically not a lot of homework.

6. Barcelona has a lot of really good shopping.

7. Barcelona is a very young city with lots of people around the same age as American abroad students.

8. Many people live in the apartment Beyoo Marina which is a pretty close walk to the beach. Beyoo Marina also has a rooftop pool and students have their own rooms and bathrooms. The apartment complex also has a game room.

1. Pickpocketing is known to be pretty bad in Barcelona so that is something to definitely be mindful of when you're in big crowds.

2. You could end up living on the outskirts and far from the main attractions.

3. The city can be very loud and alive throughout the night and the noise can sometimes last until 7 am, this can be difficult when you have morning classes.

Meg Lee - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

Ellie Margolin - Wake Forest University | Fall 2022

Sam Aberman - Cornell University | Spring 2023

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1. The clubs are a lot of fun and also not very expensive, as compared to other cities in Europe.

2. Budapest is a very central location and it is easy to travel to places like Prague, Vienna, and Croatia at a reasonable price.

3. Almost everything is affordable in Budapest (from groceries, to transportation, to restaurants, to nightlife).

4. It is easy to balance your spending in a city like Budapest.

1. The language is very difficult, making it hard to ask locals for directions or recommendations.

2. The weather is not great in Budapest - it can be hot one day and then freezing cold and dry the next.

Tommy Sciulli - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

CEA

1. Copenhagen is a very clean city and the locals take pride in keeping it that way.

2. If you go through DIS they typically supply you with EVERYTHING!

3. There is a ton to do in Copenhagen! You will not lack for activities here.

4. The lifestyle and architecture in Copenhagen is amazing!

5. The nightlife is always so much fun in this city with so many cool, different options.

6. Copenhagen is very sustainable and the locals and government take so much pride in this.

7. A great feature about living in Copenhagen through DIS is that you do not have to suffer through hassle of getting a Visa before you arrive. However, we prepared to sacrifice a weekend in the beginning to deal with your Visa through DIS. Good news is they make it super easy and everyone is the same weekend!

1. It is a fairly expensive city to live in so if budget is of great concern you may want to factor that into your decision.

2. It gets cold here pretty early and stays cold till late. It rarely gets above 70 degrees, even in the summer.

3. Due to its location in Europe you may spend most of your time traveling in the north - Norway, Sweden, UK.

4. In the winter the sun sets at 3 PM.

Catherine Esrey - Duke University | Fall 2023

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University of Copenhagen

1. Dublin is filled with fun pubs and you basically go to a new one every single night.

2. You are immersed in the Irish culture as soon as you step off the plane.

3. All the locals, for the most part, are friendly and you can meet some great people and have amazing conversations. They also love talking to Americans.

4. Classes at the University College of Dublin are pretty easy and manageable.

5. There is no language barrier in Ireland, they all speak English for the most part.

1. Students studying at the University College of Dublin will find it is a 30-minute bus ride into the city of Dublin.

2. Ireland is a smaller country so there are not as many day trips to take as compared to studying and living in Italy, for instance.

3. The weather isn't great in Ireland. There are not too many sunny days throughout the semester, but that does not change the experience much!

4. If you want to visit anywhere in mainland Europe you have to fly.

5. The campus of the University College of Dublin is pretty much a ghost town on the weekends since full-time students primarily go home.

6. While Ireland is very well known for their beer it is typically more expensive than in the US and other countries in Europe.

Taylor Rael - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

Irene Byrnes - Trinity College Dublin | Fall 2022 - Spring 2026

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1. Edinburgh is the perfect sized city and there is so much to do!

2. Almost everything in the city is a 15-minute walk away or a short bus ride and if you have a Youngscot card buses are free!

3. The locals are so nice and they are willing to give you directions if you're lost or recommendations.

1. It can get pretty cold in Edinburgh in December and it gets dark very early.

2. It rains a lot (almost every day) in Edinburgh but usually a drizzle, it doesn't usually pour.

Alex Stalcup - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

The University of Edinburgh

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1. It is very easy to walk around and the city itself is very safe and welcoming. There is almost no cost for Ubers except for traveling to and from the airport.

2. The food in Florence is amazing and surprisingly pretty cheap.

3. The clubs are easy to get into and pretty cheap compared to other cities. Florence also has great bars to go to before going out to the clubs.

4. There is not much of a language barrier and you’re extremely immersed in the culture with many historical sites and museums throughout the city.

5. There is a great proximity to other places in Italy where you could take the train making day trips very easy.

6. The school Lorenza De’Medici is easy but the classes are 2.5 hours. However, you can stack your schedule at the beginning of the week so it doesn’t affect travel plans.

7. Florence is filled with great shopping.

1. It is more expensive to travel to and from Florence as compared to living in a city like Milan or Rome since the airports are small and don’t go everywhere in Europe.

2. Classes at Lorenza De’Medici have mandatory attendance.

3. Living in the apartment Via DEI Pandolfini is not great since you have a roommate and the beds are small.

4. If it is late and you're having trouble connecting to an Uber you cannot wave down a taxi you need to call the company in advance.

5. While the food in Florence is amazing there is not much variety. Most restaurants are pretty much Italian.

6. Compared to other cities Florence doesn't have many clubs to choose from so you find yourself going to some of the same spots throughout the semester.

7. Water is not free in Florence and there is never ice water.

Matthew Levy - University of Michigan | Spring 2023

Cayla Schwartz - Tulane University | Fall 2023

Katie Haab - Elon University | Fall 2023

Jilly Gaslow - University of Wisconsin | Spring 2023

Wells Abroad

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1. Lisbon is very safe, you rarely feel uneasy walking alone even at night.

2. There are so many amazing restaurants to try and for the most part, they are relatively cheap. Also so many speakeasies and niche dining and drinking experiences, they love wine bars there.

3. Lisbon has great weather throughout the semester and it was really nice being so close to the beach.

4. The locals are really friendly and love talking to Americans.

5. The city is very walkable and it was nice to be able to walk to class every day. Also, Ubers are pretty cheap in Lisbon - about 3-4 euros for almost everywhere you want to go in the city.

6. It is so easy to take day trips and excursions that are very close to the city and easy to travel to (Sintra, Cascais, Nazare, etc).

7. The airport is really close and easy to get to making traveling not very difficult nor stressful.

8. There is a relatively cheap cost of living in Lisbon!

1. The city is a bit dirtier compared to other cities in Europe.

2. While there is cheap public transportation in Lisbon, there is limited access to it depending on where you are and it did not serve to be very useful.

3. Traveling is a little more difficult as Lisbon is further from a lot of the other cities but nothing too crazy.

Rachel August - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

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AIFS (Business0

1. The public transportation is very easy to use (tube and bus). All public transportation is very clean and safe. Also, London is filled with electric bikes and Scooters that can be used with the Uber app, this is such an easy way to get around!

2. London is a major city so there are plenty of restaurants with different cuisines as well as price ranges.

3. The nightlife culture is very diverse so whether you like spending nights at raves or just a classic pub London has it for you!

4. London is filled with so many different and diverse cultures.

5. Plenty of shopping!

6. Great airports for traveling and has the Eurostar (railway company), making things super accessible.

7. Every restaurant, shop, museum, taxi, etc. have contactless payment so carrying around cash is not too important!

1. The weather can be gloomy, rainy, and cloudy but mostly during the winter. In the summer the weather can be hit or miss.

2. It depends on where you are but some boroughs have more thieves and homeless people. People will ride on scooters and wait for tourists who are looking down at their phones to cross the street and they will steal phones within seconds.

3. There are a ton of tourist traps in the city and it can be easy to get ripped off from many of these places.

4. There is no AC in the city so if you're there in the summer your dorms/apartment can get very hot. Make sure yo buy a fan!

5. Unlike the United States, water is not free in London!

Jake Levy - University of Richmond | Summer 2023

Grace Byrd - Syracuse University | Spring 2023

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1. Madrid is filled with very famous and good restaurants such as Restaurante, Casa Botin, San Gines (which is the oldest continuous Restaurant in the world, and then the oldest Churro store/chocolateria in Madrid), and Plaza Mayor. So, you’re truly immersed into the culture right off the bat.

2. The clubs are also really cool and there’s a good distinction between American clubs and Spanish club so you can try both and see what kind of crowd you feel is best.

3. Madrid is a two-hour flight away from so many places in Europe. Also, there are easy train rides to Barcelona, Valencia, Toledo, Segovia, Sevilla, and everything in Spain and Portugal.

4. Madrid has great weather! It can get a bit colder in the winter but it rarely rains in this city.

5. The city offers so many different kinds of cuisines that are all great so you never feel like you're having the same kind of food.

6. Madrid is very clean since they clean and scrub the streets almost every night!

7. Since Madrid is such a popular city to live in when studying abroad you get to meet so many different people from the US at different schools and you're not stuck with the same crowd every night (unless you want to be).

1. Near some of the schools students attend you find it's pretty touristy, so sometimes the food options are not as authentic. However, if you take a 10 - 20 minute walk outside of the tourist areas you’re right back in the authentic Spanish areas with real Spanish food and culture.

2. Flying out of Madrid is a little more expensive as compared to other cities.

3. The culture of living in Madrid is very different from the US, specifically the lifestyle and the normal time to eat meals.

4. While most people speak English in Madrid there are also so many different languages spoken so it can be a little difficult to adjust at first.

5. If studying at UC3M, commuting from Madrid to class was a hassle and took 40 minutes. This is also similar to studying at IE and you're living in the center of the city.

Gabe Darviche - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

Hudson Rig Smith - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

Jake Fishman - Cornell University | Fall 2023

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USAC

1. Everything is accessible in Milan! It is easy to walk or tram everywhere

2. So many great stores for shopping.

3. Milan is filled with amazing Italian restaurants and cafes.

4. While it might take a while to get to the airports, there are three nearby to the city so it makes traveling to other cities/countries very easy and cheap.

5. It is very easy to train to other countries around Italy from Milan as well as other cities/towns in Italy for quick day trips.

6. Milan is not too touristy compared to Florence or Rome so the city it not too crowded.

1. Airports are a bit far from the city so you have to use public transportation which sometimes takes a while.

2. While the restaurants are amazing it was all mostly Italian (no good sushi places and very few Mexican restaurants, for instance).

3. Not a lot to do in Milan besides eat and shop.

Bocconi is a great choice but there are some things you need to know before accepting.

1. Housing can be tough if you do not get into Aparto. They seriously limit the Bocconi kids spots. This means you will have to look on your own and in most cases find roommates.

2. You cannot live with a friend who is studying at IES since they are required to stay in appointed housing.

3. If you did not take Italian already you may have to do the 2 week immersion course before your semester begins. Check with your university!

Maddie Siegel - WashU | Spring 2023

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Bocconi (Business0

1. The main school that everyone is registered through is called UPCES. They’re great, super helpful, and easy to communicate with. They also offer good classes.

2. Prague is such a cheap city. A pint costs 2 dollars! Food is really cheap as well with many choices to choose from. which is a MAJOR plus. We know a lot of people in other cities had problems with this.

3. There is a pretty good night life with a bunch of different clubs. Epic and Dogbar are two favorite places in Europe. Epic has huge names come and play throughout the semester which is really cool.

4. It is pretty easy to get around Prague.

5. Prague is right in the middle of Central Europe so it is pretty easy to travel anywhere. You can train to places like Vienna, Budapest, and Munich.

6. Prague is a very safe city

1. For a lot of the programs/schools in Prague it is required students take a semester-long Czech language course.

2. It never got warmer than 55 degrees during the fall semester. Usually, it was pretty cloudy, and sunny days were rare. However, it started to snow a lot in November and December which was nice.

3. Prague was pretty far removed from most European cities, causing flights to and from Prague to be more expensive compared to other cities.

4. The locals are sometimes not too friendly with the Americans, and on top of that, there is occasionally a language barrier.

5. For some, this could be a positive but once you get into a routine living in Prague can feel pretty repetitive.

6. Prague is set up by districts such as Prague 1, 2, 3 so if you are living in Prague 2 and everyone else in your program lives in Prague 1 it can be difficult and quite frustrating.

Will Karmen - University of Richmond | Fall 2022

Matteo Zeppieri - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

Casey Ott - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

Zach Mittelman - University of Richmond | Fall 2023

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