Study abroad decision

[untadam]

I have a few questions from fellow 2p2ers that have travelled abroad:

1)Should I do a summer session (about 4 weeks) or a full fall/spring semester?

2)What do you look for in the program? Light course load + lots of fun OR tough course load + less fun?

3) I've narrowed down my choices to (Prague, Czech Republic) - (Cusco, Peru...get to visit the incan sites) - and (St. Petersburg, Russia) What could you tell me that would be influential on my decision for any of these places? Schooling, sight-seeing, girls, bars, etc etc.

Also...I know this probably shouldn't be mentioned but I'm going to give a short personal background in hopes of getting a better answer to my questions.

I don't speak any foreign languages and the above places offer courses taught in English and no previous foreign language experience is needed. (They do offer intensive language courses.) However, I do want to be some-what capable of holding a conversation with a local. I'm 19, Hispanic, history major at University of North Texas. I'm not looking to gain any valuable course requirements, I just feel that studying abroad would be awesome and an experience I can't pass up.

Any other info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[remi983]

1) Do whichever one you can afford...apply for as many scholarships as you can to this end. I did a study abroad in undergrad for a summer and it was great. I wish I could have stayed longer, but I didn't. I would have had the opportunity to stay longer had I taken advantage of scholarships. One girl in my class who was from a rich family applied for one early and made it a point to be a regular in the directors office. She got one and broke completely even for the trip.

2) Def the most fun. Your goal should be to enjoy yourself. I know ppl who went on study abroads and regretted spending all of their time studying and not enjoing the culture as much as they could have. That being said, structure to a study abroad is important, otherwise you'd overindulge yourself.

3) Since you don't speak any foreign languages, go somewhere where English is larely spoken by the general public. Having classes taught in English isn't that big of a deal, most study abroad programs teach in English. Beyond that, just go where your gut tells you. Write all of your choices on scraps of paper, fold scraps in half, put in hat, mix papers up, decide that you'll go to whichever place you pick out of the hat before opening, reach in hat and grab paper, before you open the paper one of the countries will jump out at you. Go with this one. Be totally subjective (freedom, find yourself, explore the world, etc.) in picking the place, then objectively make the trip work (financing, schedule/calendar stuff, etc.). Its easy to come up with excuses to not leave the country for any length of time. Just be clear about your desire to go, figure out how to do it, then execute!

[btmagnetw]

1. depends on what you're looking to get out of it. absorb the entire experience, semester. quick trip and experience, summer.
2. you serious? especially since you posted "I'm not looking to gain any valuable course requirements, I just feel that studying abroad would be awesome and an experience I can't pass up."
3) what are you interested in? culture? history? partying? travel? shouldn't your own interest influence your decision?

[rivermetimbers]

if you can afford the full semester AND it wont screw you over academically (as many abroad semesters are taking "joke" classes that dont really count towards your degree) I would definitely do a full semester.... as far as those locations, id pass and find a place that is MUCH more fun (think Australia, Western Europe, etc)

[XXXNoahXXX]

riverme,

lol. all evidence points towards Prague being the best city ever. (Though Aussie weather is prob better)

[rivermetimbers]

1 more thing... you can easily learn the language "basics" within a few months if you really wanted to (which i seriously suggest)

[untadam]

Thanks for the input!