7 cities, 5 countries Semester Abroad in Eastern Europe with EESA

I have never traveled abroad before so I was really nervous about going to a new country alone, but EESA provided me with everything I needed to have a successful semester at the national university in Kharkiv and throughout the process of obtaining a visa. This reduced a lot of my worries so that I can focus on having fun, studying well, and learning the russian language. We were able to explore the city of Kharkiv and travel to the other major cities in Ukraine. EESA always had opportunities for my interests.

I made the decision to study Russian language and figured I would learn more through an immersion experience, so I explored my options online. The EESA team ended up having the best communication with me and answered all my questions. At first I was hesitant, because I wished to study in the capital, but the more I learned about Kharkiv I was impressed. One of the reasons I opted for Ukraine was because it was much cheaper than Moscow or SPB. I traveled to Ukraine without any expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and remember my time there as one of the best periods of my life. I learned so much in the courses (not only language, but also culture, etc.), had all my credits transferred to my home university, took a stunning trip around Eastern Europe, and had on-site assistance from EESA staff the entire time. I would love to recommend the program to anyone I meet, and I do.

Eastern European Study Abroad is an awesome opportunity to experience Ukrainian and Russian culture firsthand. And as of Fall 2013, with field trips in four more countries, the program offers a completely unique and unforgettable study abroad adventure. During my semester, I had an amazing time visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg, and later Kyiv and Lviv. And living in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine after the capital of Kyiv, is perfect in that there are many international students (I met some from Germany, Nigeria, Iraq, and Mexico) as well as thousands of friendly locals. The EESA staff are very kind and helpful. They will go to great lengths to make sure that your stay in Eastern Europe is as enjoyable and rewarding as possible. If you have any connection to Russian or Ukrainian culture, this is without a question the study abroad program for you. And if you don't, you will still return home with fantastic memories and a new appreciation of this part of the world.

Choosing a study abroad program is not an easy decision. I myself had a very difficult time deciding with which program to study, but I can honestly say that studying abroad with EESA was a fantastic choice and that I had an incredible experience during my academic year in Kharkov, Ukraine. From the very beginning the staff was responsive to all of my questions and concerns and continuously worked to make sure that my experience on the program was a positive one. The quality of instruction in the courses was high and the chance to enroll both in courses with my American groupmates and in courses with other Ukrainian students was very beneficial. The directors work to accommodate the specific interests of every student academically and in extra-curricular and volunteer activities. Even when I was the only student from my group who wanted to study Ukrainian language, I was given individual lessons with the professor. Within the first weeks of our stay a volunteer opportunity was arranged for me with the help of the directors, in which I was heavily involved throughout the school year. As far as other activities are concerned - Kharkov will not leave you bored! It is the perfect host city for a study abroad program, as it is a city of students. Student groups are constantly organizing events and projects and they will always be happy to have you join them. If you take advantage of the opportunities available to you, you will never be bored! The academic field trips were also a great part of the EESA program. The cost of the trips is included in the program tuition and the trips are designed to include site-seeing, meetings with international organizations or companies, and free-time to enjoy the cities as you like.
Studying abroad in Ukraine sets you apart from your peers and will leave you with memories which you will never forget. So take the chance and experience an unforgettable year abroad with Eastern European Study Abroad!