Where should i go to college& nicest place to live? help?

Question

well i have less than a year till i have to choose what college to go to.. right now i live in california but i want to get out of america for sure. im like 90% irish so i was thinking of moving to ireland but i dont know, i like london (my first choice), and was thinking portugal just because cristiano ronaldo is from there and hes hottt, haha and manchester united my favorite team. its kindof difficult to choose but what place do you think would be the best place to LIVE? im going to go to college first of course, but im just deciding what country?? my dad says portugal is a third world country? all i want is a nice college (i have a 4.1), hot guys, nice atmosphere, overall a nice place to live. ideas? help me out here im open to any ideas! and why please. anywhere but the U.S...

Answer 1

Portugal IS NOT a third world country, it has its problems like the rest of Europe (yes, Portugal is in Europe in case anybody had any doubts...) like unemployment, high gasoline prices, etc.

But the weather is the best in Europe, so are the beaches, the natural landscape, the food, the wine and especially the culture, Portugal is almost 900 years old and literally every village, town or city has at least one castle and hundreds of churches, most of them 600 or 700 years old.

The Universities are among the oldest in the world, the most famous being the 800 year old University of Coimbra, one of the most prestigious universities in Europe especially in Medicine. The best universities belong to the state and, like in the rest of Europe, are practically free, you only have to pay a tuition fee that ranges between 500 and 1000 euros A YEAR depending on the university. But if you get a scholarship you don't have to pay a dime.

Portugal also has the advantage of being far cheaper than England in terms of cost of living, food, house, etc.

The downsize is that from May to October it's practically summer and you don't feel like doing anything besides going to the beach... But if you live in California you already know the feeling...

Now the language would be an issue since I presume you don't speak foreign languages like most americans, so I guess you have to stick to either Ireland or the UK...

In a nut shell, Portugal's strong points:

- Safety, it's the safest european country.

- Weather, the european country with the highest number of sunny days per year.

- History and Culture, one of the richest countries in the world, in just one street in a portuguese city, like Évora, you can stumble upon pre-historic graves, followed by a huge roman temple that is right next to a gothic cathedral...

- University life, very rich and varied in terms of activities, traditions and especially parties and nightlife, one of the best in Europe.

Answer 2

Make a list of things your ideal college and living situation should have. Some things to consider:

Do you want to live in a big city or small town?

Do you speak any foreign languages, or are you willing to learn one?

Is there a specific subject you want to major in, and would it make sense for you to study that subject in a particular country? (ie, if you are an art historian, go somewhere like Paris or Florence. If you want to study German go to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland where they speak the language. If you're interested in marine biology, it won't make sense to study in a landlocked country. Etc.)

What kind of funding do you have for living abroad? Cities like London can be VERY expensive and sometimes it is not possible to work abroad in your host country.

Use the answers to these questions as a basis for researching possible places to live and study.

It might actually be better to decide on what you want from your college education before you decide where you would like to study abroad. Also, don't rule out going to school in the U.S. just because you want to live in another country. Many American colleges have *excellent* study abroad programs where you can spend a year or more studying in another country. It might be possible for you to visit several foreign countries while earning a degree from a U.S. school!