A great start Past Review
By Nicholas Henn (California State University - San Marcos) - abroad from 01/06/2017 to 03/10/2017 with
Adelante: Madrid - Intern In Madrid
Yes. I know what I want to do with my career.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I have to say that the internship set up was convenient and the application was easy enough to complete. The cost, in comparison to other abroad competitors, was quite affordable considering I was posted literally 400 feet from in the exact center of Madrid. I would do this again if there was another opportunity to do so. However, I immediately suggest that whoever is looking into this program to plan, at minimum, 6 months ahead to get all the requirements settled. After all, I ended up having more fun than expected. Every penny is worth it and the people I was with were nice enough to help me with anything I needed. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Always had the information I needed along with any assistance I required. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Expensive, but understandably in a convenient spot in the city. Had some problems with roommates smoking inside of the apartment. Other than that, it was perfect. |
| * Food: |
Always good. However, you will hate ham after this. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I never once felt like an outsider, except with Spanish women... maybe that's just me. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Can't say for sure about this review. I wasn't hurt during this experience. But I know if you have insurance, the medical supplies are cost effective. |
| * Safety: |
Never got into trouble with the locals. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program is experienced enough to know what needs to be done unlike other 3rd party university programs. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
$500 per month on supplies. Have some pocket money to go to clubs or grab some souvenirs before the trip ends. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Approximately $100-150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try not buy brand products, especially if it's American (however it can't be helped in some cases) and avoid chain restaurants as much as possible (KFC, Burger King, Etc.) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
I knew Mandarin, Japanese, and English. I had to know Spanish off the fly. Within 4 weeks, I able to use what I learned to get around. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Just study. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Careful with your finances. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
