A wonderful time for me to find myself and travel the world Past Review
By Kymonie Thomas- Nagil (Rowan University) - abroad from 08/30/2019 to 12/20/2019 with
AIFS: Granada - University of Granada and Internship Program
I learned that no matter where you are in the world you ultimately decide how you want to live. And don't let anyone get in the way of your dreams because with enough persistence and dedication they will come true.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I found that the professors were really understanding and would work with me when I was struggling. This really helped me and my overall success. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My program administrators were great and helped me in my transition abroad. They also organized small group meet ups with others in my program which I really enjoyed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Staying with a host family has to be the best decision that I made I studying abroad. Being able to stay in a home where there is a serious language barrier makes one have to use and understand the language. Also seeing how different but similar all families are was a wonder experience for me. |
| * Food: |
As some one who will eat almost anything, I really enjoyed eating while in Spain. I would say that the influence of the Mediterranean diet is prevalent within Spanish cuisine, hands down my favorite dish has to be Paella. But one word of advice I can give is to try new food you never know what you may like. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Fortunately I don't have any medical history or allergies so I did not have to worry about much. But if you do, definitely make sure you bring more than you think you might need, because sending things from the US can be challenging. |
| * Safety: |
Granada is a really young and lively city. Overall I felt extremely safe even walking through the city late at night. But as per any place in the world just be aware of your surrounding and attentive when walking alone. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Being that I stayed in a homestay I did not have to worry about expenses such laundry or groceries. Which allowed me to spend more money on trying small dishes and even travelling. Also creating a budget for myself allowed me to live how I wanted without over spending. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 60-70 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Create a budget and also if you are struggling financially do your research and apply to as manky scholarships as possible. Worst case scenario you can also create a gofundme, which I found to be very helpful and helpful while abroad. |
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 really liked how engaged AIFs and even the CLM were at providing intercambios. Intercambios are small groups of people coming together to practice language. This was where I learned a ton of Spanish and also made a few new friends. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | I completed a level 4 course |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Homestays are the best in my opinion but also talking with people on the street. You will be surprised how something as small as ordering a meal is taken for granted until you aren't capable of doing so. If you're anything like me this will make you extremely frustrated, so definitely continue to practice. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | To be more present and to take photos of EVERYTHING, because you will wish that you had more pictures. |
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. |
