Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An Incredible Experience! Past Review

By (University of Dayton) - abroad from 01/22/2016 to 05/13/2016 with

AIFS: Salamanca - University of Salamanca

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience abroad was completely worthwhile. My entire perspective on life changed. Now, I want to work in an international setting and with people from different cultures and backgrounds than me.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved all my classes at the University of Salamanca. They were all with other American study abroad students but with authentic Spanish teachers. I learned so much about the culture and history of Spain, as well as the language.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The AIFS office in Salamanca was incredibly helpful and always made themselves available to us and gave very detailed advice. I would often stop by for a quick question or just to chat with them!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family made the semester for me. I could not be any happier with the family AIFS placed me in. I requested a family with kids and AIFS listened. They placed me in a family with two parents and their son. They also had an older daughter who had two young children that came over everyday.

* Food:

I am a very picky eater but I enjoyed the majority of what I ate, especially Spanish tortilla! My host mom was an amazing cook and asked me what I like / do not like and tried to cook according to my food preferences.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt that by living with a host family, I was able to better integrate into the local culture. I was able to speak Spanish with them after my classes. They also would go out shopping with me or out to restaurants. They showed me places I would not have discovered if I didn't live with a family from that city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues during the program.

* Safety:

I felt very safe in Salamanca, both during the day and at night. There are always people out and about, even late at night. I never felt unsafe or in danger. Also, because it is a relatively smaller city, I always knew where I was which helped to make me feel safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I would absolutely go abroad with AIFS again. They were so organized from the first step of the application all the way to helping me get home after my semester abroad. I also felt supported by the staff and greatly appreciated the host family they selected for me.

Finances

* 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)

I was able to live relatively easily on a student's budget. Salamanca is not as expensive as other big cities, such as Madrid or Barcelona. Also, living in a homestay reduced the costs of eating out. The hardest part for me was the shopping. The stores always had good deals and it was often hard to resist those.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably around 50 euros, give or take.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan ahead when making travel plans. Those can add up quickly, especially when made last minute.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The teachers and program encouraged the use of the language everyday. This encouragement helped me to increase my Spanish speaking skills immensely.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? SPN 311
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? For me, my host family was the best practice of the language. I would talk to them about everything and anything and they were always happy to answer my questions. Intercambios, or language exchanges, were also very helpful in practicing the language. AIFS set up a meeting between American and Spanish students to get to know one another and exchange contact information.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • How helpful and open they were to their students
  • How they take into account what you want on your housing application
  • How they provide and set up activities for you throughout the semester
* What could be improved?
  • My only suggestion would be to make the London Flight Package a day or two longer. I felt I was not able to see the entire city in just a few days.
  • N/A
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that everything was going to be okay! I was very nervous beforehand and now I am already planning my trip back.