Absolute best time of my life! A experience I will never forget. Past Review
By Matea Manterola (Oklahoma State University - Stillwater) - abroad from 01/08/2018 to 05/17/2018 with
AIFS: Salamanca - University of Salamanca
Extremely worth it. It really encouraged me to meet new people and value the friendships that I made. Experiencing the different culture first hand really allowed me to gain a respect for everyone I met.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Was provided with advisors and teachers that were wanting to help and willing to help. They were always there and worked for the students success |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Extremely satisfied. My home stay was right in the city center making it so easy to navigate around the city and was very convenient for classes, stores, etc. Was also very safe and welcoming. |
| * Food: |
Was very content with the food my home stay mother made me. She constantly asked what foods my roommates and I wanted and made meals every day that we liked. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Was very integrated. I felt like a local and lived in the same apartment building as my home stay mother’s family. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not need any vaccines for this program. Never had a health issue while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
Never felt unsafe in my city or at my home stay |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I felt so at home there and it quickly became a second home to me. I miss everyone I met and the city. Would move back in a heart beat. |
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) |
My city was very easy to budget in. The costs for living and food were low |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | roughly 200 a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Spend less money on material things, to save your money for experiences |
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 |
Was very encouraged to use it. The professors taught the classes in Spanish and English was not spoken much |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | n/a |
| 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? | Living in a home stay really helped me constantly practice the language and it made it so easy to learn bigger and more advanced vocabulary |
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? | 10+ |
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? | Pack less because not much is needed |
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. |
