Beautiful and I miss it so much August 27, 2022
By Kyndall W (Marketing, Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 01/03/2022 to 04/29/2022 with
API (Academic Programs International): Barcelona - ELISAVA – Escola Universitària de Barcelona | Disseny i Enginyeria
So much design knowledge and experience. A love an appreciation for the Spanish language and culture. A love of Catalonia-- its art, history, and people. Would go back to Barcelona in a heartbeat.
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. |
Everything was experience/ project based with quick turnarounds and not as much instructor help as there could have been. I really enjoyed the work, but my biggest issue was how much money we were expected to put into every project. There was no financial help from the school, and I spent upwards of $500 on materials |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The API people were great |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Lots of people for a small apartment with no changes made to accommodate all of us (tiny trash can, fridge, etc). Only one small washer, one tiny drying rack, and no outdoor or indoor space for everyone to dry clothes. |
| * Food: |
Not the biggest fan of Spanish food (except tapas) but found other cultural restaurants that I enjoyed |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our entire apartment building was Americans and my school was only international people in my classes. So there were not that many chances to integrate |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got covid in the first few weeks and had to pay for a hotel room (around $700). I did not get my money back from the insurance claim until a month after my program ended (4 months after filing). They lost my email. |
| * Safety: |
Felt safe in the city. Just be aware of your surroundings, keep a crossbody bag that is hard to get in to and cannot be unclipped from you. Keep phone out of hand and in your purse or FRONT pocket as much as you can, especially in El Raval. People have had their phones wrestled from their grip in that neighborhood. Do not bring anything important to the clubs, and DO NOT EVER go home with strangers. I did not get pick pocketed or harmed in any way. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I learned so much, despite the cost. I enjoyed the projects a lot, and most of the instructors. I learned a lot from my peers as well. |
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) |
It is a good thing that I had my savings. The cost of project materials was very high. Food was relatively cheap, depending on where you went. Wine was cheap |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $140 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at cheap places, the food is very good. Drink cheap wine. Make your projects as cost effective as possible (let your professor know that you cannot afford to spend much on the projects, but will attempt to be as thrifty as possible) |
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 |
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| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 1 |
| 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? | Keep practicing your lessons while abroad. Listen for the words you hear often and ask what they mean. Don't be afraid to ask multi-lingual people what a word means. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | How much projects would cost |
