the best experience of my life! Past Review
By mallory barishman (SUNY - Buffalo) - abroad from 01/11/2016 to 04/28/2016 with
API (Academic Programs International): Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
it was the best decision I have made thus far in my life. Going abroad makes you learn so many new things, about yourself, and your surroundings. I recommend this experience to anyone.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
the program advisors were extremely helpful and had a ton of information to offer about the host country. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
the apartment provided to us was more than I expected! It included all the essential kitchen items that we would need, along with linens for the bed and shower towels. it made for a very easy adjustment so I didn't have to purchase these things upon arrival in the new country. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
the optional social and cultural activities provided by the program were a great way to get involved in the new city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
i felt very safe in my host city. although there is a ton of pick-pocketing in Barcelona, the program advisors prepped us very well on how to avoid this type of situation. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was definitely the right choice for me! I knew the program advisors were always available in case of an emergency, or even if I had a random question about the host country. I felt very comfortable knowing that I could go to them whenever for anything I had a question about or needed help with; they really were my family away from home. The program had several amazing excursions, both in my host country and out of the host country. They made sure to pack in many exciting activities on these trips. The program also had several social and cultural activities while in my host city. we took a cooking course, which taught us how to make delicious local cuisine! |
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) |
there is a range of what you can spend while in your host country. you can choose to either go to the grocery store and make almost every meal at home which is cheaper, or you can choose to get the full abroad experience and eat out a lot; it depends on your lifestyle and what you want to get from being abroad. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | save save save!!! once I knew I was going to be studying abroad, I maximized my time the summer before I went abroad and made sure to make as much money that summer as I could and then saved this money and spent very little on myself that summer. |
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? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | sign up to speak to a local citizen there. it helps to really engage yourself by speaking to locals. |
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? | Take every day one step at a time, make sure you're always exploring and trying something new. |
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. |
