An Experience of a Lifetime! Past Review
By A student (Spanish, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 09/16/2013 to 12/20/2013 with
API (Academic Programs International): Granada - Universidad de Granada
I learned a lot about Spanish culture as well as other cities in Europe. I also learned that I'm capable of a lot more than I gave myself credit for.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our coordinators were extremely helpful and encouraging. Carmen and Curra are a great team, and I loved working with them! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host Mom was very energetic and welcoming. My roommate and I had a lot of fun at mealtimes with her. My roommate and I weren't the best of friends, but we made it work. |
| * Food: |
I enjoyed my host Mom's cooking a lot. She was very accommodating and genuinely concerned about what we liked/didn't like. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt like an international student, but by the end, I felt more integrated into the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any issues while studying abroad, but I knew someone who did. She got the medication she needed and the coordinators went with her to avoid any misunderstandings. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe walking around the city. I would go on walks at night, but I would use common sense/caution (avoiding certain streets, know where I am and how to get home quickly if need be). |
| 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) |
Granada is known for their tapas. These are small portions of food that accompany drinks. There are many places with affordable tapas, and with enough of these, you will have had a full meal. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100.00 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Book flights using cheap websites! This is how I saved a lot of money. vueling.com and ryanair.com are wonderful for this. The seats are cramped, but you're not traveling very far, and it's worth it for the money you save. |
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 |
There were countless volunteer opportunities, classes in Spanish, outside activities, host families, intercambios, etc. |
| 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? | SPA 304 |
| 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? | Go to intercambios and exchange numbers with the people you meet. They know of the best places in town, the slang, and they want to learn English. You can learn a lot from them and they can learn a lot from you. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | How quickly the time goes. It seemed like a long time before I left, and now that I'm back, I realize just how short it felt. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
