Amazing Experience Past Review
By Lis G (Public Relations, Spanish, University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa) - abroad from 01/30/2012 to 05/10/2012 with
API (Academic Programs International): Seville - Universidad de Sevilla
I gained so many friends all over Europe that I plan to visit later. I became fluent in Spanish and I became much less ethnocentric while appreciating the pros and cons of both nations. Spain provided so many experiences that I'll never forget.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned a lot through my various courses. As with any university, you'll have some classes that you like and some that you don't. My Guerra Civil teacher, Cipri, was amazing! He used innovative technology to make the class come alive. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The API administration in Sevilla was hardly lacking. Everyone there was so friendly and they all knew the students' names. We had wonderful excursions and Kepa was a joy to have as a group leader. Any problem we had was immediately solved above and beyond expectations. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our first house provided a little road bump but the second residencia we moved to was amazing! I made so many lifelong friends of people from all over Europe. We had the freedom to cook for ourselves and go and come when we liked. |
| * Food: |
There are so many types of foods for any palate. Whether you're vegan or carnivore, you won't go hungry with all the interesting dishes. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt that I didn't really meet as many Sevillans as I may have liked but if you try really hard I'm sure you could. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
API arranged for me to get to the hospital right away and Pilar kept checking on me after my visit. It was really assuring for both me and my parents to know that we could count on somebody during the first few weeks in a foreign country. The health insurance we signed up for took care of things very well. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe walking the streets at 3 p.m. and 3 a.m. The city is always alive but you don't have the fear you might elsewhere. At the same time, always go around with at least one person. Be particularly careful when in the clubs. |
| 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) |
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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $60? Hard to judge |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Tourist shops are always going to have the most expensive things. The further you get away from the heart of the city, the cheaper things will be. Avoid shops by the Cathedral. |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| 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? | Start practicing before you go so you aren't fumbling the first few weeks in Spain. No matter how tempting it is, don't speak Spanish with your American friends. |
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? | Just because a guy is foreign doesn't mean you should ease your guard haha |
