Coursework was pretty difficult and extensive Past Review
By Jaclyn W (Communication and Media Studies., University of Hartford) for
Arcadia: Barcelona- Arcadia in Barcelona
Yes, it was absolutely worthwhile. I think it is really important to be openminded and to experience different parts of the world, because in the end it helps you grow as an individual and it is a wonderful experience.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Arcadia in barcelona |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
| The term and year this program took place: | Winter 2010 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I did not expect the academics to be as hard as they were or for the grading policy to be the way it was. Also, I expected my program to be a lot bigger. |
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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? |
I lived with one American from u of h and two other girls that were older and only spoke Spanish. One of the girls was 30 years old and worked everyday so it was hard to relate to her because of our large age difference and the language barrier. It would have been nice to have lived under different conditions. |
| * Food: |
Food was difficult for me because I am a vegetarian and mist of the food had meat in it, however I was able to find some dishes that were pretty good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 1200 dollars is needed each month. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It is good to save a ton if money before going abroad because everything adds up very easy, plus for me the euro was a lot higher than the dollar so there always had to be a pretty food mount of money in my account since there is an exchange rate. Also, try joining a bank that is in your host country so that there isn't an additional fee when you take out money each time, |
Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I am not fluent in Spanish however i can understand and speak the language which is great for learning the language for the first time ever. |
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?
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