I went to improve my Spanish, I was not disappointed. Past Review

By Jessica R (theology, Public and Community Service, Providence College) for

Arcadia: Barcelona- Arcadia in Barcelona

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained everything I had hoped to and more through this experience. I was able to increase my language skills, which was my primary goal, and develop new relationships. It has shown me that I would like to spend more time, in a more permanent situation, in Barcelona.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place:	Spring 2009

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Because of the small size of the program every staff member was available on a daily basis to help with any difficulties or to answer any questions.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived in a residential apartment with 4 other American students. <br /><br /> The neighborhood was extremely safe and beautiful. It was a 20 minute metro ride from downtown/school, which was easy but added a cost.
* Food:	Except for special events, there was no food provided by the program. The food in Barcelona is expensive, so it was nice to go out occasionally, but mostly ate through grocery shopping.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I developed incredible relationships between myself and the other people in the program. I would have liked to meet more local people, but have a few friends from Barcelona that I will continue to stay in contact with.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I was ill very frequently during my study abroad experience and visited a health clinic (with the help of a staff member) and was prescribed medication on each occasion. It was very easy to use. Although there is some danger in living in a big city, I never felt unsafe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

Finances

* 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)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Although going out to eat is a nice treat, an easy way to save money is to buy from the nearby grocery store and eat meals in the apartment.