Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Spain was the perfect place to study. Past Review

By (Special Education, Brigham Young University) - abroad from 04/24/2012 to 06/14/2012 with

Brigham Young University: Alcalá de Henares - Spain Study Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I definitely became more independent and learned how to function in another country. It's always been my dream to go to Europe, so I was not only able to fulfill that dream, but also to learn more of Spain's history, improve my Spanish, travel, and have the time of my life. I would do it over in a heartbeat!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My only problem was the lack of air conditioning, but that's just because no one in Europe has air conditioning!

* Food:

Sometimes we didn't feel like we had enough to eat, and I really didn't like seafood, which complicated things. Otherwise, it was great!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

There were times when we went into Madrid and didn't feel as safe, but overall Alcala was very safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Spain's food was very expensive! Luckily our program included the cost of food with our host families, but otherwise food was ridiculous.

* 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? Between 10 and 25 Euros per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't impulse shop. Plan out a budget and what you really want to get/try, then follow that strictly.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? Spanish 206
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? Participate in Study Buddy or tutoring programs, and go to cultural activities to get practice in.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • I loved the trips that we went on and the support that we had from our professor and our university.
  • Living with a host family definitely made the program 100 times better.
  • I didn't only learn from my classes, but also from the trips we took.
* What could be improved?
  • A little more pre-preparation before we left would have been nice.
  • Resources and information from people who've already participated in the same program would be very helpful.
  • If possible, cut down program costs. We had a lot of money left over.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Europe is extremely expensive! I would have planned more before I left.