One in a lifetime experience Past Review
By Heather Stanbury (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) - abroad from 06/27/2016 to 07/28/2016 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Barcelona, Spain
I grew as a person and I grew as a friend to others.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Very manageable and the professors are extremely friendly! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Definitely take Spanish Beginning 2 in order to get credit and if you already know a bit of Spanish. Super manageable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great apartment! So much space and semi close to the program! It was fun walking to class and taking new routes to see different views. |
| * Food: |
The food is pretty good in Barcelona! You just need to make sure you know the right places to go and what to order! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the local culture. They enjoyed it when we would try to speak Spanish and helped us learn more. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Never used. |
| * Safety: |
Felt very safe. However, never take a taxi alone. Always be aware of your surroundings. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved my experience abroad and I really hope others get to have the same chance that I had to go to a country and fully immerse themselves. |
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) |
It was very easy to cut down on expenses. Eat in and buy local items because they are much cheaper and fresher. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 250 euros each week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Yes I saved about 1,000 dollars towards study abroad through working all year. |
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 |
Yes, it's great to practice the language and full immerse as much as you possibly can in the culture. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | High school Spanish 3 |
| 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? | Just know the basics. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | More tips about the spanish language. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
