Spain: Loved it, Learned a ton, Would Definitely Recommend it, Love America more :) Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I don't totally understand how the grading system worked. In America, I get mostly A's and a few B's, but on our midterms, I got mostly C's. I did not really like how our grades were just midterms and finals, plus attendance and participation. Participation is hard though, because 4 out of 5 of my classes were lectures. I feel like I learned so much this semester, but not from my classes. The experience was so amazing and I learned all about the Spanish culture and ways of life. Plus my Spanish language skills improved, especially speaking and listening, which I have always struggled with. I feel more confident in my Spanish as well. The workload was easy, I never really had any homework, but I studied a lot for my exams. In America, I really don't study very much, but I knew I had to study for these classes or I would fail.

On-site administration of your program

I loved the CEA!! They were so helpful from the second I met them in Granada, Spain. I thought that I would not need them and they would not be very involved with us, but I was so wrong. I don't know how I could have studied abroad without them! They gave us orientations of the city, told us about the culture, helped us with classes, and gave us advice. They also took us on excursions that were always fun and I always learned a lot! I always felt safe with them and I know my parents felt safe knowing that they were there. My parents actually visited me in Granada and they met the CEA. They loved them! I asked them for advice a lot and they always were so nice and helped me with everything I needed. I can't really think of any weaknesses, except I would have liked it if we were given information about trips a little earlier.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my Senora! She was so nice and helpful, and she really encouraged me to speak Spanish. I was able to live with my roommate, also from my school, and we are sorority sisters so we knew each other very well. That was very helpful because at least I knew someone in a foreign country, and we could help each other out. My Senora had a son who I did not like. He was 35 and lived with his mom, but he had no job. He just sat around and watched TV all day, loudly. He also made a few offensive comments about America and told my roommate and I that we deserve zeros in Spanish, although he said it in English. My Senora also had foreign students stay with her for a week at a time. We had Italians, Norwegians, English, French, and even American students. That was all very interesting because we got to learn about other countries too, although sometimes it was hard because the students sometimes could not speak Spanish or English very well. I felt like a guest in my Senora's home at first, but later it felt more like I was a part of the family. She gave us everything we needed, did our laundry, cooked for us, and cleaned the house.

I am a picky eater, and at first it was kind of hard because I was not used to the food. I had no clue what Spanish people ate before I left for Spain, so it was all a learning experience. I told my Senora that I do not like seafood, so for the most part, she did not make it. Sometimes I didn't like the food, and I am not a big fan of salt, but they put olive oil and salt on everything. They also eat a lot of soup- some soups I loved, and some I didn't really like. It was nice living with a host family because I got to eat real Spanish food that real Spanish people eat, but at the same time, it was weird not knowing what I was going to be eating that day. Also I had to get used to the schedule of eating lunch at 2:30 and dinner at 9pm.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wanted to go to Europe to travel around, and I definitely got that. My best memories from studying abroad are from the trips I took, and some of them were organized by my program. They took us to Palma Mallorca, an island off the east coast of Spain, and Portugal. Plus they took us on day trips to Sevilla, Cordoba, and Ronda. I loved traveling with the CEA because it was not stressful at all and I always felt safe. Plus they did an excellent job of giving us sightseeing and cultural experiences balanced with free time. Plus they took us around Granada a lot at the beginning to get to know the city, which was very helpful and enjoyable!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I only had one health issue. I got sick in January, after I had been in Spain for about 2 weeks. I had a 102 fever. My Senora was very nice and brought me water. The CEA offered to take me to the doctor. I just took Advil and Tylenol, but I knew that if I needed a doctor, I would have been taken care of. I had some friends who went to the doctor with the CEA and everything was fine. Before I left I don't think I needed any shots or anything, but I got a physical through my home university. I also felt very safe in Granada. Ironically the only time I did not feel totally safe was when my roommate and I were walking to the bus to take us to the airport at 6am. At 6am in America, I would never feel unsafe because it is morning. However, in Spain, the streets are still buzzing at 2am. At 6am, people were starting to come home from being out, but overall it was pretty deserted and very dark. It was fine though, we walked down a busy street. I was surprised with how safe I felt in Spain.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I spoke Spanish every single day that I was in Spain. I practiced with my Senora, who I lived with, and also with my teachers and classmates. The people in charge of my program were also great to practice Spanish with and very nice. They also spoke English and were understanding that my Spanish is obviously not as good as a native speaker. I spoke Spanish around Granada and while traveling around Spain too. I shopped a lot, I sometimes ate out, and I had to ask for directions, all in Spanish. Not many people spoke English, or if they did, their English was not as good as my Spanish. I loved being able to communicate with people in a foreign language!!

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• Americans