Granada, Spain: Cultural, Social, and Academic Enrichment Past Review
By Tyler H (Spanish & International Business, Valparaiso University) for
Central College Abroad: Granada - University of Granada
It was completely worthwhile. I've gained so much understanding of the world through being in Spain, as well as the travel opportunities I've taken advantage of throughout Europe. This is perfect for my future as an International Business major.
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. |
The educational system in Spain is incredibly laid-back, and in my opinion, they don't take education very seriously. The time I spent studying in order to receive good grades was about 20% of the time I spend in the U.S. A lot of information was presented in class, but we had virtually no work outside of class, and were only required to remember a fraction of it for the exams. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Program size was perfect; our group was much tighter-knit than other programs. The program staff was incredible; the excursions planned by the program were top-notch. Overall they were efficient, friendly, and paid their utmost attention to the students' needs. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family treated me wonderfully. My only complaints lie in the ability to heat the house -- it was often cold at home because my host mom had no central heating, only space heaters. |
| * Food: |
The food in Spain, in my opinion, left a lot to be desired. In general it was too bland for my tastes. I'm used to a wide variety of sauces, salad dressings, etc. and the only thing typically available in Spain is ketchup and olive oil. I love fruits and vegetables, and often the fruits we would have would not be fresh; the bananas would have rotten spots and the peaches would be brown inside. Restaurants often served good food, but the prices were significantly higher than I'd like to see. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We were provided a ton of social events, the most memorable for me was the trip to Morocco through Morocco Exchange. It was an experience I will never forget. Additionally, we spent a weekend in Madrid, traveled to Córdoba, attended a bullfight in Jaén, and had many fun outings in the city of Granada as well. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safety was not an issue; Granada felt even safer than my city at home in the U.S. I did have to visit a doctor in Granada; the visit was very brief, but the prescription was effective. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | I spent a total of 2,968 Euros in Spain, which equaled $4,196. I kept complete financial expense records of my purchases and made sure I was not spending in excess. This amount was just what our study abroad advisor had informed us we would spend. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you have a set amount of money in your bank account, make sure you are on track to have enough by the end of your semester. Keep track of what you spend, and be frugal - don't buy what you don't need. Keep in mind that your suitcase is only so big! Don't go out for dinner every night if your host mom cooks you dinner for free. (It sounds dumb, but people in my program have done it.) That said, give yourself a few occasions where you do have fun and spend more than you normally would back home. You're abroad to create memories and experience what your host country has to offer. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 390: Advanced Spanish Grammar |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I improved my Spanish skills tremendously while in Granada. I used Spanish to interact with my host family, my professors, people in stores and shops, on the street, at bars and discos, and often with my fellow American classmates and friends. |
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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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? | Someone who is outgoing and open to a new way of life; someone who doesn't mind getting active! (walking to and from school several times a day will ensure you're physically fit, if you're not already). Someone who looks on the positive side of life will enjoy this program tremendously. |
